posted 08-24- 08:10 PM               

How can I reduce the number of polys on this without it all looking like the nose on the pic beolw

That would be fine as a second level LOD maybe, but not as the first, but the first level LOD kills my FR so maybe there's some way to do this without it looking so boxy.

btw, can someone also tell me how the hell I add second/third level LODs?? I've tried in OPS1.3 but it DT's. I select a part, go into LOD, add lod, put in a view distance, import LOD and DT.. .what am I doing wrong?

Thanks for the help guys

~Nat~

posted 08-25- 12:07 AM               

Send me the lastest SM file and I'll try and fix it up for you.

posted 08-25- 02:08 AM            

Polycount in general - I think you should be able to stay below 1200 to 1300 polys !

posted 08-25- 10:32 AM               

How I fixed the smoothing (for you too Laika)...

Do NOT use OPS to export the LODS because for some reason AC3D won't open them. I used hippies extractor (the new OL one) and extracted the A10.sm file. I found the lod (lod 20) and imported it into AC3D. Go into Vertex mode and in the Vertex menu go to the bottom and select "Remove surface only." Then go to EDIT menu and select UNDO. Save the LOD (just overwrite the old one), rebuild the SM, load it up into OPS and you should (and I did) have a new smoothed part!

It's SO COOL that AC3D lets you do this! Btw, still working on that triangle part Nat. I'll have it back to you shortly.

posted 08-25- 10:40 AM               

I absolutely love this one! Very frightening sight for an enemy tank!

posted 08-25- 10:40 AM               

Look at the cowlings of the 190, Corsair, and Zero. In general, you can make a "tube" look square, hexagonal, octagonal, or more complex. I generally opt for a "12-sided" tube, because it's not that much more complex than an octagonal one, but smooths out much nicer. At any distance at all, the Corsair cowl looks pretty round. If you use an octagonal tube, I'd recommended "rotating" it so that the "flat" edges are not on the top or sides.

You can also take each .lod of the structure, and make sure it's surfaces are "one-sided," i.e. only visible from the outside. That will cut your total surfaces way down. Some pieces, like the engine inlets and some of the cockpit parts, will need to remain double sided though.

posted 08-25- 10:44 AM               

NAT! Your A-10 is 7500 polys! YIKES. Yes, a definite rework is in order and taking place now.

posted 08-25- 11:05 AM               

But like I said in my mail, this is my first aircraft, it would be perfect for me to be able to get this all done 100% on my own.. but also very unrealistsic, so I'm just glad that you and anyone else can help get her done, and hey, she flies cause of what data I put in, not cause of how the body is built anyway.. lol

We can't have her like the A10 in A10 Cuba cause we don't have the fire control systems, but hell, I want her to be good, so all help is appreciated

posted 08-25- 12:09 PM               

I would say look at the wings too, It seems like you can get a way with a really low count on the wings but still have it looking good.

I'm sure pete has it under control though.

Have you guys noticed something though. Its a little hard on FPS but no more then the B17 for me, Which means that, the 7500 polys on that sucker isn't very hard on the machine. Shouldn't we learn something from this? Maybe poly count isn't as important as we seem to think. I think its more the AI and all the other Openplane stuff in the b17 and other planes that drop the FPS.