I've been thinking about this since I started modding... actually, it was the first thing I had in mind. Here's what I think.

1. The biggest problem is the transformation of veritechs... I think it *could* be done with animations, but I don't really know anything... you know, in Freelancer cargo bays open...

2. There's nothing in Robotech (or Macross) like Jumpgates... instead there is the fold system, which could be arranged as a ship "standing there" the player could dock to....

3. Some elements of Robotech can easily be reproduced in Freelancer, such as the volleys (tons of missiles launched together)

4. A mod like this HAS to be set in the far future... remember, in Macross Era (the first series) Un-Spacy (or Robotech Defence Force, in Robotech words) didn't know anything about other star systems...

However, the BIGGEST problem is ship modeling... I'm not talking about Zentraedi Pods, but Veritechs... VF-1, VAF-5 (Alpha Veritechs) and so on are very difficoult to model... I had been looking for MAX models for two years, but no luck.....
Sorry for my bad english...
See ya on this post

One more thing...
There's no such thing as commerce in Robotech... and of course no "freelancing"... I'd really appreciate your thoughts on the matter...

I don't like ANIME!!!

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"Just for a good shot - for what else?"

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Actually, after i'm done with the mod that Leonhart and i are working on, i might move over to Macross. I have a number of screenshots and will try to model them from there.

I might do a more angular version of that Zentradi battleship though. It'll make a good beam cannon platform.

The biggest problem that I've estimated people would face with a mod like this is that I have no idea how a space fighter could, in a practical and useful manner, transform WHILE FLYING into anything else. Animations alone won't cut it. Think about it, the entire function of the ship shifts when it goes into gerwalk or soldier form. They move slower, have better maneuverability, and can use a wider array of weapons in soldier mode, and how do you get the FL engine to just change that stuff on the fly? If indeed that is possible, then it would require HEAVY HEAVY modding of hard-coded materials inherent in the game. Personally though, I would be happy with just a Valkyrie jet model for a ship. Give me a VF-19 Excalibur, VF-1 whats-it-crap, or a VF-11 Thunderbolt any day and I'll be a happy camper. Especially the Excalibur though, love those reverse canard wings!
What I've noticed in general about new ship models and the like coming from the modding community is that, like the ships already in the game, they all share a common design feature: Really big cockpits and relatively small main bodies and wings. I guess it wouldn't matter in space, but when I think of a fighter, I think fighter jet. And if you look at 'em, the main body and wings are quite large in comparison with the cockpit. I guess that if I wanted a jet fighter in game, it would have to be pretty big, and I'm cool with that. Just an observation, is all.
Guess I'll get cracking on making that Valkyrie FL compatible.

Well Xenogear, I think you are right... transformation is very difficoult (ok, nearly impossible). Still the project seems quite good. You know, it's completely different from Freelancer... no shields (only capital ships have them), lots of missiles and countermeasures... I think I'm gonna try something

Thanks for all your help guys!

I know that there was no trading in Robotech but there could be somway to encorerate it into the story, hows about: due to the recent attacks on the US Navey and the RDF there was a huge increase in the trading economy to keep the Robotech fighters in good state of repair and also the pilots needed to be kept in to form if any emergancy events were to happen at short notice.

Unfortunatly im not a modder my-self and I cant think of a way to transform the ships, If there was a way I think like the homeworld mod Macross: Do You Remember Love they would only be able to transform into the Guardian/Gurwalker mode because it would become to difficult to make the models.

I had another thought that maybe to encorperate trading that the Zentradi would be like the outcasts but there would be certain different levels of power within them: so the Zentradi in Liberty (american) space would only have access to minor space suits and mechs but later on they would have better arsnols and maybe would feature cruisers. Also like the main rebel base could be Dolza's fortress or somthing.

This is to the person who doesn't like Anime. Robotech maybe an anime but there was enough depth in the models when the were designed for the series that you ignor the fact it was an anime. It would still look really kool even if it was an anime.

Take Robotech: Battlecry - the idea was there but really the creaters should have not used cel-shaded and go for maybe a darker apeal. Thats why I want a Robotech Mod for Freelancer - it would do what Robotech: Battlecry didn't.

An idea to make the modding easier and giving the engine less of a hard time could be that on the different space stations found acrross Serius instead of being able to buy one of three different mecha there would be just one mecha avaliable but with the 3 different modes avaliable to buy.

About the Alpha veritechs, I know they are hard to model and i hope that having the idea of buying a separate mode may make the designs better, it would just lak the ability to transform in combat.

The main site for Robotech images and a scale to show the varying in sizes would be www.robotech.com but you can also (obviously) find pics on www.google.com

Just a thought we encourperate the Yf-19 and the YF-21 as for like level 10 ships because as well as the Alpha Fighters they look well kool.

Edited by - Silver_blizzard on 28-08-2003 18:33:44

I know this is for ideas as to the Robotech Mod but I cant mod, so if anyone can give me any step-by-step instructions to mod a ship in Freelancer and change its appearance so that it looks like a valkyrie fighter it would be much appreciated.

I know there is info on the other threads but thats just how to change them, I need to know how to change them so that it looks like a valkyrie.

Thanks again.

I'm afraid that, to make a ship look like a valkyrie, you'll have to model one in milkshape or 3dsmax. Course, like one of the posts above said, you can always convert a model from Q2 or something. Best of luck with this.

has anyone got any tips to make a ship look like a valkyrie using 3Ds max

From my experience, it goes like this. You need a picture of the valkyrie preferebly from the top, left and front angles. After that, create a mesh that is more or less the same shape as the valkyrie and edit from there making sure to keep an eye on the angles. This method doesn't work too well for curved objects but it should suffice.