AlphaSim F-8 Crusaders and FSX thumbnails

[Lateral-G]

Is there a way to have the thumbnails for the different F-8 textures to show up on the FSX aircraft menu?

AS lumped all the textures into one folder.

any help is appreciated....

-G-

 

[peter12213]

I always just take screen shots and rename them thumbnail.cfg but since I got SP3 I just have to rename them thumbnail lol, I know this isn't perfect but at least I know which is which! I did this for alot of Conrads early stuff like the Storch which has many paints but is only fs9 even if it's still amazing especially witht the panel upgrade! :salute:

 

[falcon409]

Do this. . .inside the aircraft folder, place all the thumbnails with a different name for each, so you know which us which. . .then in the aircraft cfg file add a line:
ui_thumbnailfile=****.jpg just above the description in the [Fltsim.*] block for that particular livery.

 

[Lateral-G]

Do this. . .inside the aircraft folder, place all the thumbnails with a different name for each, so you know which us which. . .then in the aircraft cfg file add a line:
ui_thumbnailfile=****.jpg just above the description in the [Fltsim.*] block for that particular livery.

Thanks Falcon! :salute:

-G-

 

[PRB]

Do this. . .inside the aircraft folder, place all the thumbnails with a different name for each, so you know which us which. . .then in the aircraft cfg file add a line:
ui_thumbnailfile=****.jpg just above the description in the [Fltsim.*] block for that particular livery.

Excellent tip! I didn't know you could do this. Thanks, falcon!

 

[falcon409]

Thanks, but the real credit has to go to Lionheart. When I was adding the Victory livery I was working on, I saw that line, also noticing that he had placed a lot of (what I thought were) screens in the aircraft folder. I was going to delete them until I realized what he was doing. Pretty cool idea! Thanks to Lionheart for that.:salute:

 

[anj4de]

Hi there...

Just spotted this thread! How did you transfer the Crusader to FSX in the first place? I would love to have this bird back.

thanks
Uwe

 

[expat]

How did you transfer the Crusader to FSX in the first place? I would love to have this bird back.

Copy and paste did it for me! Really, using SP2/Acceleration. Maybe needed to change or comment out a gauge or two but it looks great and the VC textures ported intact unlike the AS Phantom.

 

[delta_lima]

Hello Expat,

I've just fired up my beloved AS F-8 in FSX - yes, it works like a charm! I'm missing some gauges - what can I do to repair this, and would they go in the VC or 2D panel? I still like the 2D, my preference for having all my systems visible - but I'm happy either way.

Thanks a ton!

dl

 

[expat]

Just borrow a gauge from another plane that does work in FSX. I used the AS Demon and Skyray and also commented out (AOA??) some gauges and now have no error messages loading.

The F-8 is really an awesome bit of kit and looks amazing in FSX. Challenging to trap !!

Working on a couple of custom skns . .

 

[michael davies]

I thought all you had to do was name each thumbnail as ...wait for it...thumbnail , then just place the relevant ones into each texture folder, thats all I've ever done, no cfg edits or special names, just put the relevant thumbnail in the relevant texture folder. Or did I miss something ?.

Best

Michael

 

[raptor19]

I thought all you had to do was name each thumbnail as ...wait for it...thumbnail , then just place the relevant ones into each texture folder, thats all I've ever done, no cfg edits or special names, just put the relevant thumbnail in the relevant texture folder. Or did I miss something ?.

Best

Michael

No, that's all I do as well it's the simplest way!

Glad someone started this thread though as I have just tried the Alphasim F-8 Crusader in FSX Acceleration and other than one gauge problem (which can easily be fixed) I did not know that the F-8 was so easily ported over to FSX. I thought that I had tried it some time ago but that there were more problems, maybe it was early days of FSX and before acceleration or one of the service packs. Memory must be failing lol! Anyway, delighted to have this bird back she is one of my favourites. Thanks for the thread. :ernae:

 

[expat]

I think there may be an issue with the F-8 and thumbnails that is unusual because of the way Carl used to like to organize his models, i.e. he puts all the different default textures across the several models in one texture folder and then the air.cfg calls for the correct texture by the type of model - or something like that. This is why when I use my thumbnail exe I end up with one screenshot for all of the default textures. Add on textures aren't affected and work as normal.

Let's hear from more Alphasim Crusader fans!!

 

[raptor19]

I think there may be an issue with the F-8 and thumbnails that is unusual because of the way Carl used to like to organize his models, i.e. he puts all the different default textures across the several models in one texture folder and then the air.cfg calls for the correct texture by the type of model - or something like that. This is why when I use my thumbnail exe I end up with one screenshot for all of the default textures. Add on textures aren't affected and work as normal.

Let's hear from more Alphasim Crusader fans!!

As I want to use the F-8 in FSX I decided to have a closer look at it and see the file setup. From memory there is only one texture folder which contains 233 textures, I joke not! All 6 paints are contained in the one folder. I fully understand why the designer did this, it was to have all the common files saved only the once and thus reduce overall size. In FSX we use a similar concept with the textures common to all the paints contained in a "Shared" texture folder and then each paint specific set of textures are contained in individual folders with a texture config. file linking them to the "Shared" texture folder. (From memory I seem to remember a few nice repaints are available).

