"The Lynx" fast ferries

[Postalvote]

OK this I promise is not outa place, about a year ago I read somewhere on a forum that "The Lynx" fast ferry was wanted for the wellington area scenery and I thought I'd give it a go, so racing into action ... I started it and promptly forgot about it mainly due to the lack of reference material.

Anyway the other day I came across some .. well ok photos and thought I'd get back to the model again.. only to discover they seem to change the ship every year GRRR anyway this is the Nomandie Express - Lynx.

There is some errors around the bow outriggers ( they should slope) , and the stern area is a bit wrong , I'm hoping to fix these and then some textures should pull this togetter ok.

The model sits at about 350 face I still want to add the fences around the stair case and then clean up unused faces should finish around 300-340 when finished, please be a bit kind as this is built from some pretty crap photos but if anyone can point out any faults or better has some side and even better a front drawing ... err.. please say .

Hopfully I'll look at some of the others ferries depending on this one, maybe the DevCat , Arahura , Aratere and Wahine

oh and can someone please tell me if there is still a Lynx fast ferry service and if so what ship it is.

[Charl]

C'mon you Wellingtonians!
RealNZ Wellington is almost upon us - think about flying Cook Strait with no ferries?

[Muppet]

Nice job, be great to add this to the Cook Straight ferry traffic!

[flynz]

Nice, and no there is no longer a fast ferry accross the strait. Stupid people in the sounds and their complaining about the wake.

[deaneb]

Nice, and no there is no longer a fast ferry accross the strait. Stupid people in the sounds and their complaining about the wake.

And if you have ever been in a boat or on the shore in the sounds after one of these things has gone past you'd know why !!!!

[Codge]

They did have a speed restriction while in the sounds and could only hammer it once they got out into the straight,
It always only ran in the summer months and went back to Scandinavia I think in the off season.
When did they put the kibosh on it full stop?
BTW cool model Deane,even if the real one isn't running anymore let's have your one anyway,can you make it so we can land Helo's on it while it's going along?

[Postalvote]

Ok not really a update more a side bar, this is a quick look at the "Devcat - Lynx"

Not quite as far along as the Normandie but it shows the sloping sides and the Wide bridge stucture, currently does not have a stern area, I will model the "open " stern upper deck , part of which can just be seen be seen in the pic.

I was going to model the two tone structure diference in the upper and lower hull but this would be a waste of faces and I'll just do it in the texture.

Yes there are issues and error currently, mainly to do with proportions but it pretty close (again anyone with some drawings? ) also the area about the outriggers is a bit off.

At the moment this model is less than 200 faces and I dought it will ever be over 350 unless I can find a use for more crap on the boat





Again any thoughts and or issues just yell I'm open to suggestions

oh not to do with fast ferries ...... I forgot to grab it but I've started the ARAHURA I'm currently having a problem with the stern but should have a pic for next time, by the way does anyone think there is a point to building the Wahine, I like the boat but would anyone use it ?

[Charl]

The tracks are all set for these to run an AI shuttle across Cook Strait.
If I don't finish it, someone surely will.
Go for it, these are really welcome.
You might release an AI boat package actually...shout if you need encouragement or help with assembly.

[deaneb]

The tracks are all set for these to run an AI shuttle across Cook Strait.
If I don't finish it, someone surely will.
Go for it, these are really welcome.
You might release an AI boat package actually...shout if you need encouragement or help with assembly.

I'll have to dig out my Arahura model and send it to you to add to the ferry AI.
It has been updated since the old Marlborough scenery release but now needs updating to the latest paint scheme.

Hmmm ... wonder what FSX has in the way of Cook straight shipping ???


Deane

[Postalvote]

Charl - I can build the models but I have no real ability to put them in to FS so any assitance in that area would be a real help

and any clearer pics or drawings can only improve the final models

[Charl]

No problem - if there's a model we'll make it dance.
Don't sweat the small stuff: less polys the better, these things are flown over at some altitude, and on the move. Framerates are everything in this instance.
How many LOD's will you do?

[Postalvote]

Charl - Sound good .. 350 faces will be the end LOD , and I can build as many as you feel you need, 3 LODs should do as there is not that much in the way of detail.

Because I've been busy with a First Aid course for the last week things have been a bit slow , so... there is not to much to show, instead I'll just post a demo test of part of the Arahura I'm working on, its only a side render test, no decking detail or stern section yet, plus the texture is only a demo , I've still got to paint the final texture set.

[Codge]

Looking good Postalvote
BTW I would love to see an AI Wahine going from Littleton to Wellington and back. Some cleverclogs might even have an option recreating the tragic event itself.
Probably the single best thing about FSX is the AI Ships etc...yet this is already happening in FS9 with the 'Dynamic Scenery'. When enabled in the Settings page it is pretty cool to have things like Peter Lohr's Queenstown and Mt Cook scenery packages.
Flying over a fully lit up Wahine at night going to and fro in all kinds of weather would definately be a blast!

[Ian Warren]

If you look at the historical photos in Robins anouncement on his new soon to be released WELLINGTON scenery , the 1970's photo - look in the top left hand corner , u will see an island mid channel ? should have pointed that out ! The T.E.V Wahine .

[Charl]

350 faces will be the end LOD , and I can build as many as you feel you need, 3 LODs should do as there is not that much in the way of detail.

I don't know the intricacies of how LOD works, but if you can fly NZWN approach over the ship without turning into a slideshow, great.

And that Arahura is coming along just fine...

[Ian Warren]

I think would be a Brill addon .. get Major waterways working , maybe with other , dont need detailed models , unless have a landin spot , flightsim is name off program , ya wizz past and forget left behind till return .

[Codge]

Nice pic Warren, I have the DVD on the disaster,being relativelymodern (the DVD) you get to see those computer animations of it that they use to show what happened. Like on 'Seconds from Disaster'

Regarding LOD's, Robin has a pretty good tutorial on his website (Windowlight) about LOD's

[deaneb]

Some pics of my updated model, just needs re -texturing with latest colour scheme.

Deane

[Ian Warren]

They look great !,I thought u were AIR FORCE Deane , 'Cruzing on the interislander' ,
Just lookin for .. NO! .. not a heilpad , but deck chair to past little lite refreshment! COOL! B)

[Postalvote]

Nice ferry Deanes , I'm not sure if theres much point me posting this now but here is anyway, my current Arahura its currently about 210 faces, with only the side textured

the texture is about half finished, I might put this one on permanat hold with Deanes one is out there.

Things have been a bit slow because I'm a bit under the weather and I can't seem to concentrate to hard hopefully the doc got the meds right and I should be up and running again soon.

I'm up for the Wahine , don't care for sinking it but onces its done people can do as they please, infact any shipping I know there is a new large ferry running the straits nowdays, we can do that one, I did also intend to do the Earnslaw but I discovered the excellent Queenstown scenery most of us ... err .. should now have .. has it built in.