The reactor thread

[Timstone]

Okay, in the thread dedicated to AT I posted a message concerning a reactor. Well, this thread is here to make life easier for me. Pure and shameless laziness, hehehe...

I plan to post some pics (not that many though) of nice reactors here (anyone else is welcome too of course).
The only problem I have is how to post. I want to post a nice pic that shows up when you open this thread, but I don't know how. I know David explained it to me once, but in my unending stupidity I forgot it. Please enlighten me... again.

[Suicide Junkie]

1) Attach the image.
2) Click the attachment you just made to view the image.
3) Copy the address given for the image you are viewing.
4) Use the address in an IMG tag when you post or edit.

[Timstone]

IMG is image, right?
Okay, thanks for the enlightening words SJ.
Thumbs up for you.

[Fyron]

There are a number of cool reactor images in the latestet Versions of the Image Mod. Have you seen them yet?

[Timstone]

Ehh... no, sorry. I have the latest Version installed though. I Dl'ed it the day before yesterday.

Anyway, I just want to model something again. It's been too long since i had the chance of modeling something and make a nice pic of it.
I'm going to try something new with max 7.

[Fyron]

1665 to 1673.

[Timstone]

Wow! I checked them out and they are cool. Thanks for the tip, but I'm still going to make a try myself (stubborn till I die).

Where did you get pic #930 to #1013 from?
Sorry if it states in the textfile, but I'm a bit lazy at this time. It's well past my regular bedtime...

[Fyron]

From readme.txt:

Images 925 to 1022:
- Images extracted from Master of Orion II ((CR) 1996 Microprose Software, Inc.) and compiled
for use in Space Empires IV by Imperator Fyron (kazharii@hotmail.com).

[Intimidator]

Timstone,

What do you need those reactor's for , are you modding something or just trying for fun.

Als je bezigt bent om je grafische mogelijkheden uittediepen, heb ik mischien nog wel een uitdaging voor je.
Heb voor een eigen mod idee wat components nodig. Dus als je geintereseerd bent laat het me weten...........

[Timstone]

Fyron:
Thanks for the info. It's been a long time since I played MOO 2.

Intimidator:
Sorry, heerschap. Ik ben op het moment bezig met afstuderen en heb dus heeeel erg weinig tijd om andere dingen te doen. Ik ben ook nog samen met Ragnarok-X een volgende versie van de B5 mod te maken. Ik heb het dus best druk. Misschien op een later tijdstip (na april).

I'm doing this party for fun and partly for the B5 mod.

[Ragnarok-X]

Oh come on, no offense but PLEASE talk in english. I hate to not understand people.

Anyways, i edited a few of the B5 pictures, those shown are meant to show Hyperspace Tapping Reactors, the most advanced form of Energy Storage and Creation. I have several other edited, to glow blue, green and red. Looks fking awesome, some even got a lensflare.

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/322117-Reactors.jpg

They show
Fighter Cell
Ship Light Reactor
Ship Medium Reactor
Ship Heavy Reactor
Ship Massive Reactor

And to make it even better, each reactor has a use now ! Not only bigger and more supplies woah !


I really like those reactors, the glowing gives them the certain touch imho. I already incorporated them into the b5 imagemod. Hope you like em, too


p.s. Looking forward to your work Timstone, i guess i will find another use for my glow-thingies once you are ready.

[Atrocities]

Those are nice images. I am planning on making more reactor images for the STM in time, and if those are in the Image mod by then I will use them as well. They are very cool.

[Urendi Maleldil]

Wow. I'm afraid I'll get cancer.

[Timstone]

Oh, very cool pic RagsX! Like them a lot.
And don't be upset when I and Intimidator talk a litle bit in Dutch. If we ment it offensively we had said it in English too.
The pics I'm going to make will probabely done far later than the releasedate of the B5 mod. You've very quick with modding, in the rate you're doing the B5 mod will be ready in no time!
So, don't go waiting for my pics, just use yours. They can always be replaced when necessary.

[Raging Deadstar]

Ragnarok-X said:
Oh come on, no offense but PLEASE talk in english. I hate to not understand people.



Maybe that's exactly what they wanted, Those Dutch people are up attempting something ruthless, power gaining and so shrouded in mystery we cannot guess.....

