A new unit for the Star Trek mod. :)

"The Surak class was a type of starship operated by the Vulcan High Command in the mid-22nd Century. At approximately 600 meters long, it was an imposing design to the less-sophisticated humans of the period. The Surak class was frequently used for both science and combat missions in the 2150s." (Memory Alpha)

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Surak_attack.gif http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Surak_Death.gif
(Previews are oversized, real unit is about 75%)

The download with updated palette (17 Aug 2005): http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Surak2.zip


I also finished a variation of the Surak, the Toj Lol (preview real size):

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Toj_Lol_Attack.gif

The download: http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/Toj_Lol1.zip

Many thanks to Vuldacon for the palette doctoring!

Edit: Vuldacon made a version with civcolors included
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/CivColor_Surak.zip
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads1...olor_tojlol.zip (http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/civcolor_tojlol.zip)

Great unit :goodjob: I really like the explosion. ( 1st reply :rockon: )

Sweet!!! I love it! And the Death is Awesome! Great unit.

The previews Look Great Flamand...the actual Flcs have palette issues. The Beam has Large Black Outline with color change in Alpha.pal and the Death Explosion doesn't smoothly dissipate, I am guessing from the lack of having the palette Smoke shades applied. Since all CIV Specific Colors have been removed from the palette as well, I assume you did not want them?
...Anyway, Cool Unit, but needs palette corrections for the animations.

I know, But it's as good as I managed to get it... :( I sent you you the original storyboards, care to help me out?

Edit: the strange thing is that ingame the attack looks quite acceptable, no trace of the black areas...

NICE, I really love these Vulcan starship designs for some reason, if you need more I suggest going to the starship modelling forums at www.dynaverse.net, they've got plenty of other Vulcan starships like this one up, as well as just about every Star Trek ship, canon or original you could ever need.

Darn, this could have been good for the space armada mod, but without civ colours it's a bit too specialist. The alpha blending probably looks OK in game because of the black background and the death is cool too. Though in the death animation there is a bar of grey at the top of the frame. not too difficult to sort out though (I can't do it because I've not got the right programs with me).

Otherwise, good work, It'll be interesting to see your skills improve with practice. :)

Sorry about the absence of civcolor, but I think it would ruin the look of this unit. In the ST mod this one is only for the Vulcans, so that is no problemfor us...

I do not think changing the white squares to civ color would hurt the look of the unit.
Alternately have red be the civ color.

Nice job, this ship is a logical choice of the unit downloads page.

It doesn't even look like the vulcan ship. its close, it kinda looks like a cigar going through a ring.
Actually it looks like the Vulcanship.
http://www.stguardian.to/alien/vulcan/surakviews.jpg
http://www.stguardian.to/alien/vulcan/suurokclass.jpg
larger views
http://www.stguardian.to/alien/vulcan/timur.jpg
http://www.stguardian.to/alien/vulcan/timurwiewsmasaki.jpg

Definately nice. Im always jealous of the 3dsmax particle effects.

Definately nice. Im always jealous of the 3dsmax particle effects.
ditto. Loving the death.

Knock it off, Roman Legion and Wyrmshadow!

Flamand！:) Your units so great!! OMG, I am very like it! Make more please!! See your unit me will not make my unit! Admire your unit really too! Keep continuously!!!!!

I do not think changing the white squares to civ color would hurt the look of the unit. Alternately have red be the civ color..

The white pieces might be a good idea. Let me give it a try...

@Roman Legion: the first picture Bjornlo posted is exactly the one I use as an example. I don't think I can come much closer than that. Like yourself I am a newbie at unit making, but I'll try to do better for my next unit...

@LaDav: I still have plenty of units to make, so keep posted... :)

The special efficacy of 3 D of your laser and explosive is very exquisite, true to be to admire!

I mean its better than I can do yes, but I just don't see where all the light's are tword the bottom of the ship in the ring, good job though. I would have said all this before wyrmshadow interupted me, I was waiting for your response. sorry all that broke out.

