"Horse's Itch" - 357th FG, 363 FS - P-51D

[Vraciu]

I will tweak the specularity, modify the invasion stripes, and add some paint chips.   

[Greebo]

My problem with the stripes is that they look too white and too black. I'd suggest making the black something like RGB 32/32/32 and the white 210/210/210.

Despite the gaps I still think screenshots look better with shadows on. I wish HTC would get round to fixing this though.

[Vraciu]

My problem with the stripes is that they look too white and too black. I'd suggest making the black something like RGB 32/32/32 and the white 210/210/210.

Despite the gaps I still think screenshots look better with shadows on. I wish HTC would get round to fixing this though.

I will work on that.   Thanks a lot.

[Vraciu]

Are the white wing and tail stripes identical in color to the white invasion stripes or is that hue supposed to be different?

Where do input colors with Gimp?   I am gonna' try to learn this software I guess...  It's more advanced than my poor PSP 5.

[oboe]

I'm pretty sure both sets of stripes would've started out the same shade of white paint.  The white ID stripes would've been applied as soon as the aircraft was received in theater though, and the invasion stripes would've been freshly painted in early June '44.   I'm not sure how much the paint would weather/discolor/fade though.

Have you looked at the invasion stripes on the default P-51B?   Seems to me I recall them looking pretty good - not a pure solid color, faded with some paint chipping and wear, etc.

[Devil 505]

Are the white wing and tail stripes identical in color to the white invasion stripes or is that hue supposed to be different?

Where do input colors with Gimp?   I am gonna' try to learn this software I guess...  It's more advanced than my poor PSP 5.

The white would all the the same shade, but the stripe on the wing may be cleaner since it was put on after the full stripes were removed.

In GIMP, if you double click on the foreground or background color on the toolbar you will get a popup for color selection. There you can set any color you like and make adjustments.

[BFOOT1]

I am very far along on a 355th FG skin, "Down for Double", but its not ready to show publicly.  Here's a profile image though:

(Image removed from quote.)

And here's a version of it I did before AH3 came out, long time ago:

(Image removed from quote.)

Would that fit the bill, BFOOT1?

The white nose on Horse's Itch is real surprising to me.  I especially appreciate trying to be true to clear photographic evidence - but that must make this aircraft very unique to be not following the 357th's convention on markings.  Wonder what the story was?

I don't think Skuzzy would reject it just because the subject has been in game once before, but who knows.   

I've got so many versions of the rudder I just can't decide which looks right - I'm letting it percolate in my mind a bit while I tend to other aspects.  I've got images showing small rivets on the rudder, large rivets, no rivets at all....what I do is duplicate the rivet layer twice - one black, one white.  The apply a Gaussian blur and offset the dark one up and the white one below the rivet layer.   And the fiddle with opacity and balance, and fiddle some more.  And what looks right on a blue rudder doesn't look right on a silver/grey one, or a red or white one.  And what looks OK one day doesn't look right to me the next.  Ever had that happen?

Yes, yes, yes! That's a beauty too! Wowzers!

[Vraciu]

Yes, yes, yes! That's a beauty too! Wowzers!

It really is.  With a tweak or two it will beat anything out there.   I really REALLY like that skin.

Frankly, I think one of the orphaned skins should be retired so DOWN FOR DOUBLE has a home.    (Wish we had a HALL OF HONOR for retired skins though.)

Also, Oboe has really been a big help to me with my efforts.  His input has been a benefit without question.   I think it started with DING HAO! (his comments actually have carried through to ALL of my skins).

D4D is a great skin.  I hope it gets its due.

 

[hitech]

Vraciu: I took a look at the skin you submitted.

Some how you are completely missing the concept of lighting (spec,env,power) maps.

It appears you simply grey scaled your diffuse map. This will not work very well.

As an example the star emblem on the wings should pretty much be all the same value in the spec and power map.(note different values between the spec and power, but in each map they should be consistent across the emblem)  What those maps are doing is controlling how shiny /dull something is. You need to think in terms of paint , i.e. is it flat/glossy/semi gloss excreta and how each would reflect light differently . And not in terms of colors or brightness of the diffuse map.

HiTech

[Vraciu]

I gray scaled it and made adjustments for insignia, stripes, etc. 

I understand the concept and on painted airplanes it works fine.   My problem is with metal. 


This airplane turned out mostly how I wanted.  I will tweak a thing or two but it looks to me like it should. 

Compare it to my P-51B DING HAO! and they look similar. 

The NMF is where the problem lies for me. 

[Vraciu]

I'll give the above a try.  Thanks for offering suggestions.   

[Vraciu]

I added some paint chips and actually managed to create a NORMAL MAP from scratch.       (Still gotta' learn a thing or two about how to manipulate the settings, but I have a decent grasp of it.)   The white obviously washed out with this lighting angle.   It looks nicer than this shows.

Any better?   I think it is an improvement based on the input received from everyone.   

[Vraciu]

Off angle from the light...  I toned down the white on the fuselage and used the black shade the default P-51D has on the tail markings.   Hopefully that addresses previously mentioned concerns.   

[lyric1]

 

[Skuzzy]

Did you happen to rotate the spinner while on the runway, in the game (toggle 'E' quickly) and watch the Sun reaction with it?