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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
Just Flight's Constellation repaints ?
- Thread starter Crusader
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Crusader
SOH-CM-2022
I know the Constellation is aging a little since it came out on Just Flight but I was hoping someone would do a " Columbine " repaint of Ike's Presidential plane . As previously stated , we really lack repaints to this popular old AC which a lot of us still fly frequently . I even fly it in P3Dv3.2 . Very few repaints for this grand old bird . I did find a couple over at Ox . Must be a real PIA to paint .
Rich
Rich
Crusader
SOH-CM-2022
Sorry , found an old (actually not so old) thread I had written and Daube had responded : " That Constellation has unfortunately some very outdated graphics, especially for the external model which looks like early FS9 stuff. I never saw many screenshots of it. In fact, the simmers preferred the freeware Constellation by Manfred and his team.
From my side, I couldn't decide between the two of these. The external model of the Payware Connie prevented me from buying it, but now it's one of the default planes in P3D, so I could finally fly it. What I like about it is the complete virtual cockpit, which includes the engineer panel, thus allowing a complete start from Cold&Dark.
The last version of Manfred's Connie I tried had an incomplete VC, the engineer panel was not available or not clickable, so a Cold&Dark startup was impossible from the VC.
Perhaps there are some additional or more valid reasons, like bad paintkits or bad texture mapping (mirrored, hard to edit, etc...) or stuff like that. Potential repainters would be able to explain this much better than myself.
It's a shame because a good repaint would probably compensate for the lack of polygons...
Bottom Line : going to download Manfred's Connie and give it a go .
Thanks- Rich
From my side, I couldn't decide between the two of these. The external model of the Payware Connie prevented me from buying it, but now it's one of the default planes in P3D, so I could finally fly it. What I like about it is the complete virtual cockpit, which includes the engineer panel, thus allowing a complete start from Cold&Dark.
The last version of Manfred's Connie I tried had an incomplete VC, the engineer panel was not available or not clickable, so a Cold&Dark startup was impossible from the VC.
Perhaps there are some additional or more valid reasons, like bad paintkits or bad texture mapping (mirrored, hard to edit, etc...) or stuff like that. Potential repainters would be able to explain this much better than myself.
It's a shame because a good repaint would probably compensate for the lack of polygons...
Bottom Line : going to download Manfred's Connie and give it a go .
Thanks- Rich
thunder100
Charter Member 2010
Dear Crusader
my 2 cents
Nothing to sell,but i own every Connie from the late Howard (only2 D panel) to Alphasim to JF and was team member with all Manfreds Connies
Above statement may be valid for Alphasim but not for JF or MJ
That is JF
Nothing wrong with exterior model ( Which is a mere nightmare to get right because of that shape
my 2 cents
Nothing to sell,but i own every Connie from the late Howard (only2 D panel) to Alphasim to JF and was team member with all Manfreds Connies
Above statement may be valid for Alphasim but not for JF or MJ
That is JF
Nothing wrong with exterior model ( Which is a mere nightmare to get right because of that shape
thunder100
Charter Member 2010
And that is Manfred'S
The highest developed ones are
L-1649 and the Turbine Connie by Volker based on Manfred's plane
lockheed_l-1249a_turboprop_super_constellation.zip
My 2 cents
Roland
The highest developed ones are
L-1649 and the Turbine Connie by Volker based on Manfred's plane
lockheed_l-1249a_turboprop_super_constellation.zip
My 2 cents
Roland
Agree Ive always like the Connie, however all aspects of the JF/AH texturing of this model as been a huge turn off for me, after looking at the paintkits, the lack of detail has decided myself and others to look elsewhere, the time and effort to produce a detailed repaint is not really worth the time
Crusader
SOH-CM-2022
Thanks Roland and jeansy . I really enjoy both . A majestic old bird with a lot of class . A ton of repaints for Manfred's . I also found a Columbine II for it . A JF-Pan Am and Manfred's with Ike on board . Ike would be proud of me , I made it off Yakutat's (PAYA)shorter runway . 
