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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
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Team Daedalus / Akemi Tribute Fw190s released!
- Thread starter Team Daedalus
- Start date
You're the best Rami. Thank you. 
kelticheart
Charter Member
Better late than......
Stunning, outstanding, magnificent, jaw-dropping, splendid, stupendous, wonderful, marvellous, fantastic...how's this for a show off of synonyms, describing the feeling I had when I saw all of the Mizoguchi-Dedalus FW190A's were released?
A big
KH
Stunning, outstanding, magnificent, jaw-dropping, splendid, stupendous, wonderful, marvellous, fantastic...how's this for a show off of synonyms, describing the feeling I had when I saw all of the Mizoguchi-Dedalus FW190A's were released?
A big
BRAVO!!!!
TO THE DEDALUS TEAM
AND A HUGE THANK YOU!TO THE DEDALUS TEAM
KH
kelticheart
Charter Member
It's taking some time but....
....I am working on a better disc prop texture for these new birds!
The reason why I am not as swift as in the past it's not due to ageing, as some malicious chaps among us might think....
....
It's the structure of the texture file, different from all known standards, which forces careful placement calculations for each modification, since the prop disc it's placed totally off from the centre of the file, as shown below. In my opinion creating something entirely different from a known, easy standard, which works just as good if not better than the previous, it's another proof of Akemi's master artistry. This is very much in line with that part of Japanese culture which may sound strange to many Western minds: spending an entire life in search of perfection.
Move the disc just one pixel in any direction and it will be displayed spinning lopsided instantly! Besides, the disc is oval, not perfectly round, yet IT IS displayed round when the correct oval shape is reached. This only means that I had to do tons of trial-and-error attempts, until I finally hit the right one. It also means going to bed with one's eyes so irritated, from staring into the monitor, that they shed tears until the next morning and more.
I spent entire evenings trying to guess the right shape, because the great majority of Akemi's original prop textures files do not have an alpha texture controlling the various transparencies of the prop disc details. The prop texture file with its alpha texture is a CFS2 standard that I carried over to Akemi's creations.
I never stated it before but I think I can claim that, under this aspect, this part of Akemi-dedicated prop disc textures is an entirely original work of mine. And I do wonder why I never have the time to fly the numerous great historical campaigns posted by our mission-writing gurus!
I hope to be able to upload the finished textures soon enough, to complement this astounding job done by the Dedalus team.
One more announcement: I am preparing a collection upload of all the main CFS2 designers aircrafts prop textures that I updated in the last two years. It will be a reference library for everybody's convenience. One single download, including all of the all-time best designers aircrafts, instead of searching the entire SOH library to locate this or that prop texture.
At this point Rami will be able to go in and clear all of the old stuff I uploaded over the years, making room for new addons. I will also include prop textures for the best models converted from the civilian simulators FS8, FS9 and FS10 (or X).
Happy Easter to everybody!
Cheers!
KH
....I am working on a better disc prop texture for these new birds!
The reason why I am not as swift as in the past it's not due to ageing, as some malicious chaps among us might think....
....It's the structure of the texture file, different from all known standards, which forces careful placement calculations for each modification, since the prop disc it's placed totally off from the centre of the file, as shown below. In my opinion creating something entirely different from a known, easy standard, which works just as good if not better than the previous, it's another proof of Akemi's master artistry. This is very much in line with that part of Japanese culture which may sound strange to many Western minds: spending an entire life in search of perfection.
Move the disc just one pixel in any direction and it will be displayed spinning lopsided instantly! Besides, the disc is oval, not perfectly round, yet IT IS displayed round when the correct oval shape is reached. This only means that I had to do tons of trial-and-error attempts, until I finally hit the right one. It also means going to bed with one's eyes so irritated, from staring into the monitor, that they shed tears until the next morning and more.
I spent entire evenings trying to guess the right shape, because the great majority of Akemi's original prop textures files do not have an alpha texture controlling the various transparencies of the prop disc details. The prop texture file with its alpha texture is a CFS2 standard that I carried over to Akemi's creations.
I never stated it before but I think I can claim that, under this aspect, this part of Akemi-dedicated prop disc textures is an entirely original work of mine. And I do wonder why I never have the time to fly the numerous great historical campaigns posted by our mission-writing gurus!
I hope to be able to upload the finished textures soon enough, to complement this astounding job done by the Dedalus team.
