Ship Texture Upgrading Project

[Hylie Pistof]

Well, the only storyline for the Corsican Period ( 1790-1830 ) is Master and Commander where you play as a British Officer, so there probably aren't too many people using the Connie as their ship.

 

[Armada]

Ah, but the RN and French versions can be encountered in the last three periods, as opposed to the Constitution in the last 2, and they're included in the upgrade.

 

[Hylie Pistof]

That brings Horatio Hornblower and possibly Jack Sparrow into play. HH is too heavily scripted to be much good for freesail encounters. There really are no good storylines for the late periods.

 

[uruk]

I've just updated the upgrades for the USS Constitution-based frigates, which fixes a crash related to locator errors of mine.
However, I'm surprised no-one had reported this! Did anyone actually test the upgrades...?
So, going by the assumption that no-one has, I simply updated the full download with the fixed models (available from this post, for those who didn't know).

hello is there a new patch or where do you get the uss constitution in potc new horrizons? the queen ans revenge will be in next patch right?

 

[Captain Armstrong]

There really are no good storylines for the late periods.

Agreed. I modified the Jack Aubrey quest to be an american free-play storyline, but unfortunately I havent had chance yet to make a constitution-class ship my flagship. ( I will soon try to get one soon though! ) If I capture one of the british or french versions, could I get it repainted to american colors in a shipyard? another thing on repaints, I have changed the encounter values in my game so the bellona & superbe are more common and available to more nations etc. After capturing both types, I noticed that they had no alternate textures, even though there were some alternate ones posted in their WIP threads (maybe these were never released?)
superbe
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx156/pgargon/Le%20Superbe%20in%203D/?action=view&current=le_superbe_16.jpg
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx156/pgargon/Le%20Superbe%20in%203D/?action=view&current=le_superbe_15.jpg

Bellona
http://forum.piratesahoy.net/index.php/topic/15262-hms-bellona/page__st__40

Just thought that I would put those out there as ideas to include in the next version if at all possible, sorry if this has already been discussed!

and uruk... as armada said, the download for the new constitution can be found on his earlier post (on page 3 of this thread, with the screens in it)

 

[uruk]

There really are no good storylines for the late periods.

Agreed. I modified the Jack Aubrey quest to be an american free-play storyline, but unfortunately I havent had chance yet to make a constitution-class ship my flagship. ( I will soon try to get one soon though! ) If I capture one of the british or french versions, could I get it repainted to american colors in a shipyard? another thing on repaints, I have changed the encounter values in my game so the bellona & superbe are more common and available to more nations etc. After capturing both types, I noticed that they had no alternate textures, even though there were some alternate ones posted in their WIP threads (maybe these were never released?)
superbe
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx156/pgargon/Le%20Superbe%20in%203D/?action=view&current=le_superbe_16.jpg
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx156/pgargon/Le%20Superbe%20in%203D/?action=view&current=le_superbe_15.jpg

Bellona
http://forum.piratesahoy.net/index.php/topic/15262-hms-bellona/page__st__40

Just thought that I would put those out there as ideas to include in the next version if at all possible, sorry if this has already been discussed!

and uruk... as armada said, the download for the new constitution can be found on his earlier post (on page 3 of this thread, with the screens in it)

yes thanks but is the queen revenge on next patch?

 

[uruk]

Thanks matey.
Yes I was considering leaving the eagle and stars on the standard version, but seeing as the nameplate on the unique version is a bit hard to see, I figured it was best to keep them unique.


Anyway, I've just finished modifying another texture, this time to enhance the damage effects that appear on ships.
The idea was to make the damage more realistic, so there are now holes created by cannon fire, instead of purely scratched/splintered patches of wood.
Here's a demonstration using HMS Surprise:

[attachment=7078:New_damage.jpg]

The new texture can be downloaded from here, and needs to be placed in RESOURCE/Textures, to overwrite the old version.
That applies to PotC, but I assume CoAS has a similar folder. No new game required.

So, what do you think? Does it look better than the current damage effects?

very awesome my friend i wish you make the kraken ability to the dutchman it will make the game awesome!

