Looking good, would be cool, if you´d do a VC for it !

Nice I hope it's free ware, 5k Poly for fuse is not bad at all. Good luck on finishing it and keep us updated!

Thanks BMan!

Will do!

I'll get some more update shots of the A-7D project.   

I recommend you to check out these tutorials on how to model a head and a body for the pilot. Just scroll to the section titled "modeling and texturing tutorials".

These tutorials have helped me a lot when it comes to creating my drivers. I hope they serve you well for your pilot models.

Ooo, very nice. I've wanted a decent A-7 for quite a while now.

I'd love to see it in Greek colours, much like this:

(a profile of mine, currently a WIP)

Ashar wrote on Dec 13^th, 2006 at 4:45pm:



Thanks, I've really enjoyed working on it.  I work in Cinema 4D primarily, so I have to rely on someone else to get it converted and useable in 3ds Max and then into FS9/10 as the MSFS SDK's don't have a converter for C4D or other 3d apps.  C4D is just one great program that I've become accustomed to.

As for the KC-135, I can't wait to work on it.  The last KC model I worked on was the KC-135T model for FS98 years ago.  You'll find it somewhere here on Simviation or Flightsim.com and Avsim I think.  It's an old model and I hope to do so much detail on a new one, especially with the new wingtip drogue pods that are on them now (like the C-135FR's).

~DJ

I started work on the A-7D's Texas Instruments AN/APQ-116 radar. It's at it's most basic stage for right now. I had to figure out how the radome hinged, which was hard to do from photos. I drew the dish as best I could in Illustrator (that was hard as I didn't have a straight-on shot), and then imported that spline into C4D. Then I extruded that spline and boolean'd it with a Bezier Nurbs that I made concave. Then split it on the surface, and bingo, radar dish. Kinda like making a virtual mold. 

Now I'm debating on putting this radar on the actual flightsim model.  It could take the whole model up too much in poly's.  I think the FS9/10 models are what 20k-40k?

I'll have to do serious testing of frame rates once the entire model is built, and have several versions available.

enjoy!

~DJ

djackson wrote on Dec 13^th, 2006 at 6:06pm:


Thanks, and yes, it's all drawn on top of a technical diagram of the A-7. But I'll leave the discussion about it 'til I'm finished, as I don't want to hi-jack your thread.

Does anyone know how many poly's Captain Sim planes usually are?

I'm just curious as I'm trying to feel out the polycount in this A-7 I'm building.

Thanks!

Yeah those wheels above are way to high for in game.  I'm constructing an uber model first and then I have copies that are lower poly's.

Someday we'll get to that point where we can see detail this high.  I mean I remember doing very low poly models in Aircraft Factory back in 1998.    Perhaps DX10 will double the polycount for us along with even faster computers.  wow   

Yo DJackson, welcome!

The A-7 is looking great!  And I have one tiny request... Can you include an E variant of the KC-135 when you get to that?  There are so many KR-135Rs for FS.  But there are many more KC-135Es in service at this time being and I would particularly love the paint of the 190th ARW in Topeka, Kansas who use D and E variants...  But this is just an idea.

Ethan

Okay, I've started fleshing out the basic cockpit tub.  I still need to adjust poly's and points.

Nice 

I wanna make a Alpha jet but it ain't easy.
Need to learn Gmax don't understand it (i'm from belgium)
My teacher is trying to help me

Hey, I just noticed this but it's looking awesome!   Can't wait till this is released .

- Kevin

Work on the instrument panel. I'm just laying the instrument boxes in with some dials. I've adusted the side panels near the instrument panel to the correct angle.

The first image shows me using a flat panel texture. I use this for a guide to lay out the instruments. But it makes a nice 2D panel texture as well.









~DJ

I'll check that IRIS model out, thanks!   We plan on making this A-7D freeware because it's our first design, and a learning process for me - being my first, serious aircraft model for FS2004/FSX.  I designed a KC-135T for FS98 way back when, and another guy helped me in designing a 2d panel for it.  I designed that KC-135 with the old Aircraft Factory program.  You can find that old plane here on simviation just do a search for Dale Jackson, or look here:

http://www.simviation.com/fs98military26.htm

I also did a repaint for a Helio Courier - http://www.simviation.com/fs2004props72.htm

But other than these two, I hadn't done any serious modeling until now.

But I'm pretty jazzed with the direction this plane is going and I will be making other variations, like the rare afterburing version, and the two seater.

The Corsair looks perfect. I'm glad to see a A-7 for FS2004/FSX because I am Greek and Greece has these Corsairs. Greece had bougth in 1974 60 A-7H and later 5 TA-7H. The H means "Hellenic" and they based in A-7E. The mainly difference with the E model is that they haven;t refueling prode. After the Gulf War USA gave to Greece the A-7E and TA-7C from the last two USN sqdr witch used the type.

