P-47 Progress Thread

[gecko]

That aluminum looks pretty convincing Joost!

One thing worth bearing in mind in general with WWII aircraft, is that these aircraft had a lower life expectancy than the pilots. They often didn’t last long enough to get too beat up. Dirty perhaps, depending on operational conditions, but most of the time, these are not high time aircraft.

 

[Bravo/4]

Yes Dan totally agree with you on all that, but, speaking as a skinner I think factory schemes just don't look right in the sim, they can look a bit cartoonish, just my opinion, nobody has to agree with it, as I said to Joost, it's his model/skin, he should do what he wants to with it!
Now if it were possible to start off with a factory scheme, and then gradually dirty it up, that would be something, all the aces would have filthy worn out aircraft!

 

[gecko]

Well, the factory new look probably disappeared quite quickly too!

Now if it were possible to start off with a factory scheme, and then gradually dirty it up, that would be something, all the aces would have filthy worn out aircraft!

Well, I do have thoughts on this, but they are a long way from being realized yet.

 

[Bravo/4]

lol I might have known, interesting Dan

 

[Frosty]

So, I've been playing a bit with textures and deciding on what skin(s) I would like to equip the P-47 with. As an exercise and learning experience I decided to create a .mos file with one selectable ID letter, one selectable digit in the BuNo number and selectable nose art. This raised a few questions that someone hopefully will be able to help me with:

1. Am I correct in thinking that the selectable numbers and digits were omitted/disabled in ETO?
I found only blacked-out .dds files and therefore copied them from stock CFS3. The stock nose art files seemed to have been omitted completely.

2. After copying the nose art files to ETO, they don't show in the aircraft selection pre-view window (Paint-button). Is this on purpose or have I forgotten something else?
I still can select the various nose art images and they do show on the aircraft in the UI; they're just not visible in the selection window.

3. I thought that having selectable letters and digits meant that CFS3 would randomize them for the other aircraft in your flight, giving the suggestion of different squadron aircraft.
However the other aircraft a just copies of the player's ship. This is correct as well?

4. MM already mentioned it earlier in this thread (#131): the .mos file reduces the size of the textures causing loss of resolution. That is a bit of a bummer, as I did my best to cram most of the external model's texture on a single texture sheet. To have good texture detail, it is possible to create a single large-resolution file or spread the main texture over multiple smaller-sized files. But both solutions are seemingly not compatible with a .mos file. Nobody has found a solution for this problem? If this is not the case, I might create a .mos file for those that like to have bullet holes etc. But to enjoy the most detail, you better not install it.

Other than the above, I've also been working on a dorsal fillet-less P-47D-30 3D model and associated texture by grafting the back of a previous incarnation of the model on the current D-40. After adjusting some panel and rivet lines, we will have two decent late P-47 models!

 

[gecko]

3. I have done experiments in the past with this. I was never able to get CFS3 to do anything consistent with AI aircraft.

4. It depends on the mos file if it degrades the texture. If it was initially made for a 1024x1024 texture, using a higher resolution texture will still display at the lower resolution. But a mos can be created for a 2048x2048 texture just fine. There are also some options on the mos editor that have an effect on quality, but I don't recall them right now. In the latest SJ Spitfire packages, I cannot tell any difference in quality when a mos file is used vs when it is removed. Of course in terms of mapping the textures, the only real purpose of having the whole main texture on one sheet is so you can use a mos file so you can apply bullet decals. Anything that wouldn't look good with a bullet decal on it has no specific need to be on the main sheet.

On a somewhat related note, it may be possible to add multiple regular layers to a mos file, so that finer details (small stencils and such) can be applied at a much higher resolution than if they had to be painted onto the main texture. I've not experimented with this, but I do think there may be some unexplored potential in mos files.

 

[greycap.raf]

On a somewhat related note, it may be possible to add multiple regular layers to a mos file, so that finer details (small stencils and such) can be applied at a much higher resolution than if they had to be painted onto the main texture. I've not experimented with this, but I do think there may be some unexplored potential in mos files.

What you're describing is indeed possible but it's done in the main model, not the mos file. See the old GC Bf 110G-4 night fighters for an example on this, they have separate stencil textures that are mapped on top of the main texture at a very high resolution. The downside is that if the modeler gets the placement/size/whatever wrong, correcting it is impossible.

 

[Bravo/4]

Joost, regards question 1. I don't think they were disabled, they are all there in my install?

Question 2. Yes I'm getting the same result, so I don't think you have anything wrong there.

Question 3. Yep correct, pretty rubbish isn't it?

Dan has already answered question 4.

