[WIP] "Lochinvar" Clyde puffer

[Mister_M]

Thank you for your very detailed, patient and clear explanations. I'm impressed, and happy to learn so many things !

I still have a few comments :

Originally Posted by gap

Obviously you are expecting all vertical surfaces to be equally illuminated because you have in mind a light source placed about on top of the boat. Nonetheless you should remember that the AO map simulates the occlusion of ambient light: i.e. light coming from all the directions.

Yes, IMO no light should come from the bottom to create the AO map of a ship. I think that this is not realistic, because in reality you don't have any sun light coming from the bottom, but only very little light reflection by the sea. So, the solution (to avoid "undue" shadow on the cabin) would be to create the AO map on the cabin without the ship's deck occluding the light.

Originally Posted by gap

Once in game, this effect will be balanced by the top sunlight, and boat's shading will look perfectly natural

No, because in game the hull will receive as much sun light as the cabin, so the difference of illumination will be noticeable between hull and cabin (more "AO shadows" on cabin).

Originally Posted by gap

Talking in general, a mixed wind/engine propulsion can be used to spare fuel and increase top speed with favourable winds. As I have read, aboard puffers the jib sail was used on occasions. In game, the sail will be set as an optional equipment, so it will be rarely seen. The plan that this model is based on also features a mainsail, but that was used very rarely (probably in case of emergencies as noted by kapuhy) and I decided not to include it in my model.

Ok, I was suspecting something like that. I think it's a good idea to set the sail as an optional element.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Mister_M

But also, I see that this sail has a fixed position and it can't be oriented (only a little by fixing the "flying" cable) to one side or the other, so not very useful to navigate...

Obviously you have never been on a sailboat. With that little degree of freedom, a jib sail can make a modern sailboat to move almost against the wind direction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_into_the_wind

Originally Posted by Mister_M

Thank you for your very detailed, patient and clear explanations. I'm impressed, and happy to learn so many things !

My own pleasure

Originally Posted by Mister_M

IMO no light should come from the bottom to create the AO map of a ship. I think that this is not realistic, because in reality you don't have any sun light coming from the bottom, but only very little light reflection by the sea. So, the solution (to avoid "undue" shadow on the cabin) would be to create the AO map on the cabin without the ship's deck occluding the light.

Ambient light is not the same as direct sun light. While I will agree with you that the sea bottom won't reflect as much light as atmoshpere and sea surface, I think that for our purposes this difference can be ignored

Originally Posted by Mister_M

No, because in game the hull will receive as much sun light as the cabin, so the difference of illumination will be noticeable between hull and cabin (more "AO shadows" on cabin).

Even supposing that the different diffuse illumination between hull and vertical superstructure surfaces is irrealistic (but I disagree on that):

a) the difference is so slight that under direct sunlight it will be barely noticeable.

b) the hull will be painted mostly in black and red, whereas the superstructure will have a lighter paint. The one thing you will notice once the model is fully textured and imported in game, is that the bottom part of vertical surfaces, near the deck, is slightly darker than upper parts. This effect is totally realistic and it will enhance the sense of threedimensionality.
You are probably used to SHIII ships, most of which lack an AO map. To me, those models look terribly flat, as if they were photographed from far distance during an hazy day

[Mister_M]

Originally Posted by gap

Obviously you have never been on a sailboat. With that little degree of freedom, a jib sail can make a modern sailboat to move almost against the wind direction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_into_the_wind

You're right, I would not be able to "drive" a sailboat. But can this puffer be compared to a thin and light sailboat ? And I was not aware of the extra sail that you mentioned in a previous post.

Originally Posted by gap

Ambient light is not the same as direct sun light. While I will agree with you that the sea bottom won't reflect as much light as atmoshpere and sea surface, I think that for our purposes this difference can be ignored

I was not talking about the sea bottom, but about the direction from which may come direct sun light (which obviously can't come from the sea bottom).