PioneerWiki - User contributions [en]

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-10-03T20:14:41Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step. This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file. Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

= Software =

We will use the following tools:

*[http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
*[http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
*[http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
*[http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
*[[Model_viewer|Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.

You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

= Folder structure, naming conventions =

It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:

*'''Ship name'''/
**'''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
**'''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
**'''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
**'''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
**'''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
**'''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
***'''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
***'''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.

*Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
**molaramsayi_hi.dae
**molaramsayi_med.dae
**molaramsayi_low.dae
**Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
**molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
**molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
**molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
**molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
**molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
**molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
*molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.

It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

= Sketching and Brief =

This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer. First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first. You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB_Kaluri|OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola_Mola|Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel|Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00 med trans 2 s.png|center|00 med trans 2 s.png]] This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara|Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb|Deneb]].

= Modeling =

== Coordinates ==

Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind. [[File:01 axis.png|center|01 axis.png]]

== Objects and transformations ==

Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''. Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

== Modeling ==

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images] ===

The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:03render size.png|RTENOTITLE]]

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers] ===

Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first. [[File:04 modifiers.png|right|04 modifiers.png]] Let's see what they do:

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror] ====

This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object. If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array] ====

This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf] ====

This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order] ====

An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

=== Camera setup ===

[[File:05-camerasetup.png|thumb|right|400px|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

== Animation ==

== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing] ==

[[File:UVs.png|frame|right|Model and it's UV map]] [[File:Papercraft.jpg|frame|right|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]] UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way. You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png|RTENOTITLE]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window: [[File:New img.png|RTENOTITLE]]

[[File:New img 2.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:Colorgrid.png|RTENOTITLE]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png|RTENOTITLE]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left|UV-unwrap.png]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time. '''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake. '''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us. '''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''. As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

== LoDs (Level of Detail) ==

[[File:LoD.png|frame|right|LoD example]] It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.

*''Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.''
*''Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...''
*''Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons ('''[B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.''
*''Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.''
*''It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.''
*''Keep going...''
*''Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...''

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

== Exporting the model ==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection. Collada export settings: [[File:Exporting.png|right|Exporting.png]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

= Tags =

[[File:Empties.png|frame|right|Tags example]] Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Tags: Blender Empties
|-
! Game Element
! Empty Type
! Object Name Pattern
! Notes
|-
| Thrusters
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>

| The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
| Camera/view ports
| Arrows
| <nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>

| Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
| Landing point
| Plain Axes
| tag_landing
| This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
| Gun mount
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>

| Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
| Navigation lights
| Sphere
| <nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>

| If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
| Label
| Arrows
| <nowiki>label.*</nowiki>

| This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}

*''Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.''

= Texturing =

== Texture channels ==

== Baking ==

=== AO (Ambient Occlusion) ===

[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen''
**''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image''button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)''
***''Name the new image myship_ao''
**''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode''
***''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your object as mentioned perviously''
***''Select all the meshes in the object''
**''In the UV window select all of the UV faces''
***''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection''
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view''
**''Select the object''
**Either go to or open up an "Outliner" window. This lists all of the objects in the current scene
***Make sure the object you want to bake has Restrict Rendering toggled by selecting little camera icon on the right hand side. Withiout this, you will get an error complaining that there is no object to bake
***The ambient occlusion calculation will take other sceen objects into account during rendering. If you want these to add to the AO of the current object make sure Restrict Rendering is also toggled for these objects
***If proximal objects are having an adverse effect on the AO simply toggle off Restrict Rendering for that object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct''
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)''
**''Navigate to the output panel''
***''Ensure an output path is defined and is set to PNG (not sure this is correct.... but currently if I dont do this I cannot bake)''
**''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel''
***''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion''
***''Check "Normalized"''
***''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)''
***''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button''

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

Things to note:

*I find texture assignment to groups very fiddly - patience is required...
*You can only bake one object at a time. If you have multiple objects make sure when arranging your UV map that you leave enough space to unpack other objects. When you bake a different object it will save that bake as a differnet file or overwrite the existing. I get around this by opening the baked output in GIMP as a layer after every group bake. This way I can capture all groups then merge together into a single image. There may be a better way to do this - if so let me know!!

'''Still on going.....'''

== UV Face Layout ==

UV Face Layout is an semi transparent representation of the mesh faces/edges of your unwrapped model - similar to what you see displayed in the UV window. This can be imported into your editor of choice and used as a guide when adding texture detail. Being able to see the mesh when painting allows you to see the underlying shape of the model and predict potential distortion. It will also help you line up features that span mesh seams (very helpful!).

*I''n the 3D editor''
**''Select the object in edit mode''
*''In the UV editor''
**''Select all of the faces in the UV''
**''Click: '''[UVs --> Export UV Layout]'''''
**''Save the output as myship_uv_layout.png''
*''Import this image into your image editor as a seperate layer.''

== Sketching texture ==

== Inkscape basis ==

== Painting texture ==

=== Distressing ===

Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.

==== Panel Wear ====

Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged''
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches''
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)''
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).''
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles''

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

===== In GIMP =====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"''
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath''
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line''
*''Scratch away!''
*''Repeat the process for other panels''

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time, it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

===== Scratches =====

Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel''
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model''
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently''
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy''
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance''
*''Overlap brush strokes''
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns''
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself''

== Postprocessing and compositing ==

== Exporting Textures ==

When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''''
*'''''specular'''''
*'''''glow'''''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''''

It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''''

= Model and Material setup =

= Stats setup =

= Making it into a mod =

A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

== Linux ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):

pioneer -mv

== OSX ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:

/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

== Windows ==

Bleh....

= Testing =

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-10-03T20:13:52Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step. This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file. Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

= Software =

We will use the following tools:

*[http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
*[http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
*[http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
*[http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
*[[Model_viewer|Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.

You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

= Folder structure, naming conventions =

It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:

*'''Ship name'''/
**'''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
**'''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
**'''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
**'''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
**'''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
**'''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
***'''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
***'''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.

*Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
**molaramsayi_hi.dae
**molaramsayi_med.dae
**molaramsayi_low.dae
**Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
**molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
**molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
**molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
**molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
**molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
**molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
*molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.

It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

= Sketching and Brief =

This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer. First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first. You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB_Kaluri|OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola_Mola|Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel|Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00 med trans 2 s.png|center|00 med trans 2 s.png]] This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara|Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb|Deneb]].

= Modeling =

== Coordinates ==

Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind. [[File:01 axis.png|center|01 axis.png]]

== Objects and transformations ==

Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''. Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

== Modeling ==

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images] ===

The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:03render size.png|RTENOTITLE]]

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers] ===

Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first. [[File:04 modifiers.png|right|04 modifiers.png]] Let's see what they do:

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror] ====

This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object. If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array] ====

This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf] ====

This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order] ====

An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

=== Camera setup ===

[[File:05-camerasetup.png|thumb|right|400px|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

== Animation ==

== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing] ==

[[File:UVs.png|frame|right|Model and it's UV map]] [[File:Papercraft.jpg|frame|right|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]] UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way. You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png|RTENOTITLE]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window: [[File:New img.png|RTENOTITLE]]

[[File:New img 2.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:Colorgrid.png|RTENOTITLE]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png|RTENOTITLE]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left|UV-unwrap.png]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time. '''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake. '''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us. '''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''. As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

== LoDs (Level of Detail) ==

[[File:LoD.png|frame|right|LoD example]] It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.

*''Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.''
*''Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...''
*''Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons ('''[B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.''
*''Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.''
*''It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.''
*''Keep going...''
*''Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...''

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

== Exporting the model ==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection. Collada export settings: [[File:Exporting.png|right|Exporting.png]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

= Tags =

[[File:Empties.png|frame|right|Tags example]] Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Tags: Blender Empties
|-
! Game Element
! Empty Type
! Object Name Pattern
! Notes
|-
| Thrusters
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>

| The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
| Camera/view ports
| Arrows
| <nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>

| Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
| Landing point
| Plain Axes
| tag_landing
| This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
| Gun mount
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>

| Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
| Navigation lights
| Sphere
| <nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>

| If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
| Label
| Arrows
| <nowiki>label.*</nowiki>

| This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}

*''Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.''

= Texturing =

== Texture channels ==

== Baking ==

=== AO (Ambient Occlusion) ===

[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen''
**''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image''button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)''
***''Name the new image myship_ao''
**''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode''
***''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your object as mentioned perviously''
***''Select all the meshes in the object''
**''In the UV window select all of the UV faces''
***''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection''
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view''
**''Select the object''
**Either go to or open up an "Outliner" window. This lists all of the objects in the current scene
***Make sure the object you want to bake has Restrict Rendering toggled by selecting little camera icon on the right hand side. Withiout this, you will get an error complaining that there is no object to bake
***The ambient occlusion calculation will take other sceen objects into account during rendering. If you want these to add to the AO of the current object make sure Restrict Rendering is also toggled for these objects
***If proximal objects are having an adverse effect on the AO simply toggle off Restrict Rendering for that object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct''
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)''
**''Navigate to the output panel''
***''Ensure an output path is defined and is set to PNG (not sure this is correct.... but currently if I dont do this I cannot bake)''
**''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel''
***''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion''
***''Check "Normalized"''
***''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)''
***''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button''

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

Things to note:

*I find texture assignment to groups very fiddly - patience is required...
*You can only bake one object at a time. If you have multiple objects make sure when arranging your UV map that you leave enough space to unpack other objects. When you bake a different object it will save that bake as a differnet file or overwrite the existing. I get around this by opening the baked output in GIMP as a layer after every group bake. This way I can capture all groups then merge together into a single image. There may be a better way to do this - if so let me know!!

'''Still on going.....'''

== UV Face Layout ==

UV Face Layout is an semi transparent representation of the mesh faces/edges of your unwrapped model - similar to what you see displayed in the UV window. This can be imported into your editor of choice and used as a guide when adding texture detail. Being able to see the mesh when painting allows you to see the underlying shap of the model and predict potential distortion. It will also help you line up features that span mesh seams (very helpful!).

*I''n the 3D editor''
**''Select the object in edit mode''
*''In the UV editor''
**''Select all of the faces in the UV''
**''Click: '''[UVs --> Export UV Layout]'''''
**''Save the output as myship_uv_layout.png''
*''Import this image into your image editor as a seperate layer.''

== Sketching texture ==

== Inkscape basis ==

== Painting texture ==

=== Distressing ===

Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.

==== Panel Wear ====

Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged''
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches''
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)''
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).''
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles''

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

===== In GIMP =====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"''
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath''
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line''
*''Scratch away!''
*''Repeat the process for other panels''

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time, it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

===== Scratches =====

Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel''
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model''
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently''
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy''
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance''
*''Overlap brush strokes''
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns''
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself''

== Postprocessing and compositing ==

== Exporting Textures ==

When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''''
*'''''specular'''''
*'''''glow'''''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''''

It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''''

= Model and Material setup =

= Stats setup =

= Making it into a mod =

A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

== Linux ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):

pioneer -mv

== OSX ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:

/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

== Windows ==

Bleh....

= Testing =

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-10-03T20:12:38Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step. This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file. Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

= Software =

We will use the following tools:

*[http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
*[http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
*[http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
*[http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
*[[Model_viewer|Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.

You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

= Folder structure, naming conventions =

It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:

*'''Ship name'''/
**'''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
**'''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
**'''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
**'''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
**'''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
**'''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
***'''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
***'''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.

*Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
**molaramsayi_hi.dae
**molaramsayi_med.dae
**molaramsayi_low.dae
**Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
**molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
**molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
**molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
**molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
**molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
**molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
*molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.

It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

= Sketching and Brief =

This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer. First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first. You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB_Kaluri|OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola_Mola|Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel|Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00 med trans 2 s.png|center|00 med trans 2 s.png]] This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara|Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb|Deneb]].

= Modeling =

== Coordinates ==

Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind. [[File:01 axis.png|center|01 axis.png]]

== Objects and transformations ==

Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''. Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

== Modeling ==

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images] ===

The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:03render size.png|RTENOTITLE]]

=== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers] ===

Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first. [[File:04 modifiers.png|right|04 modifiers.png]] Let's see what they do:

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror] ====

This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object. If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array] ====

This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf] ====

This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

==== [https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order] ====

An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

=== Camera setup ===

[[File:05-camerasetup.png|thumb|right|400px|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

== Animation ==

== [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing] ==

[[File:UVs.png|frame|right|Model and it's UV map]] [[File:Papercraft.jpg|frame|right|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]] UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way. You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png|RTENOTITLE]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window: [[File:New img.png|RTENOTITLE]]

[[File:New img 2.png|RTENOTITLE]] [[File:Colorgrid.png|RTENOTITLE]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png|RTENOTITLE]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left|UV-unwrap.png]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time. '''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake. '''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us. '''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''. As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

== LoDs (Level of Detail) ==

[[File:LoD.png|frame|right|LoD example]] It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.

*''Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.''
*''Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...''
*''Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons ('''[B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.''
*''Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.''
*''It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.''
*''Keep going...''
*''Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...''

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

== Exporting the model ==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection. Collada export settings: [[File:Exporting.png|right|Exporting.png]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

= Tags =

[[File:Empties.png|frame|right|Tags example]] Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Tags: Blender Empties
|-
! Game Element
! Empty Type
! Object Name Pattern
! Notes
|-
| Thrusters
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>

| The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
| Camera/view ports
| Arrows
| <nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>

| Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
| Landing point
| Plain Axes
| tag_landing
| This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
| Gun mount
| Single Arrow
| <nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>

| Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
| Navigation lights
| Sphere
| <nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>

| If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
| Label
| Arrows
| <nowiki>label.*</nowiki>

| This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}

*''Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.''

