D4Y2 "Judy" Yokosuka Suisei- WIP

#1 Looks nice. The "Judy" was an excellent dive bomber.

What's your poly budget? It's hard to find accurate low-poly aircaraft, is this going to be in a pack made for sale, or is it a contract?

#2 Thanks- hope you will like updated version. I did not wanted to start with Zero as it's so common that it's becoming kind of boring- I am more into stuff like Shinden, Dinah, Betty, Okha- planes that are not so common but interesting to fans of aviation (and I agree, Judy was really nice, although it's poor armour made it's mark on planes performance).

To reply your question- model as it is now (version with wheels and what not) after triangulation has 3731 polys. Final version with model of engine, pilots and interior should not go above 6K I think which is acceptable (considering fact that first IL2 models were around 8K if I recall correctly).

All this plane models are going to be sold separately as well as in pack (I just got to find good place for them)- they are by no means made on contract. I hope to provide them as torque models with animations and stuff but that depends on how much programmers would charge me for writing script for all necessary functions. In any case- as you can see- geometry is there, textures will come soon as well.

#3 How about some of the planes the Japanese could deploy from inside a submarine? They could fold up. Those were neat. Also, some of the German "jet" designs would be cool.

#4 That's true (and idea itself is cool) but unfortunately I am making models not for a pure pleasure but to sell them. Now- if you will take a look at indie market- how many of them would like to make submarine sim with deployable plane ? I bet not too many. My "target group" (talking marketing language) are all simulator developers plus some FPP shooter makers (remember planes in Medal of Honour ?). On other hand japanese flying bombs and jets would be nice addition... thanks for idea, mate

#5 End of work for today. It's most boring and annoying work- tracing plates all over body of the plane before applying colours, dust etc. If there is any less rewarding occupation then that I hope it's reserved for sinners in seventh ring of hell. Anyway- I think tomorrow I will start actuall painting (together with modeling engine and cutting off all flapping parts).

#6 Nice plane Like the ww2 stuff.....did you ever get your Mech model working right?

#7 Yeah, got it walking around all right- learned quite a bit about engine (some things I did not wanted to learn as well as many usefull ones).

Edit- here are bare bones of texture. I've decided to texture both wings and both sides of canopy separately (to avoid "mirror") but tail wings will both use same texture (to save space on texture). I have some of it left but I'll need it for additional details like cockpit interior, wheels and such...



...and here is how it looks on model before painting.

#8 I dunno, just show them emerging from the water or some dark object in the water. Don't detail the sub or the fold up part. This would be in leiu of coming off a carrier or land. It would add more interest to the lineup.

If you sell a pack then include a writeup with interesting facts of the planes you do include. To me that always makes the product better when there is little intellectual gems included. Kind of like on antique roadshow when you find out some lady has a desk from some baren that used to write the orders to behead people at that very desk. Yes, my example is gruesome, but people like history.

Besides, if I was interested then maybe others are as well.

#9 Well- your approach is definitely interesting and probably well justified. Mine is a bit different (I hope not worse). I try to think "what kind of models can be interesting to my customers" and then I model and texture them to look as attractive as possible. I do not write story because I do not make games (they do)- I provide them with models that make their life a bit easier and I take money that makes my life bit easier.

First layer of colours. That's just a base so it does not really look good as it is- just flat and boring surfaces for now.

#10 I don't think Frank means to say "This particular plan went down over this island in 1942," but rather he means "This series of planes was put into production in 1942 and helped the Japanese win many victories in the Pacific theatre" or somesuch.

I'm just makin' what I said up, of coz, I don't know WWII plane history as well as I'd assume a plane buff does, but I was just trying to help illustrate what was actually meant.

Of course, that's just my interpretation, I could be wrong...

#11 Oh sure, I got it and have no issues with that- it's just that my thinking goes along different (not better, not worse- just fifferent) lines, it's more like:

"I am going to make some models for flight sims because there are not too many good models of this or that plane. My target audience in such a case are aviation geeks- obviously people that make flight simulators rarely are newbies when it comes to it. They know what -say- Pfaltz fighters are, they do not need me- petty 3d artist- to explain it to them (if they do they are in SERIOUS trouble because they haven't done their homework before starting dev). "

That's why I tend to put all my effort into creating model rather then learning about history of plane it represents- sure, I know it (but that's just because I am history geek) but in the end, in world where we are living people will not say "hey that crappy model comes with such and such story, let's buy it !". It has to be "Whoa, look what a cool model ! Let's have it (and justify it later)"

If I will not impress them with model as such I will not eat. Simple as that :D

#12 Coming along nicely keep it up!looking forward on seeing the shading:)

#13 First layer of weathering, dust and scratches.

#14 Very nice looking planes! You may have said it already(didn't read the whole topic), but what program do you use?

#15 Thank you very much for good word. It's Maya for modeling and Corel Photo Paint for textures.

#16 How's this model coming along?

#17 Had some work, sorry. I think I will upload final version during weekend and send screens here. I's done, laying on my drive.

#18 First off I would like to say this is a great looking model. Now for the crit....You have a lot of wasted polygons in this model. Many of them do nothing for the shape and could be removed. Being a Maya user myself I know you could clean this mesh up quite a bit and make it a true "low poly" mesh without hurting the over all look of the plane. Keep up the good work.

#19 In any model (and any soft, not only Maya) you can always remove this or that edge and thus correct polycount (and make shape a bit less exact) - it's beyond question and that model is hardly an exception.

Having said that- this model -as it is- has 2183 vertices and 1914 polygons. Considering fact that plane models used in first IL2 Sturmovik had four times that number (and it's 4 years old game) I do not feel like overdoing it. Yes, polycount can be reduced but I do not think it's necessary in this case. Of course it's just my personal opinion- not worse but by no means better then yours.

#20 I had a huge chunk of my time taken by other job- anyway, here is final version of texture and of a plane. I am thinking about adding 3d engine (just front) and detailed cockpit interior but that's different story. Now- exporting to engine and test of animations and then hardest part- trying to find somebody to buy it :D

Anyway- thank you very much for watching my battle with this monster and see you next time.