One more announcement: I am preparing a collection upload of all the main CFS2 designers aircrafts prop textures that I updated in the last two years. It will be a reference library for everybody's convenience. One single download, including all of the all-time best designers aircrafts, instead of searching the entire SOH library to locate this or that prop texture.
At this point Rami will be able to go in and clear all of the old stuff I uploaded over the years, making room for new addons. I will also include prop textures for the best models converted from the civilian simulators FS8, FS9 and FS10 (or X).
Happy Easter to everybody!
Cheers!
KH
Attachments
Kelti,
Be sure you are testing on the Daedalus A-8 model, not the original Akemi model like you show in the pictures. There are differences in the VC view and the prop spinner etc. You won't want to get it perfect and then find it does not work right with the Daedalus model.
Be sure you are testing on the Daedalus A-8 model, not the original Akemi model like you show in the pictures. There are differences in the VC view and the prop spinner etc. You won't want to get it perfect and then find it does not work right with the Daedalus model.
kelticheart
Charter Member
Great Flight Model!
Hi Captain Kurt! Thank you for keeping my attention level high!
I am testing on both models, because I want to keep some historical fine repaints I found a while ago, uploaded by ChrisN for the FS9 conversion of the CFS2 model. I'll definitely keep the skin pictured above, of an A-8 aircraft flown by "Pipps" Priller.
Take a look at the mz/Dedalus' F-8 I/SG4 attached below, she's using the very same texture file, with all the new parts I painted over the Easter w-end. The prop disc animation is working flawlessly and the spinner animation with its spiral painted on is also fine. The VC gunsight also displays correctly.
A while ago I mistakenly uploaded a prop disc texture for an Akemi bird where I had deleted the gunsight out of the alpha texture while working on it.
I'll try to avoid repeating the same mistake by checking out the prop texture file for each model uploaded by the Dedalus team.
This brings up a question I had in mind to ask. I did not notice huge variations in the texture files for the Dedalus models, apart from the extra #5 file. I am assuming the texture mapping did not change, is there anything in particular that I have to pay attention to, in order to keep some older, yet very good repaints for Akemi's Butcher Bird and use them on the mz/Dedalus' collection?
Oh, BTW: my congratulations and high praises to whoever was responsible for the flight model of the mz/Dedalus' FW190A and F collection.
As you can see below, I was able to take the screenshot only a fraction of a second before touching down, landing in an almost perfect 3-point attitude, with CFS2 flight model set to difficult. The mz/Dedalus' F-8 touches down like a feather, with a very gentle descent rate and without the usual bounces I get from almost all of the other aircrafts I have, when I try to show off my piloting skills.
Rudder control is also great. The F-8 does not overreact to the rudder pedal pressures, making torque-effect control during takeoffs quite reasonable!
Cheers!
KH
Hi Captain Kurt! Thank you for keeping my attention level high!
I am testing on both models, because I want to keep some historical fine repaints I found a while ago, uploaded by ChrisN for the FS9 conversion of the CFS2 model. I'll definitely keep the skin pictured above, of an A-8 aircraft flown by "Pipps" Priller.
Take a look at the mz/Dedalus' F-8 I/SG4 attached below, she's using the very same texture file, with all the new parts I painted over the Easter w-end. The prop disc animation is working flawlessly and the spinner animation with its spiral painted on is also fine. The VC gunsight also displays correctly.
A while ago I mistakenly uploaded a prop disc texture for an Akemi bird where I had deleted the gunsight out of the alpha texture while working on it.
I'll try to avoid repeating the same mistake by checking out the prop texture file for each model uploaded by the Dedalus team.
This brings up a question I had in mind to ask. I did not notice huge variations in the texture files for the Dedalus models, apart from the extra #5 file. I am assuming the texture mapping did not change, is there anything in particular that I have to pay attention to, in order to keep some older, yet very good repaints for Akemi's Butcher Bird and use them on the mz/Dedalus' collection?
Oh, BTW: my congratulations and high praises to whoever was responsible for the flight model of the mz/Dedalus' FW190A and F collection.
As you can see below, I was able to take the screenshot only a fraction of a second before touching down, landing in an almost perfect 3-point attitude, with CFS2 flight model set to difficult. The mz/Dedalus' F-8 touches down like a feather, with a very gentle descent rate and without the usual bounces I get from almost all of the other aircrafts I have, when I try to show off my piloting skills.
Rudder control is also great. The F-8 does not overreact to the rudder pedal pressures, making torque-effect control during takeoffs quite reasonable!
