Bridge Commander Universe

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-11-2005 08:37 AM

Ok, there have been lots of problems with this mesh, not forming up right, mainly because I have provided only a limited concept sketch for the modelers to use....so I decided to build a preliminary mesh to be used as a template.

I figured I would get the shape exactly the way I want it, and then let the modelers go at it. I will, of course, move away from the sketch a little here and there to get the shape just right, and I will limit overall detail to keep the mesh clean and easy to use as a guide.

Here are the pics of my current progress.

Imperial_Destroyer · **Posted**: 05-11-2005 01:50 PM

how big is this thing?

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-11-2005 03:43 PM

2000 meters from the aft end of the nacelles to the nose. She's the largest ship ever built by the Federation. Basically a mobile battlestation.

**David999** · **Posted**: 05-11-2005 08:07 PM

didnt i do the naccels for that model?

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-11-2005 08:19 PM

Yep, and the pylons....guess who this concept mesh is for Wink

You and Armondikov. This way you guys can grab this when I am done and use it for your template. The warp engines are unchanged, abiet a little shorter.

Major A Payne · Cadet 3rd Class Joined: 02 May 2002 Posts: 38

I dont' know Raven. Whilst I applaud your modelling effort, your making a rebuild of this is a little unfair to the months of work already put in here. Okay so the originals may not have been 100% accurate to your concept drawing but considering that the drawn design was just that, a concept, surely the modellers who appear to be working for nothing, should be aloud to vary the design a little to make life easier for them?? After all. They're the ones who are helping you here.

Also why build templates?? You could simply work on a more "alongside" level with them and produce the models quicker, than re-doing this one, and then re-doing that one simply because theres something you dont' like. At this rate your project will never see the light of day. I know its easier to model from an already created model (I should do seeing as I'm done it frequently), but still. The works already been done to a certain degree. It seems you may as well restart the project and build all your template models first, then request your modellers begin their refinements.

Oh and speaking of models, whats happened to updates from LC?? I visit this forum every day and its been weeks since any kind of update from him and his fantastic creations.

(and no. I'm not being pushy, or disrespectful. I'm trying to see it from an alternative perspective)

Micheal_Yar · **Posted**: 05-12-2005 03:17 PM

ACTUALLY they ARE being paid

blaXXer · **Posted**: 05-12-2005 04:29 PM

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-12-2005 09:45 PM

Lol.

Thats alright.

Concept meshes are drawings in 3d. To say I shouldn't do them is to say I should stop drawing them.

Second, I never said that my process was fair. That is why I pay for it. I am very picky, and I would rather this takes ten years and comes out perfect than have it be a bug filled mess with ships that I do not like and my name plastered in lights.

This is how we do things at Nightsoft.

We have our own outside contracts, before you ask, so yes, we can take our time on this. This project will be finished in it's own time, but it may not even use the BC engine. All options are open and are being explored.

So, template meshes are absolutely vital to the process, and the constant tweaking is definitely NOT fair but will continue unabated.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-12-2005 09:50 PM

blaXXer · **Posted**: 05-12-2005 11:06 PM

Thanks for your quick reply raven, but back to the topic at hand:

I've been following the respective topics both about the CGI and in-game Infinity with great interest, and I've been asking myself the question at which stage the two models are by now.
I know that, since it's the main ship in the game and your pet-project, so to speak, it has to be perfect, but nonetheless I'd be interested in their current status.
TIA.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 12:05 AM

Well, right now the CGI Infinity is almost completed, sans the nose which armondikov needs this work I am doing now to finish.

As for the game mesh, David made one, and I have used his unchanged nacelles and only slightly changed nacelle struts with a new body. I imagine it wont take long to make the necessary changes.

The nose has been the toughest part....I did not have a concept mesh for this ship, so Armondikov and David999 had to wing it, and I just didnt like the way the noses were turning out.

This way, I can plant a ship in the slot in the nose and it will not effect the dorsal or ventral nose area. Then it is a simple matter of putting the concord in the neck, and we are set.

Major A Payne · Cadet 3rd Class Joined: 02 May 2002 Posts: 38

Like I said Raven. I wasn't trying to be pushy or anything like that. It just seemed a little unfair to me, to have the modellers redo their months of work.

