Matrix Games Forums

Since we have gotten into talking about ship art, Big B and I are about ready to post some camo schemes for the USN and RN based on information obtained from various sources including 'the ship camo site' (days away), so here is a preview of selected USN ships (RN will be posted too).

USN:

Big B is credited with the RN and has done a tremedous amount of work on the USN as well. His patience has been much appreciated due to the many RL family and work situations I have been going through (we really wanted to release this many months ago but RL rules sometimes) so we have appreciated your patience as well.

As some of you may have noticed, art work for the ship SHILs are a very different animal to tame altogether. Basically, it is like re-doing the art work all over again since the combat background is very different from the SIDEs background palletes that are used. Brian (Big B) has a really good handle on these variations and is working feverishly on them. So...like I said, we are wanting to release soon, but we also want it to be right and something we and everyone can be happy with.

So, without further ado, here is the RN schemes that have been completed thus far:

WOA!!!! [X(] [X(] [X(]

Looking forward to these.........

This is a truly inspirational and outstanding community! Everyone's dedication and commitment is a testament to everyone - bravo and mahalos!

Aloha a hui hoi!

This is fantastic!!! [&o]

Reg, I just wanted to post a positive comment on your Navy Blue, but I realize our conversation is "obsolete" [:D]

Tomlabel and Big B, thank you very much for your hard work!

Great looking slides.

Maybe Ive read the posts incorrectly but are these going to be rotating art ala plane side art and will automatically change upon hitting upgrade date?

ORIGINAL: cantona2

Great looking slides.

Maybe Ive read the posts incorrectly but are these going to be rotating art ala plane side art and will automatically change upon hitting upgrade date?

Thanks guys!
No, you haven't read the post incorrectly. At this point, that is undecided. If we take the time to organize these into rotating art, it will extend the release. In addition, alot of paint scheme changes do not correspond to a particular ship's/class upgrade date. We were thinking about releasing the art based on the year the paint schemes 'generally' took effect and then let the players decide how they want to incorporate them via rotating art or database changes/additions. For example, the art work contains completely different art for the USS Washington (as compared to the NC) structural-wise as well as paint scheme-wise(this hold true for some other classes as well in the event some wanted more variations-we've done alot of homework in what ever spare time we've had).

So..... just putting ALL of this art into a rotating art system will not work per se'. We wanted to give the "player" freedom of action on this.

One day, we might incorporate all of this into a mod, but which one do we choose???? That's the never ending question.

TOMLABEL

Other stuff on the way........

Mahalos Halsey for the files! You're echibon [:)]

ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL

Thanks guys!
No, you haven't read the post incorrectly. At this point, that is undecided. If we take the time to organize these into rotating art, it will extend the release. In addition, alot of paint scheme changes do not correspond to a particular ship's/class upgrade date. We were thinking about releasing the art based on the year the paint schemes 'generally' took effect and then let the players decide how they want to incorporate them via rotating art or database changes/additions. For example, the art work contains completely different art for the USS Washington (as compared to the NC) structural-wise as well as paint scheme-wise(this hold true for some other classes as well in the event some wanted more variations-we've done alot of homework in what ever spare time we've had).

So..... just putting ALL of this art into a rotating art system will not work per se'. We wanted to give the "player" freedom of action on this.

One day, we might incorporate all of this into a mod, but which one do we choose???? That's the never ending question.

TOMLABEL

I've been anticipating these for quite some time Kelley thanks for the pre release pictures. Did you guys do the entire pre war USN BBs with camo? If you get the chance before release seeing them would be a blast.

Looking forward to "other stuff on the way" as the APAs look sharp.

Of course I'm in favor of getting these asap!![;)]

Thanks!!!

[:)]

ORIGINAL: SuluSea
I've been anticipating these for quite some time Kelley thanks for the pre release pictures. Did you guys do the entire pre war USN BBs with camo? If you get the chance before release seeing them would be a blast.

Looking forward to "other stuff on the way" as the APAs look sharp.

Of course I'm in favor of getting these asap!![;)]

Thanks!!!

[:)]

Me too !! I'm especially impressed at how ya'll did the dazzle schemes without significantly impacting the ship detail. Damn ! you guys are good !

Yes, except Pennsylvania, sources indicate she wore measure 21 sea blue for her career after PH.

ORIGINAL: SuluSea

.... Did you guys do the entire pre war USN BBs with camo?

While we are waiting for details to get sorted out - I thought I'd share some more art
These are new PT Boats...

While we wait for details to be sorted out, here is an example of "Optional" ships. or, "Ships That Never Were" to now be available...

