Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL

OK, here's a little more AE. This time the upgrade/variation path of the Gato Class beginning in '41 and ending with the 'Gunboat' version.







Would post some 'after release' stuff, but I think Terminus said NO.[;)]

Being a "doggie", I had no idea even subs might have so many versions within a class..Gee, Revell models would sell a sub and when you opened the box, it was pretty much 8 pieces!

Too bad Matrixgames did not foresee the extreme popularity of the graphic portion of the game, and make that pic much larger to show this great detail.

Okay Chad. Made up a sampler. Clemson DD, Clemson DMS, Clemson APD, Clemson AVD, Mahan, Benson (for RevRick), Fletcher, Brit ‘J’ Class, Liberty cargo, Liberty AK, Liberty AR, your basic floating drydock, an AGC, an LSD, an LSV, an LST, a Bayfield APA, a Manoora - Aussie LSI(L), a Glen - Brit LSI(L), and for something completely different, a Brit Adamant class AS.

Fantastic work. The detail is truly amazing.  Also, JWE thanks for posting a couple of the little ducthies over in the WITP thread.  I love the small stuff

Thanks guys...All those ships are truly amazing [:)][:)][&o]

And thanks for the "what if" ships...I'll put them in the game as soon as I learn to use the editor. [:D][:D]

And lastly, for Scottott999 and Grotius, some dinkys. There are about 1000 individual pieces of art. Many are for ship upgrades, but most are for a significantly increased number of new classes, and for classes that undergo a structural change when converting from a minesweeper to an AVP, for example.

Many of the small vessels (especially Allied) were done at the instigation of Don Bowen and his demand for accuracy. We call them ‘Don’s Babies’ and have come to love them as much as he does. Sure are a b**** to draw though.

Dutch row: A-Class minelayer, Krakatau minesweeper, converted fishing trawler minefield tender, and a B-1 patrol boat.

Japanese Wa-1, Ch-4, CHa-1, Type-HA LSI/LST

Fairmile-B, Bathurst AM, Asheville PG, Reliance USCG PC

Natsushima CM, Type-C escort, W-1, T-1 MTB

JWE, you and TOMLABEL are amazing! How many have you two turned out now?[8D]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Many of the small vessels (especially Allied) were done at the instigation of Don Bowen and his demand for accuracy. We call them ‘Don’s Babies’ and have come to love them as much as he does. Sure are a b**** to draw though.

Once AE is released I'm going to a full-on Don's Babies mod. If Dr. Niehorster puts it in his OOB or I can find it in a history book - in it goes!

Anyone want to sign on to do the art??

ORIGINAL: Big B
JWE, you and TOMLABEL are amazing! How many have you two turned out now?[8D]

Almost as many as you, Brian.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen
Anyone want to sign on to do the art??

Sigh … you know we are your dogs.

Got an email with questions about how the art applies to upgrades. It brought this thought to mind and thought I would share with all.

Art changes are tagged to class upgrade (or conversion) slots. To keep the database a reasonable size (and keep from going blind) we had an upgrade slot point to a new piece of art only if that upgrade involved a visually apparent structural change of the class. When that happened, we tried to paint the new graphic in an appropriate Measure for the time period the upgrade would normally have happened.

So Colorado, for example, might have 5 upgrades in her schedule, but only 3 art changes; a PH look, a first refit (cut-down) look, and a rebuild look. We did not think it efficient to make upgrade slots just for paint-jobs. It would have been gratuitous and actually worked to the disadvantage of the ship artists out there.

We developed a ship art ‘construction kit’ that includes a listing of every ship class, and every bitmap associated to the classes. A ship art modder can easily determine exactly where to plop in their art mods. If it’s 1943 a modder can find just which bitmap to use if they want HMS Packenham to show a Northern Approaches paint job.

Not just the game, but the entire project was designed to promote flexibility. To the fullest extent possible, we will support the artists out there.

We're all somebody's dogs, John...

ORIGINAL: Terminus
We're all somebody's dogs, John...

[:D][:D] Gosh ... LOL ... I like you Termie. [:D][:D]

Not all "dogs" are house-broken.

Seriously....the team has so much genuine talent, and a full measure of perseverance.

ORIGINAL: JWE

ORIGINAL: Big B
JWE, you and TOMLABEL are amazing! How many have you two turned out now?[8D]

Almost as many as you, Brian.

Yeah....do you think we'll ever catch up with him, John? [:D][;)][&o]

Hey Brian - I got a nice little dazzle scheme going for that Ranger of yours.[;)]

Love the new art. Hats off for the detail, accuracy and scaling. I am getting more eager for AE to be ready. It seems close...

Oooohhhhh, Aahhhhhhh![&o]

ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL

ORIGINAL: JWE

ORIGINAL: Big B
JWE, you and TOMLABEL are amazing! How many have you two turned out now?[8D]

Almost as many as you, Brian.

Yeah....do you think we'll ever catch up with him, John? [:D][;)][&o]

Hey Brian - I got a nice little dazzle scheme going for that Ranger of yours.[;)]

ORIGINAL: JWE

Okay Chad. Made up a sampler. . . .

Get busy for one day and look what I find when I come back! Thanks for putting that together JWE, looks amazing!

Thanks for posting some pictures of the smaller ships! Amazing detail.

We AEeans are all very happy with what the art guys have done. Wait till you see it all...

These pictures are so realistic that they look like miniatures. I just bought the pacific war game and there is nothing like this.

MO

Well, there's a reason that WitP is in a class of its own (and AE in another class altogether)...[;)]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


We AEeans are all very happy with what the art guys have done. Wait till you see it all...

Well, hurry up and get it done so we can take a look-see....[:D]