I need inspiration, so I'll start a competition

[rossmum]

I've got the idea lodged firmly in my head that I ought to make some kind of small (-ish) spacecraft for the Source engine. I want to go with something fairly light in tonnage but versatile and with a military theme, perhaps a corvette, frigate, destroyer, whatver. Even some kind of infiltrator or scout ship, just something light, fast, agile, and interesting. The problem is that I blow at designing spacecraft from scratch. I did sketch up a side-on view, but it's pretty horrible and I honestly just winged it once I got past the prow of the ship.

This is where you guys come in. Design me a ship, and if one of you manages to come out with a reasonable, interesting design, I'll build it (interior and all, plus as much functioning stuff as I can). This will serve not only as mapping practice but also as a good way to learn some of Hammer's other functions which I haven't touched yet for fear of breaking things. Keep in mind that any designs submitted should be possible to build in Hammer, primarily from brushes.

If one of you comes up with something I really like, you'll get some kind of pretty major acknowledgement in the map itself, be it giving the ship a name of your choice, or making some kind of not-so-subtle reference to you somewhere inside - I'll work that one out later.

There's no strict time limit, as I have other things to finish first, but try to have a foot in the door at least by June.

[Con]

I have a fairly large inspiration folder, and I've been slowly tagging the images for some time now. I currently have 60 spaceships tagged but I'm guessing there's about 100-180 total, so if you want I can upload those images somewhere.

[Geo]

^ Do this. I wanna see this done :woop:

[rossmum]

I have a fairly large inspiration folder, and I've been slowly tagging the images for some time now. I currently have 60 spaceships tagged but I'm guessing there's about 100-180 total, so if you want I can upload those images somewhere.
seriously do this

album perhaps? or modacity ftp?

[neuro]

what kind of style would you like, lots of round stuff, sleek, bulky, smooth hi-tech, or scrapped together low-tech stuff.

my inspiration folder is immense, get on aim sometime, and i'll send you whatever i can find.

i might even consider modelling it for you, since i'm way ahead of my deadlines atm.

[legionaire45]

Here's some food for thought.
Derp (http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/12/the-physics-of-space-battles/)
Derpity derp (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.100198)

[rossmum]

what kind of style would you like, lots of round stuff, sleek, bulky, smooth hi-tech, or scrapped together low-tech stuff.

my inspiration folder is immense, get on aim sometime, and i'll send you whatever i can find.

i might even consider modelling it for you, since i'm way ahead of my deadlines atm.
Ideally nothing too rounded or smooth. Hammer relies on brushes and also has a limit on exactly how many you can use. While I have seen some incredible stuff done with it, I'm not that great. Probably something that looks more like a Halo human ship than a really sleek one. In the end it's just a case of what I can and can't do, I'll see how well curves work out when I get home. I may be able to make a sleek ship after all, but until then it's probably best to stay safe and go for angular.

I should also probably add that I really like the idea of inner and outer hulls kind of like on subs when it comes to spacecraft, so leave some allowance for that if you can.

[neuro]

ooh, you want to build it out of brushes?
howcome, you could have a pretty normalmapped model sitting there instead.

[rossmum]

Because the Source engine doesn't like large models serving as map sections, so far as I can tell.

There may be a way to convert a model into a map, but I'm not sure. I'll have to ask around.

[Geo]

Maybe just try to get the basic shape of the ship with the brushes, then add detail with parts that you model? That might be something to consider as well.

[rossmum]

I brought the issue of sneaking around Hammer's brush limits using models before and was told that the radiosity program Hammer uses doesn't work properly with anything other than brushes. I will ask again later though, kinda run off my feet today packing.

[EX12693]

You said you want a small-ish ship. I have no idea how big that is. Like, house sized? Office building sized? Post a pic of a ship about the size you want. I'll see what I can come up with.

[rossmum]

Like, smaller than the Hammer grid.

No more than about 6-700m in any direction should be fine.

[Darqeness]

Eh, I can imagine a spaceship exterior made of brushes looking really horrible no matter what you do with custom textures and overlays. It could look good if you used a ton of brushes but then that could really impact map performance, especially if you plan on having it move. What I'd suggest is using a model for the exterior with holes where you want access, then doing the interior out of brushes. That's just my opinion anyway.

[Chainsy]

I would make something, but I have no ideas on the capabilities of hammer and it's brushes.

[Dwood]

Do you want it to be a physical ship with a complete exterior or just the indoors of the ship?

[Con]

I've uploaded 133 ship images to my ftp here, so see if you can get inspired. I probably share a lot of them with tweek's since my collection is based on his.
http://con.modacity.net/ref/ships/

http://con.modacity.net/ref/ships/ship.1.jpg

[Aerowyn]

ITT: :ross:

Also...

http://con.modacity.net/ref/ships/ship.1.jpg
Looks like a weird version of the Millennium Falcon. Just throwin it out there.

[neuro]

hm, ye know what, i think i should re-rar my inspiration folder again, since it grew quite a bit since i last posted it, like over a year or 2 ago now i guess.

i might have a go at tagging everything, but argh, it's so much.

i'll see if i can get it online next monday. (tomorrow)

[Geo]

I thought this one looked pretty good. You could probably build this out of brushes pretty easily too.
http://con.modacity.net/ref/ships/AFFishtar-demoshot.jpg

[Warsaw]

All these ships so far are hideous, hth.

Ross, what format do you want this design in? I've got several space ships in the works, most of which follow the rules of space combat too (except with regards FTL, which consequently allows for large ships). Also, mine have no computers, which again allows some freedom; sensors are rudimentary

Also, that no explosive weapons in space is bullocks. The oxygen needed to sustain a gunpowder burn is contained within the powder itself. Also, a missile cannot correct its heading more than once in space because then it's inertia will play havoc with its trajectory...there is no air in space to slow it going down one way while it turns the other. Skii and I have discussed space combat in depth for hours on end on several occasions. PM me if you want details.

[rossmum]

The explosion would do damage at point of contact but the lack of matter in space would result in the shockwave and the thermal damage doing sweet fuck all. Those two are what do the damage in-atmosphere, and they need an intervening medium between the explosion and the object.

As for format... something practical, and preferably not too complicated. I don't really require something with centripetal 'gravity', but at the same time I don't want some whacked-out monstrosity with thousands of appendages and a layout which makes no sense. It's up to you, really.

[Warsaw]

Oh, I already knew that about explosions. I was just referring to using an explosive as a propellant. Sorry. Also, explosive warheads would be devastating if coupled with a penetrator head. Projectile buries itself so far into the hull, then detonates. Bam. No more spaceship.

I'll get crackin' on one of my ships. I've been meaning to do it but until now I've had no motivation to.