 

[Armada]

the queen ans revenge will be in next patch right?

Yes, she'll be in the next release.

If I capture one of the british or french versions, could I get it repainted to american colors in a shipyard?

Yes, you can repaint between all three frigates.

another thing on repaints, I have changed the encounter values in my game so the bellona & superbe are more common and available to more nations etc. After capturing both types, I noticed that they had no alternate textures, even though there were some alternate ones posted in their WIP threads (maybe these were never released?)

At the time, I only ported one texture across for each ship, but I can bring in the others if it would benefit the other nations.
It just requires duplicating the ships for the different textures, and more coding for each one, but it's easy to do.

 

[Swordsman422]

A version of Constitution with a plain white stripe, yellow trim, and natural wood bulkheads with no nation-specific decor would not be a bad idea to add. The Americans were neither the first or the only nation to use a white stripe for warships. The British, the French, the Dutch, the Spanish, the Portuguese, the Russians, and the Neopolitans all used white stripes on their ships. It was actually extremely generic.

Heck, Constitution didn't even have a white stripe during her first famous engagement. She wore yellow ocre like a British ship.

Would anyone mind terribly if I took these new skins and made Constitution similar to her 1812 appearance?

 

[Armada]

Would anyone mind terribly if I took these new skins and made Constitution similar to her 1812 appearance?

Not at all, mate. You can edit the textures for your own use as much as you like.
Are you aware of the texture conversion process from TGA files to the game's TX format, and vice versa? You'll need this program for that.

The only reason the nations have 'specific' paint schemes in-game is for gameplay purposes, at the moment.
We might eventually consider reworking the way nations use different paint schemes, but probably not until the next stable platform (Build 14 Beta 2) is released in November.
I agree it would be both more historically accurate and give more variety to have all nations using different paint schemes, so we'll see what happens.

 

[Swordsman422]

Thanks, Armada.

Yes, I'm well acquainted with the process of conversion. I've had the GM viewer, the texture converter, and the hex editor since they were first available.

Here's what I've done so far to the base Constitution model. I've recently learned to make patters in PS7 and have applied this knowledge to make the corroded copper hull plating. Plus, though you can't see it here, I've hexed the decor.gm to use a white texture instead of gold to provide contrast.






If'n you gets like it enough, perhaps they can make the build? If not, no sweat.

 

[Captain Armstrong]

Swordsman422- she looks good! do you plan on changing the stripe to yellow ochre too? you could also try borrowing the stern windows from the acheron version (keeping eagle,stars, nameplate etc) because the constitution had a row of windows more like that than her current configuration during the war of 1812

Armada- I think it would add some good variety, and the different versions could even have the same stats if it cuts back on the coding

 

[Swordsman422]

Armstrong, thanks! Yes, I have the ocre stripe added now and did have the windows in place. Would post new pics but I've exceeded my quota. The model is excellent and the skin is so easy to modify.

I wish I were any good with Maya. I'd cut down her bulkheads and open her beakwork. She only had railing at her waist and the bulwark fore and aft was cut down to just above the carronade ports. I have seen wood carvings and sketches of her before her mid-war refit and it looks like the stripe starts at the first broadside gunport instead of wrapping around the bow. I promise not to bother with her gaudy Barbary War paint job. She spent some time in the med painted red with a white pinstripe at the waterline...

 

[uruk]

Armstrong, thanks! Yes, I have the ocre stripe added now and did have the windows in place. Would post new pics but I've exceeded my quota. The model is excellent and the skin is so easy to modify.

I wish I were any good with Maya. I'd cut down her bulkheads and open her beakwork. She only had railing at her waist and the bulwark fore and aft was cut down to just above the carronade ports. I have seen wood carvings and sketches of her before her mid-war refit and it looks like the stripe starts at the first broadside gunport instead of wrapping around the bow. I promise not to bother with her gaudy Barbary War paint job. She spent some time in the med painted red with a white pinstripe at the waterline...

what will you call the new realease?

 

[Armada]

If'n you gets like it enough, perhaps they can make the build? If not, no sweat.

