Making the gunsight smaller

[hlbly]

Could some one post a tutorial on how to do this please ?

[MutleyBR]

Hi!

The answer is in a line in the 2.20 Readme file:

"Added the ability to change the mil width of a gunsight on a per sight basis.  To change a sight’s max mil width, add a file containing a single text line with the number of mils desired (i.e. 256 for a 256 mil sight) into the sights folder with the same base name as the sight with a .mil extension.  Example: default.bmp needs a default.mil file.   The default gunsights are 128 mils in width."

I use my custom gunsight which was made using "default" sight as a model. It's a 256x256 bitmap file, same size as "default" sight.

It was showing too large. I set the default sight to same planes, to check. Too large as well.

I did as instructed in Readme file, and created a "default.mil" file with a value of 128 (per Readme file).

Too big...

After experimenting with different sizes in "mil" file, came up with a value of 96. TADA! It´s working for me.

Summing up.

Let´s say you use a gunsight named "custom" with a corresponding "custom.bmp" file in Aces High "sights" folder.

Open your Windows Notepad text editor and type a single line with the value 96 and save the file as "custom.mil" in Aces High, sights folder.

Open the game, go to runway and check the size of your sight. Too big? Too small?

Close game. Open Notepad and adjust that 96 value, accordingly, smaller or larger. Save edited "custom.mil" file and go check.

Hope this helps!

Mutley 

PS: When you get the correct size sight, please don´t use it on me... 

[Saxman]

Another option is to make the reticle smaller on the image file.

Let's say you have a standard 256x256 BMP image, and you make the reticle with a span of 128x128. The 128mil size of the sight accounts for the ENTIRE BMP, not just a reticle. So if that 256x256 BMP file is rendered as 128mil, that means the reticle would be 64mil across (that's how I made my Mk.VIII sight: the BMP file is 512x512, but the reticle has a diameter of 300px).

[MutleyBR]

Another option is to make the reticle smaller on the image file.

Let's say you have a standard 256x256 BMP image, and you make the reticle with a span of 128x128. The 128mil size of the sight accounts for the ENTIRE BMP, not just a reticle. So if that 256x256 BMP file is rendered as 128mil, that means the reticle would be 64mil across (that's how I made my Mk.VIII sight: the BMP file is 512x512, but the reticle has a diameter of 300px).

Hi Saxman!

I saw your gunsight pack, they're really cooll. 

But others, like me, have been using other gunsights for a loooooong time.

If one adjusts the mil size using a  ".mil" file, as I did, all existing gunsights are usable. 

Mutley

[Ghosth]

Just exactly what are you after Hlbly?

After seeing what my squadmate Baumer was using for gunsight, I decided it was time for a change.



Its just a pixel or 2 bigger than my old dot, but it has a few advantages over the dot.

[bustr]

1.) I created a template.bmp file 512x512 8bit.
2.) Color it black.
3.) Make a 1 pixel line cross useing 256 as your center for the x and y lines.
4.) Draw one daigonal line top right to bottom left corner.
5.) From right to left stopping at center place ticks every 20 pixels.
6.) From top down to center do the same.
7.) from bottom up to center doe the same.
8.) You now have a template grid gunsight file 512x512 8bit.
9.) Put it in your sight directory and associate it with your plane.
10.) Spawn then zoom in.

Hopefully you have a drawing of the reticle you want to create. And have printed out the template.bmp. Determin by the 20 pixel tic marks the locations of your rings. The lines become easy because of the grid you created. The center dot is created by the cross. Rule of thumb is to created the rings and lines 2 pixels wide. You can use a gaussian blur to smooth them out to about 4 to 6 pixels wide. Doing it this way for a specific airplane makes it unneccssary to use a (.mil) file. Because Saxmans MkVIII sight has a scaled main ring using a (.mil) file at 256, I've cheated and making a copy of his sight, erasing everything but the ring and adding a cross grid. Then working from that point. A gunsight shouldn't take more than about 45 to 60 minutes. The research is the time killer if it's historical.....

[hlbly]

Thnx guys.

[Saxman]

Keep in mind, on a 512x512 BMP putting the "center" at 256 is actually going to offset things slightly if you make your guideline 1px wide. When creating my own template I used two 1px lines--one at 256 and the other at 257. With the scaling I used (2px/mil) this resulted in a line 1mil thick right through the center. Much more accurate that if you rely solely on 1px lines.