Corellian Transport2 cockpit panel

[rogeroger]

I recently installed your fantastic mega patch and updates. In the first few missions the Corellian Transport2 cockpit panel is a bit of an immersion killer, so I decided to try update it until something better is created.
This is my first attempt at xwa modding. I'm using blender 2.79 and gimp. The 'wip' updated cockpit panel shows without problems but the cockpit chairs now flicker rapidly in and out of existence. Any advice?
Edit: The work is not complete as you can see, I just wanted to test it in-game before proceeding further.


old




new




missing chairs in pic, though they flicker in and out of existence during a mission

[Forceflow]

Nice start, really like the textures. The transport cockpits really do need an update.

[rogeroger]

Thanks for the kind words Forceflow.

Yeah , I 'm quite surprised they haven't received attention, seeing that the model is featured in the first few missions.

It will be a nice start if I can fix the flickering chair issue.

[Forceflow]

Are you creating the model from scratch or are you re-using the original one as a basis? The flickering is strange, what program do you use to create the opt for the model?
Can you share the opt? Maybe some of our experts (@Vince T @blue_max @JeremyaFr) can check it out and see if they can spot the issue.

As for the cockpit itself, you might want to think about how to incorporate the dynamic cockpit elements. (Radar, shields, weapons, targeting computer etc) While it can be projected into the players view as well it's always a lot more immersive to actually have the elements somewhere inside the cockpit model.

[rogeroger]

I'm using 'XwaOptEditor-1.0.121' and I'm modding the current model. As far as a more dynamic cockpit is concerned, I'm pretty new at this so I think I'll take baby steps for now. I changed the textures this afternoon to what I think is a bit more accurate version. Here is the opt for anybody that wants to look at it.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/qe45wlvh ... it.7z/file






and with reshade4

[Vince T]

Mmmm The flickering/vanishing seats might be a hitzone thing, I just had a similar issue with a hangar I was working on, parts of which wouldn't show ingame.

There is a function in OPT Editor called "Compute Hitzone", which you'll find just in the Info Tab of the first windo when you open an OPT in OPT Editor. While I use OPTech and that function's equivalent most of the time, that pretty much solved the issue for me. Best to select all the meshes and then hit that button.


BTW those textures look really great!

[rogeroger]

Thanks Vince I'll give that a try. I discovered the cockpit images scrolling through google images. These are compiled from photographs of two different cockpit models.

[blue_max]

I'm using 'XwaOptEditor-1.0.121' and I'm modding the current model. As far as a more dynamic cockpit is concerned, I'm pretty new at this so I think I'll take baby steps for now. I changed

Good job! This cockpit really needed an upgrade. For the Dynamic Cockpit, what you can do for now is to put fake instruments on the cockpit at a reasonable size so that they are readable. Just add a couple of fake sensors, space for the CMD, a couple of areas for the text, etc. Once that is done, it should be relatively easy to upgrade it to a Dynamic Cockpit -- I can help you with that.

Regarding the flickering, try what VinceT said; but also check that the normals are pointing in the right direction. Have you checked if the flickering happens with the original OPT too?

[rogeroger]

Thanks blue_max, I have experienced normals getting reversed when importing/exporting in the past. You guys have been most helpful, thank you very much. I downloaded the megapatch recently, and your effects upgrade is awesome.

I'll search for some tutorials to get me started.

[rogeroger]

I had two issues, the disappearing seats was solved by recalculating normals, though the flickering was caused by mesh rapidly moving to a different position and then back again, this is still unsolved. I'm considering using gmax to do this, though I would like to know why this is happening..

[Bman]

Check the ship's .ini file. If there are any [S-Foils] or [Pilots] hook sections there and I'm sure they are, look at their mesh index numbers (first number listed) on the line. This tells the game to "move" that particular mesh(s) at some angle and back, and it affects all three .opts of the same craft. i.e. the base AI .opt, the ....exterior.opt, and I think it's ....cockpit.opt file. The mesh order index numbers start from 0 at the top to x at the bottom of window list when you open one of these .opts in XWAOptEditor. Basically all moving meshes need to be in the same index orders across all three .opt files for the given model. If something isn't suppose to move in the cockpit for example, then you could import a dummy/blank transparent mesh such as a tiny cube and move it up the list that spot. Then it can safely move/rotate out of sight, since it' probably positioned at the center-interior of the .opt model x,y,z = 0,0,0 and can't be seen. Hope that all makes some sense. Great job on textures. Using animated lightmaps & D.C. as Bluemax said, could really bring that model to life, even in back walls of the cockpit room.

[rogeroger]

Hi Bman, Thanks for the reply.