For what it's worth, I'm the webmaster for ShipCamouflage and am researching USN camouflage. The 1945 Navy Gray may not be as much of a factor due to supply chains.... I'm fairly certain Pennsylvania was in Navy Gray but a ship that was overhauled at a forward base even in the summer time might have been repainted in Navy Blue. It's an area that still needs to be researched.

ORIGINAL: Bane

This is a truly inspirational and outstanding community! Everyone's dedication and commitment is a testament to everyone - bravo and mahalos!

Aloha a hui hoi!

+1

ORIGINAL: Tracy White

For what it's worth, I'm the webmaster for ShipCamouflage and am researching USN camouflage. The 1945 Navy Gray may not be as much of a factor due to supply chains.... I'm fairly certain Pennsylvania was in Navy Gray but a ship that was overhauled at a forward base even in the summer time might have been repainted in Navy Blue. It's an area that still needs to be researched.

Hello, Tracy.[:)] Just wanted to say that some of us ship art guys have used your site's invaluable information over several years now and appreciate your research and the amount of work you have put into it. [&o] Thanks again for the information regarding the civilian merchants.

Kelley

It's always nice to see things like this to know that we have a broader impact than "just" a few model builders here and there. It was amazing to me when I started to help Randy with just the web code how much is either unknown or falsely known!

By the way, in case you didn't notice, we have a page on the Haskel Class APAs:
http://www.shipcamouflage.com/haskell_class.htm

I have one started on the early APDs as well, if you think it'd be useful let me know.

ORIGINAL: Tracy White

By the way, in case you didn't notice, we have a page on the Haskel Class APAs:
http://www.shipcamouflage.com/haskell_class.htm

I have one started on the early APDs as well, if you think it'd be useful let me know.

Yes!!!![&o] This is awesome information! As you may have noticed, the ship art for this game is based on class, but there is also the option to add additional classes to get down to ship specific. There have been many on this forum who have referenced your site in their posts from time to time, and hold us artist to a high standard in depicting the ship art in an accurate fashion. I guess most of us here are anal about this stuff, but that is a good thing in my opinion! We, or I know that, I have been using your info to create replacement art for this game back to the times of the original War In The Pacific game. In the current mod that me and another WITP-AE artist named "Big B" have been working on have tried to correctly mirror your information along with the dazzle schemes plates that have been posted on the Naval Archive site. But, we use your information that you have researched as the "Bible" sort-to-speak.

ORIGINAL: Tracy White
It's always nice to see things like this to know that we have a broader impact than "just" a few model builders here and there. It was amazing to me when I started to help Randy with just the web code how much is either unknown or falsely known!

Well, don't cut yourself short. I don't think it is just a few modelers, but many who are like me who don't post alot or none at all, but fevershly keep up with all of your latest information. I do build ships - mainly 350 scale, but my 700 scale to-do list is growing! I also do 1/48 aircraft and 1/35 armor so I am all over the place!!!!

So yes, you have a very much broader impact than you think!!!
Hope you can become a regular poster here to make sure we stay on track, but I know that you have to keep up with many other forums and have continuing research to accomplish, but you're suggestions here are very welcome.

Still waiting on the final outcome of the BB line at Pearl on Dec 7th! [;)] Thankfully, that has not been a point of aggressive attention here. However, I did do all of the BB line in sea-blue for this mod class-wise, so if I'm wrong, please correct me.

Kelley

I have put together this Rotating Ship Art Display Tool which I hope you find it useful in developing Rotating Ship Art distributions (hint, hint [;)])

The trouble with revolving artwork is normally you can never see it in it's entirety and often the progression
sequence is not obvious. Usually as there is too much artwork to post as an index and in-game you can only see
the artwork which is currently active.

This tool scans the game rotating art folders for all installed artwork and hopefully displays it in a meaningful
manner. Because you are displaying the game artwork you don't need a second copy of the artwork for indexing
purposes. It should also be useful for verifying what artwork is attached to each slot and for finding holes in
your artwork distributions.

This tool should also be handy for the non-artists who just want to browse and see what artwork they have
installed and what it actually depicts without having to wade through the encyclopedia one item at a time.

The screen shot below has the output of an as yet unreleased artwork set listing tool in the center of the screen
and the web browser in the background displaying the same fictitious artwork as installed in the game folders.
(Note I am not a ship artist and have just made up some test images for this exercise). However, hopefully the
progression of the images in relation to the ship classes should be obvious. The 'Year' columns (in yellow) are
always present but the 'Month' columns are added as required by the installed artwork.

As the data is drawn from the scenario files, any changes you make in a custom mod (such as additional classes)
will also be reflected in this tool.

Aircraft revolving art will be next and then I will be rolling out the revolving art utilities along with the Art
display tools as an integrated package.

Any comments will be gratefully accepted.