P-51D Skin Wanted - But Can It Be Done?

[Zoney]

Lol!  Well that wasn't a high bar to clear, sir, so not sure how much of a compliment that even is.  Lol!
Vraciu's plane is already in the game I believe.  #19.

LOL. The compliment was your skin looks great, couldn't resist the tease though bud <S>  As my CO says, "You can't hit the Gingerbread man!".  Have you shot down a 262 with another fighter yet?  It is certainly not an easy task and if you have not yet when you do, good luck not jumping up and down and yelling Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!  I shot two down last month and one down this month.  I did however kill two of them while I was also flying a 262.  FYI, 262 pilots do not like being chased down by another 262.  Do not expect a return salute.

 

[Vraciu]

LOL. The compliment was your skin looks great, couldn't resist the tease though bud <S>  As my CO says, "You can't hit the Gingerbread man!".  Have you shot down a 262 with another fighter yet?  It is certainly not an easy task and if you have not yet when you do, good luck not jumping up and down and yelling Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!  I shot two down last month and one down this month.  I did however kill two of them while I was also flying a 262.  FYI, 262 pilots do not like being chased down by another 262.  Do not expect a return salute.

 

Three 262 kills.  One in a Dora, one in a Pony, and one in a Ta-152.   You were almost #4.  Lol

Thanks on the skin.  It is coming along.   Almost there...

[Vraciu]

A big thanks to my nemesis FUGITIVE for the tips on how to get the pictures to look better, as well as Greebo's offline suggestions on the same subject.   The overhead shot came out great compared to my previous efforts.   Still don't quite have it down but will get there.....    


Gap Lines completed on bottom of wings and on elevators.

Gear Panel Lines completed.

Cowl and Antenna colors corrected.

Right Side Crew Panel added.

Not much more to go.   I hope this thing has a prayer as it is not "weathered" like so many other skins are...  I expect the silver fuselage parts to look more like the wings do once I am done.   As of now they aren't as multi-colored.

[Vraciu]

Just in case anyone cares.  I do realize I am running the risk of alienating the goodwill of this forum section with my seemingly insignificant screenshot updates.            

Just panel lines to go really.  Also have to make the windscreen frame SILVER.  Oh boy....  That's gonna' be tough.

Back to being somewhat pixelated with the screenshot here.   Not sure why...   Almost done any way...  Almost....

[Vraciu]

WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[FTJR]

Congrats, but just to note its been submitted, not accepted. though I see no reason not to be. It will probably make the next release. Let us know. 

[Vraciu]

Congrats, but just to note its been submitted, not accepted. though I see no reason not to be. It will probably make the next release. Let us know.  

Not counting my chickens, but hoping for the best.  I can tweak it down the road, and I probably will based on feedback....want to get it in the game so people can try it.    That will seem like a real accomplishment.

Thanks for the kind words.  

[olds442]

sad to see the lack of the new skinning features such as bump mapping

[Saxman]

The base looks pretty good, but it seems a bit too clean and: No weathering, exhaust stains, smoke stains from the guns, etc. Lack of these details kind of makes it come across as rather flat and lifeless.

[Vraciu]

Well, the actual airplane was quite clean.  I may add exhaust stains to it but they would be very subtle.  I minimized weathering on purpose based on the limited photos we have.  This was a well-cared-for bird.

With regard to weathering I am a firm believer that less is more.  Most of the time it is overdone.  


Note how clean the area behind the exhaust is on "Old Crow" (Bud Anderson).






Many crew chiefs took great care of their planes, wiping them down after missions and so forth.  Blakeslee, Preddy, Yeager, and many average Joe pilots have pictures of their planes looking quite clean.  Some were for PR purposes and some were just that way because they were babied. 




Yours is a fair critique regardless.   I thank you.  

[Vraciu]

sad to see the lack of the new skinning features such as bump mapping

A bit beyond my current abilities.  Maybe down the road. 

[HornetUK]

do you still have all the layers that you used to make the main color image?

[Vraciu]

do you still have all the layers that you used to make the main color image?

Yes, sir.

[HornetUK]

If you like I could try to make you a sheet for the bumpmat and the spect sheet if you were to send them to me, then you could see what I have done

b.p.s.d32@gmail.com if my email if you would like to take up the offer just send me your original file with all the separate layers in it!

[Saxman]

If you kept your layers separate creating a bump mapping will be fairly easy:

Make a solid layer filled with RGB value: 128, 128, 128. Duplicate your rivet, panel line, and other raised/lowered detail layers, place them on that solid image and adjust their transparency to tweak how dark/light they are, merge the layer, then convert the whole thing to grayscale. You now have a functional bump map.

Follow the instructions Skuzzy lists on the forum for saving and creating the TXT file, and voila.