Still I suppose its your call. I'm just trying to see the other side of the coin.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 09:28 AM

It is, and I didn't find you pushy. There are many that do not like my methods, to the point that some modelers have even left the project in the past....but in the end I can say with all confidence that the mod or game we make will be the best possible product we could produce.

**starforce2** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 11:16 AM

I think you should throw this entire pos in the bin and have mayhem draw you a real infinity.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 03:57 PM

Hehe.

Dont think ill be doing that.

**Armondikov** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 06:20 PM

Right man. I can upload the arse end of Infinity for you to have. I'll not have my computer and LW for a while so I can't finish it myself anytime soon. Razz

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-13-2005 06:39 PM

No problem. Let me chew on the nose of this ship for a while and then you guys can dig into it when you are ready. You know me....no rush.

**Armondikov** · **Posted**: 05-14-2005 06:18 PM

Fair enough. We still need to solve the problem of converting between .lwo and MAX compatible files otherwise I shouldn't even bother.

**David999** · **Posted**: 05-14-2005 06:35 PM

ive got the back end of my mesh too, the naccels are inch perfect to his model, if u want it?

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 12:56 AM

Well, I would suggest holding off and let me finish up this basic shape. Then you can look at it and see if you want to cut my throat or not.

At the very least it will show what I want for the nose and the bottom, which was the original intent. I'm working on it....it should be ready in a few days.

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 06:53 PM

Ok, here is the latest. I moved the impulse vents off of the main saucer body lateral edge and attached them to the ventral hull. This keeps them from breaking up the overall wedge shape, making it a much smoother shape overall.

As you see, some shape tweaks, fixed the nose (it is now on spot), removed the pipes and the nacelle struts, reshaped them and attached them to the hull (this ship does not have nacelle struts persay, it is too large for that. Instead the struts are actually a part of the hull form.)

So far so good. Looking at my concept drawing I can see why it was better for me to start making mesh templates. All three perspectives do not match. I decided, therefore, to set a priority. The highest is the side view, followed by the front and finally the perspective.

I like the side view of this ship....it is slim but not paper thin. It has a very agressive wedge shape.

The front view is taller than I would like, but to make it shorter would mean turning the ship into a piece of paper due to its cant, or remove the cant....niether one was appealing. Also I need to work on the deflector, but it is fine for now.

Finally, the top view needed some work. I finally decided to go with more of a one-hull design, going off the side view. That means there should be little difference between the tail and the head. It should flow together.

Finally, the nacelle length and position was tweaked alot. It was difficult to get just the right position, but I think I found it...the nacelles sit farther back a bit but are shorter, and the "struts" are close to the hull, giving the overall shape of the ship more even tones.

Here are the pics.

Here are the current pics sofar.

Micheal_Yar · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 08:26 PM

there was once said that there was a docking bay where a ship of the sice of a Excel could fit and well.. i can't see it here so could you say where

mayhemuk · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 08:40 PM

I would give her a less agressive look, give her a less sharp look.

**Nebula** · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 08:41 PM

its ment to ram if needed.....

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-15-2005 11:44 PM

Yes, the design is actually to facilitate a ram....phaser charged plates are deployed and assist in penetrating the shields and hull of another ships, while strakes on the side of the ship push away debri.

This ship was originally designed to fight the Borg. All systems on board are for that purpose. The general simply modified the design and finished construction.

Bigkap · **Posted**: 05-17-2005 06:29 AM

Damn this is going to be sweet! I can't wait to take on a cube with this beaut!

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-18-2005 06:58 PM

Glad you like it....the shape needs alot more tweaking before I am done, right now im working on the ma'veQ. I should have that done and get back on the Infinity in a few days.

**Armondikov** · **Posted**: 05-19-2005 08:15 PM

Heh... tried uploading my mesh and found my back-up CD seems to be damaged and won't run. Excellent! My computer back home is about two weeks from crashing and niether my brother nor mother would know what the hell I was talking about if I told them to backup my lightwave files.

Life is sweet!

**Raven Night** · **Posted**: 05-19-2005 08:58 PM

Oof. Well, I have the original meshes you gave me, I may have them in LWO. I can take a look if you want.

I didnt want to mess with them because.....well.....the work is outstanding. The nose isnt right though, but then you know that, and that is my fault, not yours.

At any rate, I am going to load the mesh pieces you sent me one at a time and compare them with the shape I'm working on when I am done with it. Then I will see if it is feasable to make the changes needed.