Author Topic: 9thAF P-51D 354thFG/355thFS Capt Lowell Brueland "Grim Reaper" S/N 44-63702  (Read 1777 times)

Offline oboe

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I worked this skin up a few years ago but forgot about it.  Rediscovered it recently and spent some time bringing it up to AH3 standards.   I like that this scheme is also on a restored warbird, so people can see it fly in RL or YouTube and then maybe get the itch to fly it in some virtual combat here in AH.












     
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 05:51:09 PM by oboe »

Offline lyric1

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 :aok

Offline whiteman

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WOW!

Offline Vraciu

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Nice work.   I can't get any plants to grow for my screenshots.   Lol! 

Dumb question.   Is the nose blue or purple?

Really love the subtle metal shading changes.  It's a fantastic effect.  That shot of the right side really shows it well.   I think natural metal has been pushed as far as it can go here with this one.   Really pretty. 
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 06:16:14 PM by Vraciu »
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Offline oboe

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Thanks. 

That spinner is supposed to be blue - the same blue as the checkerboard squares.  I sampled the checkerboard and used the same color blue- but, it looked too intense so I dialed back the Saturation and Opacity - perhaps its still too intense if you are seeing purple.   The first version I found had the blue so muted I would've called it "dusty".    Hard to find the sweet spot, especially with blue it seems.  Everybody sees it a little different. 

There may be something going on with the spec or power map as it relates to the shape of the spinner and angle of sunlight too - it looks shinier than the checkerboard, but they have the same values in the Spec and Power maps.  I dunno.

I still haven't found the right way to utilize the reflections from the ENV map.  I *think* they can add a lot but I'm put off by the "glass" look it imparts.  I used to have that problem with the SPEC map - now I make sure the dirt and grime and rivet shadow/glare of the diffuse map are enhanced in the SPEC map.  I think that's whats responsible for the variation in the shine, which I think adds a realistic touch.   I haven't found a way to get that variation on the ENV map - the reflections just seem to be OFF or ON, and when they are on, the surface looks like glass.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 06:29:58 PM by oboe »

Offline Vraciu

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Well, people don't always see on their ends what I see on mine, but it has a bit of purple as I see it.

It's definitely different than the insignia.

Based on your style you won't go wrong dialing it back.   How much and in what manner I'll leave to the two Jedis to explain.    :)
”KILLER V”
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Offline Vraciu

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Also, I agree about blues.   They're murder to figure out as you'll recall with the B of Preddy's I did.
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Offline oboe

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Yes I recall that.

Interesting to see the difference in the spinner hue between the last shot and the first ones.  Doesn't look the same to me, but the screenshots are all from the same session...

Brueland's Mustang also has the goofiest looking application of D-Day invasion stripes I've seen.  they left them extend slightly above the Star and Bar and left them showing through the fuselage ID letters.  I think it looks better when they take the time to trim around the shape of the insignia myself.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 06:51:55 PM by oboe »

Offline Vraciu

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It's a killer skin.  I would reduce the saturation some to fit the rest of your paint.   You have that Taylor/Trudgian style and it would be in keeping with that. 
”KILLER V”
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Online Devil 505

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Excellent job, Oboe..

I agree about the blue. A bit too purpleish and bit too bold, in my opinion.
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Offline LCADolby

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Excellent, just superb  :aok :aok
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Offline Nefarious

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What An amazing skin. You keep outdoing yourself it seems. Great work.  :cheers:



There must also be a flyable computer available for Nefarious to do FSO. So he doesn't keep talking about it for eight and a half hours on Friday night!

Offline Palace Cobra

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Superb.

Offline Greebo

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Fantastic looking skin Oboe, really nice work.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2020, 01:09:51 PM by Greebo »

Offline Mister Fork

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Bueeeeeful Oboe Bueeeful.
"Games are meant to be fun and fair but fighting a war is neither." - HiTech