= Texturing =

== Texture channels ==

== Baking ==

=== AO (Ambient Occlusion) ===

[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen''
**''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image''button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)''
***''Name the new image myship_ao''
**''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode''
***''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your object as mentioned perviously''
***''Select all the meshes in the object''
**''In the UV window select all of the UV faces''
***''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection''
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view''
**''Select the object''
**Either go to or open up an "Outliner" window. This lists all of the objects in the current scene
***Make sure the object you want to bake has Restrict Rendering toggled by selecting little camera icon on the right hand side. Withiout this, you will get an error complaining that there is no object to bake
***The ambient occlusion calculation will take other sceen objects into account during rendering. If you want these to add to the AO of the current object make sure Restrict Rendering is also toggled for these objects
***If proximal objects are having an adverse effect on the AO simply toggle off Restrict Rendering for that object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct''
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)''
**''Navigate to the output panel''
***''Ensure an output path is defined and is set to PNG (not sure this is correct.... but currently if I dont do this I cannot bake)''
**''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel''
***''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion''
***''Check "Normalized"''
***''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)''
***''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button''

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

Things to note:

*I find texture assignment to groups very fiddly - patience is required...
*You can only bake one object at a time. If you have multiple objects make sure when arranging your UV map that you leave enough space to unpack other objects. When you bake a different object it will save that bake as a differnet file or overwrite the existing. I get around this by opening the baked output in GIMP as a layer after every group bake. This way I can capture all groups then merge together into a single image. There may be a better way to do this - if so let me know!!

'''Still on going.....'''

== UV Face Layout ==

UV Face Layout is an semi transparent representation of the mesh faces/edges of your unwrapped model - similar to what you see displayed in the UV window. This can be imported into your editor of choice and used as a guide when adding texture detail. Being able to see the mesh when painting allows you to see the underlying shap of the model and predict potential distortion. It will also help you line up features that span mesh seams (very helpful!).

*In the 3D editor
**''Select the object'' in edit mode
*''In the UV editor''
**''S''elect all of the faces in the UV
**Click: UVs -> Export UV Layout
**Save the output as myship_uv_layout.png
*Import this image into your image editor as a seperate layer.

== Sketching texture ==

== Inkscape basis ==

== Painting texture ==

=== Distressing ===

Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.

==== Panel Wear ====

Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged''
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches''
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)''
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).''
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles''

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

===== In GIMP =====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"''
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath''
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line''
*''Scratch away!''
*''Repeat the process for other panels''

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time, it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

===== Scratches =====

Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel''
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model''
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently''
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy''
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance''
*''Overlap brush strokes''
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns''
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself''

== Postprocessing and compositing ==

== Exporting Textures ==

When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''''
*'''''specular'''''
*'''''glow'''''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''''

It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''''

= Model and Material setup =

= Stats setup =

= Making it into a mod =

A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

== Linux ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):

pioneer -mv

== OSX ==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:

/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

== Windows ==

Bleh....

= Testing =

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-10-03T19:58:47Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

=== AO (Ambient Occlusion) ===

[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen''
**''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image''button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)''
***''Name the new image myship_ao''
**''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode''
***''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your object as mentioned perviously''
***''Select all the meshes in the object''
**''In the UV window select all of the UV faces''
***''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection''
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view''
**''Select the object''
**Either go to or open up an "Outliner" window. This lists all of the objects in the current scene
***Make sure the object you want to bake has Restrict Rendering toggled by selecting little camera icon on the right hand side. Withiout this, you will get an error complaining that there is no object to bake
***The ambient occlusion calculation will take other sceen objects into account during rendering. If you want these to add to the AO of the current object make sure Restrict Rendering is also toggled for these objects
***If proximal objects are having an adverse effect on the AO simply toggle off Restrict Rendering for that object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct''
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)''
**''Navigate to the output panel''
***''Ensure an output path is defined and is set to PNG (not sure this is correct.... but currently if I dont do this I cannot bake)''
**''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel''
***''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion''
***''Check "Normalized"''
***''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)''
***''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button''

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

Things to note:

*I find texture assignment to groups very fiddly - patience is required...
*You can only bake one object at a time. If you have multiple objects make sure when arranging your UV map that you leave enough space to unpack other objects. When you bake a different object it will save that bake as a differnet file or overwrite the existing. I get around this by opening the baked output in GIMP as a layer after every group bake. This way I can capture all groups then merge together into a single image. There may be a better way to do this - if so let me know!!

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
== Painting texture ==

=== Distressing ===

Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.

==== Panel Wear ====

Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged''
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches''
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)''
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).''
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles''

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

===== In GIMP =====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"''
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath''
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line''
*''Scratch away!''
*''Repeat the process for other panels''

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time, it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

===== Scratches =====

Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel''
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model''
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently''
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy''
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance''
*''Overlap brush strokes''
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns''
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself''

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==
When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''
*'''''specular'''
*'''''glow'''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''
It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-10-03T19:56:40Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

=== AO (Ambient Occlusion) ===

[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen''
**''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image''button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)''
***''Name the new image myship_ao''
**''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode''
***''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your object as mentioned perviously''
***''Select all the meshes in the object''
**''In the UV window select all of the UV faces''
***''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection''
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view''
**''Select the object''
**Either go to or open up an "Outliner" window. This lists all of the objects in the current scene
***Make sure the object you want to bake has Restrict Rendering toggled by selecting little camera icon on the right hand side. Withiout this, you will get an error complaining that there is no object to bake
***The ambient occlusion calculation will take other sceen objects into account during rendering. If you want these to add to the AO of the current object make sure Restrict Rendering is also toggled for these objects
***If proximal objects are having an adverse effect on the AO simply toggle off Restrict Rendering for that object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct''
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)''
**''Navigate to the output panel''
***''Ensure an output path is defined and is set to PNG (not sure this is correct.... but currently if I dont do this I cannot bake)''
**''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel''
***''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion''
***''Check "Normalized"''
***''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)''
***''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button''

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

Things to note:

*I find texture assignment to groups very fiddly - patience is required...
*You can only bake one object at a time. If you have multiple objects make sure when arranging your UV map that you leave enough space to unpack other objects. When you bake a different object it will save that bake as a differnet file or overwrite the existing. I get around this by opening the baked output in GIMP as a layer after every group bake. This way I can capture all groups then merge together into a single image. There may be a better way to do this - if so let me know!!

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==
When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''
*'''''specular'''
*'''''glow'''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''
It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Bluenose

2016-10-02T22:15:02Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 15.1G full:
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted descent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft.

Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite asthetic criticism initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies.

In the following months after release reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. Media outlets quickly generated a flurry of articles labeling the Bluenose as not market-ready and a potential death-trap. Sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions hinted towards a design process plagued by conflict, driven by the differing ethos between the two companies.

Tragicaly in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure with the owner’s husband and children onboard. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record. Media reporting of the YYYY incident quickely escalated with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the deaths. OKB and Harber halted further production of the Bluenose, bringing an acrimonious end to their venture. As neither company accepted responsibility for the decision, Bluenose shipments were never recalled for the required corrections. Customers were left with a costly bill or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation, large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners.

Over time and despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. The Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships eventually being highly sought in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised.

In an effort to recoup losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. Correcting earlier design flaws, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales and still produce these ships in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.
[[Category:Ships]]

File:Bluenose preview.png

2016-05-04T22:07:03Z

BobTheTerrible: BobTheTerrible uploaded a new version of File:Bluenose preview.png

Bluenose preview image

File:Bluenose silhouette.png

2016-05-04T22:05:46Z

BobTheTerrible:

File:Bluenose preview.png

2016-05-04T22:04:07Z

BobTheTerrible: Bluenose preview image

Bluenose preview image

File:Bluenose.png

2016-05-04T21:53:09Z

BobTheTerrible: Model viewer image of the Bluenose freighter.

Model viewer image of the Bluenose freighter.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T22:22:21Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

==  !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft.

Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite asthetic criticism initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies.

In the following months after release reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. Media outlets quickly generated a flurry of articles labeling the Bluenose as not market-ready and a potential death-trap. Sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions hinted towards a design process plagued by conflict, driven by the differing ethos between the two companies.

Tragicaly in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure with the owner’s husband and children onboard. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record. Media reporting of the YYYY incident quickely escalated with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the deaths. In XXY OKB and Harber halted further production of the Bluenose, bringing an acrimonious end to their venture. As neither company accepted responsibility for the decision, Bluenose shipments were never recalled for the required corrections. Customers were left with a costly bill or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation, large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners.

Over time, as modifications permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet, owners became increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships eventually being highly sought in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised.

As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T22:19:12Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

==  !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft.

Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite asthetic criticism initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies.

In the following months after release reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. Media outlets quickly generated a flurry of articles labeling the Bluenose as not market-ready and a potential death-trap. Sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions hinted towards a design process plagued by conflict, driven by the differing ethos between the two companies.

Tragicaly in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure with the owner’s husband and children onboard. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record. Media reporting of the YYYY incident quickely escalated with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the deaths. In XXY OKB and Harber halted further production of the Bluenose, bringing an acrimonious end to their venture.. As neither company accepted responsibility for the decision, Bluenose shipments were never recalled for the required corrections. Customers were left with a costly bill or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation, large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners.

Over time, as modifications permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet, owners became increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships eventually being highly sought in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised.

As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T22:18:03Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

==  !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft. Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite asthetic criticism initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies. In the following months after release reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. Media outlets quickly generated a flurry of articles labeling the Bluenose as not market-ready and a potential death-trap. Sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions hinted towards a design process plagued by conflict, driven by the differing ethos between the two companies. Tragicaly in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure with the owner’s husband and children onboard. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record. Media reporting of the YYYY incident quickely escalated with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the deaths. In XXY OKB and Harber halted further production of the Bluenose, bringing an acrimonious end to their venture.. As neither company accepted responsibility for the decision, Bluenose shipments were never recalled for the required corrections. Customers were left with a costly bill or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation, large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners.

Over time, as modifications permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet, owners became increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships eventually being highly sought in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised. As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T22:03:54Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

==  !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft. Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite asthetic criticism initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies. In the following months after release reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. Reports however still rolled in - initially a trickle, growing to a near torrent with a multitude of defects affecting virtually all systems. Media outlets quickly generated a flurry of articles labeling the Bluenose as not market-ready and a potential death-trap. Sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions hinted towards a design process plagued by conflict, driven by the differing ethos between the two companies. Tragicaly in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure with the owner’s husband and children onboard. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the deaths. As media reporting of the YYYY incident escalated, OKB and Harber made the joint decision to halt further production bringing an acrimonious end to their venture.

As neither company accepted responsibility, existing Bluenose shipments were never recalled for repair. Customers were effectively forced to repair or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation, large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners.

Over time, as modifications permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet, owners became increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships eventually being highly sought in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised. As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T20:26:38Z

BobTheTerrible:

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|up_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|down_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|left_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|right_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|angular_thrust = empty: 0G full: 0G
|max_cargo = 200
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 2
|max_crew = 3
|capacity = 600
|hull_mass = 100
|fuel_tank_mass = 400
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 308000
|hyperdrive_class = 3
|max_engine = no
}}

==  !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft. Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite these design criticisms initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies. The following months after release saw the first reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. However the reports still rolled in - initially a trickle, eventually growing to a near torrent with a multitude of defects affecting virtually all variants. Latching on to the growing number of dissatisfied customers, media outlets quickly raised a flurry of articles painting the Bluenose as a potential death-trap. A few of the more persistent investigative journalists were successful in soliciting statements from sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions. The picture wasn’t good. It was apparent the Bluenose design process had been plagued by conflict, driven in no small part by the difference in ethos between the design teams of both companies. Simply put, the OKB avionics and systems did not play nicely with the Haber space-frame. Finally in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure. Tragically the owner’s husband and children were aboard during the accident. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the family's deaths. OKB and Harber were quick to attribute blame for the Bluenose’s deficiencies on the other. As media reporting of the YYYY incident escalated, OKB and Harber made the decision to halt further production bringing an acrimonious end to their joint venture. As neither company accepted responsibility, existing Bluenose shipments were never recalled. Customers were left bearing the brunt of costly repairs and upgrades, unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation. Large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners, many of whom were effectively forced to repair or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Some time after the events surrounding the OKB-Harber collapse, modifications effected by their owners had largely permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet. To those in ship resale circles it was noticed that Bluenose owners were becoming increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships being highly sought after in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised. As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Bluenose

2016-05-01T20:15:12Z

BobTheTerrible: Created page with "{{Infobox_Ship |name = Bluenose |type = Medium Freighter File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png |manufacturer = OKB Kaluri |forward_thrust = empty: 4.6G full: 3G |reverse_thrust = e..."

{{Infobox_Ship
|name = Bluenose
|type = Medium Freighter [[File:Shipclass_med_cargo.png]]
|manufacturer = OKB Kaluri
|forward_thrust = empty: 4.6G full: 3G
|reverse_thrust = empty: 2G full: 1.3G
|up_thrust = empty: 2G full: 1.3G
|down_thrust = empty: 1.1G full: 0.7G
|left_thrust = empty: 1.1G full: 0.7G
|right_thrust = empty: 1.1G full: 0.7G
|angular_thrust = empty: 15.9G full: 10.3G
|max_cargo = 30
|max_laser = 11
|max_missile = 2
|max_cargoscoop = 1
|max_fuelscoop = 0
|min_crew = 1
|max_crew = 4
|capacity = 30
|hull_mass = 30
|fuel_tank_mass = 25
|effective_exhaust_velocity = empty: 5358km/s full: 3079km/s
|price = 101000
|hyperdrive_class = 0
|max_engine = no
}}

== !!Still under construction!! ==

== Description ==

A rugged medium Harber Corp/OKB freighter with a chequered history. A lack of maneuverability is made up for by respectable acceleration and good cargo capacity. Intended as a space-only or low gravity world ship, thrust assisted decent is possible. Found throughout the galaxy in low numbers but is more commonly seen in back water systems.

