FB-202 "Ghoul" Long Range Fighter/Bomber

[Dyret]

I just have no idea how else you'd launch or land the damn things

From racks or whatever it's called, TIE Fighter style.

I really prefer the idea of it being a "normal" fighter that lands and takes off from carriers and not some weird specialized thing that doesn't need to land.

I love the model... The green engine flares are great, but look kinda strange with the blue intakes, though. I'm not reallly sure if they match in the games either though, so I guess it isn't a problem either way.

 

[Milatry]

I think I may have an idea on how it can land and launch. If the bottom fin folds backwards the it can land on any carrier as the wheels can be housed in that bottom pod and to small yet long landing gear can come out of the wings hidden. And for a launch the bottom fin folds back and the top fin fold to the side or but unlikely because of the engine can be pushed inward and pop right out ones its launched. Also it is looking very cool and it would be cool to see it in secret ops but one thing at a time.

 

[Howard Day]

Basically all of Paladin's ships fit the bill, but yeah something along those lines. It looks like a ship that's designed for the long fight. It doesn't look like a ship designed with a fast turnaround time in mind. I could see one or two of these being attached to some Pelicans and used for escort between jumps.

I just have no idea how else you'd launch or land the damn things

Very much so - I see this as an extremely long range fighter/bomber. Very far-ranging, very durable.

From racks or whatever it's called, TIE Fighter style.

I really prefer the idea of it being a "normal" fighter that lands and takes off from carriers and not some weird specialized thing that doesn't need to land.

I love the model... The green engine flares are great, but look kinda strange with the blue intakes, though. I'm not reallly sure if they match in the games either though, so I guess it isn't a problem either way.

Ah, yes. I don't believe the intakes and flares have ever really matched - well, at least not consistently. I know the Vampire's did, but the Dragon's didn't, and the Panther's didn't. Anyhow.

I think I may have an idea on how it can land and launch. If the bottom fin folds backwards the it can land on any carrier as the wheels can be housed in that bottom pod and to small yet long landing gear can come out of the wings hidden. And for a launch the bottom fin folds back and the top fin fold to the side or but unlikely because of the engine can be pushed inward and pop right out ones its launched. Also it is looking very cool and it would be cool to see it in secret ops but one thing at a time.

Yeah, that's the plan - have a pair of large center wheels in the main pod, with two outlying geared wheels that descend from the wing engine pods. Pretty much the setup from a Harrier.

Anyhow, quick animation test:
http://www.hedfiles.net/~hday/goblin.mov 13MB H.264

And two more images - without engine flares.

 

[Plasteel Skull]

Shit, it reminds me of Pioneer too much!

 

[Chris Knudsen]

These shots are amazing. You're a modelling god, Howard!

 

[gevatter Lars]

When I look at it I got the feeling of seeing a WC-Style B-Wing. I found the solution to how the B-Wing lands allways a crazy but good idea.

Anyway as allways Howards presents us an outstanding modeling work. I doubt that this baby will make it into Pioneer, does it? Could be a little easteregg or something like that ^_^

Will you release the model once you are done with it and do you have any other plans to create models from Feng in the future?

 

[Howard Day]

Shit, it reminds me of Pioneer too much!

Wait...what? How is that a bad thing? Joel's still grinding on the code, admittedly much more slowly than I'd like, but that's only because he has a life, and I've chosen to forgo that little bit of joy. Plus, we've been working hard on various game projects (rent paying projects) at our company - and that tends to take serious time away from the side projects. Anyhow, work progresses.

These shots are amazing. You're a modelling god, Howard!

Thanks, but trust me - it's way easier than it looks. Once you figure out a good methodology of sub-d modeling it's like mowing a lawn. You just iterate, iterate, iterate, until you get something that looks vaguely like what you wanted.

When I look at it I got the feeling of seeing a WC-Style B-Wing. I found the solution to how the B-Wing lands allways a crazy but good idea.

Anyway as allways Howards presents us an outstanding modeling work. I doubt that this baby will make it into Pioneer, does it? Could be a little easteregg or something like that ^_^

Will you release the model once you are done with it and do you have any other plans to create models from Feng in the future?

Heh - Yeah, I definitely get a B-wing feel from this thing. Not a bad thing, really, but there's some definite ancestry there.
There's really no chance that this will make it into pioneer - not the least of which is that the mesh is well over a million polys when rendered - the average Pioneer ship is less than 10,000. Now, I could make a low-res version fairly easily and stick that in the game, but it probably wouldn't fit the art style - and that's just because this fighter is built in a much later era.
I will absolutely release the model when it's done...I've done so with all my high-res WC models, and there's no reason to stop now. As for more Feng concept art making it into the realm of 3D...hem..
https://cdn.wcnews.com/newestshots/full/K_Fighter_04.JPG
I'll just leave that there.

Okay - one more animation:
http://www.hedfiles.net/~hday/goblin02.mov 17Mb, Sorensen 3
Enjoy.

