Applying aircraft/vehicle skins in all versions

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Snake Man
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Applying aircraft/vehicle skins in all versions

Post by Snake Man » 2007-04-28 23:43:40

How to apply aircraft/vehicles skin textures in all F4 versions, that is the question. Back in the SP4 days we used TexInstall.exe to apply the <number>.bmp skins into the .tex file (I think) directly.

I have now gathered that in RV and OF you just create a <THEATER>\objects\KoreaObj\ directory and place your skins here in <number>.dds anyone know if this is correct?

I have no clue how to apply skins to AF, would TexInstall still work?

Here at the bottom I will include small guide how to do it, if/when we find that info:

AF
- TexInstall.exe still works in AF!


RV/OF
- Drop DDS files into Theaters\<THEATER>\objects\Skins\ directory.


Choosing a Skin
If some model has more than one skin set, then squadron number is used to "calculate", in kind of a random fashion which skin to use. Formula AFAIK is :

Code: Select all

(Squadron number) % (number of skin sets) + 1
(% means MOD, divide in a natural number way and take what's left over... for example (7%3)=1... )

There is a skin/squadron texture calculator tool to determine exactly which skin set will display when using more than one skin set. There is nothing random about what skin shows up.

Ideally, campaigns for your theater should be possible whereby - you can build models with texture sets that when used will show a specific skin set that is proper for the squadron and if placed properly will show up at the historically correct airfield.
Last edited by Snake Man on 2007-11-21 04:07:40, edited 3 times in total.
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Post by i_hawk » 2007-04-29 04:39:19

Yes for RV and OF just dropping DDS files into ROOT\terdata\THEATER\koreaobj should do it.
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Post by Sherlock » 2007-04-29 06:11:49

The only way I know how to install skins in AF is through LODEditor. I have never seen or heard of this "TEXInstall.exe" SM. It might work though since the AF texture database is like the SP database.
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Post by Khronik » 2007-04-30 08:23:52

TexInstall works the same with AF as it did with the legacy versions.

Make a skin folder within your objects folder (containing xxxx.bmp) then run texinstall from inside the objects folder root.

C:\Falcon\terrdata\objects\texinstall.exe ~skin

If you take a look at Zerk's 3D Pit installer i made for him, I used Texinstall with that same method to install 3D pit textures into AF.

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Post by Snake Man » 2007-04-30 10:31:34

Thanks Khronik, first post updated. If texinstall still works then I'm familiar with the process, nice.
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Post by Snake Man » 2007-05-04 23:27:03

I have updated the first post about RV/OF skin install info which I suspect to be correct. If anyone knows better, please post the correct information, please.
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Post by Snake Man » 2007-11-20 03:29:15

I could not find any more proper topic so I'll post here.

In Vietnam theater RV version there is many many F-4 Phantom aircrafts, some of these are with the proper South East Asia camouflage, but then some are with the South Korean metallic skin only. I would want of course all to be with the SEA camo, how do I do that?

How does Falcon 4 (RV?) spread out those skins, we have seen above that its the <number>.bmp/.dds for aircraft CT's or something... but little more explanation would be great?
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Post by i_hawk » 2007-11-20 09:15:13

Snake Man wrote:I could not find any more proper topic so I'll post here.

In Vietnam theater RV version there is many many F-4 Phantom aircrafts, some of these are with the proper South East Asia camouflage, but then some are with the South Korean metallic skin only. I would want of course all to be with the SEA camo, how do I do that?

How does Falcon 4 (RV?) spread out those skins, we have seen above that its the <number>.bmp/.dds for aircraft CT's or something... but little more explanation would be great?
Well... if all are the same type of F-4 (I mean same variant, if are different then campaign must be edited and switch all to be one variant...) then it might be a skin set random selection...

If some model has more than 1 skin set, then squadron number is used to "calculate", in kind of a random fashion which skin to use...