== History ==

The Bluenose will be quietly remembered as the offspring of one of the most bizarre events in space-aviation history. In the year XXX OKB Kaluri entered into, what was referred to at the time as “an unholy alliance” with Harber Corp. to produce a mass market medium freighter combining the best that both companies could offer. OKB hoped the endeavor would open up new markets within Solar Federation territories while Harber looked to take advantage of the significant gains in technology made by the OKB research division. The Bluenose was to be a rugged and durable space-frame equipped with a suite of advanced avionics; on paper, this should have been a recipe for an excellent spacecraft. Released to much fanfare, the first shipments rolled off the production lines to a somewhat mixed reception. While the intent behind the Bluenose's functional design was generally lauded, pundits were somewhat more critical of the craft's unusual aesthetics. The then editor of DraQ-aerospace-monthly commented that the Bluenose was “ugly *and* boxy”, although subsequently stated he had been misquoted. Despite these design criticisms initial sales were good, raising hopes the collaboration would succeed and boost inter-system standing of both companies. The following months after release saw the first reports of technical abnormalities begin to appear. Official statements from both companies down played these issues as teething problems, insisting affected components would be recalled and their design revised for future models. However the reports still rolled in - initially a trickle, eventually growing to a near torrent with a multitude of defects affecting virtually all variants. Latching on to the growing number of dissatisfied customers, media outlets quickly raised a flurry of articles painting the Bluenose as a potential death-trap. A few of the more persistent investigative journalists were successful in soliciting statements from sources close to OKB and Harber engineering devisions. The picture wasn’t good. It was apparent the Bluenose design process had been plagued by conflict, driven in no small part by the difference in ethos between the design teams of both companies. Simply put, the OKB avionics and systems did not play nicely with the Haber space-frame. Finally in XXX a privately registered Bluenose tore itself apart above YYYY after suffering complete attitude control failure. Tragically the owner’s husband and children were aboard during the accident. The resulting media-storm drew widespread condemnation of the Bluenose’s safety record with many fingering the manufacturers as responsible for the family's deaths. OKB and Harber were quick to attribute blame for the Bluenose’s deficiencies on the other. As media reporting of the YYYY incident escalated, OKB and Harber made the decision to halt further production bringing an acrimonious end to their joint venture. As neither company accepted responsibility, existing Bluenose shipments were never recalled. Customers were left bearing the brunt of costly repairs and upgrades, unable to sell on their purchases due to poor reputation. Large numbers of ships remained in the hands of their original owners, many of whom were effectively forced to repair or rectify the numerous design issues themselves. Some time after the events surrounding the OKB-Harber collapse, modifications effected by their owners had largely permeated thought the remaining Bluenose fleet. To those in ship resale circles it was noticed that Bluenose owners were becoming increasingly reluctant to part with their ships. Despite the initial expense and effort of modification, many pilots came to respect the Bluenose for its relatively high delta-V and ease of handling. With early design issues rectified, the Bluenose was oft heard discussed favourably in station cafes and stopovers across the known systems. These time-tested ships being highly sought after in certain quarters for the ruggedness and reliability they had always promised. As an effort to recoup the losses suffered during development, OKB and Harber eventually allowed numerous smaller shipyards to manufacture the Bluenose under licence. As reputation for reliability gradually improved, these shipyards were able to turn a modest profit from subsequent sales. Although later models were considered inferior, the Bluenose had returned to life with demand strongest in backwater systems and is still produced in low numbers today.

== Improvements and changes ==

The Bluenose underwent a number of revisions during production with many more alterations made by owners post-production. No two Bluenoses are quite the same. 

== Other uses ==

Often found used as intra-system runabouts ferrying people and goods between stations.

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-04-02T19:37:01Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting Textures */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==
When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Each Layer will need to be scaled down to 2048x2048 pixels. I usually create my textures in 4096x4096 then scale down - however this can result in unexpected scaling artefacts. The upside is that should Pioneer move to 4096 textures I wont have to redevelop.

If you are scaling down, make a copy of your .xcf. This copy will now be your scaled down source. In tern go through your layers and scale it to 2048x2048. Then under "Image" click "Fit Canvas To Layers". This will shrink the image to the new layer size and is required when exporting pngs.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''
*'''''specular'''
*'''''glow'''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal map'''
It is possible to use compressed DDS normal maps too, but they tend to have visible compression artifacts along thin lines for example, so it's generally better to keep them in a lossless format, like.png

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-04-02T19:23:47Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting Textures */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==
When you want to view your texture in game you will need to export the various layers from your gimp .xcf file.

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as .'''dds''' files:

*'''''diffuse'''
*'''''specular'''
*'''''glow'''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .dds. Gimp will use this to determine the type of export you want to perform. Use the following options:

*''File extension: '''.dds'''
*''Compression: '''BC1/DTX1'''
*''Save: '''Selected layer'''
*''Generate mipmaps: '''yes'''

Pionner requires the following textures to be exported as '''.png''' files:

*'''''normal'''

In Gimp go to the "File" menu and click "Export As...". When naming the exported file remember to set the extension as .png.

*'''''Just use the default setting here'''

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-04-02T18:16:39Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting Textures */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==

(This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: BC3/DTX5 ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

DXT1 for everything without transparency/alpha

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-29T20:02:04Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting Textures */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==

(This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: BC3/DTX5 ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-29T10:56:41Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Objects and transformations(needs checking for correctness) */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==

(This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-29T10:56:06Z

BobTheTerrible:

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures==

(This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-29T10:55:10Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Postprocessing and compositing */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==

==Exporting Textures== (This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-29T10:47:26Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Texturing */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channels==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
==Exporting Textures== (This is not working for me.....)

*''File extension: .dds
*''Compression: ?????
*''Save: Selected layer
*''Generate mipmaps: yes

=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Pioneer Universe

2016-03-20T18:23:08Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Shipyards */

These pages are based on Thargoid's [[Story]] article.

==General Background==
The universe of Pioneer is big, because of the time needed to travel from system to system. Typical travel times are a couple of weeks in-system, and could be even weeks or months for interstellar travel.

There is no direct broadcast FTL communications, only hyperspace capable couriers carrying messages between star systems, and specialized hyperspace drones transporting and broadcasting communications. Which means that the speed information spreads is as fast as the ship or drone can traverse hyperspace. This is an important fact that shapes interstellar trade, governmental protocols, diplomatic relations and warfare.

Spaceships are relatively big, so they can provide accommodations for for longer trips, but also typical space-faring people are trained to bear long stretches of idleness and boredom. Lot of these people are avid readers, writers, poets, musicians, fine artists. Meditation and similar mind practices are also widespread among them.

==History==
[[Timeline of the Pioneer universe]]
==Factions==
===[[Solar Federation]]===
Solar Federation, or SolFed for short is a centralized imperialistic democracy, keen on expansion. Established on the ruins of the uprising that forced Haber Corporation out from Sol. It's in a solidified cold war with CIW these days.
===[[Commonwealth of Independent Worlds]]===
Tight, but less centralized democratic alliance founded by nine independent system after SolFed tried to annex them forcefully. Born after the War for Hope which ended the long SolFed occupation of Epsilon Eridani. It's in a cold war with SolFed in the 3200's.
===[[Haber Corporation]]===
Haber Corporation is a rigid, hierarchical corporate faction that once ruled Sol. It's reign was ended with a full scale uprising which forced Haber's remnants to flee and start over in a distant system almost from scratch. Every Haber citizen is an employee, and the corporation controls every aspect of life in it's territory. Haber secretly longs and plots to regain their rule of Sol and by extension SolFed, and preferably all human-occupied space too. Their rigid structure won't really make that ever possible.

==Shipyards==
There are several shipyards in the universe of Pioneer. The ones listed here are companies which are not just manufacturing, but developing new ship designs, and sell manufacturing licenses to other yards throughout the inhabited galaxy.
* [[Albr_Corp| ALBR corporation]]
* [[Auronox Corporation]]
* [[Haber Corporation]]
* [[Mandarava-Csepel|Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]]
* [[OKB Kaluri]]
* [[OPLI-Barnard Inc.]]

Basic Tutorial Lesson 2.1

2016-03-20T18:17:43Z

BobTheTerrible:

Lesson objectives:
# get close to a tonne of rubbish
# get back to the station

Bring up the communications console and head to the market to buy some rubbish. It's about the only thing that they will actually pay you to take from them, so it won't matter if you don't have any money. One tonne will suffice. Then take off. Remember to retract your landing gear.

Increase your speed to a hefty 10 km/s relative to the station. Wait until you're a few hundred kilometers from Lave Station (use your external camera, pan around and select the station to find out). Then select the ship's inventory (F3, shopping cart). Dump 1 tonne of rubbish into space.

Looking through your wind shield, roll, pitch and yaw around until you see the rubbish flying away from you. When you see it, select it (use your mouse).

[[File:Rubbish00.png|center]]

=== Objective 1 ===

To get close to something in space, you have to assume the same direction and velocity. When you're trailing it perfectly with only a minor difference in speed, you can get really close.

Remember how you lined up to the station's bay entrance. Watch if the rubbish is getting closer or going away from you. If the distance between you and the rubbish is increasing, you'll have to accelerate in its direction.

The rubbish will almost certainly drift toward the edge of your wind shield. Watch to which edge it is drifting, and add velocity in that same direction. Don't roll, pitch or yaw, but add velocity.

If the rubbish is getting closer too fast for you to react, it will disappear from your view. If that happens, change your ship's orientation (roll, pitch, yaw) to get it back into view, then repeat the above to try and assume the same direction and speed. To prevent this from happening, decrease your velocity toward it, to decrease the difference in speed between you and the rubbish. If you decrease your velocity too much, you will start increasing your distance. You will notice this from that the direction cross-hair has disappeared from your screen.

Practice this. If you find your thrusters aren't subtle enough for what you want to do, press shift while firing for more subtlety. You can also press select a lower thrust on all your thrusters (F8, 1-6).

Try and get as close as you can for as long as you can.

[[File:Rubbish02.png|center]]

=== Objective 2 ===

Change orientation to get Lave Station back in your wind shield. When you've found it, select it.

[[File:Rubbish03.png|center]]

Now you basically have to do the exact same thing as with the rubbish, but Lave Station is a whole lot bigger than the rubbish, so its easier.

Remember, the rubbish and you are still hurling away from the station with about 10 km/s. So you have to add a lot of velocity to turn around, i.e. get back to the station. Change orientation so that the station is exactly inside the orientation cross-hair, and accelerate toward it. You will notice that the increase in distance between you and the station will grow less. As soon as the distance itself starts falling the direction cross-hair will enter the view.

Don't let your velocity relative to the station climb too high, or you won't be able to get it down in time for your final approach. About 3.5 km/s should give you enough time. Also, your forward thrusters aren't as powerful as your rear thrusters, so to decrease forward velocity you need more time than to increase forward velocity. Then try to align yourself with the station by adding velocity up, down, left and right.

[[File:Rubbish04.png|center]]

During your flight home, decrease forward velocity relative to Lave Station for a few seconds to find out how much time you'll need to get that velocity to zero. Also, keep correcting your direction every time the navigation cross-hair drifts away.

Bring down forward velocity to about 300 m/s when you get within 100 km. from the station. Then dock.

----

[[Basics Tutorial Part 2]] - [[Basic Tutorial Lesson 2.2|Next: Lesson 2]]

[[Category:Tutorials]]

Modeling, Texturing, Graphics Design

2016-03-19T11:37:17Z

BobTheTerrible: /* General Information */

Assets already made, or work in progress can be found in the [[Asset List]]

=General Information=
* [[Visual Style guide]]
* [[Asset List]]
* [[Making your first ship]]
* [[Pioneer_Wiki/Making_your_first_ship_scratch]]
* [[Creating Ships and Stations]]
* [[Modelling stations]]

=Asset Creation=
==Modeling==
* [[Model system]]
* [[Ship.json for setting up ship properties]]
* [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38&#p2352 Ship stat planner calculator addon for Blender]
* [[Model viewer]]
* [[Transitioning to the new model system]]
* [[Model QA Checklist]]
* [[Optimising geometry]]
* [[LOD-ing tips]]
===Blender===
* [[Blender Tips]]
* [[UV coordinates in Blender]]
* [[Asteroids and rocks in Blender]]
* [[Scripting Blender]]
* [[:Category:Blender|Blender]]
===[[3DS Max]]===

==Texturing==
* [[Textures]]
* [[DDS textures]]
* [[Transparency]]
===GIMP===
* [[GIMP Tips]]
* [[Cutaway panels in GIMP]]
* [[:Category:GIMP|GIMP]]

Making your first ship

2016-03-19T11:36:16Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Overview */

== Overview ==

This page describes point by point how to create your first ship, and get it into Pioneer. You should be able to do this from scratch within a few hours, having no experience whatsoever. We aren't intending to cover much detail at all, but will rather give a simplified overview, and point to other pages with fuller explanations for once you're comfortable with the process.

The following article [[Pioneer_Wiki/Making_your_first_ship_scratch]] covers more detailed tips and tricks for ship modelling.

== Prerequisites ==

To follow this tutorial you will need:

* A recent copy of [http://pioneerspacesim.net/download Pioneer] - using SGModel system. Anything since around Alpha 30 is fine
* A recent copy of [http://www.blender.org Blender] - this was written on 2.65
* A recent copy of [http://www.gimp.org GIMP] - this was written on 2.8
* A three button mouse with a wheel, or equivalent

Other 3D modellers and raster art programs will work fine, as long as you can work with standard formats such as Collada and .png. Other input devices can probably be configured around.

== Step by step ==

=== Making a ship ===

More here: [[:Category:Blender|Blender]]

* Open Blender

The default scene should consist of a cube, a camera and a lamp. The camera and lamp are irrelevant and won't be exported, but that cube is going places ;-)

==== Box modelling ====

* Make sure the mouse cursor is on the view of the scene, then hit Ctrl-alt-'q' to toggle quad view

This allows us to easily check we have lined things up correctly.

