VegaStrike Backgrounds Page

Dirty Magic's

Cargo Pics

VegaStrike is an amazing free open-source game of space combat and trading for PC, Mac, and Linux. It is completely built by and for an unpaid community of strange, friendly, and bright group of people from all over the world. If you want something done right...
You can find it here.

Background On the Artwork
VegaStrike is a "space simulator". The player assumes the role a futuristic space pilot with a sparsely outfitted starship. There a massive universe consisting of hundreds of solar systems and countless different planets from which the pilot may carve his destiny. Pretty dramatic, eh? Each planet has a mini-economy with different goods which can be purchased sold. An agricultural planet will produce lots of cheap foodstuff that the pilot can then haul off and sell at enormous profit to an industrial world or mining base. In turn, the mining base will produce various ores and metals which can be sold to refineries which produce alloys which can be sold to factories which produce consumer goods which can be sold to industrial worlds which produce things like fertilizer which can be sold to agricultural worlds. Damn cool little microcosm for something put together by a couple guys in their spare time.

Here's where I come in. When the pilot lands on a given planet, there is a "background screen" which allows him access to things like the commodities broker, a bar where he can pick up local rumours, a store where he can upgrade or replace his ship, and a computer where he can accept various cargo and bounty missions. If he chooses to buy and sell cargos, he is presented with a price, description, and picture of each cargo type. On the message boards, I noticed that poor Peteyg and Silverain were busting ass coming up with a new, highly dynamic cargo system and I thought I'd do what I could to help push that forward. No one else seemed to want to find or make the cargo pics so I e-mailed Peteyg and pretty much signed away my spare time for the next long time.

Cargo Icons

Here then is a collection of artwork for VS cargo icons. A few are photo-based images done with Serif PhotoPlus which is free and pretty powerful. The rest are modeled and rendered in Blender, which is free and incredible. I'm trying to include the in-game description with each so you can see what's what. Some have multiple versions/views so I could play with camera angles and lighting and stuff and let the VS development team choose their fav.

I've included the in-game description of the cargo so you can see what I had to work with when I started modeling. There may also be a wise-ass description here and there by the learned author. It's just the way I am...

Rare Artwork
(Photo)

"In the age of plasprints and holvids, the creations of the hand hold an especial value to today's connoiseur. There is just something about wood, canvas and oil paints that appeals. The more famous the artwork, or the artist, the more valuable the piece. Most famous of all is the Moaning Lisa, itself apparently a derivative of an older, lost work of art."

Flea market. Cheap. (Cool statue, though.)

Enhanced Limb
(Enhanced phtoto)

"When the limbs of a sentient being are just not up to the job, fibre enhancements, neuro drivers and bone reinforcing increases function by several orders of magnitude."

Hey! That's MY arm!

Artificial Limb 1
(Enhanced Photo)

Whether a limb is lost, or a sentient needs performance over and above enhancements, these limbs, made from advanced alloys are connected directly to a body's neural network and function with equal proficiency. Reports of limbs attacking the host body are unsubstantiated."

Again, my arm. Makes those woodworking projects go a lot smoother, though I have to admit that typing is a bit of a bitch now...

Artificial Limb 2
(Enhanced Photo)

Rlaan Booze
(Enhanced Photo)

There's no description for this yet. They're still arguing over what it would take to get a methane-based life-form drunk. Hey... I'm just the artist.

More booze
(Enhanced photo)

This'll fit into the booze category somewhere. Ya can't have enough booze...

Assembly tools
(Enhanced photo)

"To do any job where something needs to be put together, ripped apart or combined with other things, you need the right tools. This packaged set contains everything the happy worker needs to perform their duties. Buy now and receive a free set of socket wrenches."

Musical Instruments
(Enhanced photo)

"Collective description of contempory music generation equipment. Commonly consisting of sound synthesizers, they also include modern forms of the percussion and acoustic instruments of older times."

This keyboard is for sale if you want to buy it.

Musical Instruments
(enhanced photo)

Collective description of contempory music generation equipment. Commonly consisting of sound synthesizers, they also include modern forms of the percussion and acoustic instruments of older times.

Love those Rickenbackers!! Hand-finished by me.

More booze
(Test render)

No, really, you can't have enough booze. 'Specially that green bubbly alien vodka.

