This is a special thanks for Steph, without his SBB tool unit creation would need much longer for many of us who can´t directly render into the flc format :)

As said I tried to make it not as big this time, but is still bigger then eg. my Mig21, because the plane is bigger than the MiG in reality. Hope you´ll like it.

This is the version for the Armee de´l Air (the French air force)

Download: http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads4/Rafale_AF.zip (ca. 350kb)

Make sure you dl the improved .ini file for it some posts below.

This is the version for the Marine (the French navy)

Download: http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads4/Rafale_M.zip (ca. 310kb)

Differences: other color scheme, death anim changed.


Death anim preview:

First :D Nice m8 nice!

unbelievable!

Wow

Another great Jet BeBro

Many thanks, it is really cool. Now with this, the Leclerc and Balou's para, I can make lots of French flavour units in Steph's mod!:cool:

Well, sorry, I made again a mistake in the ini-file (I specified the default anim for both default and run) :rolleyes:

Here´s the correct file ....

The Marine version will come hopefully with a correct ini from beginning on :)

Me got a questin.

How long does it take to make a unit like that? And how do u make it? I realy wanted to learn that.

u first make a 3D unit in Civ scale? and then convert it to FLC?

Fantastic death animation BeBro!!! :goodjob: .... another great work by you! :D

How long does it take to make a unit like that? And how do u make it? I realy wanted to learn that.

u first make a 3D unit in Civ scale? and then convert it to FLC?.

Depends a lot. Sometimes I find models on the net, then of course everything´s much easier. Sometimes I start with models from the net, then modify them or add stuff.

If I do have to model the unit myself, I start with simple 3d forms. My modeler can manipulate those forms in various ways, eg. for a canopy I can create a ball. I cut off the lower half, then I reshape it that it gets longer. For a little missile I create a cylinder manipulate the central point of its covering surface so that this cylinder looks like a rocket, then I add little stabilisator wings.

In this way I create the entire model - the final model consists of a lot "sub-models" or sub-objects for all elements (hull, wings, weapons, etc.). Every sub-object can have more sub-objects (thing of it like a windows-folder/subfolder hierarchy). That is very important for creating animations. Maybe I should make a tutorial about modeling?

Once the model is finished, I set up camera perspective (to get the Civ3 style isometric view), then I texture the model or its objects separately. Finally I resize the entire model to fit best. The size is related to the output parameters - when I render in 120x100 it is of course different as if in 160x140.

Then follows the animation. With keyframe animation, you just move you model into different positions and make "snapshots". Means if you have an anim of 20 frames, you define keyframes where certain things happen. For an attacking jet this could be eg. frame 1 (missile under the wing), frame 3 (missile is started) and frame 9 (missile leaves the visible zone). You define those three keys, then your 3d software calculates the other frames in between. In reality, it is more difficult, because there are more elements to animate (eg the jets afterburner flames, the flames from the missiles engine), but since all these elements are different objects, you can animate them easily in a similar way.

For some things (like eg. an explosion effect as on the Rafale) I use the FX options of my 3d program. Fire and smoke I sometimes add manually to the storyboards with a paint software.

Once I rendered all frames for all directions (every frame saved as bmp pic) I use Steph´s SBB to create a storyboard which can be read by flicster. From there you can export it as Civ3 unit anim in flc. If I can work continuesly, I need one or two weeks for all, maybe longer, if model and anims are more complex.

Woah! Nice blowy-upy effect!

Thank you so much, BeBro!!! I was waiting such a long time to finally get a french jet plane for the modern age. I always requested a Mirage, but the Rafale is perfect!!!! :D :D :D

I also finished the marine version now. A link to dl it is edited into the first post here :)

Here´s an attack preview (drops external tanks, then fires missile)

Great work!

Up to now the french are using your tornado versions, but this plane will do this job much better.

I see you care about the size - thank you

Sorry for nerving, but could you resize your Eurofighter and your Su27 (a bit). I´ll finish my mod at the end of the week and give my friends the copies. It would be cool with YOUR perfect units.;)

See the reply at your SU27 post that i have written a few minutes ago.:D

Well resizing would require it to render all anims again, converting them to storyboards and then to flcs. I can do it, but I doubt that I have the time before this weekend....:(

No hurry Bebro, i´m very thankful that i have your units!

But if you say you will do it for us, i´ll wait with finishing my mod. Its worth the time!

I think the anims and such are ok. It is only the size when you see a plane over a city or an airport. But i don´t know if you must do the renderings in any case?

I prefer the F16,F18 and the F14 as a standard size, but you are right that the SU27 is a big one. Anyhow it would be great that all planes are suitable.:goodjob:

Just wanted to say that you have done a great job on these units :) Very professional

I'm not sure since I haven't seen the plane in real life but I think that the navy version looks more like air force version as the pain is just plain gray but air force version has blueish camo.

I still think a Mirage would be useful for earlier era fighters.

I still think a Mirage would be useful for earlier era fighters.

Originally posted by Kyborgi
I'm not sure since I haven't seen the plane in real life but I think that the navy version looks more like air force version as the pain is just plain gray but air force version has blueish camo.