Formula AFAIK is : (Squadron number) % (number of skin sets) +1
(% means MOD, divide in a natural number way and take what's left over... for example (7%3)=1... )

But, anyway... the best way to make sure you get always the same skin, is to duplicate the skin you want to all other skin sets of such variant...
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Post by ccc » 2007-11-20 13:29:57

i hawk - i think SM want to know how to replace RV F-4 texture.

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Post by i_hawk » 2007-11-20 14:51:03

ccc wrote:i hawk - i think SM want to know how to replace RV F-4 texture.
What does that mean??? :)

If the problem is to find textures, it's possible with LE 6.1 AFAIK, if you know the variant or CT number...

Is that the issue? because I thought he meant to say, why there are different skins used sometimes for same variant, same campaign etc...
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Post by Snake Man » 2007-11-20 16:08:55

Okay i_hawk posted pretty much the data I recalled hearing before, that if there is more skin sets for certain CT (or something like that) then the squadron (tail) number will decide what skin will be applied to the aircraft.

But directly my problem was in Vietnam theater RV version, I found out that its the "F-4ESK" that has the metal south korean skin while the "F-4E" has the nice SEA camo. So I guess my problems are solved when I dump the esk's away.

But the squadron number / skin applying formula was good info, thank you for that.
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Skin Squadron Relationships

Post by ranger822 » 2007-11-20 21:39:15

There is a skin/squadron texture calculator tool to determine exactly which skin set will display when using more than one skin set. There is nothign random about what skin shows up. The tool is located in the tools section of the Yahoo Groups LE Forum. IMHO is easy but extremely wasteful to simply apply all the same skins to all sets. Someone may have spent a lot of time figuring out what skins will be generated for a given squadron number used. If you don't want to bother with skin/squadron sets then simply use a single texture set for CT/parent for a given aircraft. Ideally, campaigns for Vietnam should be possible whereby - you can build models with texture sets that when used will show a specific skin set that is proper for the squadron and if placed properly will show up at the historically correct airfield, if one is so anal about their campaign work :D

If you check the Israeli Theater Forum under Phantom Updgrade, I made a complete set of skins for all Phantom variants for the upgraded Thoarek/CCC model. It includes a lot of Vietnam era skins. The intent for the Phantom upgrade project was to make avaiable the new models and have skins ready made to drop into the other theater databases. From a database point of view - - one should be able to take the RV-ITO database, with minimal editing and rebuild your campaigns for Vietnam pretty easily. It will include the new F-4 variants, skins, etc. Since ITO was built using FF3.1 Korea - the compatibility should be 99% good. Some changes were made but mostly to fix old bugs/mistakes. Also, the new Mig-21 are included - though new skins would need to be made for the Migs to go with the Vietnam era.

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Post by i_hawk » 2007-11-20 22:27:51

Sorry, small "fix about my use of the word "Random":

I meant that it's "like" code is randomly selecting skins... but it's really out of a formula... based on the squadron number... so sure, same squadron number will always generate the same skin for a given CT... I meant it's like a user POV randomness...
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Re: Skin Squadron Relationships

Post by Snake Man » 2007-11-21 04:01:16

ranger822 wrote:There is a skin/squadron texture calculator tool to determine exactly which skin set will display when using more than one skin set. The tool is located in the tools section of the Yahoo Groups LE Forum.
Do you have download link, or better yet can you email/arrange it to me please? (I assume the yahoo needs registering etc).

I would very much like to add the tool into our downloads, you know, wanting to be covering all the angles of editing :)
Ideally, campaigns for <THEATERNAME> should be possible whereby - you can build models with texture sets that when used will show a specific skin set that is proper for the squadron and if placed properly will show up at the historically correct airfield
Was there any limitation of the number of aircraft squadron/tail numbers and therefore skins, we can use?

I faintly recall that we had to make some skin choosing compromises long time ago as we kind of reached the "all slots filled, sorry." status.

