F-6C Mustang - 10th Recon Group (Skin Preview)

[oboe]

I think the font is called "AmarilloUSAF".  I got it off the old SimmersPaintShop website long ago.

[Vraciu]

I think the font is called "AmarilloUSAF".  I got it off the old SimmersPaintShop website long ago.

Bless your pea-pickin' heart.   Thanks man. 

[Vraciu]

Argh.  This new graphics engine is making the black look charcoal.  It looks terrible on the spinner and cowling.   

 

Any thoughts?

[oboe]

It's alway something, isn't it?  I've been working on a P-51D and re-doing my P-38s, and it seems I can never get the to-do list shorter than 1 page.  I'm always finding more stuff that needs to be corrected. And I have even got to the N-map, spec map, or Env maps yet...

[Vraciu]

It's alway something, isn't it?  I've been working on a P-51D and re-doing my P-38s, and it seems I can never get the to-do list shorter than 1 page.  I'm always finding more stuff that needs to be corrected. And I have even got to the N-map, spec map, or Env maps yet...

Oh man, are you in for a treat.   Aye aye aye.

In some ways the new E and S maps are easier because they start as grayscale copies of your skin map.    Once you get a good feel for what layers to lighten and darken it is pretty fast.   But I was finally understanding how to make things work with the old system just in time for this new one and it doesn't directly translate.

I am still scratching my head on the Normal map.  The defaults for the B and D Mustangs are WAY too stark, especially on my skins.   They are "overbumped" to my eye.

I think the black color rendering in the new engine needs tweaking big time.   

Hopefully we'll all settle in and figure it out, but it is definitely a steep learning curve.

Good luck on your stuff.  I look forward to seeing it, and thanks again for the help.   

[Devil 505]

Argh.  This new graphics engine is making the black look charcoal.  It looks terrible on the spinner and cowling.   

 

Any thoughts?

Get away from using a pure black color. You need to fade it with at least 10% white - probably closer to 15%. Here's an example form a G-14 I'm working on.

In game: Note the disk at the tip is "charcoal" here but the rest of the spinner is black. I used a strait black for the tip to represent the cannon blast tube.


Now here is the bitmap. Note that the black rectangles are the blast tube and the spinner is much lighter than that part.

Make your black closer to the spinner here and you will be all set.

[Vraciu]

I will give that a shot, D.  Thank you.   

[Vraciu]

Start a new raster layer and call it something like "Overall grime". Select the airbrush tool and set it to its largest size and a square shape. Set hardness, thickness and opacity to 100%, with density to 5%. Now select a dark brown colour and click near the centre of the skin. This will give a load of dark brown dots all over the skin. Next change the colour to a lighter shade of brown and repeat the single-click with the airbrush tool, then a third time with a mid grey. Now Gaussian blur the layer by 2-3 pixels. Once this layer's opacity is reduced to taste it creates a fairly random-looking dirty effect over the whole skin. If you make a second copy of this dirt layer and rotate it 180 degrees the combination of the two layers looks much more random.

Too stark?

Should I make it more transparent?

[Vraciu]

This one is tweaked to be more transparent.

I like this technique.   Pretty slick.

[Devil 505]

The grime looks ok - better in the first set I think(hard to tell because it's a different angle), but you should try adding those other noise layers I sent you as well - grime layer on top. Also, try adding highlights to the panel lines and rivets. It would also be helpful to see screenshots with reflections and shadows enabled.

Have you made Normal and specular maps for it yet?

[Vraciu]

The grime looks ok - better in the first set I think(hard to tell because it's a different angle), but you should try adding those other noise layers I sent you as well - grime layer on top. Also, try adding highlights to the panel lines and rivets. It would also be helpful to see screenshots with reflections and shadows enabled.

Have you made Normal and specular maps for it yet?

Not yet.  Maybe I should do those and come back to the grime layer last.

It kinda' looks like a film of dust all over the plane.  I may not quite have it random enough...

Let me get after those noise layers, too.

[Greebo]

It kinda' looks like a film of dust all over the plane.  I may not quite have it random enough...

I agree, your dirt layer is just a continuous layer of brown from this distance. I think you either need to vary the colours used in the layer more (much darker plus much lighter greys and browns) or maybe blur it less. The idea is to get a blotchy effect. You then reduce the layer's opacity until it is barely visible at viewing distance. It shouldn't make the skin noticeably browner.

[Vraciu]

I agree, your dirt layer is just a continuous layer of brown from this distance. I think you either need to vary the colours used in the layer more (much darker plus much lighter greys and browns) or maybe blur it less. The idea is to get a blotchy effect. You then reduce the layer's opacity until it is barely visible at viewing distance. It shouldn't make the skin noticeably browner.

Would random zig zags also do the trick?

My widest brush setting is 200 x 200 so I have to make multiple dabs.

I like the effect though.  It is EXACTLY what my airplanes looked like when I was in the desert.   That coating of sand on everything.   That would come in handy on another theater's skin for sure.


Edit in: I think I am starting to get the hang of it.    Random square-shaped blobs are the best I can do.   I see the splotchy effect.  Very cool.   Now to figure out the transparency.    This skin is already my best one and it isn't even done.    So fun to learn new techniques!    

[Vraciu]

The grime looks ok - better in the first set I think(hard to tell because it's a different angle), but you should try adding those other noise layers I sent you as well - grime layer on top. Also, try adding highlights to the panel lines and rivets. It would also be helpful to see screenshots with reflections and shadows enabled.

Have you made Normal and specular maps for it yet?

I tried them and I see what you did with them.   They'll work great on my other skins.   With this one they kinda' throw things off even at 1% because I have baked in some effects on the metal layer.   I probably shouldn't have but they work similarly to your noise layers. 

I am thinking I may lighten them then turn them down to the 1% or 2%.   Then they'll work like you suggest I bet.

On my E, S, and P maps are the noise layers included or should they be removed?

[Devil 505]

I tried them and I see what you did with them.   They'll work great on my other skins.   With this one they kinda' throw things off even at 1% because I have baked in some effects on the metal layer.   I probably shouldn't have but they work similarly to your noise layers. 

I am thinking I may lighten them then turn them down to the 1% or 2%.   Then they'll work like you suggest I bet.

On my E, S, and P maps are the noise layers included or should they be removed?

I don't use them on the spec maps.