My journey into AI Modelling

[piggin wigginer]

Hi,

My first post so not sure it's in the right forum by the way.

Anyway I thought I'd share my experience in AI modeling.

Some weeks back After painting the Polish C-130's I decided to look for the CASA C295M to complement. Found the CASA C235 (ala C295) but couldn't find the C295.

So I took the rash decision to try and build one

Decided upon FSDS as it seems easier for beginners than GMAX.

So the first part of the journey begins, Learning the basics of FSDS.

I spent hours if not days trying to find 3 views or pictures that I could set up and scale.

After being frustrated I left it for a bit and came back.

Found reasonable pictures and started to model parts. AT first you get great satisfaction that things are beginning to at least look like a plane. Then you go through a trough where you realize it's rattling up a huge poly count that is by no means AI friendly.

I'm finally at somewhere where I'm happy in looks and poly count (I'm up to V7 on a lot of parts ). According to ACM it's 3300 Polys (I guess I still need to try and strip out at least a 1000, from where who knows).

Screen view

So I was on a high until it came to cutting out the gear bays. Boolean ops on the main whee housing cause me no end of weird polygons, my PC freezes when I try to even do the nose gear housing.

I haven't even started down the route of animation and texturing yet

So AI modeling is for a me a journey. There are ups and downs, highs and lows, but slowly but surely, one day to the next , one week to the next, I gain more knowledge and experience and one day it will fly

So for anybody else who feels frustrated down hearted, stick in there

BR

Chris

[MIKE JG]

Chris, that's a great start you've made there! Also welcome to the forums.

If you're looking for help, you've come to the right place.

My first bit of advice for the cutouts is to ditch the FSDS Boolean operation. As you've no doubt discovered, it's more trouble than it's worth.

There is a different way to make the cutouts that requires a bit more manual labor but the result is no issues like you get with the boolean function.

Read this little tute I wrote about cutting out a gear bay and then fire away with your questions. There is probably more AI aircraft knowledge here than any other site you will find for Flight Sim.

[MIKE JG]

The tutorial is embeded in this thread, towards the bottom:
http://www.militaryaiworks.com/newforum ... =10&t=9909

[piggin wigginer]

Hi,

Thanks for warm welcome Mike and the encouragement.

Reading the forums there is a great wealth of knowledge and experience that I hope I can use to get this project flying.

End game is to have all the variants including the Persuader and AEW. But it's is a loooonnnggg way away yet.

I tried the Boolean op agian, no joy so after writing this I will read your tute.

I recognise there is a ton of knowledge here and I'll for sure be tapping you all up for guidance be using it as things progress

Once again many thanks

BR

Chris

[timbob1]

Hi Chris, that looks fantastic, keep up the good work
Regards
Tim

[Weescotty]

FSDS boolean is about the only downside to the whole program, it's that bad it would have been better to leave it out!

[flyerkg]

Chris,

Welcome and thank you for sharing your efforts with everyone. You are taking on the hobby with a rather complex model. I think you'll be super at this stuff before too long.

Keith

[piggin wigginer]

Hi,

Thanks all for the positive feed back

I know I should have chosen something simple to start with maybe Keith but If I can crack this model then it's one to add to AI world.

I can't promise when it will be ready as I'll be traveling a lot with work in the coming weeks.

Had a read of the tute and got something nearly looking right. Thanks for that pointer Mike

I'll keep you all posted as it comes along and no doubt I'll be asking for help on animation and texturing

BR

Chris