The bulk of the created ships are of the combat variety. Personally i like the non-combat kind, and they lend themselves far better to the application of animation. Also there are so few of them around, so their uniqueness makes them so much more memorable.

If only the designer would have a set of basic geometric shapes, and the ability to distort parts, then i really could make some nice designs. But then there are a lot more things i would like to see implemented in the designer.

PS:

Edladner,

If you download the design and build one in the game, it is mesmerising almost hypnotic to watch the arms do their thing.

Cool.

AdmiralPrice,

You ask, i give: not youtube, but a video of the animations nevertheless (link also added into the post with the screenshots).

Thecw what are you using to get the video ??

Nastytang,

I use afterburner to capture, and adobe premiere to process (render and add audio). Afterburner is a free downloadable tool from MSI. I does not capture the hardware mouse pointer (as used in GalCiv3), but that is in a ship (animation) demo actually an advantage.

Afterburner also works for a number of close compatible video cards of other manufacturers.

If afterburner does not work for you you can try Fraps or Bandicam, both of them are not free.

This has got to be one of the friendliest forums on the net.

Thecw another civie for ya, and a oops on the last one, I meant to credit you with the inspiration on it.

Thecw how's this for a planet buster, notice the huge barrel down the center?  There is even a battleship docked to the left.

I think overpixel will win with that altarian battle ship, it looks the coolest.

Edladner, that is a cool mining ship.  It seems so obvious to actually put an asteroid into the design but I've never seen it before.  Your planet killer looks like it would also make a good starport design.

Sisko, thank you for the compliment.  I wouldn't count your ship out.  It's hard to see from the thumbnail, but your ship looks pretty darn impressive.

I've looked at some of your other designs and they are very good.  When it comes to fighters, what I tried and failed at was to create a good looking fighter, save it as a part, then replicate it in a formation and save that as a "ship."  That way, instead of one small fighter on the map, it would look like an entire squadron.  However, trying to get the 3-D spacing right using the <CTRL> key turned out to be A LOT harder than it first appeared.

Should we admit to Stardock that we would have designed and submitted ships just for the bragging rights without a cash prize?  [Huh, wait, no, I didn't mean to say it.  I take it back.  I take it back!!!  Please, put the . . . aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!]

Given the times we live in, my kids were more impressed that ol' Dad got a ship into the final eight and release game for GC than for my first professional publication.  Too funny.

Hamilmac thank you for the compliments.  Actually I have a mining ship posted a couple months ago that had an asteroid being crushed.  It's a shame we wont be needing mining ships in III.   Miners are some of the most fun to make.  The planet killer is actually a defense station, borders etc.  Thecw called it a salt shaker, it was an alpha design with a minor beta upgrade.  I decided to build a new version so the planets would not be nervous of the big gun pointing down.  The new one is called Pepper.  My son said it was a vast improvement over the older one, I think better yes, but vastly, nah.  He called it R2-Attitude because of the top section.  I love making ships and I would not need monetary prompting either.