Hi all,

I have been admiring my fantastic new GUNBOAT and although it is probably one of the best models they have produced recently in terms of a highly detailed model and clean cut paint-job, I have been wondering just how close it is to the GUNBOAT I know from the games. Now I know there were limitations back in the day with just how detailed a ship can be but there seems to have been some significant design changes in the FFG version. Comparing the old PC game version to the FFG GUNBOAT the FFG version has longer wings, wider rectangular missle pods, larger ion cannons, huge cannons and a wing design similar to that of the Lambada shuttle.

So I went hunting to see if I could find anything online that looks like the FFG version and I found that the renders by fractalsponge are extremely close to FFG.. So much so I am wondering if anybody knows if he sold his renders to them or if they took heavy inspiration from him?

I don't think they did, @Fractalsponge was in here a while ago and I recall him saying they didn't. It's a strange dynamic, because Fractal contributes many good and wonderful things to the Star Wars mythos (See Vigil-class Corvette, Secutor-class carrier, Gunboat) but he's not often credited. I wince every time I think of LFL using his Star Destroyer model for The Force Unleashed.

Also, let's not forget the original way the Gunboat looked long before games were sophisticated enough to texture their models:

Lastly, take a look at the TIE Defender sometime. The transition is even more dramatic from original-to-model than the Gunboat!

1 hour ago, Norsehound said:

Also, let's not forget the original way the Gunboat looked long before games were sophisticated enough to texture their models:

Pixels the size of your head, and using the arrow keys for flight control. I had a "cheat sheet" of the F-commands hanging on the wall next to the amber monitor. Ah, the good ol' days. . .

18 minutes ago, Darth Meanie said:

Pixels the size of your head, and using the arrow keys for flight control. I had a "cheat sheet" of the F-commands hanging on the wall next to the amber monitor. Ah, the good ol' days. . .

I had a joystick, and I still didn’t know what I was doing half the time.

It really was infuriating that the key bindings for the game were not posted somewhere in the game itself. I had to go looking for a PDF of the original manuel so I knew what the controls were.

The keyboard commands become second nature after a few hundred flight hours. I always remember to set my laser cannon recharge rate to 3/4 , and my shield recharge rate to zero, then syphon all laser energy to shields. Keep this up and after a few minutes the shields and lasers will both be supercharged, all while giving the engine 12.5% more power than it normally has. You know, practical, real-life skills.

They almost certainly took Fractalsponge's renders as 'inspiration' - a very similar thing happened with the K-wing, which had previously had wildly divergent artwork designs; the one they copied was arguably not the best design in design-per-se, but certainly the most detailed.

... right down to the ordnance loadout and panel lines.

A quick googling and you'll notice that this is far from the only possible design out there (Even the layout of the cockpits has changed over time)... but their eventual reference image was definitely one of the best drawn.

28 minutes ago, Reiver said:

They almost certainly took Fractalsponge's renders as 'inspiration' - a very similar thing happened with the K-wing, which had previously had wildly divergent artwork designs; the one they copied was arguably not the best design in design-per-se, but certainly the most detailed.

... right down to the ordnance loadout and panel lines.

A quick googling and you'll notice that this is far from the only possible design out there (Even the layout of the cockpits has changed over time)... but their eventual reference image was definitely one of the best drawn.

I never knew the K-wing had a few different looks. I still like the one FFG used, especially when compared to on where the “cockpit fuselage” looked like a potbelly.

FractalSponge really seriously deserves direct credit.

Whoever is responsible for the FFG design needs a medal. I hated the look of the Gunboat in the games, but I actually quite like the FFG model.

35 minutes ago, BVRCH said:

Whoever is responsible for the FFG design needs a medal. I hated the look of the Gunboat in the games, but I actually quite like the FFG model.

Do you like FractalSponge's version?

'cuz you should probably be thanking FractalSponge's version.

47 minutes ago, Reiver said:

Do you like FractalSponge's version?

'cuz you should probably be thanking FractalSponge's version.

Yeah I do. That's what I'm saying, if FractalSponge was responsible he needs a medal

Hmm, he was tagged in the top post but hasn't responded. Things are seriously similar, just look at the dark grey panel design on the wings.. identical!

I'm pretty sure that's my design. I didn't sell them anything, nor could I have I imagine, given copyright, but I used the design in my illustrations for the Essential Guide to Warfare, so my design was technically the last canon depiction of the ship before the EU reset.

We are so lucky they decided to use your design, even if they didn't credit you by name.

20 hours ago, Darth Meanie said:

Pixels the size of your head, and using the arrow keys for flight control . I had a "cheat sheet" of the F-commands hanging on the wall next to the amber monitor. Ah, the good ol' days. . .

No way. Joystick all the way. (Or at least a mouse, X-Wing killed 3 for me, before I switched to joystick and never looked back)

26 minutes ago, Fractalsponge said:

I'm pretty sure that's my design. I didn't sell them anything, nor could I have I imagine, given copyright, but I used the design in my illustrations for the Essential Guide to Warfare, so my design was technically the last canon depiction of the ship before the EU reset.

Don't you feel your faith rewarded when the Designer Himself comes to speak with us humble humans?

Fractal, we reverence you.