Well since I'm planning to make some units, I might as well make a preview thread for comments and suggestions, ideas and such. First up is the F-15E Strike Eagle, Fidget and Attack anim, the aircraft in Attack is not the size I intend to use, the fidget size is. Thanks to Wyrmshadow for the model.

the attack looks great...the fidget looks like it dips down in the back a bit much...maybe move the axis it swivels on further back a bit...or cut the rear movement a bit, and make the front bob a bit to compensate...

what other planes you planning on doing?...I would love to see some new non-american planes(or US planes in other countries markings/color scheme) for flavor planes

the attack looks great...the fidget looks like it dips down in the back a bit much...maybe move the axis it swivels on further back a bit...or cut the rear movement a bit, and make the front bob a bit to compensate...

what other planes you planning on doing?...I would love to see some new non-american planes(or US planes in other countries markings/color scheme) for flavor planes
He's only just starting to learn how to use the program. What you are asking is not exaclty easy to do. None of the models Ive given come with their own textures.

Ahhh...I retract my comments...

Just learning?...Looks great...Very nice atack...very fluid motion...

I think I'm gonna let the plane fly level a couple of frames more before it descends, elevate it, alter the sun/moon settings. Other aircraft I'm planning:
Embraer AMX, J-8 Finback, MiG MFI 1.42. Those are the models Wyrmshadow provided me with.

:clap::clap::clap:

Good job, MatteLeDog!

Thanks!

Spacer One: If you have a model for a non-American aircraft you want made, I'd be happy to give it a go later on, my problem is not motivation as much as
finding models (I am a poor student and can't afford turbosquid prices)

lol@turbosquid prices...

what format of model do you use?...

Turbosquid prices are insane! WTF is wrong with them?

A big thanks to muffins, who posted a bunch of his 40k models for free :)

I think this units are great

Turbosquid prices are insane! WTF is wrong with them?

A big thanks to muffins, who posted a bunch of his 40k models for free :)
I had a number of my own models posted on there for only $1.. then a week later TS staff changed them all to $30+. I made them cheap so that many poeple could get them while I still got a little bit of cash for my trouble. No such luck.

Since you're just beginning, I'm not going to request anything. However, it would be nice if someone came out with a quality super-hornet (yes, there is a normal hornet by Bebro, but those aren't what the navy will use). The super-hornet is quite a plane, and it would be wonderful if someone came out with that at a later date. But great work on the F-15.

Thanks, no problems if you request stuff in this thread, if I somehow find a model I will give it a go, is the Super Hornet a different airframe from the regular hornet btw? I will finish this one in the weekend, been quite busy in school the last couple of days but now I've graduated so I can concentrate
on this work. The next one is the AMX, I will have to learn to import my own textures into Bryce for that one, since I want to have two different colour schemes, one camoflauge with Brazilian AF markings and one white and blue.

Excellent work. I must admit I am a complete outsider in unit graphics/models, but it looks great. I may use it in my World 2000 scenario. Of course with your permission.

Everything on this site is public domain.

I know, but it isn't nice to take someones hard work without his permission and giving him credits.

is the Super Hornet a different airframe from the regular hornet btw?
From what I have seen the only difference is instead of being single seat it has a back seat like the f-14 but no real appreaciable airframe changes so any F-18 can be either a Hornet or Super Hornet.

From what I have seen the only difference is instead of being single seat it has a back seat like the f-14 but no real appreaciable airframe changes so any F-18 can be either a Hornet or Super Hornet.
you are soooo wrong. Major airframe difference.
http://64.78.14.108/th/4657.jpg
http://64.78.14.108/th/273.jpg
http://www.vectorsite.net/avhorn.html

The Eagle is done!

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=173306

Excellent work. I must admit I am a complete outsider in unit graphics/models, but it looks great. I may use it in my World 2000 scenario. Of course with your permission.

Yeah of course, that's why I made it so people can use it in scenarios and mods

The major difference I see is that the airframe is enlarged but the basic shape retains the shape of the F-18. Thanks for the link that really goes into a lot of detail I liked the story on the "Growler".