Well, at first I thought this too, but in the preview thread http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56543&pagenumber=1 Steph posted example pics, and the version for the Amee de´l Air had such a blueish camo, while the Marine version appeared lighter and more grey-blue :)

Originally posted by BeBro


Well, at first I thought this too, but in the preview thread http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56543&pagenumber=1 Steph posted example pics, and the version for the Amee de´l Air had such a blueish camo, while the Marine version appeared lighter and more grey-blue :)

lol

if you think the versions are mixed up just switch the names. it's like complaining about a turkey/cheese sandwich where you wanted the cheese on the buttom but its on top.

At last I can shoot down the british Eurofighters with a Rafale ! :D
But I still need some units to replace all the generic units with French ones in my games :mischief:

It's a great unit, but in my opinion the death animation could be a bit more realistic :mischief:
:hmm: you say the Marine version has a different death animation... I'll try it...

You can have plenty of flavour units for France. Just wait a bit for Steph's mod to be finished!;)

Guy's Plz help me out here. I know there is a topic somwhere but I cant find it. Wha I wanted to do is.

I want the Rafale marine version only be capable to land on a carrier and act like a normale plane which is not capable to land on a carrier. The other Rafale (none marine) act as a normale plane. Its the same thing with F16. This plane is not used on a carrier and the F14/15 they are! So how do I set up the flags?


Second one: Its possible to set a helicopter as a ground unit so it can fly over land. But I dont want to capture a city with it. Is this possible to set? If yes!!, which flag?

Third: If I set a helicopter as a land unit.....can it still be loaded on to a carrier??? Ps. I dont want it to be capable to fly over water.

help out guys!

Originally posted by Eliminator
I want the Rafale marine version only be capable to land on a carrier and act like a normale plane which is not capable to land on a carrier. The other Rafale (none marine) act as a normale plane. Its the same thing with F16. This plane is not used on a carrier and the F14/15 they are! So how do I set up the flags?
Those you don't want to be carrier-capable you give the flags "Transports Only Aircrafts" and "Transports Only Foot Units", using the old rule transports can't be loaded on transports :D

I also usually use the jump carrier with Harriers, by giving the Harrier the flag "Tactical Missile" and the jump carrier the flags "Transports Only Aircrafts" and "Transports Only Tactical Missiles". Then the jump carrier will be able to carry the Harrier but not any other aircrafts, the standard carrier is able to carry all aircraft without the Tactical or Transports flags, and all aircrafts regardless of flags can rebase to cities and airfields ;)
Originally posted by Eliminator
Second one: Its possible to set a helicopter as a ground unit so it can fly over land. But I dont want to capture a city with it. Is this possible to set? If yes!!, which flag?
Only if you set Attack Str. to 0 and give it Bombard ability instead.
Originally posted by Eliminator
Third: If I set a helicopter as a land unit.....can it still be loaded on to a carrier??? Ps. I dont want it to be capable to fly over water.
Nope, you can't load land units on a carrier.

Hmm I don't think you can choose whether a plane can land on a carrier or not...

About helicopters, I think this has already been discussed, but I don't remember where (IMO you can't prevent a unit to capture cities).
And a land unit will never be able to be loaded in a carrier, of course.

Aah... I really miss Civ2 helicopters :/

Too late, that's what happens when you don't refresh before answering :D

But personnally, Wolfhart, I don't like using such tricks (making planes able to transport planes, etc...).

Originally posted by Schee
Too late, that's what happens when you don't refresh before answering :D

But personnally, Wolfhart, I don't like using such tricks (making planes able to transport planes, etc...).
Well, personally I like to be able to differentiate between landbased and carrierbased aircrafts :D If it's the AI you're worried about... this is tested in game and the AI uses the different kinds of aircrafts as intended. No problems, unless you for some obscure reason should have an aircraft with the flag "Foot Unit" :lol:

Originally posted by Wolfhart

Those you don't want to be carrier-capable you give the flags "Transports Only Aircrafts" and "Transports Only Foot Units", using the old rule transports can't be loaded on transports :D

I also usually use the jump carrier with Harriers, by giving the Harrier the flag "Tactical Missile" and the jump carrier the flags "Transports Only Aircrafts" and "Transports Only Tactical Missiles". Then the jump carrier will be able to carry the Harrier but not any other aircrafts, the standard carrier is able to carry all aircraft without the Tactical or Transports flags, and all aircrafts regardless of flags can rebase to cities and airfields ;)

Only if you set Attack Str. to 0 and give it Bombard ability instead.

Nope, you can't load land units on a carrier.

But now tactical missiles can land on the carrier 2, iam right?

The question is, of course, whether such limitations are a good thing, as the AI may not get the fighter/bomber(/Harrier) balance right.

Originally posted by Eliminator
But now tactical missiles can land on the carrier 2, iam right?
Nope since Tactical Nukes are not air units, they're land units (in the editor that is, I know they're not walking to their targets in RL). :D
Originally posted by Pawel
The question is, of course, whether such limitations are a good thing, as the AI may not get the fighter/bomber(/Harrier) balance right.
True. Basically the simplest and therefore possibly the best use is to humour us who feels that bombers and stealth bombers shouldn't be able to land on aircraft carriers since they never do in RL. :p

The biggest problem is really that the AI from the beginning before all modding seems to be less proficient in using carrierbased airpower... :(