Bf109E-4 - JG26 "Abbeville Boys", Addie Galland

[Kweassa]

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!

[Krusty]

Wait a sec... how do you set it to do 1024 res skin maps??

[Kweassa]

AH2 skins are at default, 1024x1024.

 Other than that, I'm not sure what you are asking..

[Wotan]

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.

[airmess]

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

[Kweassa]

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.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

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?

[Wotan]

Skin Pack?

[Kweassa]

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?/

[Kweassa]

95% finished.

 Only thing left is the "scratching" phase.

[Edbert]

You've GOT to put a cigar in his mouth!

Really nice skin there kweassa !

[LUPO]

Very good job!!!

[Krusty]

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!

[Krusty]

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?

[Kweassa]

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.