HMS Victory

[llanning08]

Here's a painting of the frigate USS Constitution under full sail with studding sails port and starboard. It is racing the vessel seen far astern.

The second painting is the famous battle USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere (August 1814). Note that
both ships have reefed their lower sails as they engage in close combat.

 

[stoney]

That's right llanning08. "Battle sails "was usually top sails; top gallants; jibs and spanker. Less chance of a fire resulting from your own guns or those of your opponent igniting the courses. Most of this I have learned from reading Alexander Kent books.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Got the bulk of the heavy lifting done so working to improve things in general.

I bulked up the standing rigging and rat lines to make them realistic, and more masculine looking. LOL

Improved textures on all cannons (104 plus) and anchors for realism and contrast.

Finished up the animated running rigging, foot ropes, and clew lines.

Some improvements on camera views as well.

Here are a few shots.

Love sailing all the inlets around Vancouver Island and the mainland.

 

[Seahawk72s]

The added complexity of the standing rigging really ups the realism.
She just keeps looking better and better, thanks..!

 

[downwind]

I don't fly the ships yet, but this thread sure is fun to read!

 

[Milton Shupe]

I don't fly the ships yet, but this thread sure is fun to read!

Hi Downwind,

For your namesake, you should try the FSX native HMS Bounty assuming you run FSX or P3D.

HMS Victory will have very similar controls.

The .pdf documentation has a great guide to wind-driven sailing either through the "Auto Skipper" feature, or through manual management of the sails used, positioning, etc.

The max speed for these wind-driven vessels (for the sim) is 15 knots in best conditions. Both also now have auto course or heading hold features for those long treks.

Here are a few Bounty screen shots.

Sailing is very relaxing. Throw in some rain for really nice effects.

 

[Seahawk72s]

Smooth sailing I hope....

 

[Milton Shupe]

Smooth sailing I hope....

I have completed most of my work now until Rob comes aboard for additional custom programming for things like managing studsails (stunsails), bowsprit sheets, cannon doors, AI, and MP functions (if we decide to go there), etc.
I think the AI side has support.

Wellis is looking to do the bump maps; thank you Sir

Meanwhile I am working the beta of the Avia 51 series and staging the Avia 57 for FSX native work.

 

[rcbarend]

I have completed most of my work now until Rob comes aboard for additional custom programming for things like managing studsails (stunsails), bowsprit sheets, cannon doors, AI, and MP functions (if we decide to go there), etc.
I think the AI side has support.
.

Well, I'm up to the challenge ….LoL


Cheers, Rob

 

[Milton Shupe]

Rob,

I have packaged and uploaded the Victory for you.

Email and package contain the particulars.

Thanks

 

[Penzoil3]

I'm sorry Milt, but I gotta tell you. I laughed so hard when I saw that you had "made the rigging and rat lines more masculine"; I almost fell off my chair. The concept of masculine or feminine ropes is mind boggling.
Sue

 

[rcbarend]

Rob,

I have packaged and uploaded the Victory for you.

Email and package contain the particulars.

Thanks

Got it.
See our Email exchange.

And (burried in the details allready) I completely forgot to say what a fantastic job you already did on this HMS-Victory visual model !!!!

Cheers, Rob

 

[Milton Shupe]

I'm sorry Milt, but I gotta tell you. I laughed so hard when I saw that you had "made the rigging and rat lines more masculine"; I almost fell off my chair. The concept of masculine or feminine ropes is mind boggling.
Sue

LOL Sue, I know, right!

Here is what I referring to; note the standing rigging in the before and after pics.

The standing rigging for the masts are huge in size whereas the horizontals (climbing ropes) are much smaller.
The original had them the same size, much too small to support the stresses of the masts, yard arms, and sails.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Got it.
See our Email exchange.

And (burried in the details allready) I completely forgot to say what a fantastic job you already did on this HMS-Victory visual model !!!!

Cheers, Rob

Thank you Rob. I have to give the original modeler credit for the model in general and the textures.

I have made tons of modifications, additions, and remapping and texture resizing, but the original model credits go elsewhere.
Unfortunately, as hard as I have tried, I cannot identify the freeware author as it was so long ago. The downloaded .3ds file was dated 2002.
This particular base model is free for download on at least two sites and I have retained links and download data for those interested.
There were no animations, only around 28 parts, non-uniform texture sizes, no running rigging, and very basic up-close deck parts (from a VC perspective).

I have a lot of time invested in breaking the original apart and reconstructing it, redoing the textures and mapping, right-sizing it, eliminating some "over-the-top" parts, before I could start modifying for animations, additions, and correct display in the sim. But, without this base model, we would not be here. My hat is off to the original 3ds modeler of this ship.

 

[PSULLYKEYS]

I never believed that the MSsim world would permit such detailing. Excellent job.

 

[Milton Shupe]

I never believed that the MSsim world would permit such detailing. Excellent job.

Yes, PSully, and more. However, I am restricted by a 32-bit system and gmax so I am pushing memory limits of my system with this one.
FSX and P3D would support a lot more than I am capable of exporting.

Rob and I are just about done with the custom programming for the Victory.
Shown here as HMS Victory proudly displays her studsails (stunsails) that may be displayed port and starboard separately or together.
Cannon doors may be opened or closed to show/hide all 104 guns.
Wellis will be working on Bump maps once he finishes the Avia 51 series.
I am working now to update the .pdf documentation for sailing this ship in the winds of FSX/P3D.

Here are a few screenshots.

 

[stearmandriver]

Wow Milton, I don't know how I missed this thread earlier. She's absolutely beautiful! I've had a bunch of fun with the Bounty, and now I'm really looking forward to the Victory. The size comparison screenshots are great, and that shot just above, under full canvas, is ridiculous. It looks like the Bounty could be her dinghy!

Really nice job, on the part of both the original artist and yourself. As always, thank you for all your work and time.

 

[Duckie]

What a beautiful model Milton. Regardless of one’s cup o’ tea, art is art and that’s a work of art. Visually stunning. Great work.

Steve

 

[Milton Shupe]

Thanks for the comments Duckie and Stearmandriver; greatly appreciated.

Rob has pretty much whipped the basic custom programming so anything after this is icing on the cake.

Wellis is just about done with the bump mapping and I have a question for you.

This magnificent ship was in service for many years, and actually was around 30 years old during Lord Admiral Nelson's historic Battle of Trafalgar.

Since most of the ship is wood, one must wonder how the exterior held up over the years.

We are just now looking at the exterior bump maps and are curious how far to take this.
I am showing some different lighting situations here to best display the bumps.

This is showing very rustic, unlike the real life version in Portsmouth.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[llanning08]

These textures look too aggressively edited, look too "plastic". Like aged vinyl siding? Perhaps less 3D bulging effect? Look at the before restoration pictures of HMS Victory, at the time quite old and weathered by English maritime weather.