* Shift-'a', then choose 'Mesh' -> 'Cube'

You've just added a cube to the scene. You won't be able to see it yet, as it's perfectly aligned with the 'default' cube: when you add things they'll appear where the 3D cursor is, and you can move that around with the left mouse button, or snap it back to the grid or the centre of the scene using the shift-'s' menu.

* Move the mouse cursor onto the top down view, then hit 'g' to move the current selection (our new cube). Hold Ctrl to snap it to the grid, and move it a little further in the plus direction along the Y axis (in the direction the green arrow is pointing). Leave it just touching the edge of the default cube

The scene's centre, where the default cube currently sits, and where the green and red lines cross, will mark the centre of mass of our ship.

[[File:First.ship.cubes.png]]

* Make two more cubes, and leave them touching the default cube on either direction on the X axis. You can use Shift-'a' for Add, or Shift-'d' for Duplicate

==== Editing vertices ====

* Right-click on the first cube we created to select it

That's the nose of our ship, so it needs to be a bit more pointed.

* Hold the middle mouse button in the 3D viewport, and swing the view round to get a better look at it

Mousewheel zooms, Ctrl or Shift and mousewheel moves a viewport horizontally or vertically, and Shift-middle mouse will pan.

* Hit Tab to switch to 'Edit mode'

You can now Ctrl-tab between vertex, edge and face edit mode. We should be on vertex edit mode already.

* Hit 'a' for deselect all. Right click on one of the bottom vertices at the tip of the nose. Hold Shift, then right click on the vertex above it to chain-select it

'b' for box, 'c' for circle, and Ctrl-left mouse for freehand select are also very useful for selecting multiple things.

[[File:First.ship.vertices.png]]

* Hit Alt-'m' for merge, and choose 'At first'

The vertices will merge, and any edges and faces between them are dissolved.

* Do the same for the other two vertices, to create a pointed nose
* We can also make the nose a bit longer, by selecting each of the newly merged vertices then typing 'g', 'y', '2', 'Return', moving them both two Blender units (meters in game) further along the Y axis.

We could equally have used the mouse. 's' for scale and 'r' for rotate work in similar fashion, though note that 'r' toggles between two different rotate modes.

==== Joining and separating ====

You'll note that the only vertices you can edit are those belonging to the currently selected mesh - you have to Tab back to 'Object mode' to select another object, then Tab back to edit mode before its vertices become visible. If we want to 'fill in' the areas between two meshes, we either have to use another completely separate mesh which lines up with the others, copy part of one mesh into the other, or merge them.

* Tab back to object mode, then hit 'a' key to select all
* Hit Ctrl-'j' to merge our ship together into a single mesh

If you want to separate off a section, select it in edit mode, hit 'p' and choose 'Selection'

==== Creating edges and faces ====

[[File:First.ship.edges.png]]

Now you can join up the section between the 'wings' and the 'nose'.

* Tab back to edit mode, and chain select two vertices
* Hit 'f' to create an edge between them
* Select three edges and hit 'f', and you'll create a face. You can also just select three vertices and hit 'f'; Blender will fill in the edges where needed

If you want to make things a bit more complicated, try Ctrl-left clicking to create new vertices and edges. You can 'Subdivide' faces or edges from the panel on the left, or duplicate vertices, edges and faces with Shift-'d'. Extrude (Alt-'e') and Bevel (Ctrl-'b') are also invaluable tools for this kind of modelling.

If you go wrong, use Ctrl-'z' for undo, or select the mistakes, hit 'Del' key and select 'Only edges & faces'.

=== Cleaning up ===

You should now have something resembling a simple space ship. Move things around until you're happy with the basic shape.

For a better look, hit 'z' to toggle wireframe view, and numpad '.' to reposition the centre of rotation and zoom around the currently selected object.

[[File:First.ship.shaped.png]]

While we could move straight onto the textures, we have a little bit of housekeeping due first.

* Switch to vertex edit mode then select all with the 'a' key
* Choose 'Remove doubles' on the left-hand panel. This merges any selected overlapping vertices

==== Internal faces ====

We used the 'short cut' of building our model out of geometric primitives, instead of building it vertex by vertex. This means there are faces inside the model which should never be seen, and to reduce visual glitches, and strain on the renderer, we need to delete them.

[[File:First.ship.internal.png]]

* In this case, it's pretty easy to spot them all with wireframe mode ('z'). Select and delete them with 'Del' -> 'Only faces'

Sometimes the easiest way is just to delete internal vertices and edges - the faces will go with them.

You can also hide a face (or vertex, mesh, etc.) with the 'h' key, allowing you to see what's inside your model. Alt-'h' brings everything back. Numpad '/' key toggles 'Local view', hiding all other meshes and objects temporarily.

[[File:Blender-layer-controls.png]]

With more complex models, you'll want to make use of layers to isolate parts of your model. Click or use number keys to activate a layer, Shift-click or Shift-number key to activate several (Shift-Alt-number key for layers 11 - 20). '`' key (grave aka backtick, probably just left of '1') to show all, and 'm' key to move objects from layer to layer.

==== Distortion ====

We also need to add in any missing edges to smooth out the geometry. Any polygons whose vertices aren't all on the same plane should be divided into triangles (unless they're going to be curved by setting 'Smooth' shading mode).

[[File:First.ship.incoplanar.png]]

* Faces with kinks in like the above aren't going to look right. Delete them
* Add an extra edge, and recreate them with appropriate triangles

[[File:First.ship.incoplanar.2.png]]

==== Normals ====

Most faces in Pioneer are only going to have one side. We need to set each mesh to one sided, and check all faces are pointing outwards.

[[File:First.ship.double.sided.png]]

* Switch the mesh to single sided in the right-hand panel's 'Object Data' mode

[[File:First.ship.normals.png]]

* In edit mode, press 'n' key and switch on 'Normals' for faces in the panel on the right. You might want to make them a bit longer than default

Normals show you which way your faces have their 'front' sides. Any that look darker than those around them from the outside of the model are suspect, but the acid test is looking for the little blue spikes, which should all point outwards.

* Chain select any faces pointing the wrong way, then flip them round with the 'Flip Direction' button under 'Normals' on the 'Mesh tools' panel on the left

You can also use 'Recalculate normals' to try to do this automatically.

=== Thrusters ===

More here: [[Model system]]

Now is a good time to start thinking about where your thrusters should go.

[[File:First.ship.thrusters.png]]

* In object mode, add an 'Empty' object of type 'Single arrow'
* Change its name to 'thruster_001' using the 'Outliner' panel on the right
* Duplicate as many as you need, and resize and orient them appropriately

=== Textures ===

==== UV unwrapping ====

More here: [[UV coordinates in Blender]]

[[File:First.ship.screen.layout.png]]

* Switch Blender to 'UV Editing mode' using the screen layout widget at the top

The left half of the screen now represents the way the texture will be mapped onto our model (analogously to the way a shoebox can be flattened out to its 2D plan, or a globe can be projected onto a 2D map).

* Chain-select all of the faces on the top of the model, then hit 'u' and choose 'Unwrap'

A projection of that part of the model will appear in the UV space on the left.

* Do the same for the underside, the sides and the back
* Use the 'g', 's' and 'r' keys to squeeze these sections in as tightly as possible to the grid

Use the mousewheel to zoom, and middle mouse button to pan around for a better look.

[[File:First.ship.uvs.png]]

Here I've flipped one side of the ship with 's', 'x', '-1', 'Return', and superimposed both sides. They'll share the same texture.

* Ensure all faces are selected with 'a', then choose 'UVs' -> 'Export UV Layout' on the menu at the bottom left, and save the file

==== Drawing a texture ====

More here: [[:Category:GIMP|GIMP]], [[Textures]]

First we find a nice metallic looking 'base' texture with an appropriate license for the background somewhere on the internet. You might not end up with much of it visible in the end, but it's useful to fill in any gaps. I found some on [http://opengameart.org/textures/all opengameart.org]. Grab anything containing a feature you might want as well.

===== Working with layers =====

* Open GIMP, and choose 'File' -> 'Open as Layers'
* In the file selector, Ctrl-click on the UV map, the metallic background texture, and any other files you need. Hit 'Open'
* Use 'Scale tool' to resize the background so it covers the whole image

[[File:First.ship.layer.controls.png]]

Use the layer controls to keep a handle on what's going on. Each of the resources you've pasted in should normally remain as an unmodified 'master' on a separate layer - we'll create new layers to do the actual editing in. Toggle visibility with the eye icons on the left - here I've set the background metal (known to GIMP as 'Clipboard' layer at the moment) to invisible. Move layers up and down in the stack with the green arrows.

* Move the UV layout to the top of the stack. You'll be using it as a stencil to draw and compose everything else

===== Copying sections into a working layer =====

* Activate a layer containing some of the details you want to use. Move it higher up in the stack if you want a better view of it
* Use the select tools to pick out a section you want to turn into a feature
* Choose 'Edit' -> 'Copy', 'Edit' - > 'Paste', then hit the 'New layer' button in the Layers dialogue to create a new working layer for it
* Use the 'Eraser tool', or use select tools and 'Edit' -> 'Cut' to trim it down precisely

Tab toggles the floating toolboxes.

Note that editing in GIMP is constrained by several things. You can only use tools such as the eraser within the selected area and on the active layer. If you want to draw outside the boundaries of the layer, use 'Layer to image size' in the 'Layer' menu.

* Once you've duplicated bits into the shapes you want, use 'Merge down' or 'New from visible' in the 'Layer' menu to merge the parts into a complete layer

Double click on the names of important layers to rename them, to make it easier to keep track of a complex image.

===== Layer transform tools =====

[[File:First.ship.transforms.png]]

* Use 'Perspective', 'Sheer', 'Rotate', 'Scale' and 'Flip' tools to transform the layer so it matches the shape of the face

It's easier if you set the layer you're transforming to invisible. If faces turn out to be distorted or asymmetrical, that isn't a problem. Get the texture to the right shape, and you can adjust the UV map afterwards.

[[File:First.ship.textures.png]]

Most of the basic parts are in place.

===== Healing and cloning =====

[[File:First.ship.clone.png]]

Now we use the 'Heal' and 'Clone' tools to integrate the separate parts we've pasted in, and to remove anomalies or details we don't want in the image.

* Hold Ctrl and click on a sample area, that looks how it should. Click and drag over the target

Sometimes repeated short clicks seem to work better with heal. With a little practise, you can erase fairly large elements you don't want. It sometimes works better if you turn down the tool's opacity and use multiple strokes.

Remember to use the selection tools to limit which part of a layer you are drawing on, so you don't erase or modify parts that are already finished. If you use 'Fuzzy select' to select a region in the UV layer, then switch back to the layer you're working on, you can use the selected area like a mask or a stencil.

[[File:First.ship.heal.png]]

Done in a rush, but you get the idea :-)

===== Hand drawing detail =====

Use Shift to draw straight lines in GIMP. If you want to draw lots of geometric details, you might want to experiment with a vector drawing program such as [http://www.inkscape.org Inkscape].

==== Exporting the texture ====

* Export the file as a png, remembering to turn off the visibility of the UV layer, and any others you were just using to work with. I've called mine 'firstship.png'

==== Reimport to Blender (optional) ====

You don't need to import the texture to Blender to get it into the game, but it can help to get a good look at it first.

* In Blender's UV editing screen layout, choose 'Image' -> 'Open Image' on the menu on the bottom left
* Open the finished texture, and make any final adjustments to the UV map

Ctrl-tab between editing vertices, edges, faces and islands.

* Switch back to 'Default' screen layout, and switch the right-hand panel to 'Material'. If you included the default cube in your ship, there should already be a material. If there isn't, hit the '+' button to add one
* Switch the panel to 'Texture' mode, click the '+' button to add a texture, then change its type to 'Image or Movie'
* Under 'Image' click 'Open', and open the texture
* Under 'Mapping' set 'Coordinates' to 'UV'

[[File:First.ship.viewport.shading.png]]

* Set 'Viewport Shading' mode on the menu at the bottom to 'Texture'
* You might need to make some final adjustments to your thrusters etc. to line them up with the textures.

Add some lights to the scene to get a better look.

[[File:First.ship.render.png]]

Not about to win any beauty contests, but hey, she looks like a spaceship!

=== Using the model ===

==== Export from Blender ====

* Select the mesh, and switch the panel on the right to 'Material'

[[File:First.ship.material.png]]

* Make note of the name of the mesh's material - it will probably simply be 'Material'
* Select the mesh, and all your thrusters etc. Layer controls might help will this
* Choose 'File' -> 'Export' -> 'Collada' in the menu

[[File:Newmodel exportsettings01.png]]

* Use these export settings. I've saved mine as 'firstship.dae'

==== Creating a .model file ====

More here: [[Model system]]

* Now create a plain text file (in other words use a text editor rather than a word processor, which would fill it with invisible formatting information etc.) with the extension .model, which describes the ship's appearance

<nowiki>
material Material-material
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0
specular 0.3 0.3 0.3
tex_diff firstship.png
mesh firstship.dae
</nowiki>

* Use the name of the material in Blender, but with "-material" appended to it
* Place the .model, .dae and .png files in a suitable directory such as Pioneer/data/models/ships/firstship/

Load Pioneer's [[Model viewer]], and check everything loads OK.

==== Getting the model into Pioneer ====

The simplest way to view your model in-game is to replace the model file of the start ship (currently the Wave) with your newly created ship's model file. You'll need to put the .dae and .png in the same directory.

==== Creating a ship definition ====

More here: [[Creating Ships and Stations]]

...

