Question about RAZBAM A-4E add-on textures

S

SSI01

Charter Member
I am wondering if I am either not properly installing some add-on textures for the RAZBAM A-4E - or the textures are not meant for this version of the RAZBAM A-4E.

I've purchased and downloaded all four Skyhawk packs currently on sale. Nice product. Next stop was to visit FlightSim.com and some other sites to find out what textures were available as add-ons to the basic aircraft. There are some very nice add-on textures available from a gentleman named Russel Smith. I've downloaded them and attempted to use them, in accordance with instructions, with the RAZBAM packs I've mentioned. What I'm getting is a basic grey A-4E (in this case) that has the different portions of the aircraft texture on the wrong parts of the aircraft (i.e., ship name on rear portion of vertical stab instead of on fuselage - part of U.S. insignia on tailpipe, etc). The individual texture part names are the same in both the original texture files and in the add-ons - no difference there. I've tried emailing Mr. Smith for help but my server says it can't forward the email to him, so I'm stuck. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.
 
SSI01 said:
I am wondering if I am either not properly installing some add-on textures for the RAZBAM A-4E - or the textures are not meant for this version of the RAZBAM A-4E.

I've purchased and downloaded all four Skyhawk packs currently on sale. Nice product. Next stop was to visit FlightSim.com and some other sites to find out what textures were available as add-ons to the basic aircraft. There are some very nice add-on textures available from a gentleman named Russel Smith. I've downloaded them and attempted to use them, in accordance with instructions, with the RAZBAM packs I've mentioned. What I'm getting is a basic grey A-4E (in this case) that has the different portions of the aircraft texture on the wrong parts of the aircraft (i.e., ship name on rear portion of vertical stab instead of on fuselage - part of U.S. insignia on tailpipe, etc). The individual texture part names are the same in both the original texture files and in the add-ons - no difference there. I've tried emailing Mr. Smith for help but my server says it can't forward the email to him, so I'm stuck. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If nobody else answers you, I'll have a look at this in the morning; I've been meaning to add the batch of repaints I downloaded for the A-4 anyway, so it seems as good a time to do it as any.
 
Outstanding, gentlemen - it's almost 11PM here on the E. Coast, I'm getting ready to turn in myself but am grateful for the prompt and, just as important, POSITIVE response!
 
Prowler1111 said:
It looks like some of the textures need to be rotated, i´ll see what i can do
Best regards
Prowler
Click to expand...

I installed the VMA121 A-4E repaint and got exactly the same results as SSI01; so I opened one of the textures (fuseleft) in DXTBMP and compared it to one of the standard textures - no resemblance at all, so it is no surprise that it doesn't work. I'm not sure if he is using the textures from one of the other sets, but I looked at 3-4 and didn't see anything similar. I have no idea if they are rotated, or saved in the wrong ratios, or what - they look like they should be nice repaints, but I've not the foggiest how to get them working.
 
Andy - at least you're confirming my sanity!

After a close look at the textures as they sit on the blank bird, I thought I was seeing (very broadly) the textures are appearing about where they should be appearing in relation to one another - it's just that they're on a vastly different scale - which seems to lend credence to your remark about ratios being off. They're in the right positions, it's just that the aircraft you're putting them on should be several times larger than it actually is.

How about administering a dose of growth hormone to the A-4?
 
Guys..would you be so kind to post about this at our forums? this way i can work faster on this, and please, include a screenshot..

Prowler
 
Prowler1111 said:
Guys..would you be so kind to post about this at our forums? this way i can work faster on this, and please, include a screenshot..

Prowler
Click to expand...

Give me 5 minutes, I'll post in the Flightline section.

Edit - OK, posted at the forum, along with screenshots & copies of the relevant textures.
 
"Answer supplied by the original artist, at Razbam's forum -

IIRC correctly the texture mapping was changed when one of the service packs were done.

In the original the fuselage and engine nacelles were 2 separate textures.

After the update the fuselage and nacelles were on the same map.

I never went back and redid the textures to the new mapping.

I am afraid all of them I did suffered that fate.

Sorry

Russ"
 
AndyG43 said:
"Answer supplied by the original artist, at Razbam's forum -

IIRC correctly the texture mapping was changed when one of the service packs were done.

In the original the fuselage and engine nacelles were 2 separate textures.

After the update the fuselage and nacelles were on the same map.

I never went back and redid the textures to the new mapping.

I am afraid all of them I did suffered that fate.

Sorry

Russ"
Click to expand...

Well, what do you think - there seems to be a note of finality to his reply.
 
SSI01 said:
Well, what do you think - there seems to be a note of finality to his reply.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately yes. I did notice that his repaint textures seemed to be older than the standard ones, which seemed curious; seems the service packs were a pretty major upgrade! So those repaints are now not much use (barring somebody pulling off a miracle); shame, as I have some of Russ's repaints for other Razbam models, and they are very nice. So I guess we're looking for one of our resident texture wizards to step up! :salute: Or tackle them ourselves, plenty of schemes to choose from - might have a crack at one or two myself.

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww3/a/783/3
 
Question aboout RAZBAM A-4E add-on textures

AndyG43 said:
Unfortunately yes. I did notice that his repaint textures seemed to be older than the standard ones, which seemed curious; seems the service packs were a pretty major upgrade! So those repaints are now not much use (barring somebody pulling off a miracle); shame, as I have some of Russ's repaints for other Razbam models, and they are very nice. So I guess we're looking for one of our resident texture wizards to step up! :salute: Or tackle them ourselves, plenty of schemes to choose from - might have a crack at one or two myself.

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww3/a/783/3
Click to expand...

I've tried to do a few basic textures, plus some mods to existing ones but get bogged down pretty quickly. I only have the basic programs that come with the Windows setup, haven't bought anything to use to fabricate a new one or modify an existing one. I suppose an optimist would call this a learning opportunity!

There are some truly amazing things going on right now with Mr. Shupe and my anticipation level is pretty high with what he's got going re: the E-1, S-2 and C-1 in his shop. He's pretty busy with that right now, though. Of course, I'm not denigrating any of your abilities! I am open to suggestions you may have.
 
SSI01 said:
I've tried to do a few basic textures, plus some mods to existing ones but get bogged down pretty quickly. I only have the basic programs that come with the Windows setup, haven't bought anything to use to fabricate a new one or modify an existing one. I suppose an optimist would call this a learning opportunity!.
Click to expand...

Get yourself the basic tools & have a play, it will be fun if nothing else! If you have a layered pantkit (which the Skyhawk does) then to have a dabble (which is all I do really) you need a couple of basic tools:

DXTBMP - get it here, it is vital
A graphics editor - I use Photoshop, but Gimp is a good freeware alternative

I'm busy tonight, but I'll try to track down some links to good 'How To...' and tutorials tomorrow. But the vital link has to be the Simmers Paint Shop.
 
There is one other solution I just thought of, although it would take the cooperation of RAZBAM itself - can we ask for the original copy of the A-4E before the SPs were added? The balance of the bird should be adaptable to the addition of the other portions of various service packs - all we're interested in is the basic texture of the aircraft before the service packs were added. Would this be a reasonable request to make of them?
 
It would but the problem is those meshes does not exist anymore.
Not even in the form of a terminated add on.
But right here in SOH, there were a number of customers (it was 2003!) of the original version.Not entirely sure, but i the CFS2 versions might be pre service pack.
You can tell the difference by the virtual cockpits, and it applies only to volume 1 as the rest were done with the new cockpit and then on.

Best regards

Prowler
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top