Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Stoney74 on September 10, 2006, 01:56:34 PM

Title: Flap and Trim Actuators
Post by: Stoney74 on September 10, 2006, 01:56:34 PM

When I downloaded Greebo's template for the F4F, he had some awesome trim actuators on it, that when skinned, jumped out and looked 3D.  I know its a way to shade the object that makes the effect.  Can anyone let me in on the secret?

Title: Flap and Trim Actuators
Post by: rogerdee on September 15, 2006, 08:08:15 AM

i asked greebo himself and he was kind enough to tell me how to do it  and provide me with examples  for what i wanted with which i could then sort of dismember  and see how he did it.

maybe if he has time  he might help u too but i know he is a busy guy

Title: Flap and Trim Actuators
Post by: Stoney74 on October 01, 2006, 07:01:32 PM

Took an hour this morning and finally made some really kick butt trim actuators.  Made them and then scaled them down to fit, and I get 2 lines that are just grey blurs. LOL!

I guess some things aren't worth the effort...

My question is this:  On Greebo's F4F template, they look really good, and aren't a big blurry blob.  How does that work?  I'm assuming it has something to do with resolution?

Title: Flap and Trim Actuators
Post by: Lord ReDhAwK on October 01, 2006, 07:27:30 PM

Salute Stoney.  Im just in from work and really beat so no time to do a demo for you.  However, that great effect is done by using a white line (opacity dropped) on an edge of the actuator and a black line (again opacity dropped) on the opposite side.  This will simulate reflection and depth on surfaces where it is flat around it (the wing for example.)

Brief demonstration...

you will see the upper portion without the black or white line.  Lower reflects a dark and light line highlught in opposite regions..for an illusion of depth.  Play around with opacity and such for more or less dramatic effects (as well as line thickness.)

Hope this helps. Sorry, very tired.

ReDhAwK

Title: Flap and Trim Actuators
Post by: Greebo on October 02, 2006, 02:51:40 AM

Sorry, I missed this post first time round.

The F4F does have better resolution compared to the up to date skins. The textures are spread across two 1024 by 1024 files instead of one and the wings are mirrored both top and bottom. When HTC get round to updating the F4F any new skins will lose a lot of the detail. However they will take up less video memory and not have the mirroring issues which prevent some skins being done.

For 3D effects I always use just two colours, black and white. Set yourself a consistent light source direction, say from the wingtip and forward. Then draw the item using black and white. You can partially erase lines to fade them, or use airbrush effects.

There's more in this thread:

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181181&highlight=greebo