[[File:First.ship.screenshot.png]]

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Blender]]
[[Category:GIMP]]

Modeling, Texturing, Graphics Design

2016-03-19T11:33:08Z

BobTheTerrible: /* General Information */

Assets already made, or work in progress can be found in the [[Asset List]]

=General Information=
* [[Visual Style guide]]
* [[Asset List]]
* [[Making your first ship]]
* [http://pioneerwiki.com/wiki/Pioneer_Wiki/Making_your_first_ship_scratch Making_your_first_ship_scratch]
* [[Creating Ships and Stations]]
* [[Modelling stations]]

=Asset Creation=
==Modeling==
* [[Model system]]
* [[Ship.json for setting up ship properties]]
* [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38&#p2352 Ship stat planner calculator addon for Blender]
* [[Model viewer]]
* [[Transitioning to the new model system]]
* [[Model QA Checklist]]
* [[Optimising geometry]]
* [[LOD-ing tips]]
===Blender===
* [[Blender Tips]]
* [[UV coordinates in Blender]]
* [[Asteroids and rocks in Blender]]
* [[Scripting Blender]]
* [[:Category:Blender|Blender]]
===[[3DS Max]]===

==Texturing==
* [[Textures]]
* [[DDS textures]]
* [[Transparency]]
===GIMP===
* [[GIMP Tips]]
* [[Cutaway panels in GIMP]]
* [[:Category:GIMP|GIMP]]

Modeling, Texturing, Graphics Design

2016-03-19T11:31:26Z

BobTheTerrible: /* General Information */

Assets already made, or work in progress can be found in the [[Asset List]]

=General Information=
* [[Visual Style guide]]
* [[Asset List]]
* [[Making your first ship]]
* [[Making_your_first_ship_scratch]]
* [[Creating Ships and Stations]]
* [[Modelling stations]]

=Asset Creation=
==Modeling==
* [[Model system]]
* [[Ship.json for setting up ship properties]]
* [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38&#p2352 Ship stat planner calculator addon for Blender]
* [[Model viewer]]
* [[Transitioning to the new model system]]
* [[Model QA Checklist]]
* [[Optimising geometry]]
* [[LOD-ing tips]]
===Blender===
* [[Blender Tips]]
* [[UV coordinates in Blender]]
* [[Asteroids and rocks in Blender]]
* [[Scripting Blender]]
* [[:Category:Blender|Blender]]
===[[3DS Max]]===

==Texturing==
* [[Textures]]
* [[DDS textures]]
* [[Transparency]]
===GIMP===
* [[GIMP Tips]]
* [[Cutaway panels in GIMP]]
* [[:Category:GIMP|GIMP]]

Making your first ship

2016-03-19T11:29:47Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Overview */

== Overview ==

This page describes point by point how to create your first ship, and get it into Pioneer. You should be able to do this from scratch within a few hours, having no experience whatsoever. We aren't intending to cover much detail at all, but will rather give a simplified overview, and point to other pages with fuller explanations for once you're comfortable with the process.

The following article [http://pioneerwiki.com/wiki/Pioneer_Wiki/Making_your_first_ship_scratch Making_your_first_ship_scratch] covers more detailed tips and tricks for ship modelling.

== Prerequisites ==

To follow this tutorial you will need:

* A recent copy of [http://pioneerspacesim.net/download Pioneer] - using SGModel system. Anything since around Alpha 30 is fine
* A recent copy of [http://www.blender.org Blender] - this was written on 2.65
* A recent copy of [http://www.gimp.org GIMP] - this was written on 2.8
* A three button mouse with a wheel, or equivalent

Other 3D modellers and raster art programs will work fine, as long as you can work with standard formats such as Collada and .png. Other input devices can probably be configured around.

== Step by step ==

=== Making a ship ===

More here: [[:Category:Blender|Blender]]

* Open Blender

The default scene should consist of a cube, a camera and a lamp. The camera and lamp are irrelevant and won't be exported, but that cube is going places ;-)

==== Box modelling ====

* Make sure the mouse cursor is on the view of the scene, then hit Ctrl-alt-'q' to toggle quad view

This allows us to easily check we have lined things up correctly.

* Shift-'a', then choose 'Mesh' -> 'Cube'

You've just added a cube to the scene. You won't be able to see it yet, as it's perfectly aligned with the 'default' cube: when you add things they'll appear where the 3D cursor is, and you can move that around with the left mouse button, or snap it back to the grid or the centre of the scene using the shift-'s' menu.

* Move the mouse cursor onto the top down view, then hit 'g' to move the current selection (our new cube). Hold Ctrl to snap it to the grid, and move it a little further in the plus direction along the Y axis (in the direction the green arrow is pointing). Leave it just touching the edge of the default cube

The scene's centre, where the default cube currently sits, and where the green and red lines cross, will mark the centre of mass of our ship.

[[File:First.ship.cubes.png]]

* Make two more cubes, and leave them touching the default cube on either direction on the X axis. You can use Shift-'a' for Add, or Shift-'d' for Duplicate

==== Editing vertices ====

* Right-click on the first cube we created to select it

That's the nose of our ship, so it needs to be a bit more pointed.

* Hold the middle mouse button in the 3D viewport, and swing the view round to get a better look at it

Mousewheel zooms, Ctrl or Shift and mousewheel moves a viewport horizontally or vertically, and Shift-middle mouse will pan.

* Hit Tab to switch to 'Edit mode'

You can now Ctrl-tab between vertex, edge and face edit mode. We should be on vertex edit mode already.

* Hit 'a' for deselect all. Right click on one of the bottom vertices at the tip of the nose. Hold Shift, then right click on the vertex above it to chain-select it

'b' for box, 'c' for circle, and Ctrl-left mouse for freehand select are also very useful for selecting multiple things.

[[File:First.ship.vertices.png]]

* Hit Alt-'m' for merge, and choose 'At first'

The vertices will merge, and any edges and faces between them are dissolved.

* Do the same for the other two vertices, to create a pointed nose
* We can also make the nose a bit longer, by selecting each of the newly merged vertices then typing 'g', 'y', '2', 'Return', moving them both two Blender units (meters in game) further along the Y axis.

We could equally have used the mouse. 's' for scale and 'r' for rotate work in similar fashion, though note that 'r' toggles between two different rotate modes.

==== Joining and separating ====

You'll note that the only vertices you can edit are those belonging to the currently selected mesh - you have to Tab back to 'Object mode' to select another object, then Tab back to edit mode before its vertices become visible. If we want to 'fill in' the areas between two meshes, we either have to use another completely separate mesh which lines up with the others, copy part of one mesh into the other, or merge them.

* Tab back to object mode, then hit 'a' key to select all
* Hit Ctrl-'j' to merge our ship together into a single mesh

If you want to separate off a section, select it in edit mode, hit 'p' and choose 'Selection'

==== Creating edges and faces ====

[[File:First.ship.edges.png]]

Now you can join up the section between the 'wings' and the 'nose'.

* Tab back to edit mode, and chain select two vertices
* Hit 'f' to create an edge between them
* Select three edges and hit 'f', and you'll create a face. You can also just select three vertices and hit 'f'; Blender will fill in the edges where needed

If you want to make things a bit more complicated, try Ctrl-left clicking to create new vertices and edges. You can 'Subdivide' faces or edges from the panel on the left, or duplicate vertices, edges and faces with Shift-'d'. Extrude (Alt-'e') and Bevel (Ctrl-'b') are also invaluable tools for this kind of modelling.

If you go wrong, use Ctrl-'z' for undo, or select the mistakes, hit 'Del' key and select 'Only edges & faces'.

=== Cleaning up ===

You should now have something resembling a simple space ship. Move things around until you're happy with the basic shape.

For a better look, hit 'z' to toggle wireframe view, and numpad '.' to reposition the centre of rotation and zoom around the currently selected object.

[[File:First.ship.shaped.png]]

While we could move straight onto the textures, we have a little bit of housekeeping due first.

* Switch to vertex edit mode then select all with the 'a' key
* Choose 'Remove doubles' on the left-hand panel. This merges any selected overlapping vertices

==== Internal faces ====

We used the 'short cut' of building our model out of geometric primitives, instead of building it vertex by vertex. This means there are faces inside the model which should never be seen, and to reduce visual glitches, and strain on the renderer, we need to delete them.

[[File:First.ship.internal.png]]

* In this case, it's pretty easy to spot them all with wireframe mode ('z'). Select and delete them with 'Del' -> 'Only faces'

Sometimes the easiest way is just to delete internal vertices and edges - the faces will go with them.

You can also hide a face (or vertex, mesh, etc.) with the 'h' key, allowing you to see what's inside your model. Alt-'h' brings everything back. Numpad '/' key toggles 'Local view', hiding all other meshes and objects temporarily.

[[File:Blender-layer-controls.png]]

With more complex models, you'll want to make use of layers to isolate parts of your model. Click or use number keys to activate a layer, Shift-click or Shift-number key to activate several (Shift-Alt-number key for layers 11 - 20). '`' key (grave aka backtick, probably just left of '1') to show all, and 'm' key to move objects from layer to layer.

==== Distortion ====

We also need to add in any missing edges to smooth out the geometry. Any polygons whose vertices aren't all on the same plane should be divided into triangles (unless they're going to be curved by setting 'Smooth' shading mode).

[[File:First.ship.incoplanar.png]]

* Faces with kinks in like the above aren't going to look right. Delete them
* Add an extra edge, and recreate them with appropriate triangles

[[File:First.ship.incoplanar.2.png]]

==== Normals ====

Most faces in Pioneer are only going to have one side. We need to set each mesh to one sided, and check all faces are pointing outwards.

[[File:First.ship.double.sided.png]]

* Switch the mesh to single sided in the right-hand panel's 'Object Data' mode

[[File:First.ship.normals.png]]

* In edit mode, press 'n' key and switch on 'Normals' for faces in the panel on the right. You might want to make them a bit longer than default

Normals show you which way your faces have their 'front' sides. Any that look darker than those around them from the outside of the model are suspect, but the acid test is looking for the little blue spikes, which should all point outwards.

* Chain select any faces pointing the wrong way, then flip them round with the 'Flip Direction' button under 'Normals' on the 'Mesh tools' panel on the left

You can also use 'Recalculate normals' to try to do this automatically.

=== Thrusters ===

More here: [[Model system]]

Now is a good time to start thinking about where your thrusters should go.

[[File:First.ship.thrusters.png]]

* In object mode, add an 'Empty' object of type 'Single arrow'
* Change its name to 'thruster_001' using the 'Outliner' panel on the right
* Duplicate as many as you need, and resize and orient them appropriately

=== Textures ===

==== UV unwrapping ====

More here: [[UV coordinates in Blender]]

[[File:First.ship.screen.layout.png]]

* Switch Blender to 'UV Editing mode' using the screen layout widget at the top

The left half of the screen now represents the way the texture will be mapped onto our model (analogously to the way a shoebox can be flattened out to its 2D plan, or a globe can be projected onto a 2D map).

* Chain-select all of the faces on the top of the model, then hit 'u' and choose 'Unwrap'

A projection of that part of the model will appear in the UV space on the left.

* Do the same for the underside, the sides and the back
* Use the 'g', 's' and 'r' keys to squeeze these sections in as tightly as possible to the grid

Use the mousewheel to zoom, and middle mouse button to pan around for a better look.

[[File:First.ship.uvs.png]]

Here I've flipped one side of the ship with 's', 'x', '-1', 'Return', and superimposed both sides. They'll share the same texture.

* Ensure all faces are selected with 'a', then choose 'UVs' -> 'Export UV Layout' on the menu at the bottom left, and save the file

==== Drawing a texture ====

More here: [[:Category:GIMP|GIMP]], [[Textures]]

First we find a nice metallic looking 'base' texture with an appropriate license for the background somewhere on the internet. You might not end up with much of it visible in the end, but it's useful to fill in any gaps. I found some on [http://opengameart.org/textures/all opengameart.org]. Grab anything containing a feature you might want as well.

===== Working with layers =====

* Open GIMP, and choose 'File' -> 'Open as Layers'
* In the file selector, Ctrl-click on the UV map, the metallic background texture, and any other files you need. Hit 'Open'
* Use 'Scale tool' to resize the background so it covers the whole image

[[File:First.ship.layer.controls.png]]

Use the layer controls to keep a handle on what's going on. Each of the resources you've pasted in should normally remain as an unmodified 'master' on a separate layer - we'll create new layers to do the actual editing in. Toggle visibility with the eye icons on the left - here I've set the background metal (known to GIMP as 'Clipboard' layer at the moment) to invisible. Move layers up and down in the stack with the green arrows.

* Move the UV layout to the top of the stack. You'll be using it as a stencil to draw and compose everything else

===== Copying sections into a working layer =====

* Activate a layer containing some of the details you want to use. Move it higher up in the stack if you want a better view of it
* Use the select tools to pick out a section you want to turn into a feature
* Choose 'Edit' -> 'Copy', 'Edit' - > 'Paste', then hit the 'New layer' button in the Layers dialogue to create a new working layer for it
* Use the 'Eraser tool', or use select tools and 'Edit' -> 'Cut' to trim it down precisely

Tab toggles the floating toolboxes.

Note that editing in GIMP is constrained by several things. You can only use tools such as the eraser within the selected area and on the active layer. If you want to draw outside the boundaries of the layer, use 'Layer to image size' in the 'Layer' menu.

* Once you've duplicated bits into the shapes you want, use 'Merge down' or 'New from visible' in the 'Layer' menu to merge the parts into a complete layer

Double click on the names of important layers to rename them, to make it easier to keep track of a complex image.

===== Layer transform tools =====

[[File:First.ship.transforms.png]]

* Use 'Perspective', 'Sheer', 'Rotate', 'Scale' and 'Flip' tools to transform the layer so it matches the shape of the face

It's easier if you set the layer you're transforming to invisible. If faces turn out to be distorted or asymmetrical, that isn't a problem. Get the texture to the right shape, and you can adjust the UV map afterwards.

[[File:First.ship.textures.png]]

Most of the basic parts are in place.

===== Healing and cloning =====

[[File:First.ship.clone.png]]

Now we use the 'Heal' and 'Clone' tools to integrate the separate parts we've pasted in, and to remove anomalies or details we don't want in the image.

