6/12/98

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Model Name              : Valkyrie VF-1S

installation directory  : quake2/baseq2/players/valkyrie_vf1s

Author                  : Dan Bickell

Skin Author : Dan Bickell (of course)

Email Address           : danbickell@loop.com



Model description       : This is a VF-1S model Valkyrie, a
			transforming mech from the popular
			anime TV series "Macross"


Other info              : all standing frames are in battroid mode, 
			crouching animations are all in gerwalk
			mode, and the taunt sequence transforms
			to fighter

			This model is over 900 polys due to it's
			transforming nature, so it's not recommmended
			for use on slow systems, as it may reduce the
			frame rate more than typical plugin players.



Additional Credits to   : id Software for making this possible...



Thanks to               : Lee Perry for help with Lightwave 3D, and
			Rikki Knight and Jason Seip for Jetfire 
			reference material

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* Play Information *



New Sounds              : no.  too bad you can't have custom footstep
			sounds.

CTF Skins               : yep.

VWEP Support            : no.  Valkyries carry GU-11 gun pods only :)





* Construction *

Poly Count              : 905

Vert Count              : 596 Verts

Skin Count              : 6 Skins

Base                    : New model 

Editor used             : Lightwave 3D 5.5, Q2 Modeler 0.9, NST 0.9,
			Paintshop Pro, Photoshop

Known Bugs              : Quad shell is screwed up.  The model was 
			original meshed and .md2 compiled in the older
			version of Q2 Modeler.  Any body know of a fix?

Build/Animation time    : approx. 90 hours, over 2 months (was going to be
			first Lightwave project, but was MUCH too complex
			for a first project, do to transforming nature)





* How to use this model *

Unzip all files to your quake2\baseq2\players\valkyrie_vf1s\ directory, 
and select at player setup in multiplayer menu.  



* Copyright / Permissions *

Do whatever you want with it, just give me credit and don't sell it 
(unless you want to give me my cut)


QUAKE(R) and QUAKE II(R) are registered trademarks of id Software, Inc.


Author's notes (and excuses):  

I tried to keep the poly count down, but decided early on that it would
not be possible to keep it under 800 and have it fully transformable
(a very complex transformation) and have AT LEAST the same detail as my
original non-transforming Battroid model.  In fact, the model detail 
level is actually simpler on this model than on the original Battroid,
there are just so many more seperate parts that it would be impossible
to do it under Q2PMP's 800 poly limit without sacrificing too much model
detail. And what would be the point of making a new Battroid to replace
my old crappy one (my first model), if it were less detailed?

The skin mesh is very complex, and although it appears to be very cramped,
there is 29% wasted space.  There are just so many seperate parts on the 
mesh (because there are so many seperate parts on the model), that all the 
little space inbetween them add up to almost 30%.  That may seem like a lot
of wasted space, but it couldn't really be optimized any better without 
warping the skin, which has a LOT of straight 90 degree angle lines that 
need to line up from part to part.  

Framerate (at least on my system, a PII 266 w/ Pure3d) is not visibly 
effected by the high poly count, but I wouldn't recommend using this PPM
on slow systems without 3d cards.

The model was put together from 2 seperate skeletal setups in Lightwave, 
one for the battroid mode (standing) sequences, and one for gerwalk mode
(the crouching sequences).  Some (transformation sequences) frames were 
modeled seperately in LW Modeler.  

I'm very pleased with the results of this project, and I've already 
modeled other versions of the Valkyrie.  I may release VF-1A, VF-1J,
and possibly Super VF-1S versions in the future, if interest is sufficient.