....And Dammit Timstone I want in On it!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[NarfsCompIsBack]

Pretty pictures!

[Timstone]

RD:
What?!! You want in on something exclusively for Dutch people?! No way!
You have nothing to gain in our strugle for complete control of this board and Malfador!
Crap!! I've told too much! Damn!

[Intimidator]

You promised me to keep it a secret Timstone http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[Timstone]

Sorry Intimidator.
Now we'll have to begin anew.

[Timstone]

Damn it! The GF of a friend of mine became mother. She gave birth to a boy; Dennis.

This screws up my entire scheme for this evening! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif

Okay, due to time constraints and lack of sleep I have only one pic sofar... and it isn't even rendered.
I'll wait with that untill David has given some crucial advise, hint, hint... (look in the " Thanks to AT" thread)

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/322339-Reactor0101a.jpg

[David E. Gervais]

First let me say that that is a nice simple reactor design. I like it. (remember imitation is the sincerest form of flattery) That said,.. it took me about 30 mins to build this replica of your model in bryce (would be faster if I was a better modeler) I then applied a dirty chrome like texture to the whole thing then seelected the center core rod and gave it a glowing green beam effect (one of the default preset textures available in bryce) I then changed the core rod to red (just had to change the material color palette) and changed the sky to give the dirty chrom a different color to reflect. As you can see it doesn't take much to make a 'different' variant of the reactor.

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/322356-ReactorTest.jpg


Notice that I removed the Black 2D panel I placed behind the model to reveal the selected sky presets that are reflected on the chrome.

Anyway, I like to share tricks of the trade, and hope this little example will help give you ideas for your reactor.

If you have any questions just fire away.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Timstone]

Very cool pics David. I like those a lot.
The model took me about ten minutes to build. I certainly have an idea to texture this little reactor, thanks to you.
The only thing is, I'm very bad at texturing. I'm doing my best with max 7, but I simply don't get the results you get. I guess there are too many options to change in max 7.

Maybe you can give a few setting you used to create these wonderful pics.


Edit:
I've just completed a few drawings for the next 4 reactors. They're all variants of this Version. I hope I'll have some time this evening to work on them.

[Aiken]

Nice reactors. Don't forget to send pictures to SJ, so he could include them to Image mod.

[Nodachi]

Timstone quipped:
The only thing is, I'm very bad at texturing.



Well, there's a bunch of BS! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif You do a great job with your textures. I have to rely on procedurals to get anything done so you've got me beat.

[Timstone]

Thanks Nodachi, but you haven't seen anything impressive from me (besides the planets and the Borg Cube).
In the modeling department I think I'm good enough, but I seldom have good ideas to implement. Or I have a very, very labourintensive method in mind.
Also the lack of time do practice is a huge limit.
But thanks for the kind words.

P.S. David made the four smaller pics, I just gave him the idea of the model (he recreated one of mine).

[David E. Gervais]

Tim, the textures I used in my replicas are from the built-in procedural textures in bryce. If you're looking for bitmap textures, I could always render and save some of the textures in bryce, but there is an infinate number and I don't have infinate time. And some of the textures are what is called 'complex effects' and deal with transparencies, volume, and layered textures.

Anyway, I'll see what I can do, just send me an e-mail and tell me what you want.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Timstone]

Damn it!
The friend who became mother had some complications. It practically threw my whole weekend into chaos. On the bright side, I became godfather (I think that is how you call it...)! Woohoo! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

I've made only a few drawings in the half hour I had to model this weekend. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/fear.gif
Stay tooned!

[Shadow1980]

Ragnarok-X said:
I really like those reactors, the glowing gives them the certain touch imho. I already incorporated them into the b5 imagemod. Hope you like em, too




Really nice work, I like those a lot.

[Timstone]

Alrighty then, I've got three pics ready (without texture and colours http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/fear.gif). Tell me if you guys like it or not. Maybe some more textureing tips.

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/324208-Reactor0101_0103Small.jpg

[Fyron]

The third one looks awkward with the overly wide "wings" or whatever those are. Maybe the 3rd level could have the wings from the second reactor in the 4 cardinal directions instead of just 2? And one sphere on the top/bottom.

