Skin Viewer documentation?

[oboe]

Is there any documentation anywhere?  I did a BB search but it just came up with a bunch of threads from 2005.

Just wondering how to get a floating eye to examine the skin from any angle/distance.   

Thanks!

[Vraciu]

Is there any documentation anywhere?  I did a BB search but it just came up with a bunch of threads from 2005.

Just wondering how to get a floating eye to examine the skin from any angle/distance.   

Thanks!

You know this already but for those who don't....

The old viewer uses SHIFT and CTRL for Zoom and Drag respectively.    Hold the shift key and move your mouse--the skin will move out or in.   Same with CTRL. 

Good system.  I hope the new viewer brings that back at some point.

The new viewer is not like this at all.    You can't do a God's Eye View.    You have to continually move yourself to keep the object in view.   Greebo explains below.

[Greebo]

No documentation for the beta skin viewer yet.

HT changed the viewpoint navigation to the same keyboard method used in the other editors. Namely A and D keys for left and right, Q and Z for up and down and W and S for zoom in and out. This means that if you want to for instance view the underside of a plane you need to press the Z key while alternately using the mouse to keep the plane in view. Personally I preferred the old way of doing it.

Another change is the save and load view buttons. Once you get the viewpoint to a into a useful spot you can save this position and then load it again whenever you want.

The other change is the lighting options buttons.

"All Lighting" button shows how the skin will look in the game, i.e with the effects of all the bmps combined.
"No Lighting" just shows the base skin without the all the normal, specular etc  maps.
"Lighting Only" is everything but the basic skin. This is useful to see how much difference the other maps are making to the skin.
"Specular Only" shows the effect of the specularity map, how the skin reflects the sun's rays.
"Diffuse only" shows how the skin reflects the diffuse light around the aircraft. This seems to be affected mainly by the normal map and the environment map.
"Environment Only" This shows how the skin reflects the ground and sky around it. Naturally this is controlled by the environment map.

[Vraciu]

No documentation for the beta skin viewer yet.

HT changed the viewpoint navigation to the same keyboard method used in the other editors. Namely A and D keys for left and right, Q and Z for up and down and W and S for zoom in and out. This means that if you want to for instance view the underside of a plane you need to press the Z key while alternately using the mouse to keep the plane in view. Personally I preferred the old way of doing it.

Agreed.  The system in AH2 is easier, faster, and more efficient.   Wish we could have the option of the old system, but I think we have lost that battle, unfortunately.   

Using the keys is clunky.   It requires way more effort.    I like being able to spin the plane around with the mouse while leaning back in my chair.   I understand HiTech's thinking I just don't see the benefit if it is at the expense of the old way.  The new system enslaves us to the keyboard.   Not good.

I guess I can do all my heavy work with the old viewer then grit my teeth with the new one for touch up stuff.     I must admit I  like that it shows the object without distortion.   A huge improvement there.