Work in progress "Green 5" 109G6

[Klauss]

I decided to start working on the skin about 2 hours ago, here are some pictures with the plane that will be in-game soon enough. It is work in progress, nothing is final, i know i have to work a lot on it. It is just a simple preview. If you have helpful pieces of advice, they are welcome.


... Enjoy...Green 5






I have a problems with it:

1) the rivets and panel lines get a green-like shadow/conture, why don't they stay black/grey (the same color in as they are in the layer)

[Motherland]

Wow, that is DARK! I use HTML notation 252621 for RLM22 (schwarz) and fef8ed for RLM21 (weiss). With those colors you'll be able to tone down your panel lines to a normal level (3-6 usually works pretty good IMO).

Also, the font for the 5 is wrong, look for DIN 251 Mittelschrift.
Other than that, it looks pretty good.

[Klauss]

Thank you, I know what RLM is, but what is "fef8ed"? Sorry but i am new to photoshop or any other program, so i am having big trouble understanding some things. How do i tone down my panel lines or the rivets? They are black in my layer, but when i combine it with the black layer and decals, etc, they get a green tint around them (pixelized tint).

[Motherland]

Don't use PS, so I won't be able to show you the the steps visually (what buttons to press etc.) but i can try to help you with what you want to  do.

How do i tone down my panel lines or the rivets?

Turn down the 'opacity' of the layer that they are on.

Thank you, I know what RLM is, but what is "fef8ed"?

'fef8ed' is the HTML notation (or hex code, whatever you want to call it) for I use RLM 21. There should be some bar in your color selection menu that will allow you to paste that in there. Alternatively I can give you the RGB values if you would like.


Not sure what's happening with your other problem, it's probably just photoshop distorting the image when it's converting it from 5,000+ colors to 256 for the game.

[Klauss]

It may be an adobe problem, because when i get the layers together, from RGB to Indexed, nothing happens, rivets and panel lines are ok, but in-game the problem appears. I would very much appreciate it if you could help me with the RGB values, i know how to insert those. I will gather more info/material in the next few days, and will learn more about adobe and how to use it on skins.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Heya Klauss,

If you will, give us an internal view looking out over the wing.  I'm curious to see the riveting and panel lines up a little closer (re: the green effect you mentioned.)  It is really hard for us to critique anything with no effects being done to it yet.  IMO that is where all the flavor of the skin comes from.  If the panel lines and riveting lines up correctly then Good Job!  

I believe the weathering is going to help you with some of your problems of the very dark paint as well, though I agree the current RGB used is off somewhat.  Once you dirty her up it helps tremendously.

ReDhAwK

[Motherland]

RLM22-
37
38
33


RLM21
254
248
237

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Also, to help you with the hex code that was mentioned....

In your color palette (when you are selecting a color in Photoshop) you will notice the 3 RGB values on the left hand side.  Under the 3rd RGB entry place, you will find another entry location...this is the hex entry.  I have circled it in Yellow on the graphic.

ReDhAwK

[Klauss]

Thank you both for a better understanding of RGB, and that code.



Notice the green-like tint around the writing and the rivets? and on the panel lines...

[Motherland]

I think that's just the game. It has a tendency to distort things more than converting them to indexed does.

[Klauss]

So there is no way to have just a simple RLM 22 background and with a nice black rivets/panel lines? There must be something...

[Motherland]

Sure you can. It looks fine once you adjust the panel opacity and add weathering and all other such tomfoolery.

[Klauss]

Ok, well, i'll just figure it out in the morning. Think i will work on the panel lines and rivets tomorow, find the exact "5" font, will post more pictures tomorow.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

There should not be any green effect to any of the black lines nor rivets after indexing the graphic.  I believe I read that you are converting inside Photoshop itself rather than an external converter.  That is fine.  However, sometimes something like this crops up in Photoshop.  This is one of the reasons I always use an external converter (I use a program called Bright.) 

I would be curious to see a blown up portion of the actual indexed bitmap on the wing to see if any green distortion is there, in Photoshop itself.  Not the .psd but the actual 8 bit indexed bitmap you imported to the game. (not trying to be insulting.  I just dont know your level of expertise in graphics yet.  Sorry on being "overly" descriptive)   

edit:  Just thought about this.  Is your screen resolution 1024 in game or is it 512?  That distortion could be coming from a 512 distortion of a 1024 graphic.

ReDhAwK

[Krusty]

Black paint doesn't wear very well. Smooth spots get polished into it by repeated access, footsteps chip away at it showing what was underneath, and in general black fades as it weathers in the sunlight.

Just leaving it a solid paint-bucket-fill of black color doesn't do it justice, IMO. You're really going to need to weather it, to sell the skin when folks use it.