* Hold Ctrl and click on a sample area, that looks how it should. Click and drag over the target

Sometimes repeated short clicks seem to work better with heal. With a little practise, you can erase fairly large elements you don't want. It sometimes works better if you turn down the tool's opacity and use multiple strokes.

Remember to use the selection tools to limit which part of a layer you are drawing on, so you don't erase or modify parts that are already finished. If you use 'Fuzzy select' to select a region in the UV layer, then switch back to the layer you're working on, you can use the selected area like a mask or a stencil.

[[File:First.ship.heal.png]]

Done in a rush, but you get the idea :-)

===== Hand drawing detail =====

Use Shift to draw straight lines in GIMP. If you want to draw lots of geometric details, you might want to experiment with a vector drawing program such as [http://www.inkscape.org Inkscape].

==== Exporting the texture ====

* Export the file as a png, remembering to turn off the visibility of the UV layer, and any others you were just using to work with. I've called mine 'firstship.png'

==== Reimport to Blender (optional) ====

You don't need to import the texture to Blender to get it into the game, but it can help to get a good look at it first.

* In Blender's UV editing screen layout, choose 'Image' -> 'Open Image' on the menu on the bottom left
* Open the finished texture, and make any final adjustments to the UV map

Ctrl-tab between editing vertices, edges, faces and islands.

* Switch back to 'Default' screen layout, and switch the right-hand panel to 'Material'. If you included the default cube in your ship, there should already be a material. If there isn't, hit the '+' button to add one
* Switch the panel to 'Texture' mode, click the '+' button to add a texture, then change its type to 'Image or Movie'
* Under 'Image' click 'Open', and open the texture
* Under 'Mapping' set 'Coordinates' to 'UV'

[[File:First.ship.viewport.shading.png]]

* Set 'Viewport Shading' mode on the menu at the bottom to 'Texture'
* You might need to make some final adjustments to your thrusters etc. to line them up with the textures.

Add some lights to the scene to get a better look.

[[File:First.ship.render.png]]

Not about to win any beauty contests, but hey, she looks like a spaceship!

=== Using the model ===

==== Export from Blender ====

* Select the mesh, and switch the panel on the right to 'Material'

[[File:First.ship.material.png]]

* Make note of the name of the mesh's material - it will probably simply be 'Material'
* Select the mesh, and all your thrusters etc. Layer controls might help will this
* Choose 'File' -> 'Export' -> 'Collada' in the menu

[[File:Newmodel exportsettings01.png]]

* Use these export settings. I've saved mine as 'firstship.dae'

==== Creating a .model file ====

More here: [[Model system]]

* Now create a plain text file (in other words use a text editor rather than a word processor, which would fill it with invisible formatting information etc.) with the extension .model, which describes the ship's appearance

<nowiki>
material Material-material
diffuse 1.0 1.0 1.0
specular 0.3 0.3 0.3
tex_diff firstship.png
mesh firstship.dae
</nowiki>

* Use the name of the material in Blender, but with "-material" appended to it
* Place the .model, .dae and .png files in a suitable directory such as Pioneer/data/models/ships/firstship/

Load Pioneer's [[Model viewer]], and check everything loads OK.

==== Getting the model into Pioneer ====

The simplest way to view your model in-game is to replace the model file of the start ship (currently the Wave) with your newly created ship's model file. You'll need to put the .dae and .png in the same directory.

==== Creating a ship definition ====

More here: [[Creating Ships and Stations]]

...

[[File:First.ship.screenshot.png]]

[[Category:Art]]
[[Category:Blender]]
[[Category:GIMP]]

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T22:56:07Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Baking */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==

===AO (Ambient Occlusion)===
[https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/lighting/ambient_occlusion.html Ambient Occulsion] is a neat trick to giving your ship the illusion of depth without placing additional load on your GPU. It is achieved by ''baking'' diffuse shadows into the texture itself.

*''Select UV editing view - you should now be presented with a split screen
*''In the UV window click on the ''Create new Image'' button at the bottom of the window (this is a button with [+ New] written on it)
*''Name the new image myship_ao
*''In the 3D View window (the default window) select the object and enter edit mode
*''If you have not done so already uv unwrap your as mentioned perviously
*''Select all the meshes in the object
*''In the UV window select all of the UV faces
*''Make sure the myship_ao image is selected - click the popup button next to the Create New Image button and select the myship_ao image from the selection
*''Go back to Object mode in the default view and select the object
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/blender_render/world/introduction.html World] tab an make sure all the AO settings are correct
*''Click on the [https://www.blender.org/manual/render/introduction.html Render] tab (the little camera icon)
*''Navigate down the panel to the Bake sub-panel
*''Set Bake Mode to Ambient Occlusion
*''Set the Margin to somewhere around 6-8pixels (this is the number of pixels to extend the AO generation from the edge of a mesh seam)
*''Then click on the large '''Bake''' button

You should now see the myship_ao image in your UV editor populate with the new AO render. If you navigate back to the 3D View and select '''Texture''' from the '''Method to Display Object''' menu item at the bottom of the screen, the new AO will be overlaid on the object's mesh. Pretty :)

'''Still on going.....'''

==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T20:33:04Z

BobTheTerrible: /* UV unwrap-ing */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto).

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give good results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary. The Color Grid helps you spot texture distortion on your model. By rearranging the UV nodes you will see the color grid projected on the model's rearrange itself on the corresponding face - try to ensure all the grid lines are square to each other.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T11:49:53Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Making it into a mod */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color. (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto)

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give too god results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing. Mods are simply zip files containing your ship files and can be created as follows:

==Linux==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.model export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.json export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T11:42:37Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Making it into a mod */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color. (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto)

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give too god results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your local copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means of distributing your ship to others for review and testing.

==Linux==

cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.model export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.model export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T11:41:31Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Making it into a mod */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color. (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto)

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give too god results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
A mod is a simple way of getting your ship into your copy of Pioneer. It is also useful as a means passing it to others for review and testing.

==Linux==

cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.model export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/.pioneer/mods

And to view in the pioneer model viewer (assuming pioneer is on your path):
pioneer -mv

==OSX==

cp *.dae export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp textures/*.dds export/models/ships/molaramsayi/
cp molaramsayi.model export/ships/

cd export
zip -r molaramsayi.zip models ships
cp molaramsayi.zip ~/Library/Application\ Support/Pioneer/mods/

And to view in the pioneer model viewer:
/Applications/pioneer.app/Contents/MacOS/pioneer -mv

==Windows==

Bleh....

=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T11:19:06Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Painting texture */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color. (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto)

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give too god results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Wear====
Wear should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more wear than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of wear you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the wear is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-18T11:13:37Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Painting texture */

Creating a ship for Pioneer, step by step.
This step by step tutorial is intended to guide contributors trough the process of modeling, texturing and setting up a ship, and then putting it into Pioneer. It won't cover basic modeling or design questions in depth, but it will be more like a case study on ship creation, from idea to making it into a mod file.
Working knowledge of the basic handling of Blender, GIMP and Inkscape, or equivalents is assumed. Note that this article isn't intended to be a tutorial on these tools.

=Software=
We will use the following tools:
* [http://blender.org Blender] - An advanced cross platform Open Source 3D software. If you are new to Blender, the [http://cgcookie.com/blender/cgc-courses/blender-basics-introduction-for-beginners/ CGCookie basic course] will cover the foundations for you.
* [http://gimp.org GIMP] - cross platform 2D raster editor software for creating textures. It's a bit harder to find good basic material for it, but you can try [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC5B3750CE8219376 this playlist] for example. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] also has some videos on GIMP.
* [http://krita.org Krita] - cross platform painting application which works very nice for texture painting tasks.
* [http://inkscape.org Inkscape] - cross platform 2D vector editor for some texture work. [http://inkscape.org/en/learn/tutorials/ The official page has a range of tutorials]. [http://www.youtube.com/user/diygraphicdesign/videos DIY Graphics] has some tutorials on Inkscape too.
* [[Model_viewer]] - the build-in model viewer tool of Pioneer.
You can also use any other program you are familiar with. They need to be able to handle some formats like Collada (.dae) for models, .png and [[DDS_textures|DDS texture format]] for textures.

=Folder structure, naming conventions=
It's important to have a good structure for your source materials. It makes life easier both for you and anybody else who needs to work on your creation later. I do it this way for example:
* '''Ship name'''/
** '''/ship.blend''' - I usually put the .blend file on the main folder of the ship.
** '''/sketches''' - I put any drawings and sketches, brief, description to this folder.
** '''/textures_src''' - Texture source files, like Inkscape or GIMP project files, and any exported layer or maps such as AO goes here. More on these later.
** '''/textures''' - The final texture files go here.
** '''/preview''' - Preview renders and WIP-s go here.
** '''/export''' - I use this directory for test exports. It's contents will become a mod.zip, so it mirrors the structure of the /data directory of Pioneer:
*** '''/models/ships/molaramsayi''' - where the meshes and textures and the .model file go.
*** '''/ships''' - where the ship definition file goes.

It's also useful to have and stick to a naming convention.
* Final files should have the name of the ship, then the LoD level. The final names usually look like this:
** molaramsayi_hi.dae
** molaramsayi_med.dae
** molaramsayi_low.dae
** Each LoD could have several separate .dae files, like for landing gear, but they should follow the same naming convention for the LoD level, to make things clear.
*I use a similar approach for the shield and collision meshes. They could go into the top LoD file, but I prefer keeping them separate, so they are easier to modify later.
** molaramsayi_coll.dae - for the collision mesh.
** molaramsayi_shield.dae - for the shield mesh. '''NOTE: that the object in it should have the suffix ''_shield'' in it's name to be recognized as shield mesh'''.
*Also a similar way for the texture files, following their respective entries naming in the .model file:
** molaramsayi_diff.dds - for the diffuse texture.
** molaramsayi_spec.dds - for the specularity texture.
** molaramsayi_glow.dds - for the glow texture.
** molaramsayi_norm.dds - for the normal map.
* molaramsayi.model for the .model file where you define the LoD levels, materials and animations for the engine.
It is also useful to follow a naming convention for source files, such as ''molaramsayi_AO.png'' for any intermediate file used for texture creation, and any native file, like molaramsayi_texture.svg.

=Sketching and Brief=
This is not really a technical thing, but a good practice when you are working on assets intended into official Pioneer.
First step is to visualize any idea before you dive into modeling. It's easier to try different things, proportions, shapes and such, or to get feedback before you sink hours into something that turns out to be a dead end. The nice thing about these is that they don't need to be pretty. You can doodle something with a ball point pen, or put some primitive shapes together in 3D. Checking the silhouettes is also a good idea, since that is what our eyes notice first.
You can find a bunch of thumbnail sketches on the [http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31 dev forums].

For this article, I'll be creating a medium cargo craft from [[OKB Kaluri]] called Mola Ramsayi. A larger sister of the [[Mola Mola]]. The basic idea is a rounded cone-like shape, with a three-way symmetry along the longitudinal axis. One main point is that Kaluri workhorse crafts have a relatively simplistic and compact build. Also it should look like if it could be a tail-sitter.

The basic structure is quite similar to the Mola Mola, even if the nose is more tapered. OKB Kaluri ships tend to be round with smooth curves and some abrupt shape terminations, like the tail side of this craft, as you can see on the thumbnails bellow. Another typical Kaluri features are the high visibility cockpit area and the heat-sink fins near the engines. The former is a subject of some debate as if Kaluri invented this layout and [[Mandarava-Csepel| Mandarava-Csepel Shipworks]] stole the idea, or vice versa, since the two companies are doing corporate espionage like if it was a sports competition.

Cargo hatches will be on the sides and on the top too, and there will be a docking collar over and back to the nose.

(thumbnail drawings come here)

[[File:00_med_trans_2_s.png|center]]
This painting shows the direction I want to take this ship. At least three times as long as the Mola Mola, which makes it about half the length of the [[Vatakara]], so it will be along the line of the [[Deneb]].

=Modeling=
==Coordinates==
Pioneer uses Y as the longitudinal axis of the ship, X for left-right and Z for up-down. You need to align your ship with this in mind.
[[File:01_axis.png|center]]

==Objects and transformations''(needs checking for correctness)''==
Objects are how Blender represents discreet elements of your model. The mesh of your model (all the vertices and edges and faces and such...) will be contained '''within''' one or more of these objects. The confusion for newbies is understanding the difference in scaling/rotating on an object and its mesh. Pioneer uses an object's properties to place it in game. A common mistake is to scale or rotate the '''object''' when the intent was the mesh within. In these cases make sure you are in '''Edit Mode''' before starting any manipulation on the object.

See: [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Tutorials/Animation/BSoD/Character_Animation/Object_and_Edit_Modes Object Mode and Edit Mode].

Before exporting, the scale of any object should be '''1''' on all axes to avoid problems and distortions. This is a very important thing, so don't forget to Apply (freeze) it ('''[ctrl+a > Scale]''' in Blender, Object mode). You can also clear any object scaling with '''[alt+s]'''.
Rotation and position can be anything that makes sense while you work on the model, but it should be at 0,0,0 and align with the axes above in the end.

==Modeling==
===[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/background_images.html Reference images]===
The first I usually do is setting up reference images in the viewport, so I can see the concept art, or even orthographic views. You can set it up in the right-side panel of the 3D view (N-panel). You can change a lot of things like image opacity, scale and position, and you can also choose the view, where the image is visible. The other image below shows a part of the render settings in the Properties window. I set up the render resolution to match the dimension of the image (702*426 in this case), so it won't get distorted in the Camera view

[[File:02bgimage01.png]] [[File:03render_size.png]]

===[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/index.html Modifiers]===
Modifiers can change an object in certain ways, like mirroring it or smoothing, to name the two most popular one. They can make the modelers life a lot easier in different ways.

They can be found under the [[File:Wrench.png|Wrench]] icon in the '''Properties window'''. For this ship's fuselage I will be using a bit more complex setup at first, because of the trilateral symmetry.

