Lt. Earl Erickson - P-51B "Janie Girl" (D7-Y) - 339th FG, 503rd FS - AH3 Rev 1

[Vraciu]

I'll try that spec map thing, too.  I've been making my painted areas slightly darker on the S map but lighter on the P.

[Vraciu]

I did this as an academic exercise to see how it would go.  I wasn't going for resolution as much as color in the screenshots.   The rearm box is in the background for comparison.

[Vraciu]

Before (1) vs After (2 and 3):

[Devil 505]

It's very hard to tell if there's any difference in the actual red color. Seems like you made the it a tiny bit darker, but I think you need to go further with it.

[Vraciu]

If I go darker with it then it looks pretty............what's the word?  In shadow it looks extremely opaque.

I darkened the red and also darkened the S map to reduce the reflection.  Let me try some more.

[Vraciu]

Darker red...

[Devil 505]

I like that. It seems pretty close to the photo Oboe posted.

[Vraciu]

Okay thanks. 

Oboe, any thoughts since you've done this scheme before?

[oboe]

First thought is that is a fantastic screenshot composition.  Everything so crisp, especially the shadows, and I love the prop blur.  The pilot figure sitting in the cockpit looks dang real to me.

Second thought is I prefer the reds in all 3 of the closeups over the screenshot; I can hardly tell a difference between them, but the red squares in the screenshot do look darker to me.  Yet I assume one of the closeups must match the screenshot?   So go figure.  A difference between in-game lighting and the skin viewer maybe? 

To me they are all close enough; whichever you choose will look great on the final version.

[Vraciu]

The pilot figure I think is one of yours.  I can't remember if you did the dark brown leather jacket one but that's the one I'm using.    Maybe I did it and forgot or borrowed it.

The very last image is a red not shown in any other screenshot.   It is the darkest version.

[Vraciu]

Here's the darker red in the viewer to compare like with like.

Seems okay in the viewer but I don't know.

[oboe]

Yeah seems lighter in the viewer.  Strange.

[Vraciu]

Should I back it part way off?

Maybe I'll let you guys fly it in the game after the update and tell me what you think.

[Devil 505]

I say ship it as it is. 

[oboe]

It's your baby, V. 

I think the skin viewer shots look right on; to me, the red squares in the in-game shot seem a little too dark.  Here are morer WWII color image of 339th P-51s:





I'm guessing the fact that the reds are different in these images has more to do with photo print aging and differences in the color film of the day.