Turret (OGA/nazzyc) [integrated]

[Skorpio]

Do you need a turret for Linwarrior? http://opengameart.org/content/turret-0

[hc]

I'll have a look at it.
Hope it's polycount isn't too high - fear it's in the thousands already.
Looks like a lot of polys esp. in those coils and other round things.

But the design fits.

[Danimal]

Hello, you migth want to use any of these, i think they are better than the OGA one in many aspects, the only downside may be the format they are in, and the license looks pretty open:

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/ant ... ree/151313
http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/fre ... 01d/485026
http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/rea ... ree/568855
http://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/I ... /ID/537181
http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/fre ... gun/486573

[charlie]

Warzone 2100 could be a bit of a goldmine for models (at least placeholder models) for LinWarrior.

http://forums.wz2100.net/viewtopic.php?t=3811

[hc]

@Danimal: Good content. But as for the license: I'd rather contact them and either ask for any CC license and/or invite them to OGA where they could have a link to their turbosquid portfolio when providing a CC'ed model.

@Charlie: I don't mind recycling good content but what's their art license? Anything but GPL/NC I hope?

A special note to interested artists: There is a "Military Vehicle Contest" at blendswap.com
http://www.blendswap.com/3D-models/news/contest-announcement/
https://sites.google.com/site/hjmsmc/

Hosted by HJ Media Studios ( F.L.O.P.S.Y. ! )

[charlie]

"The AR mod is released under GPL v2. Specific models may be released under CC0 ... in this case, content is of public domain."

Source: http://forums.wz2100.net/viewtopic.php? ... 057#p51693

AR stands for "Art Revolution" project; the guys are remaking all the artwork from WZ2100.

[hc]

I've read a bit further and there are uncertainties - to cut it short:
They plan/planned to base some work on earlier models which may have been GPL-licensed.
Also, they would like to make content dual licensed CC and GPL.

And where are releases from the AR mod?
Seems like hand-sifting for models+license.

[nazzyc]

Hi, nazzyc from OGA here
I reduced the vertecie-count alot, dunno if it helps...?

[charlie]

Link: http://opengameart.org/content/turret-reviwed

[hc]

The vertex count looks better indeed.
I really like that model but the count is still massive for a turret.
Especially because I would like to plant a lot of them near bases.
I'll have a closer look at the model soon - you (nazzyc) said there is potential to remove some smaller details - so I'll try.

By the way, I like that other globle-thing-model, too.

[sireus]

What if you just bake AO and some shadows on the texture and use that with a really low-poly version of that model?

[charlie]

What sireus said. The high poly version should be used to create a sweet texture for a low poly version. Then, at worst, you can have a good LOD option. (Does Linwarrior support LODs?)

[hc]

No, there aren't LODs.

[qubodup]

Are LoDs planned?

[hc]

Sorry for the short answer - long answer:
LODs aren't "planned" - that's a maybe someday.
Indeed LOD can have a big impact on the performance-vs-visible-objects-ratio.
Nice to have but not necessary at this point.
-
Currently (when integrating models) the models are cleaned and stripped of invisible triangles, merging vertices, replacing overly round features, and so on. So in game models are already a 1st level-of-detail version of the original.
For this model a lot has to be stripped (0.3 x polycount) - possibly removing characteristic features.

As for baked AO and the like:
It would help to have models with such textures (preferably already exported from blender) to experiment with such features.
No data to play with = no program

[hc]

So far I've reduced the model as follows:

1543 vertex (was 2706)
2200 triangles (was 1886 faces = quads = 3772 triangles ?)
Almost a 1/2 reduction - still massive for a turret.

Cannon reduced to 1543vtx 2200tri (shading inaccuracies due to vertex color AO)

So far the model looks almost the same, mostly removed redundancies -
ie. multiple faces on the same plane and some smaller details.
The model's origin was shifted to the point where the model has contact to flat ground.
And the base has been extended to stick in the ground even if the surface is sloped.
Note that the six plain smooth cylindric coils were replaced with hexagonal coils
which add more detail to the model at about 1/2 polycount.

Can't archive roundness with polygons so I wont try
[well if linwarrior had bumpmapping...]

[hc]

Here's a work in progress picture with groups/colorations (not final) for materials:

green: camouflage
yellow: black-yellow-warning
grey-blue: steel
dark-grey: dark-rubbery-matter

Turret at 1367vtx 1936tri with material color code

[hc]

Finally managed to get the turret model in-game.
Sorry for the low-fi sample picture - but still a great picture of a great model.
And I think there are other fine models by nazzyc to have a look at!

After all I think it would be great to have more models in-game to build
and populate field bases, spaceports, facilities and HQs.

turret at 1335vtx 1892tri live in-game

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