Each modifier has a line of icons, for enabling and disabling them for different modes, like during render, object mode or edit mode. They should be on in object mode if you want to export the model to collada without applying them first.
[[File:04_modifiers.png|right]]
Let's see what they do:
====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/mirror.html Mirror]====
This one will basically halve the amount of work we have to do, because it will mirror everything we do on one side of the mesh, along the origin (pivot) of the object.
If the mesh is in correct orientation (see axes above, newly created objects are usually set up correctly), then the default settings are good.

Except for the '''Clipping''' option in the second column, which stops vertices from moving to the other side of the model, and stick them on the mirroring plane if they touch it. This is usually very helpful, because it prevents a lot of extrusion and smoothing errors. You want this to be on most of the time.

The thrid column is about texture UV layout. If they are on, the unwraped texture will also get mirrored on the respective axis of the layout. (U for horizontal, V for vertical). They are disabled here, because I will apply all of these modifiers later, and add another Mirror, where '''U''' will be enabled (more on this in the Unwraping section).

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/array.html Array]====
This one is usually not needed, but it's a big help in this case because of the trilateral symmetry of the fuselage. What it does is repeating the object in any direction, distance and number. Useful for lightposts along a road for example.

In this case, it's set up to repeat the mesh three times ('''Count'''), merge the areas where they meet ('''Merge'''), and the offset of the repeats are controlled by an empty object, which is rotated 120° on the Y axis ('''Object offset'''). This way I only have to model one side of the hull, and it's repeated on the other two, which is very helpful, since I don't have to worry about symmetry at all. And since I'm repeating the already mirrored mesh, I basically have to work on 1/6th of the model.

The '''Merge''' option is important here, because I want to have a continuous surface all around. The '''Distance''' setting for it governs, how close the vertices need to be to get merged.

This modifier will be applied on the model when the base shape is ready, so I can work on the not tri-lateral parts of it.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/generate/subsurf.html SubSurf]====
This is another very handy modifier when you need to model smooth surfaces, or organic shapes. It subdivides each face into four and smooths them to create curved surfaces. It's very handy because you can have a dense smooth mesh but you don't need handle each and every vertex in it. Although you need to have a '''quad only''' mesh most of the time, because triangles and ngons can mess with the subdivision and smoothing in very ugly and unpredictable ways.

The '''Catmull-Clark''' method is preferred, because the Simple subdivision just subdivides the faces, but doesn't smooth them.

The '''Subdivision''' option sets the number of iterations it does for the '''viewport''' and the '''render'''. Usually you don't want it to be larger then 1 for the viewport.

Subdividing the UV-s usually a good thing, especially if you are doing organic, but since I will apply the modifier before unwraping the model, it doesn't make much difference for me. The optimal display is helpful if you can't select certain vertices because of the smoothing.

====[https://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/modifiers/the_stack.html Modifier order]====
An important thing to note is that the order of the modifiers in the stack counts. A lot sometimes, since each modifier does it's work on the mesh it gets from the modifier above it.

You can move the modifiers up and down in the stack with the little triangle arrows on the upper right corner of each modifier.

In the above case, the smoothing would be much sharper on the three outter edge of the model if the SubSurface would be over the Array modifier in the stack, since it would first smooth the mesh, and it would duplicate it after the smoothing already happened. Array first and then mirroring would give a quite different result too.

===Camera setup===
[[File:05-camerasetup.png|400px|thumb|right|Placing the camera]]Since I don't have ortographic views for this ship, I will set up the render camera to have view on the model similar to the concept image. After I set up the modifiers, I reset the 3D cursor to the 0,0,0 coordinates ('''[shift+C]'''), so I can rotate the camera around it, and eyeball the rotation of the rudimentary shape I created with the above modifiers, to match de perspective of the image. I've also imported the Mola Mola model to have a scale reference.

You don't need to bother with this most of the time, especially if you have ortho views for your model. Usually I prefer to work this way, because it's easier for me to work with an image where the craft is in percpective.

==Animation==
==[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/uv_image/texturing/uv_editing/unwrapping.html UV unwrap-ing]==
[[File:UVs.png|right|frame|Model and it's UV map]]
[[File:Papercraft.jpg|right|frame|An Amphiesma papercraft under construction]]
UV unwrapping your mesh is the needed step to prepare your model for texturing. This is how you tell your 3D modeling program (and Pioneer for that matter), where each pixel on the texture goes on your model.

Doing the unwraping tends to be a strange and disliked part of the modeling process, but it is not that bad actually. Sure it is tedious and sometimes boring, but it can be learned to do it easily, effectively and fast. In my experience it can be quite calming too, when you get the hang of it. It is problem solving, but in a puzzle way.
You unwrap your model quite similar to the way you [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model make those papercraft models], just in reverse. You just need to cut some edges of your model, so it can be unwraped. Actually it can be used to [http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4207-amphiesma-paper-model/ make these kind of models].

First you will need to set up your UI for it. Simplest way is to switch Blenders UI preset to '''UV editing''' up on the top bar, in the dropdown menusaying '''Default''':

[[File:UV-ui.png]]

This will switch you to a view with only two windows: The left side will be a '''UV/Image editing''' window, the right '''3D window'''. You can also switch between these presets with '''[ctrl+left/right]''' Or alternatively you can set up your default to incorporate a '''UV/Image editor''' window either by dividing up the 3D window, or switching the timeline to one. ([https://www.blender.org/manual/interface/window_system/arranging_areas.html How to customize the interface of Blender]).

Now that we prepared the workspace, we can get right to it. First you need to switch the 3D view shading to '''[https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html Textured mode]''' either by selecting it on the 3D window buttons on the bottom, or by pressing '''[alt+Z]'''. This will most likely turn your mesh into a solid white-is color. (if not, then hang in there, I'll get to it pronto)

In edit mode select all vertices of the mesh with '''[A]''', then create a new texture in the UV/Image editor window:
[[File:New img.png]]

[[File:New img 2.png]]
[[File:Colorgrid.png]]

Set it from Blank to '''to Color grid'''. It will give you a colorful numbered grid texture, which should also be visible on your model:

[[File:Colorgrid-suzanne.png]]

It might not look like this right away, because Blender handles this texture display a bit strangely. First make sure to select the whole mesh, then from the drop-down menu down the UV/Image editor window select that image again to assign it to every . If that doesn't help either, make sure your [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/display/shading.html#shading-panel viewport shading mode is in Multitexture] in the right side panel, and delete any lamp from the scene.

GLSL viewport shading or if you are working with the Cycles rendering engine, you need to give the mesh a material with a shader, and assign that image to it for color.

We use this image to see any scale issues and stretches on our UV map.

We are all set for the puzzle now. You can unwrap your mesh with '''[U]''' in the 3D view (in edit mode):

[[File:UV-unwrap.png|left]] As you can see, there are several options we can use.

'''Unwrap''' will try to do it's thing based on the cuts you have in the model. Without them it will produce a mess. But we will still use this option most of the time.
'''Smart UV Project''' tries to guess, where the model should be cut, and unwraps according to that. Usually it will not give too god results on complex shapes. I mostly use it for previews, like when I want to quickly try out the ship in game with a quick AO bake.
'''Lightmap pack''' and the three primitive projections aren't too useful for us.
'''Project From View''' can be very useful. It projects the mesh as seen in the current view. It is handy when you want to unwrap some parts that are close to planar.

For the Unwrap command to work properly, we need to cut up the mesh in certain parts. You can do that by selecting edges, then '''[W-->Mark Seam]''' and remove unneeded seams with '''[W-->Clear Seam]'''.
As you cut trough the model, and repeatedly use the Unwrap command, your UV layout will be more sensible.

The aim is to minimze stretching texture on the model and to create a sensible UV layout with coherent scale for texturing. Approach it like if you want to cut a paper box open, but you don't want to separate it's sides more than necessary.

==LoDs (Level of Detail)==
[[File:LoD.png|right|frame|LoD example]]
It is costly for Pioneer to calculate the positions of large numbers of vertices and triangles on screen so reducing the complexity of your ship can significantly improve performance.

As a ship moves further away from view and shrinks in size (these cows are small, those cows out there are far away), a combination of your monitor's resolution and the ability of your eye to resolve detail is reduced. A simple trick is to replace your model with one of a lower Level of Detail (LoD) containing fewer mesh nodes as it passes a certain threshold (in our case Pioneer the number of pixels it occupies on screen, set up in the .model file).

Generating a lower LoD for your ship is easy - you simply remove nodes from your object meshes.
*'' Duplicate your mesh objects and place into their own layer.
*'' Rename them to something meaningful such as fuselage_MED.blah...
*'' Start removing every other vertex or edge loop from each of your meshes. Merging faces to ngons (''' [B]'''), then dissolving stray vertices '''[X --> Dissolve]''', or removing edge loops '''[X --> Edge loop]''' are useful tools.
*'' Try to keep geometry on the edges of your mesh so that the shape of your ship is maintained.
*'' It is also useful to avoid removing seam edges, so the UV layout don't get messed up.
*'' Keep going...
*'' Export these objects into their own .dae file e.g. myship_med.dae myship_low.dae etc...

You should now have a simplified mesh that still looks like your original ship. To create an even lower LOD duplicate these new objects and repeat the process above.

==Exporting the model==

Blender objects need to be exported in Collada (.dae) format before Pioneer can read them. As mentioned above, it is useful to separate your model into different files for LODs, shield, and collision meshes. When exporting, select only the objects you want for that particular export file. It helps to have related objects on different layers for selection.
Collada export settings:
[[File:Exporting.png|right]]

These LODs then need to be registered in the myship.model file where the lod number is the number of occupied pixels e.g:

lod 300
molaramsayi_hi.dae
molaramsayi'''_shield'''.dae

lod 100
molaramsayi_med.dae

lod 50
molaramsayi_low.dae

collision molaramsayi_coll.dae

=Tags=
[[File:Empties.png|right|frame|Tags example]]
Tags are used by Pioneer to attach in-game elements such as weapon mounts, thruster exhaust jets and camera/view placements to a model.

In blender [https://www.blender.org/manual/editors/3dview/object/types/empties.html Empties] are used as tag points. These are mesh-less objects that represent an x,y,z coordinate, scale and an orientation. Empties can be one of a number of 'types' - while Pioneer does not care what 'type' the Empty object is , it can be useful to use different empty types to represent different in-game elements. The naming pattern of the empty object however, is critical to how it will be used by Pioneer and must be exact.

{| class="wikitable"
|+Tags: Blender Empties
|-
!Game Element
!Empty Type
!Object Name Pattern
!Notes
|-
|Thrusters
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>thruster.* or thruster_linear.*</nowiki>
|The orientation of the arrow determines the orientation of the exhaust animation in-game. Thruster fires when the ship is moving in the respective direction, and also when the ship rotates. Thrustrer_linear only fires on movement. The game automatically chooses which thruster to fire for each movement. The [https://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.4/Manual/3D_interaction/Transformations/Basics/Scale scale] of this empty determines the size of the jet.
|-
|Camera/view ports
|Arrows
|<nowiki>tag_camera_(top|bottom|front|rear|left|right){1}</nowiki>
|Point the Z (blue) axis in the direction of view. Position the Y (green) axis to determine the view orientation (up direction).
|-
|Landing point
|Plain Axes
|tag_landing
|This empty represents the lowest coordinate of the ship with gear extended and is used to place the ship on a surface for landing.
|-
|Gun mount
|Single Arrow
|<nowiki>tag_gunmount.*</nowiki>
|Determines the position and orientation of the weapon.
|-
|Navigation lights
|Sphere
|<nowiki>navlight(_red|_green){0,1}.*</nowiki>
|If the colour of the navigation light is omitted the light is rendered light blue and does not blink.
|-
|Label
|Arrows
|<nowiki>label.*</nowiki>
|This is where the ship's name/ID will be placed. With axis Y (green) pointing up and Z (blue) axis point out, the lettering is read in the direction of the X (red) axis. Try to place and orientate this tag on something flat as it will not align itself to a surface.
|}
*'' Empty types are suggestions only, and don't export with the file.

=Texturing=
==Texture channles==
==Baking==
==Sketching texture==
==Inkscape basis==
==Painting texture==
===Distressing===
Space travel is a harsh activity, it is therefore not unexpected that a ship should undergo some wear and tear along the way. Distressing your ship can give it that extra element of realism.
====Panel Ware====
Ware should be applied after the panel lines have been drawn on its own layer. Also consider the edges of panels are likely to undergo more ware than the middle and the leading edges more likely than the trailing.

These are the types of wear as I see them (add more if you feel the need :-):

*'''''Paint chips''' - hard edged
*'''''Worn''' - lightening of the base material plus small scratches
*'''''Scuffs and knocks''' - larger scratches more general placement (can cross panel lines)
*'''''Whole panel replacements''' - slight discoloration of entire panels. Panels and components are after all replaced over time (put these on a separate layer).
*'''''Exhaust burns''' - sooty black marks around engine/RCS nozzles

Depending on what sort of ware you want will determine the next steps and is entirely up to you.

=====In GIMP=====

*''Create a new layer and call it "wear"
*''Select the wear layer. Make sure the panel line layer is visible underneath
*''Mask off a panel using the [http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/en/gimp-tool-free-select.html Free Select Tool] i.e. draw around it using the panel line
*''Scratch away!
*''Repeat the process for other panels

Masking off the panel allows you to focus on one panel at a time it also helps give the illusion the ware is unique to that panel.

=====Scratches=====
Scratches can be drawn by hand but this can be somewhat tedious on large models and inconsistent in style. You may want to consider using an existing brush pattern or brush engine for your editor. You might even want to make your own brush pattern!

