Author Topic: Need Help (Read 1055 times)

Pooface · « **on:** July 13, 2005, 08:32:26 PM »

i have never done a skin before, but its something i wanted to do since i started the game. i was thinking about doing a lancaster, but i need someone to help me. i dont really have any experience with image editors, so know nothing about layering, and other things, but im a good learner, and will pick up from basic information. so, could somone guide me through??

ok, step 1, find a skin i wanna do (having trouble finding a decent looking lanc, they all look very similar)

step 2 getting all the files i want to edit - easy enough

step 3, matching up colours to the image

step 4, would be starting aon a base layer? now this is where im stuck (i havent started yet btw) how will i know where to be putting the colours? if i put them in the wrong place they'll be in the wrong place on the plane. is there any way to know where to put the textures?

ok, step 5 would be another layer of colours, but varying the texture, making sure it doesnt look flat. adding any nose art and decals?

step 6, add panel lines? for this, how do i do that? look at pic and just do a layer of grey lines with a white strip on a side? is that right?

then weathering?

is that about right??

also, i have only the free trial version of paint shop pro, but i think its ok for doing skins. it does do layers tho. im very inexperienced with imag editors. do i just say 'new layer', and paste them all on top of each other?

thankyou very much for the help in advance everyone

aswell as giving me a ahnd in this post, could someone alo add a few older ones kind of like this, you know, skinning issues and tutorials?

im a guy who works and learns fast, so im setting myself a goal of getting this all done to a very high standard within a week, from scratch. keeping that in mind, aswell as the fact that im completely new to skinning, is there a good web page to look at other than ahskins.com? that place really gives no help at all

Pooface · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2005, 06:01:32 AM »

hello, anybody???

TrueKill · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2005, 06:39:45 AM »

Give my a sec ill find you a skin. You have AIM or yahoo mesager? It would be easyer walking you trough it. BTW what program you ganna use to make it?

TrueKill · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2005, 06:51:07 AM »

Lancaster B Mk.I (dont see anything deferent from the I and the III) 207 Sqn, RAF 1942

Skuzzy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2005, 07:16:02 AM »

Just FYI, the Lanc is going to be a tough one to start with. It is not up to AHII standards yet and as such, has issues with skinning.

Pooface · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2005, 07:25:00 AM »

tk i was thinkin of doing mickey the moocher, a mk3 from 61 sqn.

and skuzz, i dont mind. i like a challenge

TrueKill · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2005, 07:28:45 AM »

rgr poo hey skuz i thought skins where ganna come out yesterday?

warhound · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2005, 09:03:44 AM »

Hey poo,here's the link to that program http://www.airwarfare.com/Sims/IL2/il2_essential_files.htm#003

Pooface · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2005, 09:09:42 AM »

yep, im gonna do mickey the moocher, the lanc3 that they have in the bbmf. only working lanc still in existance, except a canadian replica

its gonna be a tough one, but a good one to start on coz its hard

will post pics of progress

United · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2005, 10:00:48 AM »

First off, do you have a decent editing program like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, or are you planning on doing it in Paint?

If you are using paint, the challenge just got 10000000x harder.

With the decent editors, you can use things like layers which allow you to paint over the background, but not actually put paint on the background. And, if you screw up, you can just erase the layer instead of having to start over from scratch.

Also, I've got a rudimentary skinning website, http://ahskinning.netfirms.com Also, SkyChimp has one as well at http://www.skins.the-ones.org (Looks like SC is editing the site again, so he's not working right now)

Hopefully something in there can help you get started.

Pooface · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2005, 10:15:42 AM »

i have paint shop pro and photo plus, and truekill and warhound gave me a hand over msn.

now im starting on the skin, and its all in different layers. this is kind of a question for warhound, but others are most welcome too. warhound, when you said make the base metal layer, do you mean have the whole layer as metal, or just tracing the background image and only having the metal on the the plane template??? then, with the panel lines, with the second layer, do i have the first layer of panels on aswell, and do them next to each other, or just on top and at random??

i should be able to work the rest out. one other thing tho, is that im not sure what resolution the skin neds to be for ah. can i keep it at 1024? also, i would like to look at it in the skin viewer but i dont know how

United · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2005, 10:18:53 AM »

Yep, skins will only be accepted by HTC if at 1024x1024 resolution.
Check out this link for a way to do metal

Pooface · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2005, 11:32:40 AM »

no no, warhound told me to do a basic metal layer as the first layer, and go over the top. i was wondering whether or not it should be entirely over the layer, or just on the plane bits, and not covering the black???

also, how do i (to warhound) combine all the layers together into one image, and save it as one, so that i can use it? i also want to view the skin in skin viewer but i dont know how, possibly coz the image isnt a bmp yet, but it says the same about all the skins i can find 'incomplete or unusable file'

anyway, its coming along well, i have most of the panelling done and im moving on to rivets. man, this skin making is bloody long and slow, but very fun!!

cant wait to see it in game!:D (or in the skin viewer that wont work:mad:

oh, btw, skuzzy, can you ask ht and pyro why the hell there is a santa in the skin viewer? lol

to those who havent seen it, its a santa sleigh with reindeer, very funny

United · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2005, 12:06:36 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Pooface
no no, warhound told me to do a basic metal layer as the first layer, and go over the top. i was wondering whether or not it should be entirely over the layer, or just on the plane bits, and not covering the black???

Not sure about this. I'll let warhound field this one.

Quote

also, how do i (to warhound) combine all the layers together into one image, and save it as one, so that i can use it? i also want to view the skin in skin viewer but i dont know how, possibly coz the image isnt a bmp yet, but it says the same about all the skins i can find 'incomplete or unusable file'

In PSP, to merge all of the layers, go to Layers>Merge>Merge all. This will make your entire project one layer. BE SURE TO SAVE AS A .PSP FILE BEFORE YOU MERGE! I've lost several skins because I did not save it in the layered format.

Anyways, after you merge the layers, go to Image>Decrease Color Depth> 256 (8 Bit). This will put the skin to the right color depth for viewing in game or in the skin viewer.

Save this file as the main skin file in the NEW folder you have for your plane. Then, open the skin viewer and select the plane you are editing. In this case, the Lanc. Go to the Skin ID box and select LANC31 (That is what your file should be saved as and it should show up).

After selecting that, your skin should show up in the skin viewer.

Quote

to those who havent seen it, its a santa sleigh with reindeer, very funny

Thats for the Christmas thing that HT did. He rode around in a santa sleigh in the MA.

I hope this makes some sort of sense.

Pooface · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2005, 12:12:00 PM »

thanks united:aok

man i wish i could of seen the santa moment he he he he:lol

did it have turrets or lasers in the deer's noses lol