Replace default skin with AH approved skin permanently ?

[CartoonFlyer]

Hello,

I'm sort of new and was wondering if it is possible to replace the default skin of a plane with one of the skins you're allowed to use in-game. I went looking through the in-game menu's last night but didn't see any options that sounded right. Thank you for any advice.

Cartoon Plane Flyer

[Krusty]

No. Simply select a skin for that plane, and it will remember the last skin you chose.

Then you do not have to select it every time, and don't need to replace the default.

[CartoonFlyer]

Hi,  thanks for the reply.  What I meant was, I was wondering if I could change the way other people's planes look permanently. For example, say I always want to see the B-24 with the big shark mouth skin on all B-24's.

Cartoon Computer Generated Airplane Flyer

[Krusty]

Long story short: Nope.

[CartoonFlyer]

Thanks Krusty.

[hammer]

Actually, yes you can.

In the "ahcache" folder, open the folder of the skin you want to become the default. Copy the .tca file from that folder into the "stdshape" folder and/or the "hirestex" folder, depending on the resolution you are using. Safest bet is to copy into both.

Now, you will see the skin you substituted as the default skin. You will see anybody flying in the arena with the default skin as being in the skin you substituted. If you disable other people's skins, you will see their plane as being the skin you substituted. However, if you are flying the default skin, other people will see you as flying the normal default skin, not the one you substituted.

Note: It's a good idea to back-up your default cache so you can revert to it.

I use this occasionally for immersion factor. For example, I put D-Day stripes and Defense of the Reich stripes on everything I can during June to commemorate D-Day and disable other skins so I see D-Day stripes on the majority of allied planes. (I know, Defense of the Reich does not necessarily correspond with D-Day, but let me have it my way!)

Regards,

Hammer

[CartoonFlyer]

Thanks Hammer ! I was hoping there would be some way to do this. I'll try tonight ( and back up the files as you recommended)

Thanks 

[Krusty]

I was aware of that method hammer, but it's not permanent. It is restored to default any time there is a cache rebuild, any time a patch forces it, or the film viewer or skin viewer or any number of other things screws something up.

It got to the point it was so annoying re-doing it over and over every time it was restored I just gave up. I used to use it years back. It's not worth the effort.

[CartoonFlyer]

That's ok, I'm going to write a script to make the changes every time I start up the game. 

[hammer]

That's ok, I'm going to write a script to make the changes every time I start up the game. 

No need to do that. As krusty mentions, it will only happen when the cache rebuilds. That doesn't happen all that often. I keep copies of the changed "stdshapes" and "hirestex" folders in a separate place so I can easily restore them.

Regards,

Hammer

[CartoonFlyer]

Sounds good to me, thanks again Hammer.