Rich ( I'll have to try the turbo out- thanks for the link)
Rich ( I'll have to try the turbo out- thanks for the link)
Attachments
Dragontech
New member
JF "Paint Kit?"
Looking at the Just Flight Connie "paint kit" I'd have to reserve judgement on whether it even deserves the name. I've seen worse paint kits, but I don't remember where. No, that's not true. The "paint kit" for the Just Flight Mosquito (the Mk VI with the 5-stack exhaust) is at least equally disastrous for repainting. No layers for panel lines or weathering or markings.. In fact, the kit for the Mosquito is just neon colored shapes for the various parts, with a label of what part it is. NO details. At least the Connie has a base layer that shows some details, but no way for them to show through, or overlay, repaint layers.
bazzar
Charter Member 2018
The paintkit is not a "skinner's" kit. It was designed back in the day for re-painters. People who painted models from the base up including their own interpretation of detail, weathering, dirt and so on. That's what good re[ainters used to do. Today, people want layered files with everything there. Just slide the colour underneath and add a logo or two and it's done. Sorry, but that's skinning not re-painting. We tend not to supply those types of kits. They take longer to do and we'd probably have to charge for a kit.
gastonj
Members +
To make pay for, you only have these words in your mouth! You could just as well give photoshop (or other) sources of a texture delivered as a paintkit!
This is appalling!
JMC
That's called progress Bazz
. In the "good old days" I didn't even have a program to work with layered files, so why would I ask for layered files? Now complex programs like for instance Gimp are freely available. So in my opinion its logical people ask for layered paintkits or skinnerkits as you call them.I still do both. When there is a good layered paintkit available I will definitely use that one and add my own weathering etc. However I often choose to paint models for which there is nothing available, so I have to start from scratch. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with both options. The second options is however far more time consuming and often needs a lot of research. But I wouldn't call one option "better" than the other option.
Although I like to spend time making repaints, my main goal is still to create something which makes a model looks nice. It isn't my main goal to to spend a lot of time.
As said, nothing more than my personal opinion,
Huub
bazzar
Charter Member 2018
Progress indeed Huub. I'm just amused how people get hot under the collar over projects and products a decade old. We have a guy currently demanding an upgrade on a product we developed 15 years ago. What other business exists where service is demanded on a product that cost maybe $20 and was purchased 15 years ago? That reminds me, I have a shirt I bought 10 years ago and the collar has started to fray. Maybe i can get a replacement....
jamminjames
Charter Member
The Connie is my fav propliner. Both Manfred's and Just Flight's. I know neither is state of art compared to some newer releases DC-6 comes to mind but I've been enjoying them for many years. Can't remember when I bought the JF but paid some where around $20 for it. I've sure got my money worth out that purchase.
fsafranek
SOH-CM-2024
Layered paint kits are a luxury if you have them to start with.
When I painted more often for Alphasim/Virtavia they all started from a single layer texture map of the wire frame in BMP format. From there you built something to work with layer by layer. And you were able to influence the mapping by talking directly to the modeler. When the product was ready for release I would dummy a copy of the PSD texture files down as much as possible to reduce the filesize and give the repainter something to do besides change the squadron badge and claim all the credit. I always felt that repaints were a good promoter of follow-on sales after the initial release.
But some companies (Carenado and Alabeo come to mind) only give you a non-layered set of white textures. And yet they sell like hot cakes and repainters who have bothered to learn the tricks of working with them crank out beautiful repaints.
So they are nice to have but not absolutely necessary.
When I painted more often for Alphasim/Virtavia they all started from a single layer texture map of the wire frame in BMP format. From there you built something to work with layer by layer. And you were able to influence the mapping by talking directly to the modeler. When the product was ready for release I would dummy a copy of the PSD texture files down as much as possible to reduce the filesize and give the repainter something to do besides change the squadron badge and claim all the credit. I always felt that repaints were a good promoter of follow-on sales after the initial release.