Next up is the Embraer AMX, a Brazilian Attack/Close support aircraft

Nice. Love that Embraer... will fill in a blank in my Americas mod.

I really like that AMX.

you're learning, but the canopy is going to interfere with the pallete again. your color-blindness isnt helping.

your color-blindness isnt helping.

:lol: I know

A gray-blue version with Brazilian AF markings.

you're learning, but the canopy is going to interfere with the pallete again. your color-blindness isnt helping.
Why would a blue canopy interfere with the pallatte? Is blue one of the special colors? Or is it reserved for nationality color?

Why would a blue canopy interfere with the pallatte? Is blue one of the special colors? Or is it reserved for nationality color?
reserved for civ color, one of the lighter blues. In his original F-15... some of the pixels in the canopy were civ colored. That is why I totally stay away from colors that may interfere with my normal palletes.

The AMX is done!

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=4133531#post4133531

reserved for civ color, one of the lighter blues. In his original F-15... some of the pixels in the canopy were civ colored. That is why I totally stay away from colors that may interfere with my normal palletes.
OK I just learned something.

Ok I haven't been able to do much on the PLAAF since the copy of Bryce I brought with me to the place I'm currently staying at didn't work, but this weekend I managed to prepare the PLAAF for animation, this is how the final line up looks, the sizes are preview modified, to show the textures, not in-game size.

Hmm I might make the AF markings a bit larger.

beautiful.. especially the ones with the camo pattern!

Yes, beautiful.... so will you be doing the missile penguin anytime soon?

Those all look very good!

Indeed they do.

Yes, beautiful.... so will you be doing the missile penguin anytime soon?

:D If you make a north pole vs south pole mod I'll throw in an assault rifle carrying polar bear too ;)

Hmm.... will you do them if I do a Christmas mod, where the penguins stole Christmas, and it was up to santa, his elves and their psychotic, mutant, assault polar bears to get it back?

If anyone is wondering, this is not abandoned, just had a lot of stuff going on RL wise the last couple of months, but I have begun picking up where I left off in June.

Only 10 frames in the attack animation, which I think is the number used for the default fighter attack animation that comes with the game, so that way the animation should show in game at least.

Nice :) Wut iz it?

It's the Chinese modification of the MiG-21 Fishbed, the J-7, different versions and continuous upgrades to it have been made since the 60's, still constitutes a large proportion of the PLAAF active aircraft inventory.

http://www.vectorsite.net/avmig21_2.html

Ach, so, its basicly a MiG-21 ;)

nice work Matte :thumbsup: i've got a place for this when it's done :)

Ach, so, its basicly a MiG-21 ;)

Uhm no not really, the J-7 has distinguishing features, and comparing the latest version of the J-7 (think it is E or G version) with the early versions of the Soviet MiG-21 Fishbed and saying that it is basically the same aircraft would be very incorrect. I would suggest reading the background info on Vectorsite, a good and entertaining webpage, if you are interested in military aircraft. Also there are probably like around one hundred versions of the Fishbed taking into all the modifications over the years.

nice work Matte :thumbsup: i've got a place for this when it's done :)

Thanks :) More additions to the cold war PLAAF are coming as well.

if you are interested in military aircraft.
Ach, so, its basicly a MiG-21

.. draw your own conclusions ;)
But its still a nice oonit :)

Thanks :) More additions to the cold war PLAAF are coming as well.
and they'll be welcomed :)

I will probably finish this one this weekend, I'm gonna be working 56-60 hours/week starting next week so unfortunetly I won't have that much time with the others for a period onwards, but I'll try.

Looking good and nice to see you back!

Very nice MatteLeDog :)
The title of the leading civ3 aircraft maker seems to be yours ;)

Daaaaaaamn i need to finish this, ridiculous behaviour on my part to start something up and leaving in to collect dust like this, since Wyrm is making all the ruskie MiG's I feel it be a duty to make them in PLAAF styling. I need to shape up, and get off my lazy ass.

better hurry up. Ive nearly fixed my computer and got the chinesestuff ready to animate.

