Hydra Cockpit WIP

might be as good a time as any for a first post...

nice. the new ones with sequenced/offset explosions and a better timing of the (for lack of a better term) particle dispersion feel more cinematic.
 
Seems to me that, at least for people with Playstation/xbox style pc gamepads or those with good joyticks, that either the right stick or POV/hatswitch would be the best way to control the freelook option should you implement it. Although you would ovbiously need a different solution for keyboard/mouse users. There, a shortcut makes sense I guess to automatically center the view on various panels, though an actual *free* control could be mapped to the numpad or something Or for mouse users, forgo the rolling control and have holding down the right mouse button (or both buttons, or center button - who doesnt have a mouse wheel these days?) and move in direction you want to look. Actually I quite like that Idea for mouse control as when using the mouse I almost always use the keyboard for throttle, fire missiles, anyway.
 
The new explosions definitely look like stuff is actually burning rather than just the explosive itself detonating.
 
Hey there interesting cockpit on that Hydra.

BTW AD and Howard, have you played any of the IL-2 Sturmovik games or Pacific Fighters? The system for looking around with the mouse and the numpad for snapping the views back might be a good place to get inspiration for your sim.
 
Aplha 1-1 said:
BTW AD and Howard, have you played any of the IL-2 Sturmovik games or Pacific Fighters? The system for looking around with the mouse and the numpad for snapping the views back might be a good place to get inspiration for your sim.
That's what I was thinking as well.
 
Aplha 1-1: Yes, that's basicaly the system we're going for. The exact keymapping will probably be different - F1-F4 for Front, right,left, and rear) - but that's the idea.
lijun: Glad you like 'em. They've probably got one more fine-tuning pass before they're final game quality, but they'll do just fine for now.
Now here's a quick update on the cockpit - I'm in the middle of the line work creation in Photoshop. Not much I can show at this point, as it's just grayscale panels and switches. I'll hopefully have all the materials set up by the end of the weekend and I can move on to the seats and the rest of the geometry.
 
Okay! Some updates on the hydra cockpit - I've made some good progression, althought there is still quite a ways to go. I think it's at a good point for some showcasing. Any area of texture that looks messed up or stretched is simply an area that has not yet been specifically textured yet. Getting close...
http://www.hedfiles.net/wcpioneer/HydraCockpit04.mov
Thoughts?
 

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  • HydraCockpit04.jpg
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Looks nice--I like the two big flood lights on the upper strut--they remind me of the overhead lamp in a car. One question: where is the jump fuel indicator?
 
I like the wiring but they should appear to end at a monitor or other useful mechanism (not just the front strut). Maybe you could extend the wiring down the front to the displays or connect them somehow to the lights. Otherwise it looks good overall. I look foward to when you fill in the back.
 
If I may suggest?
http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/
Also - if that shows that your monitor is fine, then some of that darkness is due to the fact that these cockpits aren't supposed to be fully lit by themselves. As the ship rotates, they are illuminated by the outside lighitng effects. (The sun, Explosions, weapons fire, etc.) If they're too bright by default, then the lighting effects are to subdued. Also - what you're looking at is simply the glow channel - environmental lighting is a separate thing (environment = Nebula, Moonlight, Asteroid glare) and is also added into the mix.

Ijuin: The jump fuel indicator is in the center of the screen - below the radar. It's marked "Fuel".
Hawkjoe: Good call - some of those wires will be running down the front struts. The things they dead-into, though, are missing some textures. They'll appear to be power and sensor relays when completed.

Hope to have a new picture or two to show here later tonight.
 
Why would they be? The Hydra is a utilitarian gunship, not a luxury cruiser. And like Howard said, you're not looking at the full lighting setup anyway.
 
He just said they're not fully internally lit.

And the idea that a luxury cruiser is the only thing that would have a lit cabin is absurd. These are more like armed space RVs than space fighters.
 
Halman said:
He just said they're not fully internally lit.

And the idea that a luxury cruiser is the only thing that would have a lit cabin is absurd. These are more like armed space RVs than space fighters.
I don't see why you'd want to have the cockpit fully lit in a combat fighter. It would only make it harder for the pilot to adjust to seeing ships out in deep space.
 
Hmm, I don't think this cockpit seems too dark at all really. The white lamps spaced around the upper struts acknowledge that this is more than just a cockpit and that there's some walking around going on. For the most part though, anything brighter would cause reflection on the glass that would hurt visibility. You wouldn't actually want the front of your RV lit any more than this while you were driving at night.
 
Yes, having the lights in the cockpit be too strong during flight would make it much harder to see outside. Also, it means that you are a brighter target for your enemies to see with the good old mark one eyeball.

On the jump fuel indicator: I had thought that the fuel indicator in the center bottom of the screen was for normal fuel? If this is for jump fuel, then where do you get the indicator for your normal fuel?
 
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