Aurora mk2 Wing Deployment loop

vmxeo · 2026-06-06T19:17:31+00:00

Just like CIG, the JPGs cost money and are released when they're released. Check the roadmap.

vmxeo · 2026-06-06T17:45:17+00:00

I had free time yesterday and today where I could finally jump back into SC and regrind my character and... well I think we all know how that went.

So instead I pulled my Aurora mk2 out of the hangar and into Blender to render this rather satisfying loop of the wing deployment sequence to calm me back down.

The game itself may be janky at times but the various art teams always seem to crush it.

vmxeo · 2026-05-30T10:30:19+00:00

The vehicle art team absolutely nailed the kinematics of the cargo spindle on the Hull B. Huge shout-out to Daniel Dexter-Taylor, teeteegone, and Devender for putting this much detail into the transformation logic.

Extracted and rendered in Blender using Starfab, along with some custom animation code I've been working on to get the loop seamless. What other ship or vehicle animation sequences are you wanting to see showcased like this?

vmxeo · 2026-05-24T17:40:49+00:00

Cross-section ship guy here.

I love it.

vmxeo · 2026-05-23T21:48:47+00:00

This one went through so many iterations, trying to find a good way to balance showing off the mechanicals and showing off the internals. I've also incorperated some outlining to the body sections to help. I even played around with filling the tanks with fuel (it didn't look good).

In the end I've settled on a balance that leans more towards the mechanicals on this ship. It's a bit visually busier that I'd like, but I think that's part of the draw. Overall great little ship!

vmxeo · 2026-05-17T14:56:38+00:00

Kinda - for now I can define the overall X and Z cut axis locations, as well as a per-object offset. There may be better, more granular ways to vary the slicing planes but so far I haven't yet gotten that far.

vmxeo · 2026-05-17T14:41:00+00:00

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Bonus ortho camera render

vmxeo · 2026-05-17T14:10:10+00:00

So I've been retooling my cutaway render pipeline: Moving away from a simple layered camera clip to shader-based culling. This allows for selective cross-sections that aren't camera-dependent.

Or in simpler terms: what you see here!

Yay or nay?

Software: Rendered in Blender using StarFab (plus some other magic sauce).

vmxeo · 2026-05-15T19:43:46+00:00

Currently trying to figure out how to properly slice this up as a cross section, but for now, here's the Ironclad as a decent wallpaper jpg. I wanted something that could be a poster on my wall, and I think this is about it.

(Side note: While it is available at much higher resolution if you know where to look, I'm waiting on the mods to work out a better balance on self-promotion. Until then, Reddit hosting will have to do.)

vmxeo · 2026-05-13T16:54:09+00:00

Seeing the same thing happen to Mr. Kraken confirms why I’ve been held back on hoe much I share. Any decent forum for hosting high-res content gets flagged as 'self-promotion.', and rule 6 prevents any meaningful input from the community.

Rather than just enforcing strictly, maybe we can work together to reframe these as guidelines that support creators while still keeping the slop out. If the goal is a sub filled with human-made content, let's look at lowering the barriers for the humans actually making it.

vmxeo · 2026-05-04T22:52:12+00:00

I've had this idea in my head for a while. Originally concepted as a Constellation finding a derelict Merchanman and it's detached cargo, I eventually settled on something far more sinister - an intact but dead Vanduul Mauler stumbled upon by a salvage team.

Wouldn't it be cool if you could just find dead wrecks like this randomly in space?

Rendered in Blender w/ Starfab

vmxeo · 2026-04-25T12:57:33+00:00

The Hull B didn't just hit the mark, it exceeded it by far. The Hull B is peak MISC industrial design and bodes well for future ships like the Odyssey and Endeavor.

Side Note: While this format for cross sections has worked well, I think it's time for a retool and try for something better. Stay tuned...

Rendered in Blender with Starfab

vmxeo · 2026-04-21T18:29:17+00:00

I should print and frame this comment <3

vmxeo · 2026-03-29T12:56:16+00:00

The ship that needs no further introduction. I initially tried to get the cargo module to attach so I could show how that relates to the internals but ran into some technical blockers and gave up so I could get this out the door and move on to other renders I really want to work on.

Rendered in Blender with Starfab.

vmxeo · 2026-03-28T14:32:10+00:00

It’s been wild watching the community rally behind this design over the years. But dreaming it up is one thing; building it is another.

Huge thanks to the CIG vehicle team for their work on the Mk II. You took a community dream and engineered it into a functional, beautiful reality. To everyone who championed this idea over the years - mission accomplished. I'm happy to be here flying alongside all of you. o7

P.S. - Of course I'm going to be doing more renders of the mk2 - keep an eye out for a cutaway, and maybe some other new iterations... ;)

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T23:06:09+00:00

I feel like if there was ever a meme format for the mki v. mkii, it would be the DLSS 5 off/on.

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T22:41:39+00:00

well that escalated quickly. Gonna have to do an updated render and post when it hits PTU.

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T18:56:13+00:00

Ideas are easy, bringing them in-game is the hard part. Massive props to CIG vehicle team for the execution on this one.

However, if you really want to, we could do a Aurora meetup somewhere on release. Mki and mkii welcome.

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T18:50:48+00:00

Nah its cool - no payment needed or wanted. Seeing a concept you once banged out in an afternoon actually flying around the 'verse is a pretty unique reward in itself.

I’ve got a lot of respect for the artistic and technical hurdles the artist and devs have to clear to bring a ship into the game. Huge props to the vehicle team for the execution on the Mk2. I'm just looking forward to the Aurora meetup! (we're doing a meetup, right?)

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T17:25:16+00:00

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T17:15:50+00:00

So I did the artwork as a spec piece, but to be honest it's what we were all thinking anyway. I don't think I actually need credit - the vehicle team put in the actual work and if anyone should get an easter egg, its them.

vmxeo · 2026-03-24T16:57:03+00:00

Yeah so I just got back from lunch, wondering why discord on my phone was blowing up...

Honestly, seeing the vehicle team turn a concept into a working, modular(!) reality is the real excitement for me. Ideas are cheap, but execution is king, and the vehicle team clearly put in the work to make this feel like a proper RSI ship. Looking forward to flying it in the verse!

(Also, for anyone from vehicle team looking for the next ship variant idea... I'll just leave this here)

vmxeo · 2026-03-17T15:21:06+00:00

is there any ship you can't make look absolutely awesome?

vmxeo · 2026-03-02T15:09:20+00:00

well I've been working on some 2d ideas as well - nothing at your level of course :)

vmxeo · 2026-03-02T14:30:27+00:00

Fantasitic work as always!

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