LM/CS AC-130J Ghostrider Mod

[Scorch00]

This will be the last "J" model mod from me at least for the time being. The popularity of the what I'm now calling the "ScorchMod" Hercs led me to this 3rd version. I'm currently in the process of turning the J model into a true Ghostrider. This includes the removal of the cannons and adding the 30mm as well as an assortment of sensors, cameras, and domes. Some things will be omitted as I am very very green in terms of modeling things from scratch. But, luckily most of the things will be included. Other things I've done are model the open wing pylons. Where I'll be working on the attachments xml to allow for the attachments of weapons and countermeasures to the model (for use in simdirector I believe is how it's used). Which is something I've not even used in P3D yet honestly. I don't know how that even works. But, I'm all about tinkering with the sim. These are some progress shots of it so far. It will also have it's own custom livery. I'm just using the MC-130s for now. As well as the similar FLIR mod the MC-130J has...that IR view/camera I think is iconic of the C-130 Gunships.

 

[docjohnson]

IN the future any chance you could do these:

HC-130H/P/N Combat King
MC-130E Combat Talon I
MC-130H Combat Talon II
MC-130W Combat/Dragon Spear
MC-130P Combat Shadow

I've got time in the HC-130 as a scanner and Combat Talon I and II as a temporary passenger...

 

[Victory103]

Great job again on this one, thanks for looking into the FLIR camera option, a requirement on these spook Herc. I know someone was working a Tacpack mod, but not sure if the side firing weapons were ever figured out.

 

[Scorch00]

IN the future any chance you could do these:

HC-130H/P/N Combat King
MC-130E Combat Talon I
MC-130H Combat Talon II
MC-130W Combat/Dragon Spear
MC-130P Combat Shadow

I've got time in the HC-130 as a scanner and Combat Talon I and II as a temporary passenger...

There's a possibility at some point I may dive into those versions as well. CS/LM haven't really updated their Hercs for what 12+ years almost? Which is why I've been doing this, breathe some life back into them and bring them back closer to what's out now, visually at least. There are a few people I know that are also working on mods for it, like adding
PBR etc.

Great job again on this one, thanks for looking into the FLIR camera option, a requirement on these spook Herc. I know someone was working a Tacpack mod, but not sure if the side firing weapons were ever figured out.

Thank you. I agree, which is why I had to make sure it was incorporated. I feel, like I said before, an AC-130 without that camera view loses a lot of authenticity. I've heard someone was. As far as P3D is concerned the weapons do fire in the SimDirector missions. Which is what I will work on for this. I've not used that feature in P3D so it will be a learning experience. At minimum I will at least get the physical model out and then do an update to it like my KC-130J to add additional features/changes.


Working on the cannons and the port areas tonight. The second FLIR pod was also added as was the camera itself.

 

[docjohnson]

Looking forward to flying these and hopefully the others when they are done. Thanks and excellent work!

 

[Scorch00]

Some more work on the AC-130J. Gun ports/boots are done. Some Ghostriders have nose art, so I'll be including a few versions with nose art.

 

[Joseph29]

That is looking very good!

 

[Scorch00]

I've decided there will be 2 versions of the Ghostrider. A clean pylon version and this new one I've added. It's equipped with the "bomb truck" layout. I rough modeled some GBU-39 SDB's to put on the wing hardpoint stations on both wings.

 

[docjohnson]

Love this work!

 

[Scorch00]

As of tonight. I believe I'm done with the external modifications to the AC-130J. I will be including I believe at this time 4 repaints. I have 2 completed and will be doing another 2 here in the next couple days. I will be representing a number of the AC-130Js. 3 with nose art and a single ship that's the typical AFSOC color scheme. So far I have ships 5837 and 5809 completed. I have 5772 slated as the last nose art ship.

 

[Navy Chief]

BEAUTIFUL, Scorch!!! NC

As of tonight. I believe I'm done with the external modifications to the AC-130J. I will be including I believe at this time 4 repaints. I have 2 completed and will be doing another 2 here in the next couple days. I will be representing a number of the AC-130Js. 3 with nose art and a single ship that's the typical AFSOC color scheme. So far I have ships 5837 and 5809 completed. I have 5772 slated as the last nose art ship.

 

[Scorch00]

BEAUTIFUL, Scorch!!! NC

Thank you! Should be finishing it up to hopefully upload it here this weekend at some point.

Also, since I'm on the fence about doing any other mods to the "J" model Hercs. I was looking at reference photos today and briefly thought about adding the USMC's KC-130J Harvest Hawk to another addition....maybe? It will be much later on, but it technically is a Ghostrider-lite if you will. I don't know, just a thought though.

