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[Mission_bug]

Hello guys, not done much with this for a week or so but just a couple of images to show where I am at.


I made a attempt to make lods for the CF_Do, a lot of trial and much error but this is what I have:



This was a difficult process made more so by the shape of the model and the fact I cut the windows in, maybe
I should have gone for alpha channel windows because the Boolean method adds many vertices and if you try
to weld them together it distorts the shape which is especially noticable along lines such as the fuselage stripe.

I guess it is important to try the cutting method to find what downsides it has, with less windows the impact should
not be as bad on the tanker, if I get that far, all part of the learning process.

The tool in gmax called a 'optimizer' only does so much but a little tweaking of its values got me near with some
manual work, I was trying to minimize the distortion because I was not sure just how much could be seen when
in use.

The last four lods I removed the inner skin which helped reduce them further and I ended with these values:

CF_Do has 2887 faces.

L1 2273.
L2 1697.
L3 840.
L4 540.
L5 189.
L6 48.

Because the rest of the model uses the B-29 as its base I tried to follow the amount of lods used there so
hopefully it all works, not sure though on actual values as my fuselage is quite different to that of the B-29.


Made a attempt at internals:



The seats are B-29 and pilots already in the mod, I made floors and cloned then so there is a underside and
also dividing walls also two sided.

The stark colours are for testing that nothing was sticking out of the fuselage and for making sure the mapping
on the template had not got mixed up.


In game:




Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[Rogue Pilot]

Looks really good Mission. 

 I always liked the looks of this aircraft. Not sure why but it has a certain appeal to it.

Rogue.

[VandelayOfficial]

It looks excellent so far!

[dona]

Great work as usual!!

[max_thehitman]

WOW! That is one cool airplane!
Its looking great so far! Congrats!

[Mission_bug]

Hello guys, I have been working on another project with Charles so this was sidelined for some time but is now back on the work bench when health issues permit.


I continue to try and follow the B-29 lod setup using the gmax optimizer, sadly it is not the best tool available
but there do not appear to be any purpose made tools out there for gmax so I persevere with what I have:




I have no idea how you test if the lods you make are effective other than zooming out as I add each in
turn, here all have been added:






The values are as per the B-29, however my fuselage was a higher poly build due to the double section
of the B-377 so I do not know how effective it is but it did work with each lod I added showing as I
moved further from the aircraft.

The scheme above is to test the USA folder was working, so far okay.

The keel cap from the B-29 has been used and re-positioned, however, a new tail cap will have to
be made specific to the new fuselage.

Following that new engines have to be made and the interior detail completed, could be a while yet but
the fuselage was the main part and that is now done so hopefully the remainder of the B-377 will not
cause me too much trouble.

Once that is finished I will post a link and then move on to the military tanker/transports.


Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[cgagan]

Looking great, Pete...

[Bison_M]

Indeed, it looks better and better!

I hope with your efforts, Pete, the C-97 pack will gradually move from the Frankenstein hangar to real havy planes.

It is interesting that the first version of the C-97 was realized 4 years ago. And now, everything comes back ...

I wish you success and good health.

Take care of yourself.

With respect!

Alex.

[Mission_bug]

Glad you guys like what you see so far.

For me trying to learn 3d work these packs of yours Alex are a good way to practice as I can get away with just making the necessary adjustments to bringing the aircraft closer to the real thing without the need to build the complete aircraft.

I have not studied the type in depth so it might be that the wings also need attention, however, if I concentrate on the parts
that are obvious, fuselage and engines in this instance, it still remains to some degree a franken but more like the real thing.

Maybe in time all the franken hanger will be used as a base to make models closer to the real thing, or even completely replaced, your work will have been the foundation for that and all the hard work that went into them will come full circle, you will have been the inspiration that encouraged it, thank you very much.


Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[Mission_bug]

Finally made a start on trying to replicate the engines.


My 3d talents leave a lot to be desired as you see here in gmax, still needs mapping:





The real thing inset and in game using the port inner position, outer is the representation Alex put together:




Mine needs some fine tuning.


Wishing you all the very best, Pete.

[max_thehitman]

Looks great to my eyes  Great going Pete!
Your 3d-skills are better than mine, so your doing a nice job on this classic aircraft.

[Mission_bug]

Looks great to my eyes  Great going Pete!
Your 3d-skills are better than mine, so your doing a nice job on this classic aircraft.

Glad you like it Max, however, I think you need your eyes testing.


Try as I might I have not got the engines to accurately resemble those of the real thing but I have spent too much time
on them as it is so they will have to do, they have gone through numerous builds already.
The main problem is I am using the B-29 wings and if you look at the real aircraft some of the complex shape is not on the B-29 nacelles as they move further rearward so I have been trying to follow the shape on my replacement engines only and it really needs engine and nacelle making. 








They have their own lods and shadows, again I looked at the B-29 and used L1 and L2 in this instance and they
have now had their lines applied to the template.

Next up is the interior, crew and passenger cabins, will most likely use the seats from the B-29 cockpit for both.

New undercarriage doors for the nose wheel compartment are also necessary,

Take care.

Wishing you all the very best, Pete.