 

[gevatter Lars]

Thanks, but trust me - it's way easier than it looks. Once you figure out a good methodology of sub-d modeling it's like mowing a lawn.

Reminds me of the guid I once heared.
"Modeling is easy. Take a shape, any shape, extrude it a little bit, extrude a bit more. Save it. Forget it for about a month. Open it again. Extrude a bit...get frustraded. Start again with the first step"
That is pretty much how modeling felt for me in the beginning and every now and then does again when I am not satisfied with what I got.

Now, I could make a low-res version fairly easily and stick that in the game, but it probably wouldn't fit the art style - and that's just because this fighter is built in a much later era.

Could you still create a low-res version?
As for Pioneer, I agree that the style isn't that fitting into it. Thats why I thought of an easter egg kind of thing but its your game.
Still I feel kinda sad for not haveing it in any kind of game. With the hint to the Kilrathi model...maybe you guys will do a "Pioneer 2000" mod for you own game including models based on Fengs concepts or someone else picks them up and puts them into another game.

 

[ELTEE]

As for more Feng concept art making it into the realm of 3D...hem..
https://cdn.wcnews.com/newestshots/full/K_Fighter_04.JPG
I'll just leave that there.

Please...model...this...ship!!

 

[Howard Day]

Lars: Sure, I could do a low-res version, no problem. Would not be a problem. Especially considering how much attention this is getting.

ELTEE: It has already begun.

 

[PopsiclePete]

One thing that's important to keep the WC feel is that ships must have the ability to land on their own, just like our WW2-onward figthers. To make this concept ship land, here's what I'd do: remove the ventral fin and have the botton pod slide (or retract) under the main body of the ship.

Here is a mockup I've done using PaintShop and 5 minutes during a server reboot

 

[Tigerhawk]

Pete, that lefthand pic is what I had envisioned when I first went through this and after reading all the posts...looks like you beat me to it as the lack of the bottom fin and the raising of the lower pod give less of a profile and cross-section...and maybe lower the top collector a touch to lessen the profile even more? Also looks like someone else beat me to the idea of the TIE Fighter-style rack launching...though I'd also envisioned the rack launching with the pilot already strapped into the eject pod while lowered into the craft, locking it up and readying it for launch.

...then again, as I'd just written the above, I'm reminded of how they manned and launched the fighter craft from "Space: Above and Beyond" and realized that's not a new idea either. Crap!

Either way, I agree, this looks like it could be one hell of a dangerous bomber. Impressive, Howard!

 

[Dundradal]

Pete, that's the exact thought I was expressing earlier. In your "compacted" version it's easier to see this ship launching from a specially-designed mount and going on extended patrols. It fits into Howard's idea of it being a very long-range fighter.

 

[PopsiclePete]

Well, as I said IMHO it's not really a WC ship if it needs a special rack. Sure, some carriers use launch tubes which could be adapted to launch that fighter, but to make that concept ship "fit" the established WC style it has to be able to land on it's own.

 

[Howard Day]

Okay, I thank you guys for all the input, but as I've already noted, the shape of the ship will continue to match the concept art - I won't be changing the overall layout of the Goblin. However, I completely agree that there needs to be a carrier landing/capable gear setup. I am absolutely confident that I can do that without altering the overall design - infact I've investigated the harrier setup further and it should work just fine. Damn near perfect, in fact.
Anyhow, that's where I stand on the landing gear stuff.

And here's a render of the Kilrathi fighter in progress - done mostly last night and rendered just now.
I'd love some names for this thing - I've been thinking along the lines of the Drakhri MK 5 or something along those lines.. Maybe Krant MK3 or something like that.
Please ignore the confed texture scheme - I'm reusing the ones from the goblin for the time being.
Enjoy!

 

[PopsiclePete]

Looking forward to see how you do it, Howard. I still think that folding the bottom pod up for landing and "deploying" after launch is the best way to do it (an let's face it, since WCP don't we think moving ship parts are cool ?), but hey, prove me wrong ! You got any pics of what you had in mind yet ?

 

[Howard Day]

Here's the closest I've got for you guys... I may or may not end up actually doing landing gear for this thing.. I don't know. I've very tempted to make it skids like the original WC/WC2 - would make things significantly easier...

 

[Capn Johnny]

Super Triple Awesome x9!!!!!!!!!

 

[Black_Lightning]

so being the smart aleck engineer...

As for slow rotation, with engines mounted on the extreme wings providing the best torque moment arm and a "central" center of mass... It would actually make this ship idea for turning. Think Babylon 5 fighter turns.

It's the slipstream designs which have a center engine and not ones on the extremes that would be theoretically harder to turn. Try opening a door using the handle, then try opening it pushing near the hinge, it’s easier to turn the longer the arm is.

But this might be overanalyzing, wc was never the most physics real space sim after all. And doesn't change the fact it's an awesome looking ship.

 

[Vinman]

I love the kneeling gear, it reminds me of the F7U Cutlass, another oddball design.