Question: As I have never textured nor had any modding experience whatsoever this may seem like a stupid queston but why cant you use real life photos as textures?
Say you want to achieve a proper metal look, just take picture of some metal and import and adjust?
I realise this wont have an effect on things like specular and reflection layers, but still.
Well you …can:
It’s just not stylistically too in line with Homeworld ships. Nothing wrong with some subtle usage here ant there though.
I think the metal look is of rather secondary importance… the main thing is the tailored details you have to draw yourself. That’s been my experience anyway. Real life photos of metal could be useful if they tile well, but only as your bare base level. The vast, vast majority of the work is still ahead of you at that point, lol.
Kragle’s response is way better. That’s how it is.
Well done to @Talros for finishing the new Taiidan Republic interceptor, replacing my rather poor quality initial attempt. I think it looks excellent. Clearly a descendant of the Trikkor but also having its own distinctive look. He has made wing folding animations, but I haven’t HODed them yet. For now, here are some screenshots of it in action:
And seen here with a scout squadron:
@Talros - Is making space-ships your day job? Because you are fan-fcking-tastic! And if not, do you want it to be? Damn.
What am I doing wrong?
No I’m just kidding, I know I’m slow.
Don’t say that! My fear is that gearbox will kidnap him for hw3 or something…
That will happen.
Pouk, I don’t think that for ‘hobby’ work you’re slow. If you did this full-time, I imagine you’re about the same as most people that make ships for a living, if not faster. And much of that comes from practice… 10,000 hours they say 
Good stuff man!
So only 416.666666 days, if you don’t bother with such silly things as sleep that is.
How long did one ship take in your production if I may ask? That’d be an extremely interesting information.
Probably no more than a month to build. Not including tuning and setup.
Based on a 40 hour work week. (Yeah, who works so few hours anymore?) 10,000 hours is about 4.79 years, or 1,750 days! 
Sometimes its a day job and sometimes its just a hobby and that is ok and still much to do 
Work continues on the frigates. Left to right: Marine Frigate, Assault Frigate, Ion Cannon Frigate. @Pouk, I know I haven’t started UV mapping yet and I know texturing is hard work 
I keep my mouth shut. 
The marine one looks really mean .