But some companies (Carenado and Alabeo come to mind) only give you a non-layered set of white textures. And yet they sell like hot cakes and repainters who have bothered to learn the tricks of working with them crank out beautiful repaints.
So they are nice to have but not absolutely necessary.
gastonj
Members +
To day, a paintkit with layers is the minimum that a client can expect. Your words on the cost of a paintkit is simply out of order in addition to being presumptuous!
JMC
llanning08
SOH-CM-2025
May be time to consider "unbundling" paint kits and offering a "payware" quality repainter's kit as a separate product for additional fee.
I do not paint, so I've no use for a paint kit included with the product. Others may like a paint kit with a very basic model (single plain livery) sufficient to load up and to evaluate repaints.
And I don't expect that payware products of rather advanced age should be expected to have paint kits meeting standards not in practice when the product was originally modeled. Perhaps there is a market for re-worked third party paint kits?
Just my opinion, perhaps I have misunderstood some of the earlier forum discussion.
I do not paint, so I've no use for a paint kit included with the product. Others may like a paint kit with a very basic model (single plain livery) sufficient to load up and to evaluate repaints.
And I don't expect that payware products of rather advanced age should be expected to have paint kits meeting standards not in practice when the product was originally modeled. Perhaps there is a market for re-worked third party paint kits?
Just my opinion, perhaps I have misunderstood some of the earlier forum discussion.
Dragontech
New member
Interpretation
sorry, but I have to disagree. Other developers make PSD and PSP layered kits and include it with the product. The single-layer no detail, you might as well start from an existing texture file and paint over it your own colors, details, weathering etc. I've had to do that for a few planes that didn't come with any sort of paint kit, often replacing their blurry default details with higher resolution images from the web. Something like rivets and panel lines, or stencils, that don't vary from one paint job to another is often prohibitively difficult to replicate without having those layers in a paint kit.
What you call "reskinning" everyone else calls making a repaint, and it includes every bit as much research as a ground up paint, especially on military or restored aircraft, where you have few photos, often none of which are in color. That these are older planes I get that, and am not asking for "service" on them decades after the fact. I am stating my opinion on what you call a paint kit, that I view as nearly worthless.
sorry, but I have to disagree. Other developers make PSD and PSP layered kits and include it with the product. The single-layer no detail, you might as well start from an existing texture file and paint over it your own colors, details, weathering etc. I've had to do that for a few planes that didn't come with any sort of paint kit, often replacing their blurry default details with higher resolution images from the web. Something like rivets and panel lines, or stencils, that don't vary from one paint job to another is often prohibitively difficult to replicate without having those layers in a paint kit.
What you call "reskinning" everyone else calls making a repaint, and it includes every bit as much research as a ground up paint, especially on military or restored aircraft, where you have few photos, often none of which are in color. That these are older planes I get that, and am not asking for "service" on them decades after the fact. I am stating my opinion on what you call a paint kit, that I view as nearly worthless.
jankees
SOH-CM-2026
woohoo, paying for paintkits. That would make me stop painting instantly. I do this for fun, and for free, I don't think anybody would pay for my repaints.
On the other hand, going through complete startup procedures is not my cup of tea, ctrl-E is fine for me. Maybe we should let people pay for more details like that...
As for old style versus new style paintkit, that's progress. Not many people would pay for a 15 year old model, but something new. There is already a just flight C-47, but I'm still looking forward for Baz's latest, if only to see how things have improved...
and who knows, there may even be a nice paintkit!
But I would be perfectly happy with just plain white textures like Carenado offers, no paintkit or layers needed.
And really simple to make for the developers.
On the other hand, going through complete startup procedures is not my cup of tea, ctrl-E is fine for me. Maybe we should let people pay for more details like that...
As for old style versus new style paintkit, that's progress. Not many people would pay for a 15 year old model, but something new. There is already a just flight C-47, but I'm still looking forward for Baz's latest, if only to see how things have improved...
and who knows, there may even be a nice paintkit!
But I would be perfectly happy with just plain white textures like Carenado offers, no paintkit or layers needed.
And really simple to make for the developers.
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