skining

[eretrc]

right i want to have a shot at this skinning lark can ppl send me programs to make skins and some templates. thx :)

[wilz]

If you don't already have a program like Paint Shop (or something similar) you might look at "Gimp" it's free for the download. It small and simple to use but seems to be a good program that you can get started with.

For templates check the PDC website there is a link to Xareo's templates. Actually templates are very limited and you may have to build your own after looking at a few. It's a daunting task to build a template since there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to how they are laid out.

Don't expect a lot of help regarding skinning. Those that do seem to be tight lipped. The PDC website has a few tutorials that you need to look at before you get started. Follow the examples and don't expect immediate results, skinning is a long tedious affair.

Best of luck.

[eretrc]

thanks but i cant find the xareos website thing :(

have u got the URl if so can i have it plz?

[e-b-o-]

just a few mouseclicks away ;)http://www.furball.warbirdsiii.com/index.php?fb_option=22&tutorials_id_number=4

[eretrc]

right ive messed around with a ju52 skin on GIMP now wat i do w it


i tryied zipping it and then extracting it into pdc folder but it didnt work :(

[e-b-o-]

look here:

http://216.27.13.35/TotalSimsForum/viewtopic.php?t=3276

[wilz]

The path you use for the skin must be exact. Something like: warbirdsIII/skins/ju52/offline/test

main warbirds folder
if it's not present make "skins" folder
then make a "ju52" folder
then make a "offline" folder
them make a "test" folder

And in the test folder you need to have the tga files. You can have multiple folders for the JU so you can try different things.......test, temp, finish etc. I also found that I must have the default skin selected for my skins to works. Then type: .planeskin test
You should be able to view your skin, but it's only offline.

Hope this helps

[iart7]

who was the one that said you wouldn't get much help? oh yeah, WILZ!

you picked a good plane to skin,
don't forget to make it 1024x1024.

if you want great detail on the pilots, go for the P38, JU87 or P40...
see example of my (i think) P40:
http://www.iart7.com/WARBIRDS/gallery photos/fuseSM2.jpg
just be sure to leave off the silly grin.:)

when can we see your samples on your web page? do like i did and make a history of your projects so we can see your progress:
1 first draft
2 getting it going
3 finished skin
4 changes to finished skin -- ahhg, it's never really finished!

you see, after you "finish", you always find something that needs just a little bit more...
i found a more detailed Pratt & Whitney 2800 engine for the Hellcat, so...
then i wanted red and green lights on the bottom wing, not just on top, so...
see these at the bottom of this page: http://www.iart7.com/WARBIRDS/gallery4c.html

art
see my pilots: ever see a Phantom pilot?
http://www.iart7.com/WARBIRDS/gallery3.html

[wilz]

Arthur I was refering to the PDC. You have gone way beyound helpful with the F6F. I can not thank you enough for the outstanding job you have done.

Once again thanks for everything.

[Kossu]

Ok Wiltz,

e.b.o is in the PDC, so am I. Didn't have anything to do in this thread, but have been "sponsoring" player submissions lately, like Kraken's P-51 and that nice F6F (Even though I'm not an expert on Allied rides). Oh, that Hellcat yours I suppose...
Maybe you should take the chip off your shoulder bro.
We in the PDC are all non-payed volunteers just doing what we are interested in doing on our own, very limited, free time. We don't have a tutor or trainer corp to help out "newbies", unfortunately, as that would be more of a job and thus iEN's responsibility.

Thanks for your support,

Kossu

[eretrc]

here i made a hell cat red lol its crap but was a 1st try

[wilz]

Kossu, chip removed. I believe all I said was that the PDC was tight lipped (not much response in any of the forums and websites). For individuals wanting to start skinning I think even a little input from the PDC would be helpful. I appreciate that the PDC is voluntary and I have no idea what it takes to change a tga to a vfc file. I'm sure that in order for a skin to be approved a considerable amount of time is needed to check the files to ensure that are correct for in game use.

As for the F6F I think Arthur should get most of the credit as he took my original idea and ran with it. He has a finished skin that is much supperior to my original. I have redone that skin so many times because of my limited knowledge with graphics that it became a chore. I have learned a great deal and wether a skin of mine ever gets approved I will probably continue to dabble with in it. And learn something each time.

