Dark cockpit available.(EL-MOD)

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:38 pm

find the file here: http://www.mediafire.com/?iwoe2u0qe2j

retexturing work only for now. majority being WIP.

been playing this space sim a few weeks and with a little interest prior to purchasing. i make models and templates and special effects textures for racing simulators. Thought id try my hand over in this avenue of sims and modding.

<greetings all !>

flying in space is a special thing its verk dark with very few direct light sources and even less indirect light sources and you need to be able to see that imo. like driving in a car at night u have a dark cockpit so to speak. so this is what ive been making for EL over the past 2 days through changes to default diffuse textures and the shader textures.
Please note this is nearly maximum specular effect. in its dynamic form its quite nice.

The effect emphasises the feeling of space from looking out of the cockpit and the pilot displays with there glowy LCD's appearing to be imho more realisticly correct and identifyable in a realistic environment.

now im feeling space from a light source pov out with the space craft cockpit = more immersion for me. so thats why ive done what i have...

the hudtape is the first thing i worked on, its non centralised and this simple change means u will be able to orientate yourself within a split second. (new compass offers the same along the zero)

for now i have used my friend <Spelk> BSG huds together with my custom compass panel. cheers Spelk ! the general design eminates from possible materials that could be used today. enforced metal plating and carbon fibre based paneling.

[Edited on 6-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

[Edited on 6-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

[Edited on 5-4-2009 by Ali Fish]

Post by **Vice** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:20 pm

Nice, has kind of a carbon fiber look to it.

MMaggio · Post by **MMaggio** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:27 pm

Now THAT I like!

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:50 pm

Interesting Ali Fish Good work.

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:25 am

Hello Ali Fish, welcome to the forum and the Sim. Modder's keep us all on the edge of our seats. Looks very cool.

spelk · Post by **spelk** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 6:53 am

Its looking very good Ali, looking forward to seeing it progress into a working cockpit mod in the future. I love the non centralised hudtape and compass, is that an idea you had, or has it come from your work on racing cars?

Oh and welcome to the StarWraith community!

[Edited on 7-3-2009 by spelk]

Carwash · Post by **Carwash** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 2:17 pm

Totally nicking the compass texture for distribution with my pits if that's ok with you, tis awesome.

EDIT: I mean the tape thingummy... the compass looks badass too tho

[Edited on 3-7-2009 by Carwash]

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:38 pm

thanks for encouraging comments, cheers.

yes spelk my own idea. have a few other similar ideas up my sleeve too

the main BSG circular grid hud for example. with the offset radials. which will be fudged to some extent.

[Edited on 7-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

[Edited on 7-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

spelk · Post by **spelk** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:55 pm

colour impressed, and slighty off center

Nigel_Strange · Post by **Nigel_Strange** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:10 am

So where can I download it already?

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:59 pm

will complete this very soon. just adding finishing touches to custom displays.

TBH ive been unable to stop exploring space. hence not actually finishing this.

but heres a lil update pic.

have issues with shaders on the central display housing texture, ccpitbox i think it is. in picture it gets way to dark. any way to change that ?

[Edited on 12-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

spelk · Post by **spelk** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:17 pm

Its looking mighty fine Ali, I can see we're going to have to siphon your fuel tanks so that you will be grounded long enough to finish the cockpit mod

49rTbird · Post by **49rTbird** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:28 pm

Would be neat if you could bracket in or outline the coordinates and cargo hold information as the back ground hides them a bit. Very nice choose and use of colors.

Post by **Vice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:28 pm

Wow, nice contour shading!

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:01 pm

TYVM . ive not got to moving the coords info around yet. but yes getting that into the display areas would be nice.

wish we had a real hud effect , real glass plates with the info only appearing there as if projected, as well as all the hud info on cockpit displays..

may i ask Vice what led u to use 150 pixels per inch images for textures. never seen this before where gaming graphics are concerned. im liking it. but i presume that there being a difference means it was decided. very curious about that

possible explanation. and is there any benefit over say using a 1024x1024@ 75ppi (closer to standard 72.9999ppi) opposed to 512x512@150ppi. ofcourse my amateurish knowledge maybe at fault here too for even thinking there should be a definative decision to use a different format... pixels are just pixels after all and dont change size.