Alloys - Steel
(Render)

While surpassed by more highly advanced alloy combinations, steel remains a low cost version for general and machinery construction. Steel consists of an iron ore base with a mixture of sundry metals to vary melting points, tensile strength, brittleness and hardness.

Alloys -Tritanium
(Render)

An alloy based on titanium and forming interlinking molecules of three metallic atoms, this metal is exceedingly strong. Commonly used in bulkhead construction and armour plating.

Alloys - Obsidisteel
(Render)

A combination of metals and silicate oxides, this dark, hard substance is actually secreted from living silicon based organisms

Alloys - Raw Obsidisteel
(Render)

A combination of metals and silicate oxides, this dark, hard substance is actually secreted from living silicon based organisms

Alloys - Cube Obsidisteel
(Render)

A combination of metals and silicate oxides, this dark, hard substance is actually secreted from living silicon based organisms

Alloys - Transparent Alumina
(Render)

The most important advance in the past century of computer useability has been the invention of transparent aluminum. This durable and dynamic material allows computers to essentially display information any way that they choose. From three dimensional holotanks to pinpoint eye-screens to the standard two dimensional HUD overlays on starships, Transparent Aluminum is one of the most common computer manufacturing materials.

This stuff really exists! Google it!

Alloys - Carbonium
(Render)

This alloy is generated from the bio-waste of the Rlaan biogenerator energy system. This bio-waste is melded at high temperature with assorted metals to form an odd appearing, flexible yet hard alloy.

Awright... how the HELL are you supposed to make a metal "odd appearing"???

Alloys - Carbonium
(Render)

Vibronium
(Render)

An Aera substance that provides an essentially unlimited supply of small amounts of power. Extensively used in small starship components and personal equipment.

Based on my pic, it can also be used to refill pinball machines...

Vibronium
(Render)

An Aera substance that provides an essentially unlimited supply of small amounts of power. Extensively used in small starship components and personal equipment.

Alloys - Duranium
(Render)

Sacrificing increased mass for increased protection, massive slabs of depleted uranium are mixed with osmium and encased in an ablative coating of tantalum carbide.

Boring Droid
(Render)

Construction of mine shafts has never been so easy. Just feed your tunnel plans to these babies, and come back a few days later to find huge mounds of debris and delightfully polished passageways.

Not SO boring... my first "fun" cargo pic.

Personal Transport
(Render)

Whether dropping down to the local dispensary, or travelling around the planet to visit friends, these wheeled, hover and flight conveyances serve every requirement of the average traveler.

Not sure if I really like this one or not. I was thinking about doing a really nice render of the "Jetsons" car.

Construction Vehicles 1
(Render)

The ability to lift large masses and manipulate them dextrously in three dimensions is essential for construction and lacking in all known sentient beings. These machines make up for the shortcomings of biology.

Construction Vehicles 2
(Render)

Looked too "military", so I did the "dumpster version".

Construction Vehicles 3
(Render)

Robot Surgeon 1
(Render)

While robotic assistance has long been the norm for medical procedures, generating an AI capable of reacting to operating room conditions without guidance has been an ongoing research project. This is the latest, and most promising, result.

Robot Surgeon 2
(Render)

Robot Servants 1
(Render)

Trained in the nuances of absolute servility, and having the abilities of a bodyservant and portable data storage unit, these machines are valued accessories - whether used in a dwelling, or as an aid to diplomats and far ranging merchants.

Robot Servants 2
(Render)

Cryogenic Pods
(Render)

As medical science progresses, problems once insurmountable become easily solved. As such, those cases deemed untreatable are stored in suspended animation to be revived once a cure has been developed for their condition. Unfortunately, our cryogenic ability to freeze a sentient being has advanced more rapidly than our ability to thaw and keep alive that being.

Contraband -
Personal
Heavy Weapons
(Render)

While it may seem odd, given the loose nature of the laws governing what armaments may be placed on civilian ships, certain weapons, such as thermonuclear mortars, hunter-killer drones, and Anchadaen wrestling worms, are not allowed to be carried around by the civilians of any known political entity deserving of the title. This does not prevent groups and individuals from desiring the aquisition of such devices

Passengers - Frozen Colonists
(Render)

Colonists are delivered to a colony encased in Cryogenic Pods allowing the colony to increase its population only when required and as resources allow. While true colonials exist, the usual colonist is often a debt defaulter or light criminal sentenced to colonial service for a period of years or unit they can earn passage off the colony.