I've never liked the nose art thingy, especially when it comes to the RAF nose art, wtf is that all about? lol

They had this aircraft ID working in MAW I did a set of numbers for the Bf 109E, but having just tried the nose art after many years, (the stock nose art does work) it doesn't seem to want to work anymore for the 109? I have no idea on the mechanics of it though, and can certainly live without it!

Good luck!

 

[sdsbolt]

3) seems all aircraft in player's flight have the same code letters. I think MS meant for AI wingmen to have different letters as it is fairly easy to change with an external program like the spitfire module.

 

[Frosty]

Thanks for all your input, guys!!

What you're describing is indeed possible but it's done in the main model, not the mos file. See the old GC Bf 110G-4 night fighters for an example on this, they have separate stencil textures that are mapped on top of the main texture at a very high resolution. The downside is that if the modeler gets the placement/size/whatever wrong, correcting it is impossible.

Would this be a bit like how they did the engine instruments on the engine nacelles? Or maybe a bit like the placards in the stock cockpits? Those placards seem to be planes with a higher res. texture from a gauge texture sheet so the instrument panel itself can be textured with a lower resolution.

Joost, regards question 1. I don't think they were disabled, they are all there in my install? ...

They are in my install too but they are all black (both texture and alpha). Maybe something went wrong with the installation. Anyway, I copied them over and now they work.

... 4. It depends on the mos file if it degrades the texture. If it was initially made for a 1024x1024 texture, using a higher resolution texture will still display at the lower resolution. But a mos can be created for a 2048x2048 texture just fine. There are also some options on the mos editor that have an effect on quality, but I don't recall them right now. In the latest SJ Spitfire packages, I cannot tell any difference in quality when a mos file is used vs when it is removed. Of course in terms of mapping the textures, the only real purpose of having the whole main texture on one sheet is so you can use a mos file so you can apply bullet decals. Anything that wouldn't look good with a bullet decal on it has no specific need to be on the main sheet.

On a somewhat related note, it may be possible to add multiple regular layers to a mos file, so that finer details (small stencils and such) can be applied at a much higher resolution than if they had to be painted onto the main texture. I've not experimented with this, but I do think there may be some unexplored potential in mos files.

OK, I'll try and create my own .mos. I now copied one from stock and just altered the file names to get the letters and digits to work.

 

[Bravo/4]

Regards the high res gauge textures, yes Joost, it's same as Rene explained, they also used it on the He 111 for nose art and stencils, works very well in that model btw

The Maw Bf 109 id letters/numbers used to work flawlessly, did it for the Hurricanes too, no idea what has changed but they no longer work, strange?

 

[Frosty]

Some WIP models. I tried not to choose the most obvious skins but ones that posed some painting challenge or AC with appealing nose art (who doesn't like scantily clad girls?) So no, 'Hun Hunter XVI' isn't one of them... Bonus points for those who can identify any of the ships!

 

[mongoose]

Looking good Joost! Fijne kerst!

 

[sixstrings5859]

Excellent Joost ! Love the Checkered Tail and Blue nose P-47's, Heck, i like them all ! Thanks for your hard work ! Regards, Scott

 

[gecko]

Looking good! Is the blue one Bloom's Tomb?

 

[Frosty]

Excellent Joost ! Love the Checkered Tail and Blue nose P-47's, Heck, i like them all ! Thanks for your hard work ! Regards, Scott

Yeah, I like the checkered one because the checkers are aligned along the leading edges of the fin and stabilizers; not so easy to get those checkers to match on the rudder and elevators, but I think I did a fair job.

Looking good! Is the blue one Bloom's Tomb?

Almost! It is a kite from the same FS (514th) but not 'Bloom's Tomb'. It's a rather dull, generic looking one, without any nose art. Your P-47 was on my list, though. In my search for interesting profiles I found that there were actually nine P-47s called 'Bloom's Tomb', but unfortunately I haven't been able to find a usable image of the nose art.

 

[sixstrings5859]

By the looks of your screenshots ,these are going to be sweet. Have you contacted Rene about the flight modeling yet ? Can't wait for these wonderful P-47's ! Regards, Scott

 

[mongoose]

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/...ways-ruled-the-skies?utm_source=pocket-newtab

 

[sixstrings5859]

Thanks for sharing. A good read of my favorite WW II aircraft.

 

[Frosty]

Still busy unwrapping the VC!
Here's a gmax screenie of the throttle quadrant as it was at the start and how it looks 90% unwrapped and painted (but still sans weathering):

What a little paint can do!! There will also be a normal map to simulate cast iron, knurling, engraved or embossed text, rivets and screws etc. (And the animation of the WEP switch has to be corrected, I know )