An expanded skin catalog. Opportunity not to be wasted.

[Fencer51]

Hello All.

Everyone probably knows now that HTC has increased the skins per airframe from 16 to 32.  This gives us 31 skins contributed by the community to the game.  A large number of aircraft have never reached their 16 skin limit but quite a few of the most popular ones have.

For instance:

P-38G, P-38J, P-47D11, P-47D25, P-51D, P-51B, Spit V, Spit IX, Spit XVI, Bf 109E4, Bf 109G2, Bf 109G6, Bf 109K4, Fw 190A5, Fw 190A8, Fw 190D9, B-17G, B-24J

Others are pretty close within 2 or 3 of beling full up at 16.

Speaking for myself as current Team Lead for the Scenario Team, I would appreciate it if people interested in taking advantage of these new slots would step back and take a good look at what units are not being represented and especially what theaters and time frames are missing.  For example the P-47D11 and D25 desperately need skins for the southwest pacific theater.  While the P-38J/L could use some more skins for the 9th AF in late 44 early 45.  The German aircraft could use more mediterranean and eastern front skins in most of the ones listed.

I am not going to pop around here and complain about skins people are doing which don't match the above or are close to an existing skin already in game.  By all means do the ones you want, all that I ask is that before you choose and get into it, take a second and ask yourself just what the skin is going to be used for and by whom.  There are alot of skins in game which sit on the shelf, unused.  Thats a shame for all the work people put into them.

If you have any questions, then by all means post here and someone will be glad to help you find a niche that needs filled.

Cheers

[lyric1]

Well since no P38-F on this update I would like to this one added.

















Since black versions of P38's are so controversial I will dig this one back up for a possible inclusion again.


http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,261875.0.html

[ink]

Lyric~ that's a bad arse looking plane...me personally I don't fly 38's but I could see someone who did, wanting that skin.......

I would almost break my vow of never skinning bombers and do that one.....










J/K never made a vow not to do bombers

[lyric1]

Lyric~ that's a bad arse looking plane...me personally I don't fly 38's but I could see someone who did, wanting that skin.......

I would almost break my vow of never skinning bombers and do that one.....







J/K never made a vow not to do bombers

I agree that black P38-G looks sweet I especially liked th..? Ahhh  you meant the other one didn't you.









Bat out of hell is a sweet aircraft no doubt. Will add some colour to those green meanies currently on the roster.

[Fencer51]

Thanks Lyric, that black P-38 is exactly my point..  

[lyric1]

Thanks Lyric, that black P-38 is exactly my point..  

Well it is a P38-G unlike a number of skins we already have on that roster it was at squadron strength & did see combat. Except for the radar antenna on the nose it is a standard G frame. Plus it is a different colour to the standard OD/NG.

I do understand your point though.

[Krusty]

There was already a long debate on black P-38s.

Also your Bat Outta Hell is probably unskinnable due to the very small amount of pixels allowed for the nose area and the minimal frontal area you can skin.

[ink]

There was already a long debate on black P-38s.

Also your Bat Outta Hell is probably unskinnable due to the very small amount of pixels allowed for the nose area and the minimal frontal area you can skin.

that sounds like a challenge.......



seriously I think it can be done,(unless there are extenuating circumstances that I am unaware of ) why it wont be excepted in game, I have no clue on, I am not privy to the debate on black 38's....guessing by what was written they were night fighters except a couple? seeings how we don't have night we don't "need" them.....

[Krusty]

The extrenuating circumstances are just what I said. You get almost no real pixel resolution to do any details on the nose at all. That includes a VERY tiny area for the front of the nose, and it stretches badly. Take a look at some current P-38 skins with nose art, done by the best in the game at skinning P-38s. You'll see even these folks with tons of time and effort fall prey to very tiny pixel counts and limited space. Even clear words or kill flags turn out blobbish and pixellated.

I won't say it's impossible. Give it a try if you don't trust me. I will say it most likely won't look like what you want it to look like, and it won't do the real artwork justice.

[PropHawk]

Put Ink on it, and well have a Bat Outta Hell.

[TwinBoom]

fencer any news on the 39th pony you did?

[ink]

Put Ink on it, and well have a Bat Outta Hell.

im gonna try it, even if it wont be excepted in game, its good practice for me and he can at least try it out off line

and Thanx for all your kind words

[oboe]

im gonna try it, even if it wont be excepted in game, its good practice for me and he can at least try it out off line

and Thanx for all your kind words

Start with those nose art, ink.  It'll be a great learning experience and challenge.   Maybe you'll develop a method to deal with the pixel stretching in that area.

Someone posted a long while ago that the didn't have a problem with it, and even showed a detail example of nose work, which I couldn't even come close to duplicating.   I almost think my leg was being pulled.   Good luck and keep us posted!   I can be a help with the 38's panel lines and details, and close examination of any of Fester's 38Gs is highly recommended.  I dunno if Cactus has a 38G in game but his lines would be accurate too. 

The default skin's panel lines are full of errors.


Fencer, have you any suggestions for 9th AF late model 38s?

I know I started a couple of 38Js from the 370th FG - "My Little Pig", and the one with the nose art of an outhouse being struck by lightning.  I believe I can find my skin research on an old backup disc somewhere if I look hard.

[Fencer51]

No but Guppy should have...

[ink]

ok did some test art, definitely doable 

these shots are for TEST purposes ONLY 

yes there is some stretching, but it is IMO not enough to stop me from doing this, or will it be an injustice to the real artwork.

couple questions

the original was a P38F...I used the L...which one should be used?

the lighting/shine/reflection on the 38 is way to bright for this to work,  I know the "material txt" is were the game sees the settings for these, but I have no clue as to what to set them at,or if we are even allowed to change these settings

the reflection is just "over the top"  anyone.....what settings should I use to get that reflection down say....90%.....

ok for a quick freehand drawing(not that the original was all that difficult) I think I got it pretty good, this is seriously like 10 minutes just to test out if its even possible, I was not looking for perfection here.....








also, I have looked and only found a couple sites that have the panel lines but the images are not the best, does anyone know were I can get a good panel line source?

Thanx for any help

PS....looking at these pics in one I see the letters as "UNG" but also I see "GUN"........   any clue as to what is the real deal?