Regeneration Tank 2
(Render)

With advances in DNA and cellular research, the medical establishment is now able to restore lost or damaged cellular material. Unfortunately, cellular reconstruction takes several months to regrow a digit, let alone any other bodypart, thus limiting usage to necessary body regeneration therapy only.

Water Dynamo
(Fuel Cells)
(Render)

A fuel cell using the hydrogen+oxygen=water chemical reaction. Conversion of the gases to water produces direct current electricity, with the water produced being collected in a secondary chamber for conversion back into constituent gases via external electrolysis. Waste heat is captured thermoelectrically as an additional power supply. Highly durable and environment-friendly, but eventual failure through heat loss and filament decay, plus a comparatively low power output, means such cells are used only in portable electronic devices and for backup power.

Water Dynamo,
Twin-tank version
(Render)

The blue tank collects the water resultant from the reaction and can be inserted directly in standard office water coolers, ready to be leaned-on as workers lower productivity with discussions about American Idol.

Fusion Injector
(Render)

Fusion Injectors are designed to hold the heavy water required for the fusion process. When required, it then injects the heavy water into the plasma core at the centre of the power source.

Nuclear Pods
(Render)

These pods hold fissionable fuel within dense radiation shielding. As advanced fission techniques allow energy generation from both the original fuel and the primary waste material, this fuel is greatly reduced in radioactivity. The pods then contain the final waste product for shipment and disposal in solar cores.

I like this one. It's got a good industrial feel.

Factory Constructors
(Render)

Self constructing factories in a large box. These constructors need only be placed in location, and on the press of the start button they will unfold, construct the prefab buildings and install the necessary factory equipment. Pressing the start button a second time will cancel the operation.

This is one of my favourites. Came together pretty quick, too.

Dyes
(Render)

Dyes are coloured substances obtained from various chemical compounds and used to give products such as food, textiles and suchlike a colouration different to their original form.

Laser Drill
(Render)

While the precise nature of the cuts produced by this drill certainly add to its usefulness, the fact that laser drills never go blunt or snag on dense ore deposits has caused the laser drill to replace all other competitors. With a detachable powerpack for low power usage, or with cable attachments to a high power source, drilling depth, operating time and area of operation can vary immensely.

Tons of fun at a party.

Self-Reparing Metal
(Render)

The goal of this type of research is the ability to make a metallic 'skin'. Such a skin is intended to repair itself, resealing and reforming over a period of time. This research has military, industrial and damage control applications.

Baakgah
(Render)

An Aeran fuel cell material that releases hydrogen in an easily controlled manner. Highly efficient energy generation used in all applications barring spaceflight.

Aggregate Cruasher
(Render)

This is a bit of a failed first attempt at futuristic construction machinery. I was trying to develop a large, solid, square, industrial feel to a machine that blasts apart the landscape with energy weapons and sucks it all up through a rear-mounted tube. Far too ambitious and not of a familiar enough nature for viewers to immediately identify with landscaping. Back to the old drawing board on this one...

Biogenerators
(Render)

Rlaan technology evolved along the bio-energy path. Living organisms generate additional energy surplus to life requirements. A biogenerator captures and stores this energy, providing Rlaan cities with a clean, green source of energy.

Biocell
(Render)

Rlaan technology evolved along the bio-energy path. Living organisms provide additional energy surplus to life requirements. A biopower pack is capable of storing this energy when captured, and provides sufficient energy to power most Rlaan needs.

Neural Interface
(Render)

The true pulse of an Andolian is not the calm beating of her heart, but the rampaging datastream of her mind. Neural Interfaces connect a sentient being directly into any computerized network. Brain signals are converted to electronic impulses which in turn are read as operational commands by the network. Interfaces allow the operator to perform actions at a vastly superior speed in comparison to manual input.

Neural Computer
(Render)

A development of neural interfaces, the neural computer acts as a secondary brain, often controlling sentient actions when the primary intelligence is incapable. Such functions reflect the ability of pilots to function under high inertia, and explain the reports of zombie mercenaries.

Prefab Buildings
(Render)

Prefabricated modular buildings are used for all bar the most costly or esoteric of construction. Easy to construct, seal and furnish, these buildings find use in both residential, industrial and commercial operations. Often used as a structural base with additions made to suit taste.

You can reach the artist here: dirtymagic@sympatico.ca