+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 2, 2015 (edited) Found an interesting modder-made video of the East African air war. The interesting footage starts about midway, and features some personal 8mm film footage of the obscure, obsolete aircraft operated by the Brits in 1940. EDIT: Should've said South Africans instead of Brits. The main event was Egypt/Libya, and featured the same eclectic mix of obsolete aircraft as East Africa. Edited February 2, 2015 by Geezer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 2, 2015 The odd-looking biplane twin in the 8mm footage was the Vickers Valentia, an obsolete bomber-transport still in use because nothing else was available. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 7, 2015 Got some more work done on the civilian vehicles, and made some experimental 2048 terrain art applied to a FE 500m tile. If the large tile art doesn't slow the fps too much it may be possible to really improve map appearance. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 14, 2015 Back working on the CR42. Merged the CR42 with the Hurricane to eyeball simulated fabric covering. On the flying surfaces, the model's surface is sculpted in 3D to simulate fabric covering. On the fuselages, instead of 3D sculpting, I used smoothing groups to simulate fabric covered stringers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Stephen1918 1,473 Posted February 14, 2015 Very nice detail. The smoothing technique works very well on the fuselage and rudder. I like the detail around the nose of the CR42. How does that affect the poly count? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) Total polycount is 20,273 - less than Third Wire's RE8. The "extra" polys needed to sculpt the flying surfaces are maybe 15% of the total. The polycount around the nose is fairly conservative, but I grafted in additional polys forward of the pilot so the upper fuselage and cowling appear smoother when viewed from the cockpit. EDIT: polycount for the engine cowling is 3,846 - does not include engine. Edited February 14, 2015 by Geezer 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Coupi 4,279 Posted February 14, 2015 Very accurate and beautiful!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Thanks. Two more shots showing the two different camo jobs in development. Personally, I like the early war 3-color camo better, but the late-war 1-color camo is faster/easier to finish. I'm finishing the late war artwork so I can get the aircraft and graphics pack to a couple of guys for testing. The graphics pack concept is that guys who know paint program basics - copy/paste/postion/etc - can make new versions of the camo art provided in the pack. There will also be color swatches provided so guys with more advanced skills can make all-new camo artwork. EDIT: I'm also considering a couple of "how-to-do-it" articles for the knowledge base, but only if enough guys are interested. Having trained as a Painter (with a capital P) in my miss-spent youth, I use the color theories of the European masters - that's why my stuff has a distinctive look to it. Anyone interested in learning this approach to colors, leave a comment. Edited February 15, 2015 by Geezer 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wilches 1,156 Posted February 15, 2015 Fantastic! Simply perfect Geezer. No more tweaks needed but a non white fuse band version for both schemes. Could be used as Hungarian for late projects. Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 15, 2015 Fantastic! Simply perfect Geezer. No more tweaks needed but a non white fuse band version for both schemes. Could be used as Hungarian for late projects. Congrats! That is exactly what I propose for the graphics pack. A selection of insignia and markings for guys with basic skills to paste onto the baseline artwork. For guys with more advanced skills, there will also be a selection of color swatches to make new markings and camo. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Another example of how different bits and pieces from a graphics pack could be pasted onto the baseline camo to make new skins. EDIT: the last know aerial combat for the CR42. On 8 February 1945, ten Luftwaffe CR.42LWs of Stab and 2. Staffel' of Nachtschlachtgruppe 7, took off from their base in Agram-Gorica, Croatia, bound to strafe the airfield of Grabovica, used by partisan forces. But at the last moment they were sent to attack partisans northwest of Sisak. They were attacked by P-38 Lightnings of the 14th Fighter Group. The American fighters shot down three Fiat biplanes, but two P-38s did not return to base. One of them was claimed by a German pilot but not confirmed. Not bad for an "obsolete" biplane. Edited February 15, 2015 by Geezer 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+LloydNB 212 Posted February 15, 2015 Don't forget the Belgians used the standard early Italian camo scheme too. Great work mate. Can't wait to start playing with