163 replies to this topic

[Dauphni]

The last one is an abomination...

Great pics though! I especially like that ‘K7’ with its Cicada arms.

[baabaa214]

Uite Dauphni, on 10 December 2013 - 10:18 AM, said:

The last one is an abomination... Great pics though! I especially like that ‘K7’ with its Cicada arms.

What do you not like about the mkIII IWP?

[Dauphni]

I must say that the picture itself is really nice, great mood and composition. My problem is more that it reminds me too much of the (really bad, imo) recent changes PGI made to the Catapults, so my issue is more with them than with you.

I'm sorry if I sounded a little harsh, I haven't had much sleep lately...

[baabaa214]

ok. Thank you.

I am having problems trying to figure out how to get the plates back on to make the K7 again. I am trying to keep the weapon and pod sizes correct. The arms are just not able to mount them.

I do not like the VCRs LRMs under the arms; do like the load out; making the Catapult a hunting cat again.I do like the SRM mounts on the inside of the IWP and top.

I do miss the Gauss Cat from the beginning. The Gauss Cat and Six-Pak Cat were GREAT! and you really had to watch out for them.

Edited by baabaa214, 10 December 2013 - 11:30 AM.

[Karl Streiger]

the MK III is a
Catapult MK IIIC right?

Mad Pult  MK III
Mass: 85 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Advanced Rules
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-D-A
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 21.051.458 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2.403
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 340 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 43,2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64,8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    2  Gauss Rifles
    2  Ultra AC/2s
    2  LRM-5s
    2  Streak SRM-2s
    2  Anti-Missile Systems
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment		   Type						 Rating				   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel				   130 points			    4,50
    Internal Locations: 1 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine:			 XL Fusion Engine			 340					  13,50
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:		 Double Heat Sink			 10(20)				    0,00
Gyro:			   Standard											   4,00
Cockpit:		    Standard											   3,00
    Actuators:	  L: SH+UA    R: SH+UA
Armor:			  Ferro-Fibrous			    AV - 263				 14,00
    Armor Locations: 1 HD, 1 CT, 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL
    CASE Locations: LT, RT, LA, RA										 0,00
													  Internal	   Armor	 
													  Structure	  Factor	
											    Head	 3		    9		
									    Center Torso	 27		   41	   
								 Center Torso (rear)				  13	   
										   L/R Torso	 18		   27	   
								    L/R Torso (rear)				  9		
											 L/R Arm	 14		   28	   
											 L/R Leg	 18		   36	   
================================================================================
Equipment								 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anti-Missile System						  RT	    1		 1		 0,50
Anti-Missile System						  LT	    1		 1		 0,50
Gauss Rifle								  RA	    1		 6	    12,00
Streak SRM-2								 RA	    2		 1		 1,00
LRM-5									    RA	    2		 1		 1,00
Ultra AC/2								   RA	    1		 2		 5,00
Gauss Rifle								  LA	    1		 6	    12,00
Streak SRM-2								 LA	    2		 1		 1,00
LRM-5									    LA	    2		 1		 1,00
Ultra AC/2								   LA	    1		 2		 5,00
@Ultra AC/2 (45)							 RT	    -		 1		 1,00
@Gauss Rifle (8)							 RT	    -		 1		 1,00
@LRM-5 (24)								  RT	    -		 1		 1,00
@Anti-Missile System (24)				    RT	    -		 1		 1,00
@Ultra AC/2 (45)							 LT	    -		 1		 1,00
@Gauss Rifle (8)							 LT	    -		 1		 1,00
@Streak SRM-2 (50)						   LT	    -		 1		 1,00
										    Free Critical Slots: 4
BattleForce Statistics
MV	  S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:	  9    Points: 24
4		  4	   5	   4	   0	  4	 0   Structure:  5
Special Abilities: AMS, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 1

[baabaa214]

Excellent information.
Everything seems correct; the armor on the Cat seems very low.

[Karl Streiger]

baabaa214, on 11 December 2013 - 05:02 AM, said:

Excellent information.
Everything seems correct; the armor on the Cat seems very low.

Its TT (so you have to increase the armor value)

the all ballistic weapon made it hard to make a corresponding IS Mech. Maybe with reduced speed- light Gauss Rifles, AC 2s and SRM2s

[baabaa214]

Here is my test on the Lasers.
These are MLAsers fired in Chain Firing.

I am trying to get a better Glow but still working on it.

[baabaa214]

I have been working on the lasers and I think I got them. I will start working on the Pulse Laser next. I have the SSRMs modeled and working on LRM and the smoke trails.

I have added a new marking to the Cat that is not part of MWO game and working on putting one on the leg; little more difficult on the leg but I a process I think that will work. Check out the head area on the skull.

Tell me what you think of the laser and new marking?

Here is Scar.

Edited by baabaa214, 02 January 2014 - 01:20 PM.

[Iqfish]

First of all: Catapult looks great, as always.

But you should make the Laser Lens a lighting source and the laser beam itself too, that would look way more realistic

[Turist0AT]

damn, why cant our game look that good. You get a feel for the mechs actual size.

