So I'm getting back into my modeling boots... and results are unpredictable

Okay, I've been playing this 'ere kickass mod for a week now and I'm thinking, as always "mayhap I can find a decent texturer guy/gal who can make my dream of piloting me own fighter come true"... well, the only problem is, what I started as a fighter turned into a TRAIN:

Not that I'm displeased with results... this baby, which I call "Mongoose" (lol, tiny rodent), has a somewhat Antonov-in-space feeling to it - big, bulky, able to carry a lot from point A to point B and stay in one piece, that is - if there aren't pirates with nukes on the trade route.

If there are interested parties with mad mapping skills I'm willing to cooperate. Thanks in advance!

Quote from Skariah

I am getting back into all this stuff myself.
I can convert models into fully working ships, see here.;)
Liberty Guardian MKV Ship Release
Creating/converting a 3d model into a fully working Freelancer in game ship is not that hard.
It just takes time and a hell of a lot of patience, lol.:D
So yes I am interested to help you out if you want me too?:)

Thank you, kind lady! Now, if I could only figure out how to send messages and attach ZIP files to them... drat

What I had in mind for the looks of this thing is somehting simplistic, yet shiny - everyone loves shiny, I bet people who fly trains would love something like this:

The only problem is, I didn't use MAX in a loooong time and I got to re-learn even how to re-apply materials.

Made that fighter!

Unfortunately, due to my obsession with smooth edges and dependability from AutoCAD... this model has over 44 thousand polygons.

No compromises when it comes to light fighters, maneuverability, firepower or smooth edges.

Well, since Unwrap UVW repeatedly made my ATI Radeon... go berzerk (that's the closest I can describe what happened last ten times) I've applied materials and did the UV mapping the only way I know how - directly. I've also managed to tone down the number of polys a bit (under 23k now), and here's what it looks like now:

Note that the protrusions in the front, on the lower part of the cabin, aren't for flight controls - they are actyally PYLONS, for 2 class 10 weapons each (top and bottom surface). The mount for CD is under the cabin, while mine, thruster, CM and shield can all be slapped anywhere on the top/bottom of the engine's flat parts.

The entire ship is supposed to be a development of several Liberty, Rheinland and Kusari civilian companies with the aid of LN's R&D division - ante-up on that 'desperate measure' Hammerhead speech, because bounty hunters aren't there to cover transports - civ escorts are, and the best vanilla ship they got is Eagle. This small baby should have 800 points less hull than Eagle, 20 shield/nano less, class 10 (or 9 if 10 is OP) shields and maneuverability on par with Kusari Drake, which should allow it to make circles around Sabres and Titans and pound them until they're minced metal. Downsides include 25 cargo space and 'only' 4 gun mounts - no torps, because this is a dogfighter and not a bomber.

Made an effort to cut down poly count to something reasonable (for low-detail smooth objects); last thing I made out of jealousy** has just over 3300 polygons but after some work I've cut it down to under 1400. It looks a lot bulkier than I thought it would, ironically.

** asfor the jealousy bit - I've downloaded the Shattered Worlds mod some time ago, and I fell flat on my butt when I saw the "Warmonger" ship model, that looks a lot like Vengeance, but even slimmer and more streamlined. To be honest, I believe that ship/plane/model is The Most Beautiful model in any FL mod so far, and I told myself, "If I can't make something as good as this, let's try for second place".

UPDATE: I've made a complete anthithesis of this ship in the last 48 hours - wanted to see if I can make a ship under 500 triangles, and if it can work with similar texturing (naturally this is something heavier, a bomber or VHF at least, and less agile than the thing above it):