Now in our subject. Is it in your plans to make these models?
You can chek also this site. It's the site of one of the two Greek sqdr witch use the Corsair.
http://www.335sq.gr/

Looking awesome, better than any a-7 i have seen freeware or payware!

The afterburning version will use the true afterburner in fs9 along with an effect, not just an effect? only a few freeware planes actually use this function.

Brilliant! This certainly looks like it'll top the IRIS model.

Quote:


If you'd like to beta test, go to www.a7dpit.com and register there, it's not a big site, but it does have information about this project.   This A-7D will of course be free to the flight sim community once it's done.   The trick will be getting it converted over into 3ds Max (I build in Cinema 4D), and then into Flight Simulator, so we've got a long way to go.

~DJ

Export it to a .3ds or a .obj format(wavefront). Almost any 3d APP can import those, and if i were you then i would cut up all the parts in max, it should be easier to avoid errors that way.

Anytime, though you probably were already thinking along those lines. C4d is a great program, it provided me with a lot of insight into 3d modeling, so i can completely understand your choice. And this looks like one that definately will be finishd, so you got my hopes up high!

Okay, I'm completing work on the HUD model. Also I started on the Mag. compass that's on the left corner of the glare shield. I turned off Global lighting while I'm working on this virtual cockpit. It's much easier to render things and see detail in the renders. I know it's slow progress, but really I'm trying to get as much detail in this virtual pit as possible (but watching the poly's.) It's really a seperate model in it's own right.  Essentially I'm building this virtual cockpit with TrackIR4 in mind - making it totally immersive.

Enjoy!

~DJ

Still, with a bunch of nice textures this will beat the DSB A-7 by ages.... It really looks stunning ! Keep on rocking !

Very good progress! I really like how this is coming along!

Wow, this plane just keeps getting better. . . truely amazing work!

wow this model is just getting better and better, i seriously can not wait for it to be finished

Of course the real trick is to get this into 3ds Max  but I got some guys that will do that.   

Yeah, it's just a conversion process, probably only a couple weeks of conversion for any misplaced or inverted poly's and then adding animation.  I can export a .3ds or .obj or lot's other formats (except a max file) from C4D. 

The IRIS bird is aviable as freeware for quite some time....

But this one will be way better, as it looks here !

This is looking great!!

Lokes Great
can't waith untill its released.Do you have a mounth or something?

Howdy!  Just to let you all know, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. 


Here is an update.  I'm now working on the pilot.  These screenshots are actually for the hi-poly figure.  I have a low poly version specifically for MSFS.  In Cinema 4D I have the ability to switch between high and low poly models.

It took me a while to figure out how to model the helmet.  There were absolutely no tutorials out there to teach one how to do this.  And when I get the chance I'll make one for all interested, because I'm sure there will be people asking how to make a flight helmet.  I'll tell you this, it's just all trial and error and manipulation of points and polygons till you get it right.

I found some great references for the helmet and mask that I modeled.  I am modeling a Vietnam USAF era HGU-33/P helmet and associated MBU 5/P oxygen Mask.  I also modeled the HGU 26 helmet and MBU 12 mask.

Famous aviation artist, Lou Drendell has a great illustration of a Vietnam era fighter pilot.  You can see some of his work here: http://www.aviation-art.net/gallery_two.htm

I used Cinema 4D's "Zygote" default human for the base model.  His clothing was blue jeans and a white shirt, so I just colored them a flight suit green.  I manipulated the poly's so that he has long sleeves, and the gloves are really just his hands, but modified with the standard green/grey texture to match actual flight gloves.  I will be modeling a kind of high/low poly harness, straps, and G suit for the pilot too.

Everything is still a Work in Progress, so at the moment there is no ribbing on the oxygen hose, and I still need to add the straps that attach to the mask itself.  Also I'll add pockets and pouches - for the low-poly version I'll do all this within the texture and bumpmap.

Enjoy!

Yeah this model showing is more high-poly than I would put in the flightsim model.  Like I said, I have two versions, a high and low poly.  I'll upload some shots of a lower poly version.  I just like the way the higher poly looks, hehe.  Yeah for the hose?  Most definitely bumpmapped. 

You could also try making a extremely high poly model(dropping in NURBS? in C4D??) and then render a texture from that, i remember reading something about that on gamasutra, kinda like the Zbrush approach.

djackson wrote on Jun 5^th, 2007 at 1:05am:



Yeah I actually have Zbrush, so I'm very interested to see if there's a way for me to do displacement mapping on the texturing.

This model will obviously have to be converted through 3ds Max, and I have a friend that will do that for me.

One of the best models I have ever seen. I signed up on your site but how do I beta test?

pepper_airborne wrote on Jun 5^th, 2007 at 3:48am:



Oh this is nice, yeah I need to get into my Zbrush, just don't have a ton of time.