My main inspiration is knowing a lot of ugly game assets ;]

It's sad but people like me don't have the in-depth gameplay, RPG or storyline experience. All they want to achieve is to fulfill their dreams and so they wait and wait for specific features and the things that they would shout for. Some of them read dev blogs for breakfast. Same here. Others create entire new Sagas but let's not talk about guys like Roddenberry or Lucas or Cameron again.

When I was a child gaming was a lot of fun and felt like watching a great movie. I got to be totally fascinated and the value of entertainment I had was allways good. I don't know what exactly changed but decades ago I believed that Space Invaders had very immersive graphics. Many people felt the same I guess. :] Now when playing vid games, why do I get bored so fast? I still take part as a player / grinder and yeah I still play vid games from time to time.

Today I mod more and more instead of playing. Things inspire me to create new things only because I am aware of further waiting for this and that and that. There was I time when I was thinking that someone will for sure create and publish the same thing I want. Unfortunately, this happened only a couple of times so I have to depend on myself to get what I want. I stopped to play lots of games because of that. Now I only rely on specific game engines that offer further expansion possibilities. However, I guess I should play more with the Cry engine or other engines but first things first I need to have my own wagon to drive around the maps looking for things to improve. This might be the main reason I am developing a all surface vehicle for use in different 'modable' video games.

Beeing a creative person I must have missed a lot of things along the path of entertainment. I can't continue to depend on movie makers and video game studios so I'm just another guy on the internet creating mods. There are others out there that do a kinda similar thing drawing or modeling stuff and I wish they would join us video game modders all around the web. I don't know what they play but I can see clearly that some really impressive game engines need more developers and most of all more great asset designers. If Daniel Simon decides to design ingame assets I could immediately shut down this blog. ;]

Requests: On the need of finding something of use

Inspiring Submarine designs with a lot of Steampunk

We need more fancy rides, so I seeked for 3D Meshes for futher implementation into some Simulators and what I had to find was that most things don't even exist in the virtual world. While researching I found out my preferences are somehow unseen or let's say if you ask me, I would reflect a very specific nerd-faction. This means I'll take my opinion and I'm asking in the name of all vehicle related sim players that want to be early adopters, too. Here is some opinion leading for all of us. I hope you agree with me in particular. This list is aimed to bored Modders in search of something special. Thanks in advance!

These are some of the 3D-Meshes or Mods me and others would love to see:

Marine
U-Boat Type XXI (kewl design, hot historical specs)
U-Boat Taifun Class (huge and modern)
Seabreacher X Shark, Dolphin or Orca (fun and innovative)
Sailing Boat Dehler Dehlya 25 (tiny and cute)
Deepflight Black Hawk or Deepflight I or Challenger or Super Falcon Mk II

...

Air
The Jet from the movie G.I. Joe 1 (the non AI two-seater variant)
Synergy Aircraft (a crowd funded futuristic plane)
Mi-24 (a russian helicopter)
He Triebflügel (epic WWII concept aircraft)
He 112 (good looking, good manuevering)
Some Horten Glider Planes (one-wing concepts, needs flight skills)
Wingsuits (YAY, needed)
...

Space
Mars Attacks Flying Saucer (kewl design, epic gadget)
The Flight of the Navigator (unique design, for fantasy purposes)
BSG Rising Star (one of the most beautiful ship designs ever)
A super movable Spacesuit (needed for some)
...

Terrain
Some more very freaky Concept Cars (from real manufacturers).
Some hotter Mech Warrios (more sleek, please).
More different Byclicles or how about some virtual Inline-Skating?
...

Notes
All should have cockpits, except the two last ones. Thanks for developing! Ah and thanks for creating any awesome vehicle design that not got mentioned in here. Keep up the good work! :)

This topic is sheduled to be filled from time to time with whatever I end-up researching while looking for hot mobiles. Soon with pictures and more fancy entries.

FreeShip – A Open Source tool for boat designers

This is something of personal interest and another Open Source application that should be called mighty.

FreeShip let's you create real things and simulates them, e.g. benchmarking and stress testing. It's a surface modelling tool aimed for yachts and all types of boats. I'm still experimenting with it but this could be the base for a new passenger punting boat I could help build. FreeShip is a five stars SourgeForge project with a strong community.

You can download it here since it wears the "free" with pride:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeship

I will post some more details soon.

Times are changing – How a game led to a real car

I'm no console player since I prefer PC's. However this catched my attention.