Once again I offer my appologies if I stepped on anyones toes. It wasn't my intent, just an observation after many postings with little or no response from the PDC.

[=york=]

nick .. do you have anything that can open a .psd file?
so you can see different layers?

[Kossu]

Copy that Wilz.

NP, just seen too much ribbing/whining during the years on AGW, so I'm a bit "sensitive"... :veg:

Anyway, the F6F is up on the PDC board, and will hopefully be seen ingame soon (TM). I'll keep Y'all posted.

Cheers,

Kossu

[eretrc]

my modded JU52 :) i love this skinning stuff but im not good at it lol

[iart7]

for some reason, i can't get to your files... someting bout not able to log in or no permission... can you just put them on your website or as a picture on forum, but not as attachment... insert image with the icon that looks like mountain and sun ...

i want to see your stuff...
we all start painting by doing stick figures then we get better ...
some of us like doing stuff for fun too. like my Udet Me109.
like my Phantom of the Opera... i was doing a test on the F6F5 and decided to use the phantom... i was looking for the propeller paint on the fuse and painted the tires RED. i found out the propeller is not on the fuse (i think) but the effect of red tires on the phantom was awesome (imo). probably in a year, i'll look at the Hellcat20 and say, boy that's ugly, but for now, i really like it. keep working on skinning. we'll tell you when you can look for a different kind of job. one suggestion, stay away from 512x512... i have many planes in 512, now I have to change them over to 1024.

HELP:
1. out of this topic, does anyone know if there is a dot command that lets you specify the type of enemy drone(s) you want in the air offline? i've see the dot command list, but don't understand all of them.

2. does anyone know the FORUM html code to make the picture of the big Hellcat above as a smaller (thumbnail) that if clicked will show full size, maybe in another window?


art

[eretrc]

i tried posting em but this forum dont accept tgas and ive not got enough to make a website yet

[=york=]

here is his work..
http://myweb.cableone.net/darkmoments/eretrc/er1.jpg
http://myweb.cableone.net/darkmoments/eretrc/er2.jpg
http://myweb.cableone.net/darkmoments/eretrc/er3.jpg

[iart7]

very interesting. i didn't know you could do that with the gunner.
i have to look at the templates on that ju.

how about the hellkitty red?

art

[eretrc]

how do i post screen shots?

[iart7]

I don't know all the ways, but the way I do is like this:

1. First you have to have them on some web server.
Where do you have the Squadron Crest on your 603 web page?
You seem to have a (non-functioning?) screenshots page.
Can you FTP your pictures to 603-squadron.co.uk?
Once you ftp the pics to your web server, then...

2. You add a line in your FURBALL message something like this:

http://www.603-squadron.co.uk/photos/redkitty.jpg

If IMG doesn't work, try lowercase.
============================================
here's how i did the image below:
http://www.iart7.com/WARBIRDS/gallery photos/HC_goggles.sm.jpg

http://www.iart7.com/WARBIRDS/gallery photos/HC_goggles.sm.jpg

[eretrc]

C:\Games\shot0030.jpg

[e-b-o-]

you can't link to your harddisk...

[eretrc]

can i do that with a file directory URL?

[eretrc]

lol

[eretrc]

Any way why not?

[=york=]

maybe if your computer was a server....

[iart7]

eretrc, if you don't have a server you can still do it...

(but you must have a server, because where is your 603-squadron web page stored?)

anyway, go to www.photobucket.com and sign up for a free account.

1 create a directory
2 upload your photos
3 you will see an address link
4 copy it and paste it in your FURBALL FORUM Message, like this...

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/iart7/Warbirds%20Screens/BlueGreen-1.jpg

[IMG]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/iart7/Warbirds%20Screens/BlueGreen-1.jpg

art

[eretrc]

take it i can do this on my forum (http://www.atfreeforum.com/603forum)an all? BTW u can register if u want :D

[e-b-o-]

sure you can do... but the procedure is the same like here.

[eretrc]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n272/eretrc/shot0030.jpg



yay it works