Cheers!
KH
Attachments
Why thank you Kelti. I spent many, many hours working on the flight model to get it where it is now. It's great to get your feedback on it.
That's good about the prop. I did not work on every part of the upgrade and wanted for you to be sure there wasn't a Gremlin lurking in there somewhere.The prop is looking pretty good I think. Will you release it soon?
Regarding ChrisN's FW190 skins, he has done some nice work so I can see why you want to keep it. We even chose a couple of the same subjects although I wasn't aware of it at the time. As I said before about 95% of the texture mapping is the same but it is a little more than just the new FW190-05 bitmap.
To start with you should only use the FW190-01 and FW190-02 bitmaps from ChrisN's textures.
The Daedalus Fw190-03 bitmap alpha's out the original pilot and adds the cockpit detail that matches the Daedalus cockpit panel. The Daedalus FW190-04 bitmap needs to be used to work with all the Daedalus FW190 props. The -04 bitmap from the ChrisN paints for the A-5, A-6, and F-2 will not work with the Daedalus prop when the engine is running
There are some small differences that you would need to fix to get the Fw190-01 and FW190-02 bitmap fully useable too.
To use ChrisN's A-7/R2, A-8 and A-8/R2 skins you would need to match the color of the outer upper wing cannon fairings and pitot to the wing colors. These are on the FW190-05 bitmap. The FW190-02 bitmap has cockpit details that will not match the rest of the Daedalus cockpit unless you wanted to cut and paste the Daedalus details into the ChrisN texture.
The prop spinner mapping on the A-5, A-6 and F-2 models is different. If ChrisN's spinner is a solid color, no problem. But if it has a spiral or quarter section the lines will not match up. You would need to repaint the spinner, or you could always copy and paste a Daedalus spinner texture into the ChrisN skin. If you are going that far you may want to copy and paste in the correct wheel hubs too.
There might be something else I am missing right now but I think that's all of it.
That's good about the prop. I did not work on every part of the upgrade and wanted for you to be sure there wasn't a Gremlin lurking in there somewhere.The prop is looking pretty good I think. Will you release it soon?
Regarding ChrisN's FW190 skins, he has done some nice work so I can see why you want to keep it. We even chose a couple of the same subjects although I wasn't aware of it at the time. As I said before about 95% of the texture mapping is the same but it is a little more than just the new FW190-05 bitmap.
To start with you should only use the FW190-01 and FW190-02 bitmaps from ChrisN's textures.
The Daedalus Fw190-03 bitmap alpha's out the original pilot and adds the cockpit detail that matches the Daedalus cockpit panel. The Daedalus FW190-04 bitmap needs to be used to work with all the Daedalus FW190 props. The -04 bitmap from the ChrisN paints for the A-5, A-6, and F-2 will not work with the Daedalus prop when the engine is running
There are some small differences that you would need to fix to get the Fw190-01 and FW190-02 bitmap fully useable too.
To use ChrisN's A-7/R2, A-8 and A-8/R2 skins you would need to match the color of the outer upper wing cannon fairings and pitot to the wing colors. These are on the FW190-05 bitmap. The FW190-02 bitmap has cockpit details that will not match the rest of the Daedalus cockpit unless you wanted to cut and paste the Daedalus details into the ChrisN texture.
The prop spinner mapping on the A-5, A-6 and F-2 models is different. If ChrisN's spinner is a solid color, no problem. But if it has a spiral or quarter section the lines will not match up. You would need to repaint the spinner, or you could always copy and paste a Daedalus spinner texture into the ChrisN skin. If you are going that far you may want to copy and paste in the correct wheel hubs too.
There might be something else I am missing right now but I think that's all of it.
kelticheart
Charter Member
Almost there......
You are welcome! I can see why others commented so positively the flight behaviour of these FW190A's and F's. I only had the time to install this one for the prop texture work and I was immediately surprised by her responsiveness to flight controls without being a beast to handle. She matches all of what I read and the documentaries I saw about the radial-engined FW190, very manoeuvrable and a joy to fly, a tribute to Kurt Tank's aircraft building art.
If you happened to read Cdr. Tom Blackburn account of WWII VF-17 combat tours in the Pacific, you'll probably recognise the comment, as he states that aircraft manufacture is more a matter of art than simple calculations.
As you can see from the post below, the full disc version is almost ready. I already started laying down the broken disc, single blade (I always tried to guess how to describe such blurred prop disc version, someone called it fan-disc a while ago, but is it correct?) version, which will take me another few days to complete.