Yes, I was thinking a division of labour perhaps, since you are planning to make most missing modern aircraft already, I was thinking I could devote my attention to making country specific ones, like North Korean/Cuban/Chinese versions of some of the MiGs perhaps, for scenarios. And also there are some widely exported U.S aircraft, like F-16s, and I was thinking Japanese versions of F-15 and F-4. I don't really see a point in me making aircraft that you already have made and I'm guessing you are not that interested in making 4-5
different versions of the same aircraft. I think I'll start with the chinese version of Mig-19.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=4821602#post4821602
Go to post 1 and download the attachment. It's an Excel file with all the planes scaled.

Yes, I was thinking a division of labour perhaps, since you are planning to make most missing modern aircraft already, I was thinking I could devote my attention to making country specific ones, like North Korean/Cuban/Chinese versions of some of the MiGs perhaps, for scenarios. And also there are some widely exported U.S aircraft, like F-16s, and I was thinking Japanese versions of F-15 and F-4. I don't really see a point in me making aircraft that you already have made and I'm guessing you are not that interested in making 4-5
different versions of the same aircraft. I think I'll start with the chinese version of Mig-19.

Seems like the three of us have our labor divided up pretty nicely, methinks. My "niche" is the IAF and European Air Forces. Just check my thread (first page; link in my sig), in case you want to make sure you're not duplicating what I'm making.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=4821602#post4821602
Go to post 1 and download the attachment. It's an Excel file with all the planes scaled.

Ok I will use your scale system, seems a really good idea since it's based on real world measurements in meters, and the aim is to make stuff compatible and look proportional and nice next to one another.

Seems like the three of us have our labor divided up pretty nicely, methinks. My "niche" is the IAF and European Air Forces. Just check my thread (first page; link in my sig), in case you want to make sure you're not duplicating what I'm making.

Yep that's what I was thinking too :) I Guess my niche will be export versions of commonly operated aircraft, btw are you planning on making a German version of the F-104? I was thinking about making one, it's really needed.

And if anyone is sitting on a J-10 model I'd be happy to make it into a unit.

Since the J-7 is exported a number of countries I thought I make some versions of it, below are a generic green camo ver for African countries, since it has been/is being exported to a number of African states, like Zimbabwe, Nigeria and others. Plus a Pakistani AF version with Pak AF markings.

are you planning on making a German version of the F-104?

The short answer is: Yes. I got the model already.

Since the J-7 is exported a number of countries I thought I make some versions of it, below are a generic green camo ver for African countries, since it has been/is being exported to a number of African states, like Zimbabwe, Nigeria and others. Plus a Pakistani AF version with Pak AF markings.

Now that's what I'm talking about. We need planes for African and South American :mischief: countries, especially countries like Colombia.

Well about my scale, it's a sliding scale, sort of like the Mercator Map. The higher you go up in lattitute, the bigger the land seems to account for the curve in the world as represented on a flat map. Its the opposite for my planes. The bigger the plane, the smaller the scale is pixel/meter. And if you notice I use different scales for fighters and bomber sized planes. Some of the stuff I had to fudge on like the B-2 is acutally really short but if I used the figher scale for it, the wings would expand past the frame. There is a bottom limit of around 55 pixels in length and an upper limit of the B-36 and An-225.

I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence when I write the following:
How to scale planes:
1. Import the model and set everything up like textures.
2. Check length in XLS file.
3. Goto Camera view. 200x200 frame for small planes, 240x240 for large ones. Set camera zoom at 100%. Set ground plane to 45' (so it points East). Export image
4. Goto photoshop or gfx program. Find length of plane. I use photoshop so I can use the Ruler Guides. I select a rectangle from one guide to another, copy, paste into new file so the program can count the size. Length=x
5. compare X to Excel file and do a little math. I set zoom at 100% so its a simple matter to calculate new zoom settings for the proper length.
5a. I spin my fighters in the fidget. So I rotate my aircraft so it stands on its side. Point East. I change the height so there is no cropping at the top of the frame. Point South and check so that the rudder is not touching the top of the frame.

