LOD guidelines

[OXO]

I don't properly understand what is required for the three levels of detail in the models.

LOD0: 5000 polys
Two models, one showing the exterior and cockpit. This one can have two 1kx1k textures.

Second model shows what the pilot can see only. Does this have one or two textures?

LOD1: 2000 polys
One model with simplified cockpit. One texture 1kx1k?

LOD2 500 polys
One very simply model for exterior view only. One texture 1kx1k?

- Is this correct? Perhaps the condor team could post wireframe picture examples of a completed plane?

- What format should we use when sending models to you?

[GR]

LOD1: the most detailed; creating guidance should be, that the completed model can be used for cockpit view as well as in external view.

LOD2: less detailed than LOD1; you basically remove any handles, sticks, buttons, etc. from cockpit and simplify very rounded parts.
The fuselage, wings, etc. can be also simplified.. you can easily remove any rod's housings, etc. And simplify the rounded parts if possible.

LOD3: the least detailed; while LOD2 could be created from modifying LOD1, LOD3 requires creating it from scratch. There is no cockpit here. There's simple fuselage (7 edged profile) as are wings and tail (3 edged profile). This one also has no movable controls.

As for textures... 1 for glider body, 1 for cockpit; both are used in across all LOD levels. The size is in both cases 1024x1024.

[OXO]

Thanks

Just to check

LOD2:
This does have exterior moving control surfaces, wheel etc?
What about the Pilot model? You supply the LOD1 pilot, what about LOD2?

LOD3:
As there is no cockpit, how do we show the canopy, or is it just plain fuselage colour?

Is this modelled with wheel retracted?

[GR]

LOD2:
This does have exterior moving control surfaces, wheel etc?
What about the Pilot model? You supply the LOD1 pilot, what about LOD2?

Yes LOD2 has all moving control surfaces, wheels, etc.
Pilot model for LOD2 is our as well. No need for you to have it as if you have test LOD1 pilot, LOD2 will fit as well.

LOD3:
As there is no cockpit, how do we show the canopy, or is it just plain fuselage colour?

By painting canopy on texture. Check the default gliders' textures to get the idea.

Is this modelled with wheel retracted?

All LOD levels have wheel as this can be seen at longer distances due the black/white contrast. What varies is the poly count.
You can have modelled wheel in extended position (it will be manipulated by our animation parameters), while doors need to be modelled in closed position as default (LOD3 does not have wheel doors).

[OXO]

Here's my LOD-2. It has 976 faces - I am guessing that will be ok for 2000 polys?

You will see I've deleted all controls in the cockpit, but I left the canopy Jettison and the DV panel on the canopy.

What do you think GR?

[Xavier]

Hi all,

Since more than 2 years, I read and learned a lot of good ideas in this forum, particularly about the subjects I like, ie Sceneries and Planes.

But we found also a lot of mistakes and half-truths.

And this second part is very time consuming. And we must make a lot of experimentation to find our way.

Believe me, making a glider or scenery is not only Art. It is also an industrial process where, organization and management took a great place, as research and development. Only the last touch of color or texture should be considered as Art.

In real life we do work that way, and we have very few times for our hobby, so please make us the way easier.

I know, I am a “new be” as scenery maker or glider maker, but I hope that I gave back my little knowledge when I thought it was interesting.

I am very proud to show you the work of my friend CAPRICORNE with his last glider a Wassmer BIJAVE. An old school wooden glider and it is in that ship I made my fist solo flight years ago.

Bijave5.jpg

Bijave 4.jpg

It is a static glider, and it is quite easy to introduce this ship in sceneries.

Condor 2010-06-13 11-11-57-41.jpg

But it’s a pity this ship will never fly. Its level of creation is similar to LOD1 but it can’t meet the Condor’s specifications! Why?

Because we cannot find the complete specifications in the forum in one page and we have no time to make the work twice.

OXO pointed this problem in this topic LOD GUIDELINES

But, it is only a discussion between OXO and GREGOR, and not specifications, and not all specifications are written in this discussion.

You can understand that we cannot consume time to restructure our glider’s making off, again and again, at every time we find a new forgotten specification, coming out from outside!

You can also understand that the making process must be structured to be efficient, and if we don’t know the final goal it is very difficult to achieve it.

Make a good static glider is quite the same work that to make a LOD 1 glider. But there are many manners to make a static glider and very few manners to make a Condor flyable glider, because we must meet THE specifications.

So after, a long discussion with my friend Capricorne, we came to the conclusion that we cannot continue that way and that it will be very helpful if we can find in that forum one message where the whole specifications about flyable Condor’s gliders bodies are described.

So please can you publish them, it will be worthy for the whole community and will develop new talents, even if very few of this new structured static gliders will fly in Condor.

My two pence.

[OXO]

Xavier,

I agree that it is a good idea to put all the guidelines in one place, and I hope I will be able to do that someday.

But I don't have time to do it now, with all the work I have to do.

Maybe if someone else collected the guides together and asked me questions we could get it done?

[OXO]

Xavier,

I have updated the guidelines at the top of this section. If you have time, can you look at them and let me know if anything is not clear.

[Xavier]

Hi OXO,

I read carefully your update about "Plane Development Guidelines".


There is a little mistake between LOD0, LOD1, LOD2 and.... LOD3!

"LOD2 max faces <1000. the least detailed; while LOD2 could be created from modifying LOD1, LOD3 requires creating it from scratch. There is no cockpit here. There's simple fuselage (7 edged profile) as are wings and tail (3 edged profile). This one also has no movable controls."

must be read:

"LOD2 max faces <1000. the least detailed; while LOD1 could be created from modifying LOD0, LOD2 requires creating it from scratch. There is no cockpit here. There's simple fuselage (7 edged profile) as are wings and tail (3 edged profile). This one also has no movable controls."

In the same sentence:

for symmetrical reasons, it will be better to write "fuselage (6 to 8 edged profile") and "wings and tail (3 to 4 edged profile)".


If I understand well, for LOD0, there is 2 different objects (cockpit and plane) and the max faces of 10000 is for this 2 objects and not for each object.

When you will separate by some "loop cut" the plane from the cockpit, is it better to include glasses and canopy in cockpit or plane object? or it is up to us?

That is all!

Regards

[OXO]

Thanks for the feedback, modifications done.

LOD0 is 1 complete model with everything, max polys 10000.

- plus -

a copy of it with unseen parts removed, max polys 10000 again.

these two models will never be seen at the same time. One is for the external view, the other is for the pilot view.

[P. Riessner]

Max. 10000 Faces or Max. 10000 Polys?

[OXO]

Triangles

[Xavier]

Hi OXO,

There is still a little mistake in the sentence:

"LOD2 max faces <1000. the least detailed; while LOD2 could be created from modifying LOD1, LOD2 requires creating it from scratch."

it must be:
"LOD2 max faces <1000. The least detailed; while LOD1 could be created from modifying LOD0, LOD2 requires creating it from scratch."

Regards

[P. Riessner]

Okay, thank you for the information:)