Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Kweassa on June 28, 2004, 10:30:04 PM
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Still in the roughworks, but the difference between 1024x1024 standard skin, and the AH1 default 256x256, really stands out.
First time to try transparency with indexed colors.. and it works great!
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/232_1088479563_gallande4.jpg)
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Wait a sec... how do you set it to do 1024 res skin maps??
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AH2 skins are at default, 1024x1024.
Other than that, I'm not sure what you are asking.. :confused:
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Originally posted by Krusty
Wait a sec... how do you set it to do 1024 res skin maps??
Just increase the size to 1024 x 1024, All AH2 ac skins will be 1024 x 1024. Not all the ac are updated (like the 109E4) and still are at 256 x 256.
You can wait until HT gets around to redoing them or you can go ahead and do the skin in 1024 x 1024 and hope the physical model doesnt change once they do get upped to 1024 x 1024.
But all planes will eventually be 1024 x 1024.
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I'm working on a Swiss 109E-4 and have some problems to get the number (1) and the squad sign (s) transparent.
You've mentioned something about transparency on your post. Could you help me on that ?
airmess
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Sure airmess.
I had the same problems to go through, and then ran across Machnix post about transparency.
Thanks to that, the "1" marking and the shield part is practically invisible, without any ugly traces of it on the skin.
.........
I'm assuming that you use Photoshop.
1. Cover up the part which you want to be transparent with a certain color that you're sure its not gonna be used by some other part - like deep purple.
2. In the case of the E-4, the "1" and the Schlageter emblem overlaps the fuselage skin - so, you want these to be transparent. Patch it up with the 'transparency color' of your choice.
3. Then, after you finish the skin, convert it to indexed colors.
4. Then, open the "info" window, and move your cursor over your transparency color - among the info, you can see a "indexed" value of the transparency color.
5. After producing the BMP files, create a file named "_a.txt" inside your skin folder where the BMP files are placed - in the case of the E-4, it would be "109E41_a.txt".
6. Write down the indexed value of your transparency color, and save the txt file.
Then whatever part you patched up with the transparency color, will show up as totally transparent!
Pretty neato way of cleaning skins out.
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transparency with indexed colors
Was ist das, Er Kweassa?
OR, is it a fancy name for an Alpha layer, like the stuff i need to use on the bottom of the P47-D25 wing to show the isigna?
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(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/334_1088685273_mickeysailorwm_1.jpg)
Skin Pack? :p
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Actually that picture was one of the first references I've used in skinning the plane. However, many other sources indicate some differences in the tactical markings, overall camo patterns and rudder coloring - mine's a sort of "hybrid" of them all :)
Anyone got a photo of Galland's E-4 shown in full detail?/
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95% finished.
Only thing left is the "scratching" phase.
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/232_1088984882_galland.jpg)
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You've GOT to put a cigar in his mouth!
Really nice skin there kweassa !
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Very good job!!!
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Originally posted by Kweassa
Sure airmess.
4. Then, open the "info" window, and move your cursor over your transparency color - among the info, you can see a "indexed" value of the transparency color.
My "Info" window only gives me the RGB of the color. I get no "index". I get RGB values, which come out to 228, 92, 236. Through what format would I put this in the _a.txt file? Would I just put the 3 numbers separated by a space? Separated by commas? How? Need info!
(http://www.nakatomitower.com/PsInfo.jpg)
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(http://www.nakatomitower.com/109transparency1.jpg)
Check it out. The transparent color I chose was 6th over on the top row, so I made a wild guess and put in my _a.txt file "6" and tried it out. I make the areas that SHOULD have been transparent bright purple. The same purple that I used to outline them. They showed up like this! Not even purple, but not transparent!
What gives?
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If you are using Photoshop, after you have converted into indexed format the Info window will show an index number.
If the indexed value does not show then something has gone wrong during its transition into indexed format.
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I gotta say that this top image is great! Nice work! :)
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/232_1088984882_galland.jpg)
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Here is what I did. I went to image, mode, indexed, hit OK to flatten layers, the preview on "Windows" was all screwed up. The palette was all scrambled. So I had to go to "Adaptive" palette, and that worked. It is indexed, but I can't find the "index" anywhere!
Then it was simply a matter of select all, copy, open the bitmap file, paste over it, and close/save the bitmap.
[EDIT] P.S. I have Photoshop 5.0
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*bump*
Still can't get it fixed
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i think it will only give you index at 256 colours..at least PSP dose
once you get it working you will kick yourself..I DID
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It was at 256 colors! I don't know why it's acting like it is... It SHOULD either show up bright purple (I took the mask away and it does) or not at all, and instead I get the old skin showing through, or something.
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you did make a txt file in the 109 folder ..
if i put my colour dropper over my colour it gives me R>G>B and I numbers
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what i did is this
flatten layers
painted over the things i wanted transperant
reduced colour to 252
noted the I (index colour)using the colour dropper
opened word and saved the number in a txt document
placed the txt document in the ah2 109 folder
and bobs your uncle its done
my colour index was 181, so all the document said was 181
hope you get it
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Well *mine* doesn't show it. So how do I find out what index # it is? You all are probably using more recent versions (6.0+).
Is there any OTHER way to find out what index a certain color is?
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Well...
The only other way is to try all the numbers between 1~256. Or perhaps another graphics editor has the same function..?
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The only other program I have is MS Paint. Photoshop has never failed me before. Maybe a fresh post will get more attention.
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(http://ah-skins.com/skins/screenshot107.jpg)
Finished and available at AH-skins.com (http://ah-skins.com).
Hope its somehow useful in the upcoming BoB event...
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nice:aok
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Beautiful stuff. Kweassa, I think that's one of the nicest skins I'ver ever seen.
BTW, Krusty... I believe the problem you're having with the index is the numbering system, which IIRC goes from 0-255. Therefore, the 6th color over will actually be index #5.
0-1-2-3-4-5...
Am I correct in thinking that the reason you guys are going through all of this is because those markings are on a separate file? Like the "markings.bmp" file that has all of the roundels and stars and Maple leaf on it? If so, why don't you just paint the (for example) "markings_a.bmp" file completely black?
I don't think I'm understanding the necessity for all of this. :confused:
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In the 109E there is the squadron badge AND the number "1" that are applied from one spot of the same file to another. So WITHIN the same file we need to make these transparent, then do our markings directly on the skin.
Unfortunately the "1" does not give you x pixels by y pixels... it literally will only make the shape of a "1" no matter what number you put in its place, which is STUPID (in case HTC is reading this :P), so for those that don't want a big "1" shape right in the middle of our nice skins, we need to use the 109e4_a.txt file to make the number and the squad badge transparent, then work around things from there
[EDIT] Oh, and that "starts at 0" note is a good one, thanks.
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Ahhh, I haven't looked at the Emil yet. Thanks for the info. I'll look into it.
Yeah, good luck on the index thing. from where I am now, I can't be completely certain that's the problem, but I'm moderately certain.