I'm talking about Gran Tourismo (GT) which is known to most people as a PlayStation merchandise. Ever since GT1 this game features the biggest amount of playable cars in history and now also takes a closer look at future developments and the need to create real world cars which gamers can relate to in best case (since they are a lucrative targeting group). Said simple, in order to stay on top – this is a perfect marketing strategy for car companies: For the upcoming GT6 the goal is to create unique concept cars by companies like Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW, Nissan, VW, Zagato or Giugiaro. The first one got finished is the Mercedes AMG Vision – looks futuristic and elegant with a touch of speed and retro. In conclusion this car was built and recently showed at the Los Angeles Motor Show 2013. IMO Great design and great game idea. Keep up the path, I wanna see gamer cars drive around. I will update this post when some new GT6 concept cars get "press released" or built.

See how the real Mercedes looks like:
Mercedes AMG Vision Image Gallery Los Angeles Motor Show 2013

Heres even more detailed info and specs on this car:
http://www.caradvice.com.au/260207

And now let's take a look at the whole story as a sketch:

As usual I hope I didn't touch any copyrights.

Simulating engineering: A toolset for aircraft designers

Sumo + Scope = Powerfull Open Source Software!

Sumo stands for "Surface Modeler". It can help rapidly create aircraft geometries and provides an automaic surface mesh generation. It's like WYSIWYG, just drag parts to shape things. All parts of a plane are featured and can be modified. Editing parts is possible in a CAD-2D view or as 3D view. Even it's easy to learn and intuitive to use the origins of this software reach back to a serious Swedisch Aeronautics Research Project called DirSim. The European Union project SimSAC sponsored further develoments.

Along with the included visualization tool called Scope it is a great problem solver, stress testing simulator and a true plane designers tool. I'm still just playing around with it a bit – this is the way I learn things (with patience). If I ever would design a plane, I would use this tools to benchmark it!

Read more about it here + you can download it for free:
http://larosterna.com

Orbiter Space Flight Simulator – The one and only!

+++ Update News 2014: A new Orbiter version is in development and with the D3D9Client Beta 7 available at Orbiter Forum you can instantly discover it. It features 3D surfaces, new particle effects and a a way better D3D9 and and and. They are even working on a DirectX 10 client. +++  

Orbiter is an open source game with thousands of free mods. Definitely the only real physics space simulator existing so far. No doubt it feels like space, it's tricky to play but that's it's uniqueness!

It features seamless planetary entries and basicly said our whole Solar System beeing a powerfull Planetarium software and something far beyond any description. Created by Dr. Martin Schweiger, the development continues and new Add-ons get posted everyday. Currently the version Orbiter 2010 is the newest and even in 2013 it still feels relatively new. Real spaceships and unmanned drones, from Apollo's moon lander over Saturn 5 Launchers to X-Wing. Some feature great detail, a cockpit and extras like robotics, life support or cargo management. Even a level 14 Earth map exists which provides incredible satelite image details almost like Google Earth. For the curious ones, how about visiting Alpha Centauri? There a uncountable scenarios available. It also supports TrackIR. Many good Ingame Tutorials teach you how to fly a space ship. This game has nearly endless possibilities and a strong community keeping it alive!

Things to have fun with (or how to spend years playing Orbiter):
Land on any planetary surface, deploy your cargo, place your countries flag, open up your cargo manually, watch an ISRU (Inflatable module), place some seats, beds, manage fuel, oxygen and water cargos, activate gravitational wheel, sit in the cockpit, press buttons, plot courses, deploy drones, do rendevous manuevers, dock, exchange things (open bay), wear a spacesuit, exit ship and float in space, do a sling-shot manuever, enter the door, take off spacesuit, look for your crew, check your ships damage status, listen to music, eat something, sleep in the captains room or go repair a satelite or touch down and create a space colony. Endless possibilities!

You can download this masterpiece of a Simulator here (yay it's free):
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk

Check out Orbit Hangar for almost all Add-ons:
www.orbithangar.com

Recommended Add-ons (Please check compatibility to each other):
– D3D9 Client (makes for a better overall graphics look enhancing Orbiters Engine)
– Orulex (clever procedural terrain and landscape heightmap generator, beta)
– Orbiter Race League (Multiplayer for Orbiter / also was called Orbiter Multiplayer Client OMPC)
– Level 11 Nasa BMNG Blue Marble Next Generation (a set of seasonal textures for planet earth)
– OrbiterSound (unlike Sci-Fi, only adds great ambient were acoustic is possible)
– UCGO (Universal Cars and Cargo is a must have Add-on simulating management of cargo and consumption)
– UMMU (simulating living crews on board of space stations, ships and bases, must have Add-on)
– HOT: Orcus Patera (the first base recently realeased that can handle infrastructure management)
– Vinka's Spacecraft3.dll (turns the real space simulator into a Sci-Fi game)
– CamControl (walk inside your ship)
– CamShake (feel the shaking your flight skills causes)
– Universal Cargo Plattform (info coming soon)
– Buoyancy (creates wind on planets with atmosphere)
– Warp Drive MFD (for those on a hurry)
– Relativistic Warp MFD (more info coming)
– Time Jump MFD (a powerfull date and time change tool inside the Sim)
– Battlestar Galactica Jump Drive (the FTL "Faster than light" method)
– Gravity Controller MFD (manipulate ships thrusters max output on the fly)
– Higgs Field Controller MFD (manipulate ships mass on the fly)
– Orbiter Galaxy (a prodedural Galaxy Generator)
– Space Trader (play the game Elite inside Orbiter)
– Damage Module (for those crafts without damage simulation)
– Wind Tunnel (external benchmark app)
– Videnei Orbit Drawing (turns Orbiter into a full scale Planetarium)
– ReFuel MFD (transfer fuel between docked ships)
– Test Pilots MFD (more info coming)
– Mfd Irc 100124 (Chat online from a MFD console)
– OrbiterClouds(aka Nebo)_0.3 (more info coming)
– Orbiter Radio (yes, this game has it's own Radio Station, great space age music)