What I decided to do earlier today was to to set the Crusader textures up in the same format as the standard FSX method. This then makes it easy to add additional paints where only the textures specific to each repaint need to be included in the relevant texture folder. This also means that each thumbnail can also be placed in the relevant folder. The attached screenshot shows my FSX menu with the Crusader thumbnails included.

Personally I also changed every texture to DXT bitmaps while I was engaged in the exercise and don't forget there were 233 of them. This is obviously not essential and anyone wanting to tackle this exercise but spend less time could just leave the textures as normal bitmaps.

When setting up the new folders care has to be taken to ensure that all the relevant textures are included or referred to in the relevant texture.config file, I admit to getting a few blank black areas on one or two of the paints which I later had to think about and resolve, thankfully all now O.K.

If anyone else contemplates this exercise then I would be prepared to give them a list of the files contained in each of the texture folders and share my thumbnails if required. If you do want to contact me or reply to this post then please note that I will not be available at all for the coming week and my dear son who will be using my PC in my absence (perish the thought - lol) has no interest in Flightsim and won't be checking anything of mine. Also if anyone has anything else to offer to with regard to the use of the F-8 in FSX then please continue this thread. The recent thread on porting the Alphasim Voodoo to FSX was a great example of SOH member co-operation.

Regards,

John N.

 

[expat]

John,

Admire your determination and stamina! I have been on and off since 7am trying to do some crude home grown - not for release - repaints, e.g VF-191 and VF-162 - using MS Paint etc and boy there is a lot of extra labor and trial and error because of the way this was set up.

Have settled on using the default VC with some gauges swapped and custom add ons and found the AS Demon 2d panel easier to see for landings.

What has stymied me is the RF-8 that was kind of boot legged released - it was unofficial/non supported - so AS was understandably a little wary of piracy at the time but would probably be a little more relaxed about it being discussed today. Anyway, I can get it to show in FS9 without the sidewinder and rails but no matter what I do can't seem to get rid of the shape of the AIM-9's reflection in FSX. Would like to get this fixed as it is another attractive model.

This is a GREAT looking plane in FSX- a handsome brute - and a an aircraft that performed impressively and served for 27 years, perhaps a bit unappreciated overshowed by that twin j-79 brick ..

Expat


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[delta_lima]

YES!!!

I worked with Carl doing the QC and flight testing on this bird - needless to say, it's very near to my heart.

Being still a neophyte to FSX, I'd love to complete the port over. I can get it to fly fine, save for a gauge or two. I always found the texture architecture arcane to say the least, so any help on preparing thumbnails would be great!

thanks,

dl

As I want to use the F-8 in FSX I decided to have a closer look at it and see the file setup. From memory there is only one texture folder which contains 233 textures, I joke not! All 6 paints are contained in the one folder. I fully understand why the designer did this, it was to have all the common files saved only the once and thus reduce overall size. In FSX we use a similar concept with the textures common to all the paints contained in a "Shared" texture folder and then each paint specific set of textures are contained in individual folders with a texture config. file linking them to the "Shared" texture folder. (From memory I seem to remember a few nice repaints are available).

What I decided to do earlier today was to to set the Crusader textures up in the same format as the standard FSX method. This then makes it easy to add additional paints where only the textures specific to each repaint need to be included in the relevant texture folder. This also means that each thumbnail can also be placed in the relevant folder. The attached screenshot shows my FSX menu with the Crusader thumbnails included.

Personally I also changed every texture to DXT bitmaps while I was engaged in the exercise and don't forget there were 233 of them. This is obviously not essential and anyone wanting to tackle this exercise but spend less time could just leave the textures as normal bitmaps.

When setting up the new folders care has to be taken to ensure that all the relevant textures are included or referred to in the relevant texture.config file, I admit to getting a few blank black areas on one or two of the paints which I later had to think about and resolve, thankfully all now O.K.

If anyone else contemplates this exercise then I would be prepared to give them a list of the files contained in each of the texture folders and share my thumbnails if required. If you do want to contact me or reply to this post then please note that I will not be available at all for the coming week and my dear son who will be using my PC in my absence (perish the thought - lol) has no interest in Flightsim and won't be checking anything of mine. Also if anyone has anything else to offer to with regard to the use of the F-8 in FSX then please continue this thread. The recent thread on porting the Alphasim Voodoo to FSX was a great example of SOH member co-operation.

Regards,

John N.

 

[rohan]

The alternative, and to my mind easier, way to do this is to follow the instructions in post #3 by falcon409,
Ro
:ernae:

 

[raptor19]

The alternative, and to my mind easier, way to do this is to follow the instructions in post #3 by falcon409,
Ro
:ernae:

Agreed, this is the simplest way but then at the end you still end up with a non-standard FSX file setup. Personally, as a matter of choice, I keep all my portovers in the standard format (and change textures to DXT) as per the default MS aircraft layout. My offer of passing on the revised "standard format" file structure was simply to save time and fiddling for anyone that wanted the usual format which most people are familiar with. As I said in the previous post there is no essential need to convert the textures to DXT and that is by far the most time consuming part of what I have done as there are so many textures.

I am out of the equation now for a week now but if anyone wants the details (File/texture listing) for the usual installation then me a PM and I will put something together when I am back.

 

[raptor19]

If anyone just wants the thumbnails as in my previous post then PM me with an e-mail address and I will return them as an attachment. Unfortunately as I said earlier that will now have to wait until next week.


John N.

 

[expat]

Looking good today in FSX despite its age in the sim . .