Open Vehicle Sketch Pad Created 12 years ago2012-10-23 21:04:25 UTC by Azin

Hello again,

I just fell over this program, recently made open source by NASA, for 3D aircraft design, called OpenVSP http://www.openvsp.org/. I think it looks pretty nifty. I haven't gotten my hands on it yet though.

Does any of you know it? Do you think it would be possible to use the models in VHE?

why use models in VHE when you can build a 3d printer, attach a motor, and fly the damn thing >.<
That's pretty cool, but im sure there's SOME way to import or export into 3ds max or maya or blender etc.. then its just a matter of putting it into the correct format.

Interesting, that's how the space program got started. If anyone is old enough to remember, there was the rocket club in public schools to broaden research to everyone. Some of the fundamentals of rocket science discovered in the schools are still being used today. Is it possible someone could discover the next best plane or car design?

Could we have a TWHL airplane contest? Does the software output statistics?

The short answer is:

Not directly. You would need to, as Tetsu0 said, save the model into a format that is used by another modeling program. See the end of this post for information on that.

The long answer:

The term "Model" is general and broad; there are many different forms of modeling and very different ways of accomplishing the same task.

This program is a computer aided design (CAD) program which is a way of accomplishing the creation of a 3d model that is very different from the way most "gamers" are accustomed to, and would lack the tools necessary for a standard "game" model.

However, if someone really wanted to create something, in this case something exhibiting a necessity for some form of aerodynamic properties, then this package would help because it has an integrated finite element analysis (FEA) solver for fluid flow [referred to as computational fluid dynamics or CFD]. This would allow the user to check the design of their model for aerodynamic efficiency (Lift/Drag ratios, pressures on surfaces, etc.)

Although, it would be highly unnecessary and difficult to achieve the right scale relative to the game it shall be used in because of the nature of aircraft design. What I mean by that is that the program uses no units of measurement directly, it only uses relative scalars (Essentially ratios of different dimensions; eg: length/width/height/etc).

If after all this you would still wish to use this program you would need to have a few things. You would have to have a program capable of importing the model the model data created by VSP as well as being able to export to the standard used by the game engine for which you are mapping for.

From the user manual of VSP:

"Import

One can import information in different file formats, too. Currently, the program supports two file formats: Sterolith file (.stl) and NASCART file (bodyin.dat).

Export

Files may also be exported as well. Currently, the following formats are supported: Felisa file (.fel), Cross Section (XSec) file (.hrm), Sterolith file (.stl), Rhino3D file (.3dm), NASCART file (bodyin.dat), TecPlot file (.plt), STecPlot file (.plt), and Persistence of Vision Raytracer (.pov)."

- For those of you TL:DR -

This pretty much limits you to using the Stereolithography format, which luckily enough is capable of being imported into many other CAD programs as well as direct modeling programs such as Autodesk Maya, and 3DStudioMax.

So your process would be: Model in VSP, export to .stl, import .stl into modeling program, fix any mesh errors/visual problems, save it into a useable form for whatever engine you are going to use it for.

Though there is no guarantee that this will even directly compile into a model suitable for use in a game such as Half-Life. I would find it to be very interesting to see it done.

• Nef

This program interests me, as I am doing an aeronautics degree.

And if I were making a model of an aircraft for use in game, given the chance I probably would mock it up in this to see if the design is actually viable. It would add a nice touch of realism.

Thanks for the details, Nefarious. It was all mostly hypothetical, but it's nice to know that it's possible. I wonder how it would work out though, so maybe some day.. If I get my hands on a decent computer 3D wise, I might give it a go.

Where are you getting your degree TJB? I've always wondered how good your abilities with math have to be to do that.
Btw, I just recently read an article about a new model describing turbulence in 2D, which is supposed to potentially make it easier/possible to calculate air resistance precisely.

I'm getting it at University of Limerick, Ireland. At first I didn't want to do it here, as this city has an extremely bad reputation for criminals and violence, but it was the only university to offer the course.
And it turned out to be a nicer area of the city, and the university is apparently one of the better ones in the country for engineering degrees, so that worked out well.

And regarding the maths, let's just say I hope you like calculus.
Personally I prefer trigonometry, but I'm getting by. I just need to take time to practise calculus a lot. For some reason that is the one type of meths that I forget after a few hours.

You should lay off the drugs, TJB.

I don't know what is with me and all these typos recently.

At least you have the time to practise. Would you say that you're naturally better at math than say languages?

Definitely better with maths. All of my subjects in secondary school were maths based apart from German, and that was because having a language subject was mandatory.
I was annoyed at that, I have never used it since and it took up a slot that I could have used to learn biology.

Yeah, half my schedule is mandatory subjects that I know I'm never going to use. It's good to know that aeronautics isn't just drawing things that look good, but actually requires some math skills - which I don't have, haha. It's too bad though, I've always liked math.