[Timstone]

Hmm... interesting comment, but no. I really like the way they look right now. Thanks for the comment though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

On the third one it isn't fully visible, but the cooling riobs aren't touching eachother. There are two rows with cooling ribs.

I already have made the designs for the other two (Large and Massive), and I'll make those when I have the time for it.

[David E. Gervais]

That's an interesting shape for the outer plating, hmmmm, yes indeed very interesting.. ( David runs off to go back to work.. )

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Timstone]

I have my moments...

[Ed Kolis]

Nice, but the third one looks bizarre, as if you forgot to switch from orthographic to perspective mode before rendering...

[Timstone]

Ed:
Hmm... I don't see the problem. Must be your eyes, ever tried glasses? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Any good suggestions for colours/textures?

[Ed Kolis]

What I mean is the back sphere looks no smaller than the front sphere.

[Timstone]

I have perspectiveturned off. Strange.

[Ed Kolis]

Told ya so. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Timstone]

I meant that when perspective is turned on, it give the whole depth perception, now it is created just in the background, liniar to the distance. When perspective is turned on, the computer also looks at the field of view. That makes the rear sphere even smaller.
I tell you, there is nothing wrong with the rear sphere.

[Timstone]

Okay, I'm posting this pic and then I really going to bed.
Hope you guys like it.

http://www.shrapnelcommunity.com/threads/uploads/324351-Reactor0104.jpg


Edit:
Cool! I'm colonel! Yehaa! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Atrocities]

Awsome.

[Timstone]

Thanks!

[Fyron]

The spheres in the back do look too big...

[Timstone]

That is becasue perspective is turned off.
When I turn it on, the spheres look... weird. According with reality, but weird.
So I turned it off en I´m rather pleased with it.
But suggestions, critisism and demands are always welcome.

[Fyron]

Just make them a little smaller manually...

[Caduceus]

I like Timstone's reactor with big balls.

Hmm. Internal editing software non-functional. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Anyway, I like the "triple". I was going to suggest this triangular shape, but you beat me to it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Timstone]

Thanks Wildcard06!
I'm still ain dubio with the final form. I was thinking about a classic "four-ball-reactor", but that is too obvious. Ah well, I'll come up with something... eventually.

[Timstone]

Okay, finally I've had some time to make the largest reactor pic. Unfortunately I still haven't got the time to render them properly (with colours and textures). /threads/images/graemlins/Sad.gif
For ease of watching I've included a pic which displays all the reactors at once.
As always comments are welcome.

http://67.19.30.83/threads/uploads/326460-Reactors01a.jpg

[Ed Kolis]

I still think the isometric view is bizarre... and the fat "fins" on the double, triple, and modular reactors just look wrong somehow. But the first two look great! /threads/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif

[Timstone]

Thanks Ed.
About the "wrong" feel of the pics, I really don't know what might be wrong with them. Ah well, doesn't matter.
Thanks for the comment!

[Fyron]

Maybe the fat fins could be split at the top in a V shape or something... It is hard to describe why they look odd, they just do.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Because fins imply speed, which is incongrous with the concept of a reactor. Or at least, that's my guess.

[Timstone]

Well, I guess I could modify the main fins a bit to give them a forked appearance. I'll do that as soon as I get home.
Good idea to do that, I hope it will look cool on the reactor.

[Timstone]

Okay, how about this?
I shortend the struts to the smaller reactors and I gave the main fins the spiky look. Personaly I think it's a very cool.

http://67.19.30.83/threads/uploads/326625-Reactor0105.JPG

[Rasorow]

That's sweet!

Rasorow

[Fyron]

Excellent! Spikey is always good. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ed Kolis]

Looking good! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Caduceus]

Imperator Fyron said:
Excellent! Spikey is always good. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



Once you add spikes, everyone is okay with it all of a sudden. Amusing http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Just make sure every sentient creature on the ship has had their tetanus shot.

EDIT - Added another joke

[Fyron]

Well, the rear spheres are still a bit too large... but the main problem was the odd looking "fins." So yes, it is mostly good now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Timstone]

Imperator Fyron said:
Well, the rear spheres are still a bit too large... but the main problem was the odd looking "fins." So yes, it is mostly good now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif



Go get your tetanus shot! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif


Hehehe... thanks Wildcard for this line. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Edit:
Thanks guys for the compliments! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smile.gif