You knew the reprieve couldn't last... (Flashback 1942 FW-190)

[dialNforNinja]

That's right campers, I'm back, again, on yet another different computer, and I have a new half-finished 3d model I'm looking for an opinion on. This go round, it's the transforming FW-190, the first human-designed variable mecha to go into combat in this alt history. It's kind of hunchbacked and possibly vaguely Krogan-looking, but that's just how it works out having a single, front engine to deal with. Unlike the previous planes, the propeller does not retract on this one - and while it wouldn't be powerful enough and thearms stow whwre the fuel tanks went in aircraft form, it could in fact mount the original double-stack 14 cylinder radial.

The question I have for you all, is what do do with the head? Usually I have to cram on into whatever little space I have left over, to the point of needing to transform the head from some non-head-like shape that was all the space I had. This time, I've got ALL THIS VOLUME! (The big white block) with the only constraint being that the black "eyebrows" are the polygons where a gun port texture will go on for the muzzles of the twin guns rught in front of the cockpit, and I have no ideas at all!

I feel like a wholesaler, shouting VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME!

Up to the bottom third could also be split off and hinged separately to fill out the torso a little, which honestly speaking it could use. Still, anyone have any good ideas for what to put under those laser eyebrows? (It's also the first human designed energy weapons, BTW. They're big, draw obscene amounts of power, and generate enough heat to need their own radiator, but they never run out of ammo and that's a treasure beyond price.)

[big F]

Im a big fan of the altverse idea. I love the fact that you are trying this.

The head needs to have the mecha look whilst having a WWII era feel, not sure yet exactly how. I was thinking you'd almost need a leather flying cap look crossed with a VF1.

[dialNforNinja]

Hmm, that could actually work, with this much space to play with and the shape of the top, that's governed by the part of the aircraft it's made from. Given the lack of other ideas, it's at least a direction to start in.

[dialNforNinja]

Well, modeling is complete, and as it turns out the head doesn't look a thing like an aviator's cap and goggles.

It does definitely look like a dude you'd step to the other side of the street to avoid, though, so I'll call it a win.

Polycount is a little heavy at 1849, but I'd only expect to have this detail model used whe it's either the player unit or right in your face, with simpler models or just a HUD target ring sprite standing in most of the time.

Here's a couple more type B images:

You'll notice that nearly the entire "bubble" part of the canopy (the part that opens) is exposed - this is an intentional design desision, as with the placement of the engine and head the pilot would otherwise be blind to anything behind him. It also allows bailing out at any time (this from an era before explosive bolts and ejection seats, don't forget) or board/exit from a gantry in robot mode.

Next, here's fighter form, showing off the scale fw190 shape and the huge number of parts I cut that poor plane into to rearrange it into a haumanoid:

That's not shatter camo, it's just one color per part!

[dialNforNinja]

That's original-location, functioning retractable landing gear (including the tailwheel) and gear bay doors. You can also see some of the tightly packed innards through the open gear bays.

Gerwalk!

Jet-propulsion type 「LT」also available

Next comes what's always my favorite part - animating the transformations, and adjusting the timing of what moves when so no parts are sliding through each other. Woo hoo!

Edited September 17, 2013 by dialNforNinja

[big F]

This is epic, My take on the alt-verse, was/is a Victorian era, what if it was 1899 not 1999, think Captain Nemo steam punk, not many people liked it here though

would this translate into a 3D printable ? I'm thinking kit builds

[dialNforNinja]

Well... sort of. Everything physically fits together and COULD work, but it would have to be a much higher detail model to actually build in mechanical connections and have the smooth parts actually be smooth. It would be a whole new level of cool to have a physical model of one of my designs, but I have plenty on my hands with making the game-worthy models, and for that matter have yet to finish making texture maps for even one of them because I keep getting ideas for how to do the next model, rather than fiddle with finicky UV mapping etc.

Plus, you know, the programming aspect. That's waiting on getting a fully textured model, and then setting up transforming versions and playable rigged characters in all three modes, so I have something to work with while modifying one of the game engine demos as a base.

If I had a few million dollars to drop on the project, I might be able to pitch making toys for it to Takara or Hasbro, who have people that know the tricks and troubles and couldprobably knock a design out as fast as I make one of these low-fi ones. Otherwise... sigh. Worse yet, as cool as the idea is and these models are, I'd have to get licenses to use them from Lockheed, Messershitt, and whoever owns the Focke-Wulf and K-mumble-Japanese-company properties by now, unless being historical military hardware gives it an out.

I don't think you could sell an action game about an alien invasion during WW2 as "for educational purposes!"

[dialNforNinja]

Transformation video:

The "second" gerwalk form with the wings fully folded is for use when walking on the ground or with equipment on the hardpoint just outboard of the diagonal hinge, where the RL versions had a second gun inside the wing (most models, anyway, some removed them to save weight.) I do have a basic "slope sided box plus two rocket bells" booster in the .blend file but didn't render it as it's visually uninteresting, and will therefore probably be modified or outright replaced for a final version.

[dialNforNinja]

Revised option parts:

Boosted Equipment

The black square at the center front is once again standing in for weapon ports to be texture mapped, in this case 3-2-3 row missile tubes, each stacked two deep. When the plane carries gunpods or bombs with these mounted, they go on the upper arm, close to the centerline in fighter mode and sort of Decepticon Seeker Jet-ish if left there (but needing to be spun around to face down the length of the arm) when transformed.

Max Boost equipment

Any bastard crazy enough to ride a beginning-of-the-game mook suit into the orbital and lunar battles of the last chapter will do it with a pair of these - same armament as standard, but more thrust and more fuel to feed it.

Edit to avoid replying to myself AGAIN:

Meet the Zzard! Or, well, a rough version of the Zzard Command Mecha, but it has the same body style as the master race/overlords that the Bluo are slave soldiers for.

To be honest this "transformation" is somewhere between a joke and a crime in a game where they're the whole point, but it's kind of grown on me just because it looks as alien as the critter itself, and as a space-based species the Zzard have no spits to give about aerodynamics, they just strap on a few more engines and turn up the force fields.

Edited September 19, 2013 by dialNforNinja

[paramat]

Good work yet again. The Zzard is very interesting and has a mind blowing transformation.