Alternative 3-blade propeller disc textures for FDG2 B_17 by Kelticheart

braveheart77521

SOH-CM-2023
Alternative 3-blade propeller disc textures for FDG2 B_17 by Kelticheart

Keltiheart


The exhaust effect works beautifully, but I have a question about the prop textures. I dropped Prop_us.bmp into the texure folder, but there is no file with this title. Therefore, is it an add on or should it replace another file? Your instructions state that it would overwrite a file.

Braveheart77521
 
While Kelti's in Gay Paree....

... Allow me to answer for him.

Stefano's prop textures can be used with almost ANY aircraft as long as you do two things:

~ Locate and rename the ORIGINAL prop texture to something like [
!xxxx.bmp]

and

~ Paste in his NEW prop texture and rename it with the original prop texture's title [
xxxx.bmp]

It's a "copy and paste" operation, but some fiddling IS required to make things work !

Best
SC
:kilroy:
 
Prop not seperated

SC

In the FDG2 B-17 the prop is in a file called Parts, which include wheels, etc. The prop is not in a seperate file. How do I use it.

Braveheart 77521
 
Argh !

...In the FDG2 B-17 the prop is in a file called Parts, which include wheels, etc. The prop is not in a seperate file. How do I use it...

Now THERE'S a rub...... :banghead:

If the original MDL file doesn't call for an independent prop bmp image, you're stuck with the composite prop that is mapped with all the other parts.

I Think.


If any of our image specialists would like to supply an alternative answer, *I'D* be interested to know it too !

Thanks
SC
:kilroy:
 
Braveheart 77521,

The updated texture by should not overwrite anything on this aircraft as "prop_us.bmp" is a generic file located in the sims main texture folder. Installing this texture to the aircraft's texture folder just prevents CFS2 from looking at the main texture folder for the generic file.

While the "parts.bmp" file includes a prop texture, its only used when the prop is not moving, and/or is just starting/stoping movement, so the updated prop does not affect it.

Boatz
 
Reply...

Hello all,

I understand the confusion, so allow me to clear things up. Kdriver is exactly right. For any plane which does not have prop textures, CFS2 will automatically default to the root (main) texture folder, which is why you have a prop_japan and prop_us in that folder.

It's the same principle that allows you to not have texture files in your World\texture folder and yet still have ground textures when you have Sander's files installed, even in areas where his landclass doesn't cover, because it defaults to the root (main) texture folder, which is where he tells you to place the world\texture bitmap files. Clear so far?

Now, what Kelti did is create a texture bitmap which assigned SPECIFIC textures to that aircraft, so that it does not "default" to the basic prop textures it was going to beforehand. Therefore, there is no file to overwrite, and the aircraft model now uses these new prop textures.
 
Keltiheart


The exhaust effect works beautifully, but I have a question about the prop textures. I dropped Prop_us.bmp into the texure folder, but there is no file with this title. Therefore, is it an add on or should it replace another file? Your instructions state that it would overwrite a file.

Braveheart77521

Hi Braveheart,

sorry for not being around to answer your question, but now I am back from my week of vacation in Paris. Boy, what a beautiful, tourist-friendly town!

Fortunately, Rami answered correctly, but the mistake in the instructions was mine. I owe an apology to anyone who tried installing them and got confused by my instructions.

I like to write very clear and comprehensive instructions for my uploads, but the task sometimes is a little heavy, so I do cut-and-paste from older uploads, changing the names of the aircrafts each time. Usually there is a blurred prop texture file in the aircraft \texture folder and I instruct to overwrite that one.

Some designers, FDG2 among them, choose instead to use CFS2 default prop texture so there isn't any prop disc texture in their aircrafts, both freeware and donationware, now free. As Rami correctly pointed out, whenever CFS2 doesn't find a prop disc texture in the aircraft, it defaults to the stock one.

In the rush to upload the B-17 pack in time for Rami's release of his new campaign, I overlooked that instruction stating to overwrite original prop disc texture file which isn't there.

I should have written "simply drop the prop texture in the aircraft \texture folder", period.

To SC7500:

What you state in your reply "..Stefano's prop textures can be used with almost ANY aircraft..."is not entirely correct.

What I found when I first started tinkering with prop textures because I realised prop discs showed up smaller than the length of any given aircraft propeller blades, prop texture files are usually 256x256x24 extended bmp files. In some rare cases they can be 512x512x24. Aircraft designers create a disc in their model files that gets "painted" by CFS2 with the transparent prop disc file, some of them use the whole 256x256 size to draw the prop disc circumference, the vast majority do them smaller, but different from each other.

When I do a new prop disc I check the limits of that specific model outer circumference by using a generic texture file which occupies the whole 256x256 texture, if the designer designed a smaller prop disc, it will show up in the aircraft as a polygonal circle with angles instead of a perfectly round prop disc as it is in real life.

I then change the texture outer circumference with gradually smaller ones, one bit at a time, until the aircraft shows up with a round prop disc. Usually, this ends up matching the length of the still prop blades.

In other words, any prop texture I upload is custom made for that specific model, since on another one it could come out too big or too small. If I am lucky, models from the same author will use the same texture but, sometimes, that doesn't happen and I have to come up with a new one, even if the aircraft builder is the same.

My prop textures can indeed be used on almost any aircraft, but they can turn out to be either too small or too big if they are not previously adapted to each individual model. Moreover, if there are any brand emblems, stencils or anything else on the blade which can leave a blurred mark on the prop disc, I try to reproduce them making the textures even more specific and not suitable for generic use.

A good example is German prop textures, which do not feature the Allied yellow safety tips, or British Rotol blades with the brand painted close to the spinner vs. US-made Hamilton Strd. or Curtiss Electric, usually painted in the middle of the blade and so on.

Cheers!
KH
:ernae:
 
I Stand Chastised !

However, for the Non-Purist like ME who only wants a prop circle that's not solid black, and DOESN'T care if the dimensions are correct down to the decal loop.....

Your Work Is ENTIRELY Wonderful ! lol :wavey:

SC

:kilroy:
 
However, for the Non-Purist like ME who only wants a prop circle that's not solid black, and DOESN'T care if the dimensions are correct down to the decal loop.....

Your Work Is ENTIRELY Wonderful ! lol :wavey:

SC

:kilroy:

SC, I didn't mean to smack your fingers like a nun in Catholic elementary school! Sorry if I conveyed that idea....:wiggle:

I just grabbed the opportunity to offer some better explanations since, over time, other people stated that my props can be used on any aircraft, which is true to a degree.

Rivet-counters and "nitpickers" have been strongly criticised over these pages, and I agree that there is a compromise limit anybody should accept.
I agree no-one checks whatever colour a prop disc of a target looks like, the most important thing is shooting it down before it chews up our tails!

But airplanes do look better if some basic details, like a correctly shaped prop disc or an antenna wire mast or a Pitot tube are there....that is for some of us who deeply enjoy admiring the most beautiful machines ever developed by mankind, i.e. aircrafts. :)

Sometimes I only turn CFS2 on to bring a Mustang or a Spitfire on my screen and then just pan around it and savour the shape, the classic lines and good looks of a flying machine.

Call me a dreamer.......:naturesm:

Cheers!
KH
:ernae:
 
LOL Stef !

No offense taken, Sir !

You DID just let the entire SOH group know WHY I was tossed out of Catholic School so long ago.... Sister Mary Elephant Indeed ~ Heeeeeee!
 
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