different squadrons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Don't forget the Belgians used the standard early Italian camo scheme too. Great work mate. Can't wait to start playing with different squadrons. Yep, both camo schemes will eventually be released. The overall dark olive green scheme is faster/easier to make, so I'm finishing it first so testors have something to play with while I finish the 3-color scheme. Edited February 16, 2015 by Geezer 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+LloydNB 212 Posted February 25, 2015 So that's the standard CR42, the CR42 AS and the CR42 CN. Any other variants planned? The only others that went passed the experimental stage were the CR42 Egeo (Greek) with an extra fuel tank in the fuselage to extend the range to 840km and CR42 LW for the Luftwaffe anti partisan operations - no spats, flame dampers and two bomb racks under each wing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) So that's the standard CR42, the CR42 AS and the CR42 CN. Any other variants planned? The only others that went passed the experimental stage were the CR42 Egeo (Greek) with an extra fuel tank in the fuselage to extend the range to 840km and CR42 LW for the Luftwaffe anti partisan operations - no spats, flame dampers and two bomb racks under each wing. I'm currently reviewing the entire model for mistakes/omissions prior to finalizing it to run ingame. To make the LW version, I would have to add the U-shaped landing gear legs, exposed by removal of the spats. We'll see.... Edited February 25, 2015 by Geezer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Below is shot from the CR42 parts manual. In addition to making a new landing gear strut, I'd have to make a new, better wheel. That takes time, so testing of the CR42 would be delayed - for a version that lies outside the scope of the 1940 desert war theme. A classic example of mission creep. EDIT: This is not a matter of one of us being "right" and the other being "wrong." We're both right. Expanding the CR42 coverage is a helluva good idea, as the models and skins could be used in most any future mod. It also adds time and complication to the CR42 development process, to the detriment of the 1940 desert war effort. Edited February 25, 2015 by Geezer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+LloydNB 212 Posted February 25, 2015 Just an idea. Don't let my ramblings be the reason to hold things up. I'm sure it would make me really popular in the community. Early war it is! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted February 26, 2015 Just an idea. Don't let my ramblings be the reason to hold things up. I'm sure it would make me really popular in the community. Early war it is! Thanks for understanding my desire to get phase 1 finished before working on phase 2. I can always make the landing gear later, when focused on 1942-43. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) Fooled around with the Hurricane this morning. It's just a concept demonstrator - there's a million things need fixing - but I wanted to see what it looked like ingame. EDIT: I am using RAVEN's excellent Hurricane files to make a Mk1 with snub nose and small radiator, used extensively in the desert and also in the BoB. Edited June 8, 2015 by Geezer 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted June 8, 2015 More shots showing the sculpted surfaces that simulate fabric covering. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted June 9, 2015 I keep screwing around with how the fuselage is broken down into components (nose, fuselage, tail) - this appears to influence how the damage model decals display ingame? I would like to develop larger, hi-res damage decals that reflect damage to wood, fabric, and metal (see CR42 art). If I can work something out, I'll apply lessons learned to the Halberstadt and CR42. Right now, the Hurricane is just a test bed - it lacks landing gear and other essential stuff. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted June 28, 2015 Also been fooling around with hi-res terrain tile art. Shots below are of 2048 artwork pasted to an FE sized ground tile. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted June 28, 2015 Will also have to vary the color combinations, as some areas were gray desert, some were reddish, and some were sand yellow. Shot below shows sand yellow variant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Geezer 3,569 Posted October 16, 2015 Been busy with Real Life lately. When I did get a chance to sit down and mod, I realized I was tired of looking at the same old stuff. So, I started fooling around with some of the China Skies stuff. Many historians think WW2 started in China in 1937, the period covered by these models. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+whiteknight06604 931 Posted October 16, 2015 and I feel like weeping with joy everytime I see you post these.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
