My first original SF ship model...

[Exan]

My friend also makes models with Wings. If he someday would remember to convert the models into 3ds format and bring the files to me I could add them to the People's mod.

[DeadZone]

Easy, people create as many models as you can and create the UV maps for them

And I will try creating some textures for them (note the word try)

[Ed Kolis]

I am so lazy.

I have a few ship models I made sitting around on my hard drive, but I can't get myself to finish the UV maps (one of them is already mapped), copy the files to my website folder, and hit "Publish" in Frontpage

Ship model #1: Solarian Fighter - Made it a while back while trying to update my Fractalians to Starfury, just a cone with some funny wings around the sides.

Ship model #2: Ilgon Escort - the aforementioned torus-with-nacelle which is already UV mapped but not textured.

Ship model #3: Unnamed Starbase - spherical thing with four large bent "ducts" protruding from the top and spikes around the edge; you can leave it as is or smooth the mesh to get an evil looking organic base

Now when will I ever get around to finishing the UV maps...

[Exan]

If you want to make uvmaps fast use Photoshop or similar program which can use layers. I use the following method to do textures with most of my models.

Use magic wand on the black area around the ship and then choose Select-inverse to select the model.

Then just cut and paste the ship's skeleton to a new layer. Then set the skeleton layer's opacity to 40% or so and keep it on the top always. Now you can just paint the background with which ever metal color/texture you want.

Then create a new layer and using the skeleton to help draw the engines and the surface patterns. If you decrease the opacity of the other layers the bakground will show through them and it will look like it's painted on the ship.

Finally just set the skeleton layer invisible.

[Mamay]

Please tell me how make x-files?

[Ed Kolis]

To make X files:

1. Get a 3D modeller such as Wings 3D (www.wings3d.com)
2. Get a program called 3DSCONV (search for it on Google)
3. Create something in the modeller
4. Export the model to .3DS format
5. Run the 3DSCONV program on your .3DS file
6. Presto, an .X file!

There are a few other steps you'd have to do if you also wanted the UV coordinates, which are required for painting a texture onto the model; Wings has an AutoUV feature which helps with this but it's not perfect; if you're into this stuff & you have some money (or not, there's a decent enough demo ) I'd recommend the shareware program Ultimate Unwrap 3D (www.unwrap3d.com); it can manipulate a model's texture coordinates in just about any way you want!

BTW, I did post some of my ship models on my website - just the X files, I didn't feel like digging through to find the UV templates as well