I hope to upload the pack before Mayday, or Beltaine, according to the Keltic calendar.
Fuselage and wings, obviously.
I saw it, it makes sense. Otherwise, good-bye to the great pilot figure made by Wolfi!
I know about this, too. Chris used Akemi's A-5 model which, for some reason non-Akemi's standard, uses a 256x256 format for the blurred prop disc.
Thank you again for the detailed explanation! Cutting and pasting the Daedalus new details onto the old texture files is my preferred way to go. It's a technique that I have been using since the beginning of my repaint attempts, to preserve the worthy old textures adapting them to the better new model. Take, for example, The B24Guy's overhauled stock models. I faced the same situation when I started to demirroring beautiful textures painted for the stock aircrafts, yet very worth porting over to the new overhauled models.
I just did it to keep Shessi/Cook's Wellington MkX textures, painted by Morton for the old conversion pack and not entirely fitting the new updated conversion Shessi uploaded at the beginning of this year. Which I also uploaded, to share them with the rest of the SOH gang.
Another project......... I calculated that between installing new CFS2 materials downloaded and archived, plus all of the projects I have sitting in a drawer, will take me into and keep me happily busy during my retirement years. Providing I'll be able to find a pc CFS2 will still be able to run on!! 
Cheers!
KH
You are welcome! I can see why others commented so positively the flight behaviour of these FW190A's and F's. I only had the time to install this one for the prop texture work and I was immediately surprised by her responsiveness to flight controls without being a beast to handle. She matches all of what I read and the documentaries I saw about the radial-engined FW190, very manoeuvrable and a joy to fly, a tribute to Kurt Tank's aircraft building art.
If you happened to read Cdr. Tom Blackburn account of WWII VF-17 combat tours in the Pacific, you'll probably recognise the comment, as he states that aircraft manufacture is more a matter of art than simple calculations.
As you can see from the post below, the full disc version is almost ready. I already started laying down the broken disc, single blade (I always tried to guess how to describe such blurred prop disc version, someone called it fan-disc a while ago, but is it correct?) version, which will take me another few days to complete.
I hope to upload the pack before Mayday, or Beltaine, according to the Keltic calendar.
Captain Kurt said:
Fuselage and wings, obviously.
Captain Kurt said:
I saw it, it makes sense. Otherwise, good-bye to the great pilot figure made by Wolfi!
Captain Kurt said:
I know about this, too. Chris used Akemi's A-5 model which, for some reason non-Akemi's standard, uses a 256x256 format for the blurred prop disc.
Captain Kurt said:
Thank you again for the detailed explanation! Cutting and pasting the Daedalus new details onto the old texture files is my preferred way to go. It's a technique that I have been using since the beginning of my repaint attempts, to preserve the worthy old textures adapting them to the better new model. Take, for example, The B24Guy's overhauled stock models. I faced the same situation when I started to demirroring beautiful textures painted for the stock aircrafts, yet very worth porting over to the new overhauled models.
I just did it to keep Shessi/Cook's Wellington MkX textures, painted by Morton for the old conversion pack and not entirely fitting the new updated conversion Shessi uploaded at the beginning of this year. Which I also uploaded, to share them with the rest of the SOH gang.
Another project.........
I calculated that between installing new CFS2 materials downloaded and archived, plus all of the projects I have sitting in a drawer, will take me into and keep me happily busy during my retirement years. Providing I'll be able to find a pc CFS2 will still be able to run on!! Cheers!
KH
Attachments
kelticheart
Charter Member
Prop work update
I know I promised to release the prop texture set by May 1st, but I am holding on to it because there are a few details that still do not satisfy me.
The full disc texture is ready for release, while the other texture is giving me some hard time. By the same token, I can say that I am close to completion and final release.
Cheers!
KH
I know I promised to release the prop texture set by May 1st, but I am holding on to it because there are a few details that still do not satisfy me.
The full disc texture is ready for release, while the other texture is giving me some hard time. By the same token, I can say that I am close to completion and final release.
Cheers!
KH
I echo KH:
Stunning, outstanding, magnificent, jaw-dropping, splendid, stupendous, wonderful, marvellous, fantastic...how's this for a show off of synonyms, describing the feeling I had when I saw all of the Mizoguchi-Dedalus FW190A's were released?
A big
BRAVO!!!!AND A HUGE THANK YOU!
TO THE DEDALUS TEAM
KH