I mean its better than I can do yes, but I just don't see where all the light's are tword the bottom of the ship in the ring, good job though. I would have said all this before wyrmshadow interupted me, I was waiting for your response. sorry all that broke out.
The lighting (including bright spots and shadows) is from his render tool. You may place the object and/or the light source.. but the details are then rendered, not drawn in place.
Imagine your render workspace is a box.
Take a 3d plastic model. You may hang this model anywhere in your box. You may hang high, low, etc. You can glue little bits on to change the shape. You may repaint it, etc... You might even build a new model from scratch.. But in the end you place it in the box. You may then take your light source.. for example a flashlight. You may make it brighter, dimmer, may move it around all you want. Once you are done placing all the bits and pieces it is time to render the scene. Imagine a camera that takes hours and hours to take a photo. The results are the final render. To make an animation, you take a series of still images and then slightly reposition either the model, the light, the camera or all three. You then combine all these frames and play them back.

So finally:
The light in the ring is not a problem. It is where the light actually hits the model.

I think this animation is good. I think the model is great. I think the death is just super-duper. Considering how long he has been making stuff, this is an amazing piece of work. Yes, it had some detail issues... palette, civ color, and such... but these are part of the learning curve. And more importantly it is none of these things you've been commenting on. The shape is what it is. If the design is out there, talk to the Startrek folks. The lighting is what it is. It is a function of the specularity of the unit and the position of the light, not a creation problem unless Flamand was going for rougher surface. But StarTrek ships were hard surfaced and fairly shiney, so I think it looks as he meant it to.

bizarre... it says I edited that message and I did not.

Hey Flamand, can you make a tutorial or post one about how to make such explosions ?
I'd love to make some units for a space mod in Civ4, but I just can't get a grip on 3dStudioMax and I can't find decent tutorials who teach me anything else than making a glass pawn :)

I think this animation is good. I think the model is great. I think the death is just super-duper. Considering how long he has been making stuff, this is an amazing piece of work. Yes, it had some detail issues... palette, civ color, and such... but these are part of the learning curve. And more importantly it is none of these things you've been commenting on. The shape is what it is. If the design is out there, talk to the Startrek folks. The lighting is what it is. It is a function of the specularity of the unit and the position of the light, not a creation problem unless Flamand was going for rougher surface. But StarTrek ships were hard surfaced and fairly shiney, so I think it looks as he meant it to.
Thanks for the support, Bjornlo... :) Vuldacon fixed the palette and gave me tonnes of advice on how to do better next time.

@SonicX: I'm afraid I only know about 3DS Max and how to do it in there. If you ever manage to get it, just follow the tutorials that come with it. These include laser blasts, framented explosions and fire clouds... Sorry I can't help... :(

@Roman Legion: that's allright. You loose quite a bit details of the original model when you bring it down to civ scale, so your remarks wasn't that far off...

I put the unit with the updated palette in the first post. I also included a second unit, the Toj Lol, which is practically the same. Yup, another cigar with a ring... :)

Flamand...both Units Look and Work Great in the Game...OH, and I love the Cigar Shape, just as they should be :) Very Good Ships and effects :goodjob: Already looking forward to your next unit.

Thanks, but it wouldn't look very good without your help... :)

I decided to Color an area on both the Surak and the Toj Lol units with CIV Specific colors for myself and anyone else that wants these nice units to have CIV Colors. Palette correction and a minor shadow correction in the Toj Lol Default SW direction.

Hope this is OK with you Flamand...check them out and use If or as wanted.

The Zip Files have all flcs, .ini and pcx files included so they are complete...the units_32.pcx files also have the small area CIV Specific Colored.

I will Post a Preview Next Post.
...here are the Zip Files:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/CivColor_Surak.zip
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads10/civcolor_tojlol.zip

Here is the Preview of the CIV Colored areas...The small area on the top of each unit has the CIV Specific Colors added.
Note, that I combined Both Units for this Preview:

Nice result! :goodjob: I put the links in the first post as well...

This two units will be assimilated... Great work!!!
Can't wait to see your next unit.