Flight helpers (not cheats):
– AutoRudder (yes spacecraft is different to aircraft so this will help with atmospheric flying)
– RV Orientation (HUD aid for manuevers like docking called "Multi waypoint approach")
– Hover MFD (helps with hovering over the ground)
– AeroBrake MFD (helps with high speeds)
– Precession MFD
– Surface Speed MFD (little visualizer, helps with landing)
– Lola MFD (a true autolander)
– FlyAround MFD (automated fly around a object)
– Lagrange MFD (visualizes your movements)
– Energy MFD mk2 (displays your movements kinetic energy)
– Atmospheric Data MFD (atmospheric conditions in relation to your vessel)
– Rendezvous MFD (not only for meeting girls at the right place just in time)
– Checklist MFD

Multi Function Displays (MFDs):
– LaunchMFD (with HUD, manages flights, launches, rendevous)
– Waypoint MFD (navigate by waypoints)
– Precession MFD (get there more accurately)
– Burn Time Calculator (measure your fuselage needs)
– Map3D MFD (futuristic data visualization of your current position)
– Calculation MFD (complex realtime calculator)
– TransX (move from here to there with plotted courses)
– HAL9000 (Dave, I'm feeling cold, Daefff, Daaaaeffffff, Aeffff!)
– Attitude MFD (holds altitude and visualizes pitch, roll and stuff)
– Date+Save MFD (more info coming)
– State Vector MFD (more info coming)
– Vessel Parameters MFD (more info coming)
– Thrust Control MFD (more info coming)
– Equation MFD (I guess that's something for the math nerds)
– IEAT MFD (for constant Ion like engines)
– Fuel MFD (more info coming)
– Notes MFD (more info coming)
– Tetris MFD (play Tetris on long flights)
– Clock MFD (world clock + timezone worldmap visualization)
– TelescopeMFD
– more coming soon

Untested MFDs so far:
– Attachment Menagement MFD
– Encounter MFD
– Name Change MFD
– Lagrangian points MFD
– Msss MFD (adds multiple Star Systems)
– Interplanetary MFD
– Universal Pointing MFD
– BurnTimeMFD
– PursuitMFD
– DVToolsMFD
– LoadMFD
– AeroBrakeMFD
– FuelQuantityMFD
– WebMFD
– AutoTrimMFD
– Watchdog MFD
– SensorMFD
– BurnTimeCalcMFD
– CameraViewMFD
– HUDdataMFD
– TimerMFD
– IEMFD (The IE browser in a MFD)
– SuborbMFD
– JumpDriveMFD
– WeatherMFD
– SolarSail_MFD
– SafeTimeAccelMFD
– EnergyMFD
– SmokeMFD (inflight particles generator)
– WakeupMFD
– FlightDataRecMFD
– NavMFD
– FlightInstMFD
– ArriveMFD
– PitchRecorderMFD
– Orb2CelMFD (Celestia Exporter)
– Scopesat V2
– IMFD Full Manual/Playbacks
– PlantFlagMFD (wave your flag wherever you land)
– StatusMFD (a awesome MFD for Delta Glider)
– VideoCaptureMFD
– TetherMFD (connect vessels with elastics tethers)
– SpaceTrader (trade cargos between bases)
– Trajectory Optimization Tool v2.1
– Limit Rotation
– Universal Autopilots
– Better Glaspit Buttons (optimize the HUD button visualization)
– Orbiter Speech Recognition Module for Orbiter 2010
– Asteroids! the game (inside Orbiter)
– Heavens traffic 090405 (Track satelite traffic)
– Orbiter Fly-By Camera
– Orbinuid v1.3 Beta (another game for long flights)
– Orbitrader (more info coming)
– Accelerometer
– Autopilot 1.72 with AIRAC and worldwide Airports

