Inactive AH skinners please read

[Arlo]

In FSO, I typically tell my squaddies to grab anything by Devil or Greebo to avoid an "Iced" plane.

I turn off reflections and that helps. 

[Spikes]

Even with reflections off they have a pretty noticeable shine.

[Vraciu]

Even with reflections off they have a pretty noticeable shine.

It's too bad we can have a default P map that is just black.  Then you would have no reflections at all.    That's better than the SuperShine (tm).

[Devil 505]

This is a good move! I'm glad this is happening, it is badly needed IMO.

In FSO, I typically tell my squaddies to grab anything by Devil or Greebo to avoid an "Iced" plane.

 

Thanks, but I still have a couple of icy ones left to eliminate.

[oboe]

Hi Greebo,

I’m a retired skinner and do not have an active account. No plans to come back in the foreseeable future.  I have a number of P-38s that probably suffer from the shininess problem.   

Let me know how I can help.

[Devil 505]

Anyone who wants to redo one of my skins and wants the original file let me know.  I have them in photoshop psd format and the submitted bmp.  I should have all the electronic references as well.  Some came out of books and I had notes as to that info's location.  But you are not getting the books.   

At last count I had over a 100 skjns in the game, and even before my latest health issue, I was in no shape to sit at a desk for hours updating them.  Even if I could I cannot afford the $ for a game I cannot play anymore.

Note this includes sopwiths, fokkers,  Panthers, Fireflies and both 75 and 76mm Shermans.. always need more tanks.  Someone wanting to do 17s, I do have the updated size base file rivets and panel lines fairly well along as well.

I'd happily take your P-39 and Ta-152 files, if you please.

[Fencer51]

Excellent, pm me how you want to do it. 

[Shuffler]

I had a discussion with FTJR a few weeks ago about his P-51 skin too, I must be going senile. Sorry FTJR you are obviously an active skinner and I think we can include Larry in that as well.

Senile.... isn't that one of the streets in town?

[Greebo]

It's too bad we can have a default P map that is just black.  Then you would have no reflections at all.    That's better than the SuperShine (tm).

Its actually the lack of a specular map that causes the glazed appearance. Essentially what AH3 does to our skin files is to combine them into two four channel textures. The first contains the red, green and blue data of the diffuse file together with the specular data while the second contains the normal map's X and Y data, as well as the power and environment data.

This problem arose when AH3 came out and HTC converted all the existing skins over to the new format. The later AH2 skins which had bump and specular maps looked OK after this, there was enough data to create the first texture correctly and it just substituted the default skin's existing texture for the second. The glazed appearance happened with the oldest skins that lacked even a specular map. As the converter had no data to create the specular channel for the first texture it just used an overall white value instead giving a fully gloss finish. Correcting this now would mean modifying the converter to use an intermediate grey value if there is no specular data available. However even if this could be done HTC would then need to reconvert the hundreds of old skins in the game and then have every player download them all over again and this is not practical for them to do.

Thank you to Fencer for offering your templates, it is very generous of you. I'll have to decline however as I really like my skins to be all my own work.

[Greebo]

Senile.... isn't that one of the streets in town?

I have found as I get older my brain tends to stop working by late afternoon, so I should really only create complex posts like this in the morning. Apologies again to FTJR for overlooking him.

[Spikes]

I'd happily take your P-39 and Ta-152 files, if you please.

We want the Cheeto!

[Vraciu]

Its actually the lack of a specular map that causes the glazed appearance. Essentially what AH3 does to our skin files is to combine them into two four channel textures. The first contains the red, green and blue data of the diffuse file together with the specular data while the second contains the normal map's X and Y data, as well as the power and environment data.

S map.  My mistake.   

I realize it's a job, but for the sake of the game it might be worth it.   A black/dark gray S map would just make everything look flat.   That's better than looking like a glazed doughnut.

[Citabria]

The deal I agreed to with Pyro to join the skin team to work on default skins was a lifetime comped account even if I didn’t remain on the skin team. HTC did not honor this agreement and I never made another terrain, skin or kill in Aces High after they cancelled my account years? later.

 All the photoshop files of the default skins I made (B17, B25, P39) and player made skins ( p38g, p38j, p51d) we’re uploaded to the server the skinner team used for default skins etc.

Greebo you have my permission to update my default and player made skins with current effects layers but I wouldn’t give that permission to anyone but greebo.

I would prefer my name remain on them if the bmp is still used if possible but whatever. I was already handed my hat and had the compensation I agreed to withdrawn ex post facto per my arch enemy skuzzy who I categorically despise. Good riddance.

But cheers Greebo you always had my respect and admiration as an artist, pilot and tireless contributer and seeing screenshots of your work is the only reason I still visit this forum.

[Easyscor]

Guilty.
Every time I started to recreate the B-17 skin, Lil(?) Patches 42-31678, the Terrain Editor dragged me away from it. Sadly, the skin has been out of AH since AH2.
If anyone is interested, go for it. I still have a major TE project taking up my spare time.
My files are available is anyone needs them.

 

[Arlo]

The deal I agreed to with Pyro to join the skin team to work on default skins was a lifetime comped account even if I didn’t remain on the skin team. HTC did not honor this agreement and I never made another terrain, skin or kill in Aces High after they cancelled my account years? later.

 All the photoshop files of the default skins I made (B17, B25, P39) and player made skins ( p38g, p38j, p51d) we’re uploaded to the server the skinner team used for default skins etc.

Greebo you have my permission to update my default and player made skins with current effects layers but I wouldn’t give that permission to anyone but greebo.

I would prefer my name remain on them if the bmp is still used if possible but whatever. I was already handed my hat and had the compensation I agreed to withdrawn ex post facto per my arch enemy skuzzy who I categorically despise. Good riddance.

But cheers Greebo you always had my respect and admiration as an artist, pilot and tireless contributer and seeing screenshots of your work is the only reason I still visit this forum.

Regarding the last bit, apparently not.