Author Topic: Skin Viewer? Hi-Res Pack? (Read 316 times)

SKJohn · « **on:** September 14, 2005, 01:06:12 PM »

I just downloaded and ran both the Skin Viewer and the High-resolution pack.
Skin Viewer says it enables you to view the skins off-line. Is that still just the hangar view like before, or can you turn them around, etc. If so, what do I need to do to be able to view them from different angles, etc.
Also, with the Hiresolution download, is there somehwere that I need to check or something? I was running 1024 textures before, but after downloading the HR pack, I see no difference in views of a/c and other stuff than before. Am I doing something wrong or is 1024 automatically ran with HiRes?

THanks!

Krusty · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2005, 12:59:40 PM »

Hi-res:

AH tops out at 512. This is to save bandwidth sending the installer files to clients, and to let people download them faster. Even if you set at 1024 it's still 512, from what I understand.

Installing the high-res pack merely upgrades the textures to 1024

so that when you set to 1024 you actually get it. From there textures are down-sampled when you set to 128, 256, or 512.

[* = certain old textures, like the 109E and the d3a1 val, don't have default 1024 textures even with the high res pack, as they never had default 1024 textures. The custom skins may be at 1024, however.]

Skin Viewer

The skin viewer is separate executable, but it's a small one. The skin viewer is specific to each patch of AH2, so you may need to upgrade it every new patch that comes out (I think 2.05 uses the viewer from 2.04, *I think*). In it you simply have a plane showing, and you have sliders and options to the right. You can spin the prop or stop it, move gear, flaps, flight controls, etc. In the new models you will be able to enable add-ons and external hardpoints (check out the 190a8 for an example). Select the drop down box on the top right to choose your plane. It may take a second to load. Click and hold, and Right click and hold, will help you change your view. Play around with it.

SKJohn · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2005, 08:09:09 PM »

Krusty,
Thanks for your help so far, now I have another question:
How do you get planes to show in the SKin Viewer? I use the "Browse" button, and chose one of the skins from the AH SKns folder, but it tells me there is nothing viewable in that folder. Is there a different folder that you are supposed to use with the skin viewer?

Krusty · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2005, 10:01:49 PM »

You shouldn't need to open anything (as far as I can tell there are no files to open. If no plane displays when you start the skin viewer executable, check the drop down box and try selecting one. If that fails, then you may need to wait for HTC to release an updated skins viewer (it's not always instant, but we appreciate how busy HTC is and can wait most of the time).

rogerdee · « **Reply #4 on:** September 16, 2005, 09:45:34 AM »

you are going to have to wait for a update to skin viewe to use it.each time a new patch comes out it outdates the skin viewer.
the current ski viewer sdoes not work with this latest patch

SKJohn · « **Reply #5 on:** September 16, 2005, 06:21:41 PM »

Well, that explains why the drop down box is empty then. Just my bad luck to finally decide to try the SKinviewer after an update...

Krusty · « **Reply #6 on:** September 16, 2005, 11:47:42 PM »

Check the hitechcreations.com main news. It lists a new skins viewer for 2.05.

SKJohn · « **Reply #7 on:** September 17, 2005, 06:32:41 PM »

Krusy - thanks! I downloaded it and it works.

Now, my next question:

Is there a way to enable the skin viewer to see all the skins? Right now, the only ones in the drop down box seem to be the default ones. If I click browse, and go the HTC-AHII Skins folder, and try to select them there, it tells me tht there's nothing viewable in that folder.
I'd like to be able to look at the differnet skins from a different angle than that offered in the hanger view.
Thanks again!

Krusty · « **Reply #8 on:** September 17, 2005, 06:39:48 PM »

Skins currently only display the default. What you can do is export/save the default skin and rename it.

We'll use 109f4. If you export/save the skin it will be found in a default "109f4" directory. Just rename this to "109f41" or "109f42" (just stick a 1, 2, 3, etc on the end, up to 15).

If you edit the skin (make your own) the skins viewer can display it. UNDER the plane selection drop down box is a second drop box. That displays the folders for that plane. Select one and it will load it (may pause/stutter while it does).

If you download a skin from ah-skins.com and save it to a folder with "planenamex" where x is a number 1 through 15 (like 109f41) then the skins viewer will be able to see that, as well.

Currently there is no way to view the in-game skins packs unless you are in game and offline (or in the TA/somewhere with external view).