Noob in dire need of genius

[thepyratecaptain]

Ok, for sometime now I have been struggling with the eagle ship, trying to change the x y z axis of the model so that I can make it orbit a space dock, the model was built by someone else, it's oriented to be on the surface of the moon. I have tried blender, not for noobs, and someone here recommended animator, better, but still as clear as mud tonthis noob. I can rotate the model in animator, but I guess, how do I set the x axis to face the forward, the z axis to set the top, and the y axis to either port or starboard? I have never done 3d modeling, but its interesting to me, and I would like to try it out. I figured start easy, reorient a model, but now, I'm convinced you need a major in computer designs just to do this, I have tried searching for the topic on both the Internet, google, and here, to no avail.

Help me obi wan kenobi, your my only hope.

[Fenerit]

Supposed the 3D modeler has the XYZ world with Z up (in Lightwave and others up is Y) and supposed you have placed the model's feet on the floor (grid) of the 3D program, the nose must be oriented toward the direction opposed to the X axis' arrow, while the tail must be in the direction of the X arrow. This is the option which then need "Orientation [90 1 0 0]". Instead, if you do not want using the "Orientation ..." then, after you have set the X position as forementioned, you must rotate of 90 degree the model about the X axis so that the nose be down and the tail up.
Be sure that the model also be not rotated along Y axis, that is be not inclined.

[selden]

If you use Anim8or, and if you use the CMOD export script available here:
http://www.lepp.cornell.edu/~seb/celest ... g.html#4.1
(and follow the instructions to concatenate the two output files)

and if you use this SSC:

Code: Select all

SurfaceObject "Eagle 1999" "Sol/Earth/Moon"
{
Class "spacecraft"
InfoURL "http://www.space1999.net/~moonbase99/"
Mesh "eagle1999.cmod"
Radius 0.03

 EllipticalOrbit
 {
  Period 200
  SemiMajorAxis 1740
 }

 FixedRotation {} # needed to override the default orientation

Albedo 0.15
}

and if you use this Cel://URL:
cel://Follow/Sol:Earth:Moon:Eagle%20199 ... rc=0&ver=3

then you should see the Eagle pointed toward your left.

If you enable spacecraft orbits,
and then right-click on the Eagle and select
Reference Marks --> Velocity Vector
you should see an arrow sticking out from the front of the Eagle, pointed along its orbit, showing the direction that it's travelling.

If you subsequently select
Reference Marks --> Body Axes

then you should see this:

Anim8or CMOD orientation compared to Celestia

When using the CMOD export script,
Celestia's upward-pointing Z axis corresponds to Anim8or's upward-pointing Y axis,
Celestia's Y axis corresponds to Anim8or's Z axis (which points toward the viewer), and
Celestia's X axis corresponds to Anim8or's -X axis.

If you export to 3DS, however, the model's orientation will be different.

[Fenerit]

For completeness, if you are using a Y<->Z swap programs like Lightwave and others, the X orientation is the converse: the nose must stand toward the X arrow and the tail in opposite direction (-X). No 90 degrees rotation around X and no "Orientation..." directive are required in this case.

[thepyratecaptain]

Ok, lol I have tried everything, I have absolutely no luck at it, so let's try this from a capitalist point of view,

WANTED: One Reoriented Eagle (can find the non oriented version at motherlode)

Description: the models nose section, cockpit, pointed end, MUST lie on the X axis for celestia, the top, frame looking ladder thingy must point to the Z axis, the left side or right side must point to Y axis, and finally the direction of travel in celestia must align with the nose (pointy end).

I am not a 3d modeler and have no experience in it nor the patience to pretend other wise, simply put I'm a pirate, interested?

Send finished model to: luvyandluiz@gmail.com.

Thanks for your help.

[thepyratecaptain]

And thanks to the people that tried to help me, but I'm an old dog, ( have to be if I remember the eagle one, I even remember the interceptor from UFO, ) star trek was my main scifi fix growing up then battlestar galatica came out, followed by buck Rodgers at the theaters star wars blew us away, so yeah my age is showing, I wonder if the modellers could maybe make an earth fighter from buck Rodgers? How about a cylon base star original? Moon bus from 2001? Yamamato from the Japanese animas? How about captain harlocks ship? Treasure planet ships would be nice.......


An aged pirate....in need of a ship.....at the moment.....

[thepyratecaptain]

Seldom, your a genius. Perfect, in every way.

Do you do 3d modeling? The reason I ask is there are so many possibilities with the eagle, it's stunning. Better question should be do you remember the eagle? It had 3 distinct forms, the one you modded, one without the central pod, and one with a modified pod.

It would be nice to see the others modeled.

Again, thanks so much for your help, I shall now name a star system after you.

[selden]

Captain,

I did not create the Eagle model -- I only rotated it in Anim8or.
Please read the "readme.txt" that's included in the Addon. It tells where the model came from and who created it.

I have done some modelling, but all but one or two of the ones that I have created are much simpler than the Eagle model.

You're very welcome.

[Cham]

Well, well, well

When I was a kid, back in the 70's, I was thrilled by the Space 1999 TV show. By nostalgia, a few years ago, I rebuilded that old Eagle model just for Celestia, almost from scratch, since the original version (from Jestr) has LOTS of defects on the 3ds mesh. So, I decided to release that "new" version here as a gift for 2012's eve. Please, change the topic's title to reflect the presence of that very nice model for Celestia...

Download link to the "new" Space 1999 Eagle, pretty well optimised for Celestia, fully textured and properly oriented (and compare it with the old version from the Motherlode) :
http://fsgregs.startlogic.com/Public_Fi ... ce1999.zip (4.6 MB)

Take note that you need to change the date to year 2200 to see the model. I don't want the SF models in my personnal installation to interfere with real stuff. Of course, you can edit the SSC file to your taste.

Enjoy !

[thepyratecaptain]

Simply an awesome model Cham,

Remember the hawk fighter from the same series?

Ok, I know this may be a bit much but what the heck, I gotta ask, any chance of you removing the passenger pod and maybe doing a cargo pod? Or even just the hauler without a pod? Hmmm?


Curious captain.

[Cham]

Ok, I know this may be a bit much but what the heck, I gotta ask, any chance of you removing the passenger pod and maybe doing a cargo pod? Or even just the hauler without a pod? Hmmm?

I already tried it, but the results were deceiving. I trashed the models, sorry.
The Hawk model was too crude to be usefull in Celestia, so I trashed it too.

That Eagle model above is the only Space 1999 model that I considered worth it to put some time on it.

However, I'd love to see this in Celestia (click the pictures for a larger view) :