If that just insulted your intelligence, sorry. Sometimes people can get clueless sometimes.


If you'd like a divison of labor and to help speed things along, how about this:
I do the animations of the basic model. If you'd like, you can do the textures of the various versions. I send you the animation files.. you replace textures using an easy method... and you can animate the stuff with your own equipment.

Pros: vastly increased speed of production.
Cons: takes away creativity from you.

If that just insulted your intelligence, sorry. Sometimes people can get clueless sometimes.


Nah no problem, I wasn't insulted. On the contrary, any advice that is helpful and can save time is valuable.


If you'd like a divison of labor and to help speed things along, how about this:
I do the animations of the basic model. If you'd like, you can do the textures of the various versions. I send you the animation files.. you replace textures using an easy method... and you can animate the stuff with your own equipment.

Pros: vastly increased speed of production.
Cons: takes away creativity from you.

I like your proposition! The artistic freedom argument will have to give way for a more pragmatic solution. Besides, sooner or later I would be begging you for models anyway ;) You still have my MSN? I think you are on my user list, best mode of transfer would be via that chanel.

Italian AF Starfighter:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/52010/Italian_AF_F-104_Preview.jpg

Info from Wikipedia:

"F-104S, 246 Italian versions produced mainly by FIAT, upgraded for interception role with NASARR R-21G/H radar with moving-target indicator and continuous-wave illuminator for SARH missiles (initially AIM-7 Sparrow), two additional wing hardpoints, more powerful J79-GE-19 engine with 11,870 lbf (53 kN) and 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust, two additional ventral fins for increased stability. The cannon was sacrificed to make room for the illuminator and was never restored in subsequent variants."

Apperently the type was not retired by the Italian AF until 2004.

Model was provided by Wyrmshadow, the paint job I based on an actual picture, so it's not fictional.

hey! it's the "missile with a man in it"!

i've got a spot for this little fella when it's ready :) well done!

hey! it's the "missile with a man in it"!

i've got a spot for this little fella when it's ready :) well done!

Thanks, there will also be a German and Japanese version too, quite a remarkable design, but had an unfortunately high accident rate.

Thanks, there will also be a German and Japanese version too, quite a remarkable design, but had an unfortunately high accident rate.

That's because the Luftwaffe - at first - tried to use it in the interceptor role and flew it like any other dogfighter, nonewithstanding the fact that the Starfighter really wasn't built for that. In retrospect, the acquisition of the Starfighter was one of the largest blunders of the Luftwaffe.

Ok, I always thought that the aircraft was designed originally for the interception role, I can recall reading in som aviation book that Kelly Johnson went with the design after asking F-86 pilots in Korea what they
would like, and after going up against the MiG-15 they stressed the need for speed and altitude performance above everything else. They certainly got what they asked for. I have always loved that scene in "The Right stuff" when Chuck Yeager flies his modified F-104 to 100 000+ feet.

That's true. Only that "interception" for the Air National Guard at home, that is, in the US, meant something completely different than "interception" for the Luftwaffe:

The US Air National Guard was looking for an interceptor for Soviet long-range, high-altitude bombers, hauling them nasty nukes over here.

The Luftwaffe, however, was looking for a tactical interceptor, against ground attack/strafing bombers and enemy fighters/fighter bombers.

yeah, the f-104 had a dubious record. that's for sure. and iirc, there was some scandal i think involving lockheed peeps and securing the contracts for the euro-built versions. Germany i think was at the center of it as TG noted.

civ specific versions w/ the roundels/colors is always a nice touch. keep up the good work :)

Attack anim:

Fast animations with minimum amount of frames, I don't want the silly
game engine to mess things up when interception occurs in game.

:thumbsup: nice very good!
are you planning a mg-attack .flc?

:thumbsup: nice very good!
are you planning a mg-attack .flc?

No MG attack on this one since by the the time these were widely used by aligned nations the gunfighter era was pretty much over, however Wyrm's USAF version might use Mg attack, I'm not sure.