Real Time Sopwith Snipe

[robby88]

As this project is nearing completion I thought I may is well post a few WIP pics of my realtime Sopwith Snipe model. It is currently targeted at the FSX platform, however if time permits later this year I may attempt a CFS3 conversion.

These initial 3 pics are WIP in FSX. I am currently working on textures and materials for the cockpit/interior model. The external model is fairly generic and I have still to model a few bits & pieces, add unit markings, weathering etc.

The triangle count on the external model airframe (minus the engine) is about 60k triangles. The main LOD Bentley BR.2 is 21K. The triangle count on the interior model is 122k, however that includes most of the exterior model minus the Bentley and undercarraige. Both the exterior & interior models comprise manifold meshes. This is a requirement of FSX on interior models to enable self shadowing in the cockpit. Before anyone raises an eyebrow this is light compared to other WIP aircraft for FSX, which have been announced on various FS forums.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9392/2008920111752615tx8.th.jpg (http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2008920111752615tx8.jpg)http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3479/2008920111449536kb9.th.jpg (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2008920111449536kb9.jpg)http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/803/2008920111257192dm6.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2008920111257192dm6.jpg)
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4781/snipewip1xj6.th.jpg (http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snipewip1xj6.jpg)

[Luca]

Beautifull work there Rob, as usual from you!:cool:

May I ask you how many textures for the outside/inside and which resolution?

[robby88]

Thanks Luca

Off the top of my head I think the external model has 2 x 1024 diffuse textures and also speular of the same and 3 x 512 textures for engine, prop and pilot. Also 512 bump maps for engine & pilot.

Internally 1x2048 for close detailed parts such as Vickers gun and leather textures along with a 2048 bump map and a 1024 specular map for same. The remainder of the cockpit is covered by 7x1024 texture maps at the moment, and only a couple of these presently have a specular map. The others are controlled by specular in the Max material rather than FSX per pixel specular.

This aircraft has been tackled on and off over a long period of time and was started long before the FSX sdk and modeling requirements were made available. I've been close to dropping it many times. The exterior was reworked for draw call optimisation, but not the interior. However perf is similar to many other FSX aircraft and better than some such as the EH-101.

Newer models are approached quite differently though my verdict is still out as to 2048 v 1024 textures.

[Luca]

Thank you Rob, nice and clean explanation!:)

I know you probably ran a few tests, I'd be interested to know you conclusions about the impact on frames of specular/bump maps and 2048 maps...

As you may well already know, I'm modelling an FSX plane myself (you can see it on netwings otherwise), but right now, similarly to your Snipe, I'm modelling it without the SDK to back me up. That will come with a new pc build.:err:

[Skyraider3D]

Looking very good so far! With some good weathering it'll be a winner!

[robby88]

Thank you Rob, nice and clean explanation!:)

I know you probably ran a few tests, I'd be interested to know you conclusions about the impact on frames of specular/bump maps and 2048 maps...

As you may well already know, I'm modelling an FSX plane myself (you can see it on netwings otherwise), but right now, similarly to your Snipe, I'm modelling it without the SDK to back me up. That will come with a new pc build.:err:

I find it does have a slight impact. I have fps capped at 40 in FSX. In external camera view I achieve a constant 40 fps. In the vc fps cycle a bit between 33-40 fps.

One of the MS devs, torgo3000, offers some good modeling performance tips with respect to performance in his blog.
http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/06/01/performance-art.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/06/14/performance-art-2-when-is-a-draw-call-not-a-draw-call.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/06/19/performance-art-3-polygons-don-t-matter.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/torgo3000/archive/2007/09/17/performance-art-4-always-use-a-texture-and-bones-ain-t-free.aspx

The only reason I haven't completely standardised on 2048 textures was a forum post at SOH with users of some types of graphics cards having problems with 2048, probably due to card bandwidth on older cards.

Your M-346 looks realy nice so far. :) You should start a thread here on it.

[Luca]

That bit of info on 2048 maps almost made my day! Thank you Rob!:D
I was aware of Togo's blog and I took into account every little thing about drawcalls optimization, I'm actually around 25k texture vertices for the outside, which is a good result.

I thought about posting progress on the '346 here too, but I'm not really into duplicate threads...one is probably enough! And afterall, I'm not up to your standards!:)

[robby88]

Luca I forgot to mention that one can mix resolultions too and acheive useful results e.g. 2048 diffuse & bump (normal) maps work ok with a 1024 specular map, which saves a bit of graphics memory.

[Luca]

That's great, ala CFS3! Now I really need that new pc!:cool:

edited preavious post too!