huZba has all the words for star trek that I couldn't find to describe the unfulfilled feeling I walked outta the cinema with...

I'd LOVE a Wing Commander movie. Just stitch together the cutscenes with gameplay and I'll still go watch it.

Hullo again! I've finally semi-finished something enough to upload it to PixelJoint.

I've posted this thread over on PixelJoint too. It's my first -alotofthings- in particular first attempt at clouds and metal, and something closer to anti-aliasing than I've dabbled with before.

                   

It's meant to be a possible view from a Sperry or Ball Turret beneath a B17 or similar bomber, with enemy fighters inbound using the sun to mask their approach. I considered whether it was worth including the reflection of the gunner, but thought better of it for two reasons:

1 - Skill required to study anatomy and succeed at it within the one week challenge time frame!
2 - Given the position they took to sit in these things, I suspect any romantic sunset views might've nullified by the reflection of the gunners posterior staring back at them.

Spare a thought for the poor gunners who were shot in said position - and where giant aircraft bullets would be most likely to impact...

My reference was this photo of a plane flying into the sunset, from UntoldValor.com - ended up having to imagine how the clouds might be a fair bit.


A few things concern me. I don't know if the guns would be visible when looking through the targeting lense, for one. Any advice on how the light actually 'would' fall on cylinders at that angle would be appreciated, or how to use fewer colours - with minimal dithering, if possible. Any advice on light falling anywhere on the reticule would be appreciated actually - it's the thing that puzzles me most.

Originally I hoped to draw a bullet hole in the glass, but didn't have enough time to learn how best to do that. Any advice or links appreciated. I was hoping to imply the plane had been shot and was on its way down, so the tail might be tilted up, allowing for a better view of the sky. Also, if viewing through the glass normally (if there was a giant targeting reticule on the frame, I suppose), I don't know whether the bottom of the plane would be visible. All photos I've googled which were possibly taken from a ball turret indicate a camera with a zoom lens, or someone keen on keeping the bomber out of it. Or they weren't taken from a turret at all.  If you see the ball turret photo I linked to above (re position), the gunner is looking through a targeting lense of sorts... but I have no idea how much zoom that might have provided.

Any advice on how to make this better would be appreciated.

- Also, I'm also looking for information on indexing and how to make the most of it. I haven't found any via search yet, will hunt again.

Thanks for your time! ^_^

Busy squeezing in PJ assignment before GF aggro hits in a few minutes, little time - but those colour ramps seem rather flat. Considered more hue shift? Might make things look more appealing.

Presumably the same way they locomote. Bouncing! Magic door handles that turn upon being bounced at.

Looks much less flat now, bravo

I didn't notice it before, but now I'm wondering where the light on the top of the door is coming from. You show it as partly 'in' the house because the base is above the base of the walls, but the top of the door seems to indicate it's stuck out somewhere. Maybe the door frame top should be darker instead of lighter?