[Allen Ward]

Great job baabaa214, I like what you did to the Catapult shoulders when mounting ballistics and/or srms. PGI should do an update to the catapult model, I hate it that I always see those two huge LRM boxes on my shoulders even if I only mount 2 SRm6s or several smaller LRMs...I know they lack the manpower, but it's not nice to simply "forget" the older models while rleasing new ones all the time...

PS: Just to be a smartass: yes, lasers are missing a certain glow. but what doesn't work at all is presenting energy beams with an "end". You know, lasers travel at SOL, that means they are constant beams, simply going on/off as a whole. Presenting them as "sticks" ending or starting somewhere in midair simply gives a wrong impression and looks very odd. Actually it's impossible to display chain firing laser weapons in a single frame image. With PPC you can make a beam shorter (like just being fired and leaving the weapon), but if you want to represent the "end of the beam" while traveling, you should probably try to not cut it off, but make it fade or thin out somehow. Again, flying "sticks of energy" look strange. Keep up the good work.

Edited by Allen Ward, 29 December 2013 - 06:16 AM.

[baabaa214]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Over the break I have been working on updating and re-doing the Catapults. Maps and Model were reworked.

I have been working on a new "noseart" for the Catapult.
It is called Python.

Hope you enjoy.

[Phromethius]

Baabaa, your lasers are getting there! great work. Like suggested above in your surfacing values or texture values (each program has different menus) make sure you take DIFFUSE completely off or set to zero. This is for your "laser" surface. Luminocity or its equivalent should be set to 100 to receive and transmit all light. and one last thing, I noticed on the rework that is really subtle, make sure your "laser" texture does not receive any raytraced or baked cast shadows. The part where it is emerging is slightly darker from the mech itself. Amazing job though. I have been lurking on this thread off an on at work for a long while and felt I needed to give you some encouragement and some advice.

[baabaa214]

Been working on a Gauss shot.
This is what I have come up with.

Enjoy.

[Ironhawk]

baabaa214, on 20 December 2013 - 06:26 AM, said:

I have been working on the lasers and I think I got them. I will start working on the Pulse Laser next. I have the SSRMs modeled and working on LRM and the smoke trails.

I have added a new marking to the Cat that is not part of MWO game and working on putting one on the leg; little more difficult on the leg but I a process I think that will work. Check out the head area on the skull.

Tell me what you think of the laser and new marking?

Here is Scar.

IqfishLP, on 20 December 2013 - 06:37 AM, said:

First of all: Catapult looks great, as always.

But you should make the Laser Lens a lighting source and the laser beam itself too, that would look way more realistic

Agreed. Great art. Regarding the lasers, I think it could look somewhat like this with a light source:

[baabaa214]

WARNING - there a "Two-Step" in the woods and it has Gauss Rifles.
Introducing - Green Mamba

Enjoy...

Edited by baabaa214, 07 January 2014 - 11:19 AM.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Note for Baabaa214 On the Gauss rifle effect:

When the Gauss projectile exits the muzzle at will break the sound barrier, which in normal atmosphere creates a shock wave. Normally represented by a short donut like ring being pulled along with the round for a few feet. Given the size of this weapon it would be fairly large and visible for a short time. I would think there would not be an electrical discharge formed outside the "rifle" as everything goes into the push/pull pulse. And if the firing charge was that great outside the weapon it would disrupt most of the Mech's sensors for a short time, and the targeting computer really needs to be working at that precise time.

Depending on the shape and size of the projectile there may be numerous "Sabots" or an "Armature" that will hold it centered in the "barrel" while it is accelerated and expelled out the muzzle. These Sabots/armatures are pealed off from air resistance and allow the projectile to fly free, you would see them leaving/separating from the projectile shortly after it exits the muzzle.

Ref:
- speed of sound = 768mph
- Gauss rifle = 2000m/s (in game) = 4473.873mph

An example of what we currently use in real life, see the gold coloured elements that are used to center the projectile, with the front shaped to produce an "opening effect" on the components. The U shaped tail (in this example) is only there as a pusher for the dart like projectile.


- now keep in mind that the games projectile is about the size of a persons head. And even if sabots/armatures are not used there would definitely be a shock wave created on exit.

- Update: The round pictured and in the following posters video is from a "Rail-Gun", it's tech use's cascading charged electrical rails and the "U" shaped armature grounds out the rails causing a large mag pulse that push's the projectile along. That also produces a large electrical release out the barrel on exit. The In-Game weapon is a Gauss rifle (using different tech) and would not have that signature electrical burst at firing.

Just some idea's,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 08 January 2014 - 08:01 AM.

[Dauphni]

That's a video of an actual railgun firing. Note the burst of flame right after the projectile is launched! Also note that that projectile is described as having a velocity of 1600 m/s, which is quite a bit less powerful than the MWO Gauss Rifle, so that would have an even bigger blast.

[baabaa214]

thank you for your input on the Gauss effect.
I am self taught on 3ds Max and will need to research the effect on creating the sound barrier effect.

I am still learning on the lasers and PPC.

I am enjoying the lightning effect on the Gauss Rifle and planning to keep the effect.