*''When applying linear scratches they should run '''roughly''' along the line of travel
*''Try to keep the brush size range '''roughly''' the same across you model
*''Use a limited number of colours and use them consistently
*''If you can, have more than one brush with different patterns handy
*''Vary the angle slightly between applications to give a less uniform appearance
*''Overlap brush strokes
*''Use another unrelated brush with the eraser tool to remove random-ish parts of the scratches you have drawn to break up repeating patterns
*''On mirrored textures think about where the two halves of the ship meet up. It can look very odd to see an exact mirror of the texture next to itself

==Postprocessing and compositing==
=Model and Material setup=
=Stats setup=
=Making it into a mod=
=Testing=

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T18:05:17Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Painting texture */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T10:11:41Z

BobTheTerrible: /* LODs (Level Of Detail) */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T10:10:21Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting the model */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T10:08:17Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting the model */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T10:07:40Z

BobTheTerrible: /* LODs (Level Of Detail) */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-17T10:05:09Z

BobTheTerrible: /* LODs */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-16T23:58:28Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting the model */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-16T23:57:53Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Exporting the model */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-16T23:46:56Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Folder structure, naming conventions */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-16T23:43:02Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Modeling */

Making your first ship from scratch

2016-03-16T22:54:24Z

BobTheTerrible: /* Tags */

Mods

2016-03-16T22:30:14Z

BobTheTerrible: /* List of known Mod Compilations */

== Available Mods ==

=== How to install Mods ===

Since Alpha 22, Pioneer has had support for modding. This is done by allowing core game data to be added to or given preference by data in your userdir (that is, <code>'My Docs/Pioneer/mods'</code> for Windows, <code>'~/.pioneer/mods'</code> for Linux, and <code>'~/Library/Application Support/Pioneer/mods'</code> for OSX).

Once you have downloaded a mod, you simply place the .zip file in the /mods folder described above. There is no need to extract the files.

If a file in a .zip is identically named with one found in the Main pioneer/data directory, the version in the .zip will be used. You can use this fact to easily modify the core game files of Pioneer

This method can be used for any file under the main Pioneer/data directory and applies to ships, buildings and stations, systems, music, fonts, textures, whatever.

However, there are still some mods not packaged in the mod format (.zip). Overtime these are being repackaged by members of the Pioneer community, but in case you have a mod that is not in the correct format then the data in these style of mods must be placed in the correct folder within your main Pioneer/data directory and not in the mods directory described above. But be warned, make a back up of the files you are about to overwrite as this can not be undone and if you do want to return to a 'vanilla' Pioneer, you will have to re-install Pioneer.

== List of known Mods ==

Overtime all the mods here can also be found on the Pioneer Mods page at sourceforge https://sourceforge.net/projects/modsforpioneer/files/Alpha%2030%20mods/

{| class="wikitable"
|+Current known Mod Packages
|-
!Mod Name
!Mod Description
!Author(s)
!Version
!Tested with Pioneer*
!Size
!Download link
|-
|Graveyard
|Example of bundling multiple files in a mod. Adds a custom system "Graveyard" (up and to the right of Sol) and a script that does something when you jump there.
|[[User:RobN|RobN]]
|1.0
|20131229
|1kb
|[http://eatenbyagrue.org/f/pioneer/graveyard.zip graveyard.zip]
|-
|RedSol
|Example of replacing a core file. Replaces the system def for Sol with one that has a red star.
|[[User:RobN|RobN]]
|1.0
|Alpha22
|1kb
|[http://eatenbyagrue.org/f/pioneer/redsol.zip redsol.zip]
|-
|Skyboxes
|Nebula backgrounds when in space
|[http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/4296-i-dont-like-the-skybox/#entry47345 pebblegarden]
|1.0
|2015
|8Mb
|[http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=2563]
|-
|Lanner ship
|The Lanner ship
|unclear
|1.0
|2015
|1.58 Mb
|[http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/5277-lanner-for-current-pioneer-build/]
|-
|-
|Vuzz's Milkyway skybox
|Vuzz's skybox is the most realistic version of the Milky Way for Pioneer.
|[[User:impaktor|impaktor]]
|
|20150912
|1.34MB
|[http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/topic/5253-vuzzs-milky-way-skybox-mod/]
|-
|Moon Heightmap
|Higher res heightmap which replaces the 2mb default heightmap.
|Ae-2222
|1.0
|Alpha26 - - (all current versions)
|33Mb
|[http://wikisend.com/download/359748/moon-hi-res-heightmap.zip moon-hi-res-heightmap.zip]
|-
|Character Generator Upgrade (facegen mod)
|A small upgrade that adds some new hair, eyes, clothing, uniforms, additional accessories and other improvements to the existing character
generator.
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|1.1
|Compatible with most as well as current v20140217
|8Mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/download/pr55p4r7g87s9uf/facegen_mod_bao_pioneer20140205_bao_V1.1.zip]
|-
|Wave Explorer (ship mod) includes 2 custom pilots
|HiRes2048x2048_Wave-e -see info below or visit http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=89
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|3.5
|v20140217 - (all current versions)
|18Mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/download/s7d4rqk2fio9gwu/Ship2048x2048_wave-e-w-pilots_bao_pioneer20140217_bao_V3.5.zip]
|-
|-
|Wave Explorer (ship mod) includes 2 custom pilots
|LoRes1024x1024 version of the Wave-e (for increased graphics performance on lower end systems) see info below or visit: http://pioneerspacesim.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=89
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|3.5
|v20140217 - (all current versions)
|8Mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/download/dgxjgo2tf7dgob3/Ship1024x1024_wave-e-w-pilots_bao_pioneer20140217_bao_V3.5.zip]
|-
|-
|Apollo LEM Lunar orbit save file for Alpha26
|Low fuel LEM landing challenge (-w- cargo to jettison) 3 saves with Lunar lander in unpowered orbit over moon with low fuel(requires HighRes.Moon_Apollo.LEM.a26Mod)
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|1.0
|Alpha26
|520kb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?sy5d6i4n8vz10c4]
|-
|Interstellar Shuttle 1700
|Adds a modified version of the standard shuttle to the ship roster with hyperdrive capability, ecm, missile, cargo/fuel scoop options and more cargo space.(includes a new shuttle skin and solar array for bottom of existing standard shuttle (readme inside zip file)
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|1.3
|Alpha 30
|3560kb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?46ci6m4677y5wg3]
|-
|Enterprise 1701a (static ship)
|Replaces the Long Range Cruiser (static Ship) with the NCC 1701a "Enterprise" at realistic scale. (readme inside zip file)
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|1.2
|Alpha 30
|1.78mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?g4ng4dk46kdns8v]
|-
|-
|Ship Decals Mod 256x256
|This is version 4.0 - includes 8 ship decals. IMAGE here: http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/7146/decalsversion4.png
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|4.0
|Alpha 27-30
|3mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?14bchs29dn06nn2]
|-
|-
|-
|Controller Templates
|Not really a Mod - This is for people who have - or are familiar with either Xpadder, 3D Pro Joystick or the G-13 Gameboard. Extreme 3D Pro Joystick Xpadder profile and G-13 gameboard Basic Template - printable key & joystick button reference. Version 3 (More info see above)
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|3.0
|Most Alphas up to 26
|4490kb
|[https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5dK9aniVGUnM09GRU1qVFJWemM] [http://www.mediafire.com/?ncnh6bpdvna34n2]
|-
|-
|3DPro Joystick Profile
|This is an update supporting the new view keys, for Extreme 3D Pro Joystick Xpadder profile with Template - printable joystick button reference. Version 5 (see pic: http://imageshack.us/a/img822/864/ztf.png )
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|5.0
|Alphas after 28 (all current versions)
|2.31mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?btgkn3sjx0ianuu]
|-
|-
|Pioneer default keyboard reference
|In pdf printable format(see PNG pic: http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/2079/5dh.png )
|[[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|v201305.93bao
|Alphas after 28(all current versions)
|7.3mb
|[http://www.mediafire.com/?y5a2sapya7vfhhr]
|-
|-
|Pioneer custom mouse pointers
|Small simple mods containing only custom mouse pointers
|[[User:Joonicks|joonicks]]
|
|20151001
|1-4kb
|[http://joonicks.eu/pioneer_mods]
|}

*'' Version number represents what the module was tested/built against. There is no guarantee that it will work for later versions.''

== List of known Mod Compilations ==

{| class="wikitable"
|+Current known Mod Compilation Packages
|-
!Mod Name
!Mod Description
!Author(s)
!Version
!Tested with Pioneer*
!Size
!Download link
|-
|HiRes Moon & Apollo LEM Mod
|High res Moon heightmap & flyable Apollo Eagle Lander with docs & nav maps.
|contrib by Ae-2222 & [[User:baobobafet|baobobafet]]
|2.0
|Alpha 30
|35.3Mb
|[https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4TOJEZxkYiVUGZqVklKVEE0WUE]
|}

*'' Version number represents what the module compilation was tested/built against. There is no guarantee that it will work for later versions.''

'''''The who/when/where for mod storage/testing/package compilation is still to be established. As with all things concerning Pioneer it is up to interested parties to resolve this. There is the beginnings of a discussion on the [[Talk:Mods|discussion page]] as not everyone is on the mailing list yet (another could be started on a specific task page if anyone wants to). You need to register to edit pages and contribute.'''''

== Creating A New Ship Mod ==
This is in response to the couple of people who are interested in doing art, perhaps even leading the direction it can go in.

For programmers there's a path which involves creating a GitHub account, forking the Pioneer repository, creating branches, configuring remotes, making commits and submitting Pull Requests.

For Artists and scripters there's another way which is hopefully preferrable for everyone!

To follow this "tutorial" you'll need at least a way of creating ".zip" files, on Windows I use the 7-zip program.

This example is being written for Windows but the ideas are broadly transferrable even if the exact file paths and locations aren't.

=== MyFirstShip mod ===
There's links to a few existing mods above but they're very simple things:
* They're just zip files containing some directories and files,
* Their contents are "Added" to Pioneer unless replace something like a script, ship, texture, etc,
* They use the same directory structure as Pioneer.
The example that most players are enthusiastic about is adding a new ship which is the first step on the long road to a total conversion!

(For additional information see: [http://pioneerwiki.com/wiki/Making_your_first_ship Making_your_first_ship] )

To start with we want to make this task easy for ourselves so lets try the following to create a "mod" called "myfirstship":
* Go to wherever you've extracted your Pioneer download to,
* Open the folder "data" and look down the folder names as there's two we're interested in,
** "ships" and "models",
* open the "ships" folder,
** copy and rename the file "wave.lua" to "myfirstship.lua",
** open the file in a text editor and change the following lines like so
*** from: name='Wave Heavy Hypersonic Fighter'
*** from: model='wave',
*** To: name='My First Ship Tutorial'
*** To: model='myfirstship',
*** save your changes to the "myfirstship.lua" file,
*** now go back up to the data folder,
* open the "models" folder, then the "ships" folder,
** copy and rename the folder "wave" to "myfirstship",
** open the "myfirstship" folder,
*** rename the file "wave.model" to "myfirstships.model",
Now run Pioneer with the parameter "-mv myfirstship" so the command line should look like "pioneer.exe -mv myfirstship" this will open it in the modelviewer mode so you can see if everything has worked.

If you run Pioneer as usual then you should be able to go to the ship yard and buy your very own "My First Ship Tutorial" spaceship. Of course it will look like the Wave heavy Hypersonic Fighter, and it will handle like it and be like it in every possible way because it's a perfect copy of it

If you want to make it look different so it's easier to spot then a quick thing you can do is edit the texture "wave.png" in your "/data/models/ships/myfirstship/" folder, perhaps just paint the white a bright red or something which will make it easy to tell that you've changed it.

Obviously we're not done turning all this effort into a mod yet, we've just copied a ship definition ("myfirstship.lua") and the model data for it.

So lets open a new folder window (if on Windows) and:
* Create a new folder somewhere you won't lose it, "My Documents" for windows users or the home folder on Linux etc, call it "tutorial" this time (to avoid confusion),
* In this folder create two more called "ships" and "models",
* With the "models" folder create another folder called "ships",
* by now you should have something that looks like:
** /tutorial/ships/
** /tutorial/models/ships/
* now you're going to _move_ the "myfirstships.lua" file you edited earlier out of the "/pioneer/data/ships/" into the folder "/tutorial/ships/" folder,
* next you must _move_ the folder "myfirstship" from "/pioneer/data/models/ships/" to "/tutorial/models/ships/",
* now create a "readme.txt" file in the "tutorial" folder and add your name to it for now,
* Add everything inside the "tutorial" folder to a zip archive - to do this with 7-zip just selected everything inside the tutorial folder, right-click, open the 7-zip submenu and choose the "Add to archive",
* Make sure that you choose to use "zip" compression and call the archive "myfirstship.zip".
* Finally, put the file "myfirstship.zip" into the "mods" directory - this IS NOT usually where you extracted the Pioneer download.
** On Windows it will be in a folder under your "My Documents"/"Documents" directory for example:
*** "/My Documents/Pioneer/mods/"
* Now double check that you really did MOVE the files and folders, i.e; go back to where you first copied the wave files and folders and make sure that there aren't any "myfirsthip" files or folder there because they should now all be inside the zip file (and safely backed up in the "tutorial" folder).
** The reason this step is important is that you might have made a mistake with the zipping process and the mod is actually now broken, however it will look like it works because the original files are still being found by Pioneer in it's own data directory.
* Finally, the mod should have been packaged up into a zip, it should be in the "mods" directory, and you've made sure the Pioneer data folder is clean.
* Run Pioneer and make sure your mod works.

There are many steps that take just a second or two and lots of bits you can skip once you know what you're doing.

You can have as many ships within a single mod as you like, this technique just gives you a copy of the Wave to edit and play with.

You can, and should, replace it with your own mesh and edit the parameters it uses for thrust and equipment etc.

=== So how does this get my ships into the Pioneer download? ===
Easy, you create your mod, test it, try it out, share it via this forums download area so that others can play it, respond to criticisms to improve it and then ask the Core Team to include it in the main distribution.

This is basically the same process that we go through for programmers submissions but without having to understand Git and GitHub.

It's also more direct to players and fans of the game who often use several mods together to make Pioneer play how they want it too.