A little listing of great ships to download and play with (most of 'em available at orbithangar):
– Fiction-but-real: PTK NP Spacecraft
– Close-to-real: XR 2 Ravenstar (a space shuttle like concept spacecraft with real ambitions and great development)
– For XR 2: Different MFDs for XR2 (extra download)
– Close-to-real: XR 5 (XR 2's big brother)
– XR Facility (a hangar with cargo management features and lots of parking space)
– Close-to-real: G42-200 StarLiner WIP-302 (awesome can move it's wings)
– Real: A4E Skyhawk UPDATE (a Jet plane)
– Real: Mirage2000 (Jet plane)
– Real: Me163
– Real: Me262
– Real: F-35B
– Real: V-22 Osprey ver3
– Real: F-117 Nighthawk ver5
– A-10A
– FA-22A
– FA-18A
– F14A
– Hawker Harrier
– Real: NASA T-38 ver4
– Real: Soyuz 7K series
– Real: Skylab-B
– Real: Dragon Capsule
– Real: Space Ship Two (Richard Bransons spacecraft)
– Real: Soyuz Capsule
– Real: Ariane 5 rocket system
– Real: Saturn 5 rocket system
– Real: Apollo 20 and Tycho Landing Site
– Close-to-real: DGIV Space Compression Engine
– Close-to-real: Perseus Launcher & Perseus MkII 1.3
– Retro: Shuttle Fleet (Space Shuttles)
– Fiction: MIPTS V0.02 (info to come)
– Comic: ACME Rocketship
– Comic: Planet Express Ship
– Star Trek: Chaffe T-10 Shuttle (The Danube Runabouts shuttle craft)
– Star Trek: Danube Runabouts (two variant pack)
– Star Trek: Delta Flyer NX-426 (Voyagers second shuttle craft)
– Star Trek: U.S.S Reliant Miranda
– Star Trek: Enterprise NCC1701TOS and Galileo shuttle (the first tv-show Enterprise)
– Star Trek: Enterprise XI (The Enterprise shown in the recent two movies)
– Star Trek: Federation Starbase XI (The newest Starbase design)
– Star Wars: Slave (Boba Fett drove it)
– Star Wars: Naboo Cruiser
– Star Wars: Naboo Fighter
– Star Wars: Imperial Star Destroyer
– Star Wars: Sky Hopper
– Star Wars: L.A.A.T. (Troops drop ship)
– Star Wars: Shuttle Tyderium (Imperial Shuttle)
– Star Wars: Tie Fighter and Tie Interceptor
– Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter
– Star Wars: Super Millennium Falcon
– Star Wars: X-Wing (most known Star Wars vessel)
– Battlestar Galactica: Colonial Viper MK II (a truly nicely done mod aircraft)
– Battlestar Galactica: Colonial One
– Stargate Universe: Destiny and Destiny Shuttle (if you find it, get it and let me know where to get it again, please)
– Stargate: Daedalus X303
– Stargate: Puddle Jumper
– Stargate: Goa'uld TelTak Shuttle
– Stargate: Goa'uld TelTak Shuttle
– Stargate: Aurora
– Stargate & Battlestar Galactica (lots of spaceships missing since the go down of the Rag Tag Fleet, R.I.P., we miss those files!)
– Spaceman Spiff: A little flying saucer (looks like a beattle)
– Aviation history: Me163 (try flying it on mars, it's fun)
– Spaceballs: The space Van (for funny purposes)
– Futurama: Planet Express (for funny purposes, one of my favorites)
– Space1999: The Eagle (features lots of cargo modules)
– 2001 Space Oddysey Pack (everything mentioned in the book and in the movie, play with the monolith of wisdom)
– Babylon 5: Almost every ship shown in the series
– Buck Rogers Thunder Fighter

Extra things to add to your favorite sceneries like bases or assets / objects:
– Prelude Base Skin Pack (maybe you prefer the dusty Prelude base
– Shukra Earth Weather (a hovering floating airbase)
– Russian's Spacesuit Orlan
– UMmu textures pack (A flag pack for spacesuits)


To be continued, dozens of entries to come!

My mods to come:
– Cargo skin set (WIP)
– Arrow Freighter Skin & Cockpit Skin (WIP)

Be a star citizen!

The first triple A game with 4K (CryEngine3) resolution beeing totaly crowdfunded + currently breaking all records + is getting beyond all expectations featuring top designers, real scale objects, true flight physics, toilets and even beans, yes beans!!

The vid below presents the Hornet but it's just one of dozens spaceships that will be available:

I would like to fly the Retaliator but they should give it a name change since I would be more a trader like player:

For more info on Star Citizen visit:
https://robertsspaceindustries.com

Never heard of Chris Roberts? Ever played Elite, one of the first epic games for PC? Or this ...check out Wing Commander Saga and discover the reason for this guys success story. It's a free game, a tribute based on the FreeSpace2 Engine, totaly epic:
www.wcsaga.com