Skin Display Page

[Greebo]

I have been looking at how to effectively quantify the skins as to their graphic support.  Still not happy with any solution, yet.

I think anything that lists the various present or missing normal, specular, power and environmental maps would be no use without a lengthy explanation as to what those files do. So instead I'd suggest listing below each skin "Lighting effects:" and a description of "None" (diffuse only), "Partial" (diffuse, specular/converted normal) or "Full" (all five maps).

Then at the top of each page a brief explanation along the lines of:

Very old skins that were originally submitted with no lighting effects tend to look too shiny as they do not tell the game how shiny or dull each part of the skin should be. Those with partial effects enabled have a much more realistic finish and those with full effects look better still.

[Skuzzy]

It is a thought.

However, if a skin only contains the diffuse (very old skin), then the game will use the default specular, power, environment, and normal maps for that object.

If the skin contains a normal or specular or environment or power or alpha map, then none of the default maps are used.

EDIT:  Hmmmm,...I have an idea.  Give me a minute, or three.

[Vraciu]

I made an error.  Any image submission does lock the skin.  The text information can be updated instantly and does not lock the skin.

Thanks for the clarification. 

[Vraciu]

It is a thought.

However, if a skin only contains the diffuse (very old skin), then the game will use the default specular, power, environment, and normal maps for that object.

If the skin contains a normal or specular or environment or power or alpha map, then none of the default maps are used.

EDIT:  Hmmmm,...I have an idea.  Give me a minute, or three.

Power Map - Default
Specular Map - Default
Environment Map - Default
Normal Map - Default

(Or "Derived"?)

Something like that?

[Arlo]

Had it, just didn't post it. 2ACG/1FS MachNix

 

[Arlo]

F4U-1A skin thumbs (full size avail per):


18 Sqdn RNZAF Greebo

1835 NAS FAA Greebo

1836 NAS FAA Greebo

1842 NAS FAA Greebo

VF-17 #17 Fencer

VF-17 #29 Saxman

VF-24 Greebo

VMF-122 Saxman

VMF-213 Greebo

VMF-214 #740 Saxman

VMF-214 #883 Saxman

VMF-225 Greebo

VMF-321 Saxman

[Vraciu]

Very good stuff, Arlo.

[Vraciu]

EDIT:  Hmmmm,...I have an idea.  Give me a minute, or three.

Ruh roh.   

Duck and cover!!   

 

[Greebo]

Thanks Arlo, I didn't realise you were going to make images for my skins. To be honest though I'd rather keep my skin images how they are as I put some effort into getting the lighting and background framed how I want it and don't want to lose that.

[Arlo]

Thanks Arlo, I didn't realise you were going to make images for my skins. To be honest though I'd rather keep my skin images how they are as I put some effort into getting the lighting and background framed how I want it and don't want to lose that.

Understood, though I, too, was seeking the best lighting and framing for each skin. Since I was specifically looking to offer Skuzzy some uniformity (each thumbnail 150 x 110 with identical framing along with larger images for the info pages - a rather large project) the original intent of the project is no longer applicable (uniformity goes out the door).

I appreciate your work and admire your talent. You are obviously the most prolific skinner in AH and you do, indeed, provide thumbs and larger images for your skins. I look forward to many more. My smaller contribution hinged on agreement from HTC and all skinners and I regret that my stated intent wasn't clear on that. Carry on, good sir.

[Vraciu]

Understood, though I, too, was seeking the best lighting and framing for each skin. Since I was specifically looking to offer Skuzzy some uniformity (each thumbnail 150 x 110 with identical framing along with larger images for the info pages - a rather large project) the original intent of the project is no longer applicable (uniformity goes out the door).

I appreciate your work and admire your talent. You are obviously the most prolific skinner in AH and you do, indeed, provide thumbs and larger images for your skins. I look forward to many more. My smaller contribution hinged on agreement from HTC and all skinners and I regret that my stated intent wasn't clear on that. Carry on, good sir.

Yours is the more professional presentation, regardless.  None of us have been able to approach that.  (Not a swipe at anyone, btw.)

Perhaps this is the solution for Skuzzy's dilemma on how to denote orphans.   

[Vraciu]

If the rest of the Mustang Mafia approves I am willing to use this format for the thumbnail at the least. 

Oboe?   Fencer?  FTJR?  (Who did a miss?)

[Greebo]

Sorry I didn't tell you earlier before you put time and effort into doing those images Arlo. I think the standard screenshots show off the terrain graphics as well as just the skin and are a good advert for the game.

[Arlo]

Mustang Mafia. I like that. I'll be continuing the project .... but for different reasons. I think they'll look great on cups and shirts. I was thinking of doing a cup and/or shirt for each skinner (of their favorite skin). Granted, I'll have to dig out and dust off both the shirt press and cup press. I'm down to less than 10 minutes per image, now (leaving off the AH logo and image/skinner attribution may account for some of that but I also think my image trimming method combined with a standard background also helps). It's a hobby/project that seems manageable (barely) with my school workload and honey-do responsibilities. If I spent as much time playing the game I might become a decent stick.

[Arlo]

Sorry I didn't tell you earlier before you put time and effort into doing those images Arlo. I think the standard screenshots show off the terrain graphics as well as just the skin and are a good advert for the game.

For a thumbnail terrain graphics are clutter (to me) and the extra time and effort needed to trim that much more was unmanageable for the thousands of images involved. I have done images that highlight terrain as well as the plane or vehicle. Also, for bombers that have extensive nose art I was going to focus on zoomed in profiles of the nose then full fuselage profiles. Ground vehicles were going to have grass but to speed up the process I was going to use carefully pasted in terrain. The more I do this, the more techniques I've developed. I use GIMP, exclusively. I'll gladly share what techniques I use for anyone else to give it a try (or show me some tricks I've managed to avoid, to date).