Btw I edited the first post, please check and validate that we have all the correct info now summed up there?
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Hookie Pookie's Skin/Squadron Calculator

Post by ranger822 » 2007-11-21 12:46:36

SM,

I am not sure if the tool can downloaded - - it is an active link tool meaning you access the site - click on the tool and it simply comes up and and you do your thing. It isn't like the Hit-Box Calculator tool that is an excel file that you can simply download and use. However, someone clever like yourself may be able to figure out how to "grab" the tool from the site and convert it to and exe everyone can use personally. I have always just accessed the site and used the tool.

There is a basic formula which is something like you add 1+ the squadron number number and divided by the total number of skin sets or something - - when you complete your long division whatever the remainder is and subtracted by one is the skin set that is applied - or something like that. I would suggest joining the Yahoo group and checking out the tool yourself. In the meantime I will access the site tonight and see if I can download the tool for you.

To the best of my knowledge I dont know of a limit on the number of skins you can use. I have 13 skin sets for the Mirage IIIC. The problem is the number of skin sets depends on the set of squadron numbers used. Some skin sets are not possible for a give set of squadron numbers. If you need exact squadron numbers for historically accurate campaigns like I did for the Israeli Mirage squadrons, the squadrons were such that I had to go all the way to using 13 skin sets to get that combination of squadron numbers to make the proper calls in Falcon, even though I only need 5 sets of skins - I had to create placeholders for the other skin sets. These are not additional skins - simply I had to repeat the texture numbers in the model's texture list -- I usually just picked one skin set for the place holders. When you use Tacref - you can cycle thru the complete set of skins for each aircraft by continually selecting the same aircraft in the pull down tacref list. You will need to click 13 times to cycle thru all the Mirage IIIC skins - lots of repeats and then about every third skin set a different one will appear. Lastly, if there is no need for historically accurate squadron numbers, you can use the tool to find a squadron number that will work for a give number of skin sets. - just note the number and apply to the cam when adding the squadron.

There are basically three parts to the tool - the first is the number of skins you intend to use. The second is the squadron number (i.e. 21st Fighter Squadron) which must be only whole numbers no alphanumerics. When you input those two pieces of data a table will be generated which will show all the possible squadron numbers. Then it is somewhat of a trial an error process of inputing your squadron numbers against successive numbers of skin sets. When you are able to get a different number for a skin set for each assigned squadron you will have found the proper number of sets to use. Then for your particlar squadron you will also know the specific skins set that must be applied to get the proper skin set to apply to the model for the skin set to show up in game when your squadron number is called by a campaign. I know it sounds rather complicated - but it really isn't. The tool just lets you see where your skin squadron conflicts occur - you still have to use pencil and paper for each trial until you find the first number of skin sets that will give a different skin set number for each squadron. The main thing is to remember to subtract one for the tool - that is proper number actually applied. Remember skins in LOD format start with 0 not 1.

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Texture Set Calcuator Tool Update

Post by ranger822 » 2007-11-22 02:39:40

Went to site and downloaded the htm file -- I uploaded it to my Mediafire account here is the link

http://www.mediafire.com/?50vj0gmyv4m

Now a short word about the use. I have only had success in running this tool using M$ Windows Explorer. Safari, Netscape, and Firefox don't seem to work - I probably don't have some setting necessary to get macros working or something . . . anyway - folks are welcome to try the tool out - - very simple

1. Open tool
2. Enter Number of Texture Sets in Aircraft
3. Enter Desired Squadron Number
4. Click "Calculate Squadron Numbers" button

There is a table below the data entry section - all the boxes will fill up with a series of numbers that will give acceptable squadron numbers - these are what you use to check against conflicts with other squadron numbers - if other squadron numbers you want to use show up in one of the 50 boxes then you can't use that number else you will have two squadrons that use the same texture set. There will be a small box/window titled

"Texture Set That Will Be Used"

This will give you the texture set use - remember to subtract 1 from the number given - - it is giving you the texture set - - but the LOD texture sets and DX models always start with zero.

That is about it guys -- hope this answers your question SM.

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