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in: Glossary

Boat models

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About 25 to 35 boat models are available for download from the internet and the number continues to grow as aficionados of a certain type of boat feel the desire to race them in a virtual regatta. The list of third party boat models is not limited to monohulls and multihull boats. Hydrofoil craft and kite surfer models are available and there may even be a windsurfer model though the author has not yet found one.


Using[]

Download[]

An index of the various boat models currently available from this wiki can be found at Category:Boats. To allow for user feedback and/or discussion, each model has it's own dedicated wiki article. Please use the Discussion tab at top right of the article to make comments about the model. Please sign your comments with four tildes viz. ~~~~

Here at Virtual Skipper Wiki contributors are asked to upload the .ZIP form of a boat model and not an auto-installer executable file. This is primarily due to a Wikia-wide upload file size limit of 10MB per file. An auto-installers typically bloats the package size by including polar diagrams, documentation, a collection of compatible skins, a sampling of tracks designed to run the boat through its paces, and so on. It may be very convenient but at this wiki we have an article for each one of those components and ask that you please use a separate upload for skins, tracks and boat models.

  • This allows community members to describe and discuss individual components at dedicated articles and discussion pages rather than on a page that shares a bundle of skins and tracks along with a boat model.
  • It also allows semantic data to be annotated to individual components and this will prove powerful as the wiki grows.
  • A vsk.wikia.com url to the raw boat skin file may be used as a locator file to enhance your multiplayer experience.
  • The documentation (including polar diagrams) can be uploaded at the boat page using the form provided, esp. the Upload image(s) for gallery: input field. If you find the Boat InfoBox or Sails quick-reference tables become too congested with free form text then edit the page source to add that verbose content on the page body below the the Sails quick-reference table.
Compatible game versions
At the form for creating a new boat page and at Category:Boats you will see reference to 4.5 - 32AC or just 32AC.
Wherever you see 32AC you may assume that it is referring to that game version that came out after VSK4 and before VSK5.
32AC is not compatible with VSK5. See Evolution of VSK for the details.
If you apply a patch to 32AC then you now have a VSK5 compatible game client however the installation folder name3 remains as 32nd America's Cup. This has confused many a user.

Install[]

  • At other web sites boat models often come as an executable package which uses an auto-installer to place the files in certain predetermined folders on your PC. Those default installation folders are different for each version of the game. Sadly, most of auto-installers are not clever enough to check your existing installed programs to correctly determine which game version you have and to then select the correct folder. So if you use an auto-installer please be sure that you check the destination folder before giving the final OK to the installer. Further confusing the process is the fact that some auto-installers use a language other than english.
Manual installation
This is not complicated and it is necessary for any boat models downloaded from the Virtual Skipper Wiki.
(If you should ever find a .EXE file in any ZIP archive downloaded from Virtual Skipper Wiki then please treat that entire ZIP archive file with suspicion.)
  1. Quit from your VSK game client.
  2. Verify which version of VSK5 you have.
    • If you upgraded/patched 32AC to make it compatible with VSK5 then the correct folder tree is still named 32nd America's Cup
    • If you upgraded VSK5Online to make it compatible with VSK5 (not recommended) then the correct folder tree is still named Vsk5Online
  3. Copy the BoatModelName.zip file to the relevant installation folder below your My Documents folder:
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Boats
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Boats
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Boats
  4. Don't forget to download and install some boat skins for the new boat model.
  5. The new boat model (and any installed skins) will be available when you next launch the game client
Auto installers
If an auto-installer was used then it may also install skins, tracks and documentation:
If boat skins are provided then they are installed to a folder (named after the model) below:
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Skins\Boats
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Skins\Boats
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Skins\Boats
If tracks are provided then they are installed to a folder (named after the model) below:
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Tracks\Challenges
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Tracks\Challenges
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Tracks\Challenges
If documentation is provided then that may optionally be will be installed to a folder (also named after the model) as follows:
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Templates
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Templates
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Templates

Note that none of these boat models are installed to any sub-folder below Program Files. Therefore each user at a PC must install the same boat model separately. This is a good reason why it may be preferable that one user account with administrator privileges be used to launch the game. Multiple users can launch the game using credentials of that one shared account - learn how at: Run as admin.

Customize boat skin[]

The article Boat skins explains how to download or create a customized skin for your new boat model.

Creating[]

Boat models can be created using open source (free software) tools and of course there is retail software available at a price. The design/development process seems to culminate in two files that are then imported into a VSK5 usable format using an importer tool provided by Nadeo.

  • Solid.3ds provides the graphic data for the boat to render in the 3D world
  • BoatParam.xml specifies the boat's behavior or performance in response to the environment (wind, wave, current) and user input on the various controls (sail trim, rudder, sail selection)

Experienced community members (and Nadeo staff): ( please add/subtract to/from this list as appropriate )

Euphoria, Sunburn, Maitai, Planing, GBR13697, CANKnot, Alinoa, Rich oot1960, diades, OhMonBato, admiral, TOM2, LoganADC, et al
Software Tools
Phase Free SW Pay SW
hull, deck, mast, rig
Freeform surface modelling 		Freeship or
Blender 		3DS MAX
axes, sails, boom, poles, textures Blender 3DS MAX
save in 3ds format 3ds plugin 3DS MAX
import to VSK
requires: Solid.3ds and BoatParam.xml 		VskBoatImporter VskBoatImporter
Good luck! I have been trying to get a 3d model to work in VSK for months!
Download the Boat Importer from Virtual Winds. The Notes and the Sample Boat will give you a good idea what is required. You must use 3DS Max for the final 3ds model for import.
I started with FreeShip (freeware) to get the basic hull and deck. I also made the mast and rig in Freeship.
Then export/import into 3DS Max using the .obj file format. You can then refine the model, and make sails. A lot of care is required for pivot points on the sails. :Then export your meshes to Solid.3ds before using the Boat Importer. I have got this far, and my boat appears on the Settings screen where you can choose your skin. :However, the boat will not work in a test race - screen just goes black. Let me know if you find a way around this.
GBR13697

Documenting[]

If you upload your boat model to this wiki then the form-based UI (see Category:Boats) will prompt you for the data necessary to document your boat model. That includes, among other things:

  • Sail selection guide - {{Infobox sails}} presents in a table view a digest of the most frequently asked question about sail selection and usage.
  • Polar diagrams - See also Polar diagram article.
  • Wind shadow illustrations - See also Wind shadow article.
  • Skin templates - Provide these to enable other community members to design custom skins for your new boat model. See also Boat skins article.

BoatParam.xml[]

Two collapsible sections. Look for the [more] / [less] links at right.

Document Type Definition (DTD)[]

You can use the DTD thus: 

<!DOCTYPE Nod SYSTEM "file:///C:/Users/OWNER/Downloads/virtual skipper/AccBoatParam.dtd">
<Nod>
  <BoatType>MonoCoque</BoatType>

and use an xml editor to validate your changes as you go.

When finished, just remove the : 

<!DOCTYPE Nod SYSTEM "file:///C:/Users/OWNER/Downloads/virtual skipper/AccBoatParam.dtd">

and save.

Schema[]

Default Nadeo boat models[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
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