Project HOPE-X spaceplane

[Malky]

I cannot wait to fly this in orbiter. Its really sweet

 

[Pipcard]

Used the ManifoldLab version of Wings3D to cut a hole for the payload bay (boolean operations). But it crashes when you try to UV map a boolean object, so I'll have to export to another format and import it back into Wings3D before texturing.

I'm not even sure how I'm going to texture this. I've textured boxes and cylinders, but never an irregular shape like this.

 

[Hlynkacg]

Used the ManifoldLab version of Wings3D to cut a hole for the payload bay (boolean operations). But it crashes when you try to UV map a boolean object, so I'll have to export to another format and import it back into Wings3D before texturing.

I'm not even sure how I'm going to texture this. I've textured boxes and cylinders, but never an irregular shape like this.

This is one of the biggest things I like about Blender (aside from the price ), the learning curve is a little steep at the beginning but one you get going the UI makes this sort of thing easy.

 

[Loru]

Used the ManifoldLab version of Wings3D to cut a hole for the payload bay (boolean operations). But it crashes when you try to UV map a boolean object, so I'll have to export to another format and import it back into Wings3D before texturing.

I'm not even sure how I'm going to texture this. I've textured boxes and cylinders, but never an irregular shape like this.

Doesn't wings 3d have such as option as "collapse into mesh"?? This function in 3dsMax/Gmax converts all operations done on object into plain 3d mesh made out of polygons. It's similar to "flatten image" from 2d image editors. That'd save your time from exporting/importing the thing.

As for UVW mapping I'm sure you select and map certain polygons of this mesh. It's not that hard.

 

[Pipcard]

Added rear landing gear

 

[IronRain]

Added rear landing gear

Great work Pipcard, appreciate your hard word!

 

[Interceptor]

This looks like it's going to turn out really cool,thanks for taking the time to make it.

 

[Pipcard]

As for UVW mapping I'm sure you select and map certain polygons of this mesh. It's not that hard.

What I'm worried about is the texture being distorted at certain parts. And how to create that "slightly dirty" tiled look that the Space Shuttle has.

---------- Post added at 10:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------

 

[Loru]

What I'm worried about is the texture being distorted at certain parts. And how to create that "slightly dirty" look that the Space Shuttle has.

Some parts will always be distorted. Using cylindrical projection on the sphere distorts texture on the poles for example.

UVW maping is usually compromise between texture distortions and number of seams on UVW map.

For example here I used cylindrical projection for fuselage and flat projection for wings and verstabs. Cabin/Nose section has some distortions here as faces get smaller closer to nose but they have same width in projection as middle part of fuselage.

 

[Donamy]

You can try to stretch some of the vertices, where distortion happens to alleviate some of it.

 

[Pipcard]

What is the best, most intuitive, most accurate, free UV mapper?

---------- Post added at 08:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:11 PM ----------

The Space Shuttle texture looks like this:

For the STS orbiter and HOPE-X, the fuselage and two cargo bay doors are separate objects. But their texture maps are connected together on the right.

In Wings3D, I cannot combine the UV maps of separate objects, therefore I cannot scale them as one.

 

[Donamy]

I'm only familiar with AC3D, so I can't be much help to you. Sorry.

 

[Loru]

Around 7:00 there is an answer. You combine parts into single object, UVW map it and then split again. (Technique I used before downloaded multiUVW unwrap plug-in for 3dsmax9).

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToU-2A5mjXk&"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToU-2A5mjXk&[/ame]

 

[Pipcard]

You can combine objects in the geometry window. But in the AutoUV window, you can't combine regions of separate objects (i.e. discontinuous polygons), even if they are combined in the geometry window.

The separate regions scale individually (and based on their individual centers - that's the problem - see 8:51), so I have to move them manually after scaling.

 

[Pipcard]

Let's say there was a manned version of this (in fact, the Japanese space agency did plan to make a larger, manned version; that's why it has an "X" for "eXperimental" in it).

Let's also make a modification and say that the spaceplane had an in-built abort capability just like the Dream Chaser.

What if there was an emergency launch abort? Could a spaceplane like this reliably ditch in the ocean?

edit: I ask the same question about Loru's old shuttles.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

From a pad abort I would think you'd have the altitude to trade off to make it back to your runway. But somewhere in-flight? Both CSSC and Negishima are in the middle of nowhere, if the ship can't RTLS nor make it downrange to another runway, you may need to know how to swim.

 

[Pipcard]

From a pad abort I would think you'd have the altitude to trade off to make it back to your runway. But somewhere in-flight? Both CSSC and Negishima are in the middle of nowhere, if the ship can't RTLS nor make it downrange to another runway, you may need to know how to swim.

Yeah, I recently realized that the argument that a reusable spacecraft which lands on a runway

keeps expenses like having a navy chase about your spacecraft from occurring

[lamepun]doesn't hold water[/lamepun] because you'll still need emergency recovery ships in case of an abort too far downrange (and not close enough for a trans-oceanic runway landing).

The HL-20 lifting body was going to have emergency parachutes for an ocean landing.

---------- Post added at 10:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 PM ----------

To make these textures from scratch, I use the same method I've been using for a long while now. First, I make a flat texture in GIMP. Then, I duplicate that layer and add noise and blur filters to it. But some parts of the texture are curved and I'll have to go into Inkscape for that.

 

[Pipcard]

Which do you prefer? The thin lines, or the thick lines in the post above (which can be generated with the "blur" filter)?

 

[Loru]

Maybe try this lines as thin as possible (1px) but semi transprent. Also it's hard to tell now before weathering and normal/bump map.

 

[Pipcard]

Yes, how do you make weathering from scratch? Or just a less "sterile" look? Because my "noise & blur" method isn't working well enough.

The only way I'm thinking of is taking a section of a space shuttle picture and applying the "clone" and "heal" tools to it. (I actually did something like that for the SRBs on my rockets, but it wasn't with a space shuttle)