Post by **Vice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:27 pm

wish we had a real hud effect , real glass plates with the info only appearing there as if projected, as well as all the hud info on cockpit displays..

A 'real' HUD as described there would be more like a 'traditional' HUD. The 'classic' HUD method of modern jet aircraft is already starting to fade out (JSF for example). A helmet visor HUD (which is what the game uses) is likely a more accurate representation of how HUD's will work in the future.

may i ask Vice what led u to use 150 pixels per inch images for textures. never seen this before where gaming graphics are concerned. im liking it. but i presume that there being a difference means it was decided. very curious about that possible explanation. and is there any benefit over say using a 1024x1024@ 75ppi (closer to standard 72.9999ppi) opposed to 512x512@150ppi. ofcourse my amateurish knowledge maybe at fault here too for even thinking there should be a definative decision to use a different format... pixels are just pixels after all and dont change size.

To better align with available resolutions. Each texture is targeted for an optimal rendering quality for its overall used screen space. For example, the 512X512 resolution for the gunsight allows it to render with near 1:1 quality for its screen space coverage at 1680X1050 and 1600X1200, two target 'optimal' resolutions for the game. Since the gunsight takes up around 512X512 pixels of a 1680X1050 screen, that means the texture is just about right for the level of detail needed for that resolution. With proper alpha blending, it will also scale nicely for lower and higher resolutions. A higher 1024X1024 resolution would provide even more detail, but would consume around 2.5 MB more of video memory for an almost unnoticeable gain in detail, wasting a lot of memory resources that can be used elsewhere. 256X256 would be too low and it would look fuzzy/blurry. So for the gunsight, 512X512 is optimal.

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:57 pm

Interesting, for some time ive been convinced that there must be some advantage of using higher ppi images for texturing & always that opinion is quashed.

RGR regards the helmet hud concept. i have been adding subtle effects to the hud info, such as an echo repeat to represent the element of the info appearing on glass. works well at times but its lack of dyanmic change means its a no go......... furthering my silly wishes though. some element to give the feeling of wearing a helmet would be nice. more glass reflection, outer rim visible, etc etc also it would introduce the added strategic element of fighting into or away from the light somewhat. the element of visibility being a key factor. due to some extra glare/reflection. i know id like its environmental impact immensly.

may i ask why the use of dds???
[Edited on 12-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

[Edited on 12-3-2009 by Ali Fish]

Post by **Vice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:01 pm

Mipmapping can automatically be included for a texture that needs it and with a higher level of detail than the built-in code method I can use, which applies texture compression, lowering quality. It also loads faster.

[Edited on 3-12-2009 by Vice]

Carwash · Post by **Carwash** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:56 pm

Dude those screen covers rock. LOVE the center screen.

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:14 am

I love whole cockpit textures and feeling.
Thank you very much keep going Ali...

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:13 pm

sorry its been a while. its been through few changes. but heres what i done so far.

http://www.mediafire.com/?iwoe2u0qe2j

have fun.

[Edited on 5-4-2009 by Ali Fish]

spelk · Post by **spelk** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:57 pm

It looks so much better in the flesh, top work there Ali!

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:12 pm

Nice Job, looks great!;)

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 6:26 am

Looks clean and great!
It works well with my Evoch V!!! (inspired by raptor of BSG)

Thank you very much Ali, great job...

Ali Fish · Post by **Ali Fish** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:59 pm

pictures then please

i would next like to texture someone elses pit. the model being designed with the textures taken into account at a higher level than seen so far.

[Edited on 6-4-2009 by Ali Fish]