Unit Request: Blimp

[pesoloco]

Originally posted by mtminded
hi there,
....
but i think i could still help.
.....
when i got more time (e.g. tomorow) i may return and post a pic...

with regards
mtm

Dear mtminded,
If you could post a picture (when you get the chance) I would appreciate it and would begin to work on it. Also the technical information you mentioned may be helpful when it comes time to determining the unit's stats. Is this German Zeppelin that you talk about a completely different unit than this blimp? Should we make two separate blimps, one smaller and one of the larger kind (that you talk about)?
Or maybe have zepellins for all others, but have a special zeppellin for Germany?
Thanks for your interest and help.

 

[mtminded]

hi pesoloco,

at www.cargolifter.com you'll get the whole thing out of it.
i don't think that there should be an extra big zeppelin for the germans, since this cargolifter projects isn't a 'single nation' project...

here the technical information:
Engineering: semi-rigid keel airship for transporting heavy loads
Measurements: 65 meters in diameter 265 meters in length
82 meters total height
Envelope volume: 550,000 cubic meters
Buoyant gas: helium
Basic weight: approx. 260 metric tons
Load volume: 50 meters x 8 meters x 8 meters
Payload: up to 160 metric tons
Average transportation speed: 90 kilometers per hour
Main field of deployment: pre- and post transportation,
continental mid-range: up to 3,000 km
Long-range: up to 10,000 km

there is still much more information provide on this webpage even about airships in general ...

since i successfully repaired my pc at home i'll see if i still got other pics and post them later on...

goodbye
mtm

unfortunately - this attached pic is the only one i still possess. but imho it makes a great civilopedia icon!

 

[pesoloco]

Thanks. The picture looks good. I think I will blend some of the features of this zepellin into the other one so we will have a generalized "zeppelin" unit.

 

[pesoloco]

here is the default animation.
the zeppelin bobs up and down.
(the final wont be so herky jerky)

 

[pesoloco]

preliminary explode animation:

 

[pesoloco]

sorry. that last one wasnt animated. here it is:

 

[Ed O'War]

I think it looks pretty good so far. One question though: will the final color by blue, or will the body be more of a silver-ish color. The fins could probably be used for the Civ specific colors, if that's feasible.

 

[pesoloco]

Originally posted by Ed O'War
I think it looks pretty good so far. One question though: will the final color by blue, or will the body be more of a silver-ish color. The fins could probably be used for the Civ specific colors, if that's feasible.

That is feasible to do.
Actually the way I have it now, the balloon part (blue) will be changed to the civ's color.
Perhaps a silver blimp with civ color fins might look better?

 

[lionheart]

Doesn't any of you guys have Red Alert 2 ??

I mean, the blimp in that game is absolutely perfect !

So, why not borrow a few pics from them, and model the blimp after the Soviet 'Kirov', as it is called.

Good luck !

 

[pesoloco]

Originally posted by lionheart
Doesn't any of you guys have Red Alert 2 ??

I mean, the blimp in that game is absolutely perfect !

So, why not borrow a few pics from them, and model the blimp after the Soviet 'Kirov', as it is called.

Good luck !

No, I don't have that game, but if you could post some pics from it I would be able to use them.

 

[Ed O'War]

Personally I think it would look better to have a silver-ish body with civ-specific color fins (and maybe some civ-specific color spots on the body, for added effect). If I'm not mistaken, most blimps have been silverish colored, so I think it would probably be a good idea to stick with that.

As for basing it on the Kirov from RA2, no doube the Kirov looks cool. But it would take a lot more work to make one that looks like the Kirov. Personally I'd find a more simplified-looking blimp just as useful. Just my opinion though.

 

[lionheart]

Here's a screenshot I made a long time ago:

(Sorry for the bad quality)

 

[lionheart]

As you can see it has bombing bays. I think that would be pretty cool for Civ3, ofcourse the teeth are sweeet, but not a necessity and the props are really nice.

But, if you're looking for a more accurate, kinda WW1 blimp, I wouldn't use this.

 

[mtminded]

i messed with the ra2 mix archives and was able to extract the kirov.vxl and the kirov.hva - if i get a good vxl viewer i'll be able to provide all the needed pics to create the flc animation.

ed o'war is right, it'll be better if the body of the blimp is silver and got some stripes in the civ color...

 

[mtminded]

i got a tool, with whom i can view the animation.
but it can't extract the single frames - damn

i suggest the following changes: alter the bombing bay - it's to big - and the crew cabins are missing...
the red parts on the body should get the civ's color
the face should be deleted
typical zep- bodycolor (silver) would be better

this sounds great - i'll give it a try by myself...

this is the default view of the unit.

 

[wilboman]

Nope... nah...

The Kirov is kind of a "silly" unit, I mean the RA2 guys were probably just messing about seeing if they could make a unit that looked kinda scary but kinda funny at the same time...

It would look all wrong in the Civ 3 world, particularly if one is looking for a unit that could go anywhere (early bomber, air cargo, air-aircraft carrier (done during WWI)(seriously)). For that purpose, pesoloco's general animation (wich, btw, looks very good, particularly death could be fun) would do a much better job.

 

[pesoloco]

I made it a silvery color and the rear fins are the civ's color.

 

[Ed O'War]

Looks pretty good to me. Can't wait to see the finished unit.

 

[pesoloco]

BLIMP UNIT IS FINISHED
GET IT HERE

 

[sween32]

Pesoloco, you are the man. I am forever in your debt. It really turned out great! Thank you!

What do you guys suggest for stats/pre/resources?