 

[Scorch00]

All versions are completed and textured. For this version I am opting to include the glowing propeller tips as an optional addition for those that want it. Otherwise the propellers will remain as they are in real life. There are 8 aircraft that will appear in people's inventory. 4 "clean" versions and 4 with GBU-39s on the wing station hardpoints. I have added a working
FLIR camera from P3D to the underside of the Ghostrider to mimic the Gunship's iconic FLIR view. The camera functions as the P3D camera function does (it's not with the view controls).
The weapon systems obviously don't work, but my hope is that if someone is in fact working on a TacPack version of the AC-130 for P3D, hopefully the version I put out will also be added to that. Just like the other versions I've done, you'll have to build her folder up for it to work. I've made this one for the softpanel model. So it's associated mfd textures need to be added as well to the texture folders. (or feel free to change it to whatever interior you want). 3 of the repaints I did for this are Ghostriders that have nose art on them and a single ship that's the standard AFSOC color scheme. Ships 5772, 5783, 5809, and 5837 are represented. I'll be uploading this here within the next few hours. I will update this for the link once it's up.

Link below:
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/local_links.php?catid=220&linkid=26511

 

[Joseph29]

Thank you for the new mod. I really like flying the C-130 so any new models or repaints are welcomed by me.

 

[Joseph29]

I am having some trouble with this one. My yoke is all black and the sides of my panel is black. I know it has something to do with the interior but I don't know why I can't get it to display right. In the model folders I have the line [FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]interior=C-130J_Interior_SoftPanels in the panel cfg file and I have the SoftPanels.mdl file in both model folders but the yoke and panel sides are still all black.

I have your other two C-130 mods and I have them working fine.
[/FONT]

 

[Fulvio_61]

I am having some trouble with this one. My yoke is all black and the sides of my panel is black. I know it has something to do with the interior but I don't know why I can't get it to display right. In the model folders I have the line interior=C-130J_Interior_SoftPanels in the panel cfg file and I have the SoftPanels.mdl file in both model folders but the yoke and panel sides are still all black. I have your other two C-130 mods and I have them working fine.

I believe the problem is because the SoftPanels are only available in version 4.5 of P3D. So Scorch00 should be nice to include SoftPanels in its release too ...

 

[Scorch00]

This is an issue I omitted in the readme file now that I've read this and had gone back and checked. But this is a component based mod and not the full aircraft for a reason. I thought an issue or two like this would come up considering the mod is essentially in pieces to avoid distribution issues, etc. But with the other versions I did, a lot of people noted not being stuck just using the soft panels version as it's largely a non-functioning glass cockpit. So in this version I did include the interior model for the soft panel interior, but not all the textures for it. So people could just easily swap it. Which is what I omitted in the readme. You'll have to go to the textures for the soft panel version that came with V4.5 and copy those panel texture files over to the repaints for the AC-130J if you want the soft panel version's cockpit. The models themselves are compiled to not work in anything older than V4.4, so trying them in anything older than V4.4 will likely not make them work properly, or may not show up at all. They wont work in V3 or FSX as I've made them that way. This is to ensure not having distribution issues with the other versions of the payware CS C-130s for FSX. The component mods I did ensure you have to have the base files already for P3D. Hope this straightens it out and solves your cockpit texture issues.

 

[jeansy]

just a quick question, which program are you using to format the textures, im only asking as the textures in 2 download attempts the pixels in the textures are distorted compared to other c-130 textures out there and stock textures.

 

[Scorch00]

I use a combination of Gimp, Paint.net, and DXTBMP. It just depends on what I'm doing. I'm not sure I'm following as to what pixel distortion it is you're talking about. I don't see anything in that picture. Can you specifically show what it is you're looking at that's distorted? I could very well may have missed something.

 

[jeansy]

I use a combination of Gimp, Paint.net, and DXTBMP. It just depends on what I'm doing. I'm not sure I'm following as to what pixel distortion it is you're talking about. I don't see anything in that picture. Can you specifically show what it is you're looking at that's distorted? I could very well may have missed something.

what version of dxtbmp are you using, the older versions caused pixels to be distorted on textures greater than 1024. The latest version supports larger texture sheets.

And it would be right i just shut down the sim and it takes about 20mins to load up with all the addon crap in my documents, I will boot up the sim and get a comparison of the distortion, I will focus on the shadows under the wings and roundel to give you an example

or do you have the PSD file for that one and I will format it and see it still remains. I think it is simple as updating the format converter.

edit- ive added a comparison with a stock texture and yours, if you look closely at your roundels, the pixels are distorted and the lines arent as sharp in comparison with a default texture

This is normally a result of compression from 24bit bmp to dxt, normally older versions of dxtbmp are the culprit

either way i think its a easy fix when we work out where the distortion is. I would like to maximise the quality and amount of your work if its a simple as changing a process or updating a program if i can if your happy