If you took out the text, that would make a perfect 600x400 picture as is.
At first, I couldn't find out where the engines where, but your latest render clears things up a lot. The design is practical and sleek at the same time, and the quad guns give it the aggressive appearance that truly make your ships unique, man.
Good job. I don't know what else to say 
If you're ever bored enough, can you make some backgrounds out of your ships? I'd be using them forever. That is insanely pretty.
Holy Mastadon, Batman! That looks quite formidable.
I for one really like the design of the ship - the hard and clunky angles give it a slightly old/outdated feel, but the sides and tail give it a higher-tech feel, which comes across saying "At one point this was absolutely top-of-the-line and it could still kick your a** today." It looks like a fine uber-ship to cruise around in.
I swear I could reach out and touch that ship simply because it looks so 'real'. I say real with quotes because we don't really know what a 'real' starship looks like, but that Gammadon looks about as close as I can imagine to how a genuine space-based warship would look.
I also second Templar's request for desktop backgrounds if you ever get the time. 
QUOTE
Wallpapers, etc.
Tell you what: let me figure out this whole semi-texturing materials thing, and I'll give you five.
You guys are going to give me an ego one of these days. Thanks again for your continued support, even though this project is taking forever.
By the way, quotes are really hard to type on an iPhone using only one hand. I don't recommend it.
QUOTE (Delphi @ Mar 3 2010, 01:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
<snip>
By the way, quotes are really hard to type on an iPhone using only one hand. I don't recommend it.
:laugh:
QUOTE (n64mon @ Mar 4 2010, 09:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
<snip>
It's all part of our secret plan to keep you working. Meh heh heh.
Our former secret plan. Thanks a lot, n64mon. 
Does it count as an inflated ego if you've earned it?
For those who use Bryce and are trying to follow along with the texturing process, here's an mid-process top-down render showing the texture point mapping. I use a standard black, white, and gray image file and overlay it onto the object's top surface to get an idea as to where everything will line up. Once I'm happy with it and I have an idea of where to add detail, I'll keep the measurements and go back to edit the original picture file, adding pipes, bolts, and others details as needed.
For now though, these are just the basic texture zones, but it still looks pretty cool.
QUOTE (Delphi @ Mar 5 2010, 10:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This could also be a sick top view for a high-tech turret.
I'll admit, I'm doing some model recycling with this one. I'm going to make another version that flies the other direction and has a completely remodeled end. I like the design, and realized that it could fly both ways and still look good. For the Gammadon, I wanted the focus to be on the forward armor, so I put the chunkier end forward, but for the smaller cruiser I want to make, it'll be all about having two front-mounted cannons.
I'm in class right now, bored, and so I threw together a new little world. You'll find this one in the Nisus system, where a battle fought decades ago resulted in irreparable damage to the planet, after a warship collided with the surface and detonated. I just mostly wanted to create a planet with a dust ring, so there you go. The moon is new, too; just a nice little ball of rock and iron.
QUOTE (Delphi @ Mar 8 2010, 08:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Cephecon Class Light Cruiser/Science Vessel. The bridge is actually atop the nose region there; the back half of the ship is uninhabitable engineering spaces.
Amazing job overall... I hope to see this TC complete one day. Thanks for your work!
I'm re-doing the galactic map. This seems like a gigantic undertaking at first, but I have solid reasons.
1. The original had more than 300 populated systems. That's just way too many to explore and far too many for me to write descriptions and services for.
2. The original was stuffed with filler stars: loads of uninhabited stellars of no use in the story.
3. I just figured out a clever way to use Flaming Pear's Glitterato plugin to make star clusters much like the pretty ones in Mass Effect, and I think it'd make the galaxy easier to navigate (more nebula landmarks) and more solid in terms of nationalities and cultures.
The new galactic map will have more content per square inch, and much prettier navigable layout.
Navigational map of the Orion Core and the Ulysses Rift star clusters.
The Ulysses Rift is a unique electromagnetically-active nebular star cluster famous for its mineral-rich worlds and heavy navigational interference. The NDC core world of Tirach is found in the cluster's western front, a planet responsible for almost 20% of the mineral excavation in the central Orion region. Athens is the capital world of the Ulysses Rift, though the majority of trade is processed through the commercial spaceports of Darkstar, simply because of reduced EM interference in the Darkstar system.
The worlds of the Orion Core star cluster, including Earth, are relatively mineral-poor, and as a result the entire region is suited better for scientific research centers and residential populace. Though billions of people live in the Orion Core, only a few worlds boast commercial centers worthy of note to traders and military personnel, and as a result, the remainder have been truncated from the map.
Interlaced between the two clusters are the "void" systems: regions of space generally devoid of stars, planets, or even strategic interest. However, the occasional inhospitable planet can be found in the reaches of void space, and such hidden locales are often the choice destination of lawbreakers and the equally-unlicensed adventurers hunting them. Travel through void space is generally discouraged; civilians and military alike are expected to better make use of the impeller projection stations established within each star cluster.
Basically speaking, this is a demonstration image from Mission Computer showing two of the many star clusters I'll be using in the new galactic map, each with its own unique environment (asteroids, interference, etc.), culture, and adventures to be found. People doing a lot of mining will likely find themselves hanging around the Ulysses Rift with great frequency, simply because of the excellent mining goods and services available there. Just to even better distribute the game universe, I'm going to make certain outfits unique to certain regions; for instance, a high-powered mining laser will be available from shops within the Ulysses Rift, whereas the regular mining laser will be available in other mining-oriented clusters, and certain regions like the Orion Core simply won't sell the item. Conversely though, the Orion Core will become useful for diplomatic missions and scientific endeavors. Between star clusters: well, thar be pirates and booty to be plundered, yarr! Void space will be very dangerous for early players; expect powerful pirate ships at random, some even armed with stolen military tech from both NDC and Enclave alike.
Don't worry, I'm not going to specialize EVERY cluster. There will be at least a few regions with general merchandise at all of their stores, but not so many unique upgrades. The Capellan Atoll is one such multipurpose cluster, located north-northwest of the two pictured above.
(I haven't mapped any stars into the Atoll yet.)
Cool setup, man.
(lol, I see a system named Darkstar, what Acheron was originally named)