What you say makes a lot of sense to me. I noticed that in blender some cockpit panel mesh and steering mechanisms had duplicate blue mesh attached, which I figured had something to do with moving mesh . I altered the dimensions of the cockpit panels and removed a section of mesh which probably messed things up a bit.
I experimented with joining some of the mesh objects and had the main hull section moving up and down in game.

I'll check the ship's.ini file as per your advice and take it from there.

I've some limited experience constructing building models for flight sims but my modelling experience is non existent as far as as flying craft is concerned.
I enjoy texture editing as a hobby and initially I just wanted to change the cockpit panel textures to improve my gaming experience, but it seems I am getting sucked into a modeling exercise here, which is great fun most of the time.

[Bman]

Actually, there are quite a number of peeps who can model, but putting textures on meshes accurately scaling them i.e. UV mapping is hardest part. At least for me. Texture artists are kinda rare around here and in demand.

[rogeroger]

Jeez! for me uv mapping is the fun part, watching your mesh come to life .


edit: I am in awe of those who can create the great 3d modelling updates that have brought this lovely old game back to life.

[Ace Antilles]

Jeez! for me uv mapping is the fun part, watching your mesh come to life .


edit: I am in awe of those who can create the great 3d modelling updates that have brought this lovely old game back to life.

People who can draw and make textures are in high demand for the XWAU.
We have lots of old opts that need newer higher quality textures now we have more options.

So don't worry about fixing too many model issues if needed, that can be looked at later.
Even the exterior of the YTs need a face lift.

To answer your earlier question an update to the Falcon is something some of the team members have wanted to do. Other priorities get in the way for now

[marcop000]

Thank @rogeroger !!

Hope to see the Millenium falcon restored soon.

The first campain is with this ship.

This is a good incentive for re-play the game from the first mission.

[rogeroger]

cockpit panelling screenshots. These are at 512x512, I'm not sure how large the images can be, 1024 would be much sharper for the rear cockpit images.

[Forceflow]

Currently there's really no limit to the texture size. Especially for the cockpit I'd say you can easily go 1024x1024, 2048 wouldn't be out of the question either. Just see what looks good.

Gotta have to say what I am already seeing is looking really nice

[rogeroger]

Thanks, that's good news, though I will have to redo the rear panel textures, no big deal as they do look the worst.

[rogeroger]

Just finished these in 1024x1024 and am much happier with the result, now for the hull and I must still fix the mesh problems. I cant find any tutorials on opt editing for noobs and just xwa craft model creation in general. I read that some tutorials were lost with the closure of the darksaber site. Anybody save these for posterity?

[Master Qui-Gon]

While this looks very nice, don't get me wrong...but I have the originals which are 1024 x 1024 I have them for the Otana also.....

I am back...see something soooon.

[rogeroger]

You had better textures all along and you didn't share them with the community.
It does not matter to me who supplies the textures, you, me or Obi wan, as long as the cockpit is improved.
....and while you're about it I want the Calamari cruiser to look like this:

[Trevor]

One thing I would like to ask is when you say you made the textures 1024, can you explain which parts are affected by what you have done, or better yet, post the textures so we get a before/after of the textures too.
Reason I ask is everyone has a different way of modelling and increasing texture resolution alone does not give enough information on what has been improved.
For example, if you double the texture resolution and do nothing more, then yes, the in-game sharpness should be doubled.
Equally, re-UV-ing parts of the console without increasing resolutions (but of course using different textures) could achieve the same sharpness increase if you give each triangle more texture data.
One final example would be increasing the texture resolution to 1024 but combining all textures into one atlas would effectively reduce in-game sharpness since each "texture" would have less texel data.

Trev

[rogeroger]

I scaled the original texture from 256 to 1024, then added the photographic edited texture or drawn texture bits which are at approximately the same resolution which means that no scaling down to 256 is needed which tends to reduce sharpness and causes pixellation. The new texture is now 1024 and is added to the opt. If you look at the screenshots you can see where I've added new textures. I did'nt want to just have higher resolution of the older textures but something closer to the movies.

[rogeroger]

I recently downloaded the latest update and was hugely impressed by the latest effects but was disappointed on starting a new campaign to still see the old Correlian transport cockpit panel still in use, though it was great to see some cockpit illumination on the rear panels.

I notice from another thread that 'sedenion' may rework the yt1300 and Otana cockpits at a later stage and I look forward to this.

I have done some work adapting my textures to the original mesh just so that I don't have to look at the old low res front panel textures in missions for now.

Originally I had changed the cockpit mesh with weird consequences as addressed in previous posts on this thread, but this time I kept the existing mesh so that there should not be any issues.

Here is the opt for you to try in the meantime and hopefully 'sedenion' can produce something better later:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/1ggdv4r1 ... 29.7z/file



I have included front side panels and rear door as well.


I would like to add illumination to the front panel, so if anybody can direct me to a tutorial or just give me some pointers it would be most appreciated.