Project [In finalisation]Solar modules P3/P4/P5/P6 from ISS

[ryan]

You can have a whole MFD controlling anything to do with the panels.
looking great guys, no need to put any pressure on you but ''Cant Wait!!''
Thanks.
Ryan.

 

[Russ_H]

Work update

Hi,

I have been trying to think of the best way to update everyone on the work that has been completed so far. Every one has been nice, supportive and understanding about how long this project will take to finish. So I thought I would just tell you where the project is at.

The good news
I feel that we are 90% done with the code. We have a scenario with 3 Module_p3p4 in it and every thing works fine. We have optimized the model to work best with the code. There are 369 parts to the model and 368 of them are animated. There are over 1400 true lines of code just for the animations because of all the parenting going on.

The Bad news
I am seeing a big Fps hit when the panels are being deployed it drops my p4 2.4 ghz pc with a GT 7300 512ram video card and xp32 bit from 120 fps to 4 fps as the solar panel unfold. I think this is do to all the math that has to be done when 167 parts unfold at the same time. I have a new low end AMD Athlon 64x2Dual core 4400+ 2.3 GHz pc with a GF 6150se nforce 430 512 ram video card and XP64bit that only drops to 18 PFS. FPS only drop on movement of the solar panes when they unfold. when all 368 part are rotated at the same time there is now real drop in FPS.

I am still not sure when this will be done but you can see we are close.
I feel that the project is about 90% done. This last 10% may be hard fought because it is polish work.

It has been a pleasure to work with Mustard on this project.
Thank you Mustard for the fine model. I am sure that when Mustard gives the add-on the ok and releases it most everyone will be happy with it.
I am working 8 to 12 hours on this a day so it will be out asap.

Russ

 

[Mustard]

New pic about the actual beta, with 4 modules. all animations are good, we must just synchronize all movments (it's a beta)
Russ is doing a very great and quickly job about the code. Thx to him

Now we would like 2 beta testers, serious. All volonteers can contact me.

 

[Donamy]

Couldn"t you use a different mesh when the panels a fully deployed or retracted to save frame rate ? Just an idea.

 

[Mustard]

the probleme is not the mesh, but all animation for all axis (85 foils x2) in a same time. But on my computer the FPS is good during unfolding (15FPS)

 

[Russ_H]

In need of a material expert

We are having trouble with the Solar panels. Here is a picture with all the panels facing the sun. This looks good.

Here is the issue when the panels are turned one side of the set gets darker as they turn.

If one of the material expert would like to take a look at this and help I would be most thank full.

note: all that needs to be done is to add the extending part for the panels and fix the material issue and we can go to beta testing.

Russ

 

[Donamy]

Move the emissive color alittle to the white side.

 

[Mustard]

In fact with the beta version, it seem one panel is good, and the other is dark, similar to the night color. And the both have the same orientation with sun.
The emissive is a texture parameter but the texture is the same for the both panel, so why one is good and the other dark !!!

 

[Coolhand]

is the one array a 'mirror' of the other? As in how you duplicated the array in your modeller.

 

[Mustard]

is the one array a 'mirror' of the other? As in how you duplicated the array in your modeller.

Yes it cwas a duplicate object.
So 2 explications:
- It's a texture default (param ambient, Emissive, Diffuse, specular, etc). but i don't think that because it's the same for both panel
- It's an object default, but i checked again the 3d object, it's good, both are same. Nevertheless i use different files for each textures, but after Russ had modify that and converted all textures to one (UVmap). also Russ don't use anim8tor, so perhap the convertion is failed

:sorry::sorry::sorry:

 

[Xantcha]

probably, normals for 2nd panel are reversed

 

[Mustard]

probably, normals for 2nd panel are reversed

I check my original object, it's normal, not inversed :sorry:

 

[Coolhand]

In your modeller? you can't tell usually until it goes to the game engine, if it's a mirroring / normal problem. I think you missed it last time, but again i'll ask, did you mirror those parts? i'm guessing you have since it only affects one side of every array.

If you have used a mirror of some kind then try a copy or a symetry rather than mirror to make the duplicate.

 

[Russ_H]

Hi

Thanks for all the help so far
I just rechecked and all face normals and vertex normals are pointing the right way.
It is the same part cloned for all panels. I did rebuild the panels for coding reasons it is one part with 6 sides.

The firs picture show them with the sun hitting them on the face. At this point every thing is fine. As the panels turn to show only the edge one set goes dark. I think this has something to do with how directional light is handled and the texture is rendered.

I am not sure this is over my head. ( I could be wrong)

Russ

 

[Coolhand]

how are you checking your normals? as i said before - a mirrored object in your modeller will look fine, you'll only see the problem in your game engine... Are there mirrored objects in the scene?

 

[Russ_H]

how are you checking your normals? as i said before - a mirrored object in your modeller will look fine, you'll only see the problem in your game engine... Are there mirrored objects in the scene?

Yes you normal guys were right It is a bad face normal. I wish I would have fixed this befor I cloned it 163 times.

Thanks Coolhand for makeing me go back and look. If you had not done this I would still be stuck.

I must of cut that face off for the other side and never flipped it's normal.

It's nice to have friends.
Russ


-----Posted Added-----

Solar panels are fixed
After 45 min's of work

 

[Mustard]

It's a great new Russ. Good job :speakcool:

 

[Kyle]

Phew, good news! Now all you have to do is finish the Animations correct?

 

[Mustard]

News about the module P5 (intermediate module between 2 solar modules). 3d model 80% completed.

Probably end for next week because i will be absent this friday, Saturday and Sunday. It will be include in P3/P4/P5 pack

 

[Russ_H]

Phew, good news! Now all you have to do is finish the Animations correct?

yes I only have to add the extender truss which I have done for one side.
I am having a little trouble but I should have it working in a day or so.

I am just a little burned out from my dumb mistake today.

When I add the part I was trying to call it and parent it to a part I had not made a handle for yet. so my code was right just out of order. I can be so dumb some times it kills me.