601st NFG A6M5

[Greebo]

Thanks to Lyric1 for finding me the info for this skin.

This A6M5 was part of the 601st NFG, 310th Squadron based at Iwakuni airbase in Japan during January 1945.

[lyric1]

 

[Devil 505]

This might be your best Zeke yet. 

[Citabria]

epic. especially around the cockpit the detail is so crisp.

have you considered doing more with an aluminum skin deformation bump map?

every other aspect of this skin and your skinning abilities is at a point of perfection that just makes it a treat to see screenshots of your work.

the only aspect of the skins that don't totally mimic real life aircraft is trying to depict the thin aluminum skin with a deformation layer that simulates the stresses and subtle deformations that show through the skin when viewed from certain angles.

[oboe]

Absolutely beautiful, Greebo.   Nice find, Lyric1!

[Nefarious]

Awesome!

[Greebo]

Thanks guys, glad you like it.

have you considered doing more with an aluminum skin deformation bump map?

I played around with that when bump mapping was first introduced but found that the effect in the game didn't look right. In AH the bump map is supposed to have up to 256 levels of bump since that is the number of shades of grey you can use on the bmp. However to my eyes in the game it looks like there are less shades employed than that, maybe 16 or 32. So when I try to use subtle shading to get a curved bump or dip what I end up with in the game is a series of banded steps which looks unrealistic. I'll have another look at it when AH3 lets me see my skins offline, maybe the effect will be better.

So now for aircraft I use the bump map mainly to emphasise panel lines and holes in the airframe. However even there I keep the effect turned down as having highlights and shadows dancing around the panel lines as your plane manoeuvres around the sky looks wrong to me. I use bump mapping a lot more on GVs, the weird shifting of highlights and shadows isn't an issue as they change direction much more slowly. Also its really useful for things like zimmerit paste, tank tracks and mud effects.

[Citabria]

what about baked in deformation layered into the texturemap? that was my method of choice way back when there was no bump mapping. i made it always look most accurate from cockpit view or when viewed fromt eh sides and it tended to add realism in my opinion.

subtle is good!

[Greebo]

There is a baked in skin deformation effect on my template, here is a screenshot with the effect turned up. Not sure if I like it though, I don't see this level of deformation in photos of A6Ms.

[lyric1]

Interesting effect your first screenshots has a factory fresh aircraft look to them.
The last screenshot gives it a little more of a weathered look.

[Citabria]

yeah first version looks less washed out and more realistic i think too.

[Dragon Tamer]

 

[USRanger]

I LOVE that skin deformation effect on it Greebs!  My vote doesn't count, but as a flyer of such machine, I would rather have the effect turned on any day.  So much more depth in color and style.  Beautiful!

[Greebo]

The effect is not turned off on the first screenshots, just set much lower. On my template it is divided into two layers, one for highlights and one for shadows. All I have to do to alter it is adjust each layer's slider between 0 and 100% opacity. Looking again at the last screenshot I think I turned the highlights layer up too much relative to the shadows layer which is why it looks too washed out.

I'll have another look at this skin in a few days with fresh eyes, maybe set the effect somewhere in the middle but with reduced highlights.