We will certainly consider your texture work, of course.
As I said, though, it might have to wait until we get round to reworking the nations' use of paint schemes before we include it, but we'll see.

About posting more images, maybe you could try an image sharing website, and use the URLs they are assigned? That doesn't affect your quota.

I think it would add some good variety, and the different versions could even have the same stats if it cuts back on the coding

Each texture has its own coded stats, and it will remain that way, yes.
The only difference will be how they can be encountered, and of course the national modifiers will make each ship's stats unique to whichever nation it appears for.

what will you call the new realease?

You mean the main Build release? It will either be B14 Beta 1 Patch 7 or B14 Beta 2, depending on whether we decide to go straight to Beta 2 or not.

 

[Captain Armstrong]

Armstrong, thanks! Yes, I have the ocre stripe added now and did have the windows in place. Would post new pics but I've exceeded my quota. The model is excellent and the skin is so easy to modify.

I wish I were any good with Maya. I'd cut down her bulkheads and open her beakwork. She only had railing at her waist and the bulwark fore and aft was cut down to just above the carronade ports. I have seen wood carvings and sketches of her before her mid-war refit and it looks like the stripe starts at the first broadside gunport instead of wrapping around the bow. I promise not to bother with her gaudy Barbary War paint job. She spent some time in the med painted red with a white pinstripe at the waterline...

I would offer to cut them down, but I have a bunch of other projects that im trying to finish before I start new ones. :nk I think it would look alot better, and they recently cut them down to 1812 size on the real ship, giving her alot sleeker look, heres a ton of pics of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5995608391/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostonphotosphere/5840399499/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5996164504/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5995608157/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5996161234/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackfrench/5949706936/

 

[uruk]

Armstrong, thanks! Yes, I have the ocre stripe added now and did have the windows in place. Would post new pics but I've exceeded my quota. The model is excellent and the skin is so easy to modify.

I wish I were any good with Maya. I'd cut down her bulkheads and open her beakwork. She only had railing at her waist and the bulwark fore and aft was cut down to just above the carronade ports. I have seen wood carvings and sketches of her before her mid-war refit and it looks like the stripe starts at the first broadside gunport instead of wrapping around the bow. I promise not to bother with her gaudy Barbary War paint job. She spent some time in the med painted red with a white pinstripe at the waterline...

I would offer to cut them down, but I have a bunch of other projects that im trying to finish before I start new ones. :nk I think it would look alot better, and they recently cut them down to 1812 size on the real ship, giving her alot sleeker look, heres a ton of pics of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5995608391/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostonphotosphere/5840399499/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5996164504/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5995608157/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefffarr/5996161234/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackfrench/5949706936/

it will be awesome if we put the light effects at night in the ships lanterns it will make the black pearl more fansyistic

 

[Captain Armstrong]

Swordsman422, you could post links to pics of your new texture to get around the quota. My projects are actually progressing now, so I might be able to cut down the extra bulwarks for you.

 

[DavyJack]

OK... while I was hoping for some kind of comments on the ideas in my last post, I went ahead and experimented with the sides anyway.
Here's what I've come up with, again demonstrating with the Light Frigate. Note how the texture also fits the stairs pretty well:

View attachment 6702

Also, I've started applying this kind of deck planking to the decks you see when boarding or walking around in 3rd person, with some good results:

View attachment 6703

And in other news, while I was looking at the textures for the boarding decks, I found a much better version of the lifeboat texture.
This is the small boat you see moored at port, with crew sat in it, but it also appears on most of the newer ships models.
Here's a preview, showing the old one on the left, and the new one on the right:

View attachment 6704

It's amazing what we've got lurking around in other textures, that we've never even noticed before!
So any thoughts on the above? Don't be scared, I won't bite you for commenting... honest!

Not that is a ship with 100% hull and 100% sail should look like..farm fresh!..and by that I mean fresh from the shipyard..
or should I say 1700's(or whatever the time period is) Light Frigate Caribbean fresh

 

[Armada]

Thread resurrection FTW.

Anyway, that Light Frigate is long gone. Her successor is much easier on the eyes.