SkySim Hawk

[DaveB]

Mike..

Each texture folder has to have a texture.cfg added (look at the other paints and you'll see what I mean) This is one of the pains of FSX but it can be useful. I think this is the reason your paint is showing all black. I downloaded the PK yesterday and it's fine

Note: you still have to add the texture entry into the aircraft.cfg (as you've already done) but each texture folder has to have a texture.cfg file present too
ATB
DaveB

[miker32159]

I've copied the Texture.CFG folder, does it need any editing to make it unique to each repaint?

Best regards, Mike

[DaveB]

Hi Mike

It depends. The idea of the texture.cfg is to be able to use maps from other paints (or the main texture folder) so that repaints can be comparatively simple like the Hawk (only 2 main maps required as it uses others according to the texture.cfg file) Another advantage is that you don't need these 'other' textures to be present in each of your paints so it cuts down on disc space. A full explanation of texture.cfgs can be found at places like fsdeveloper but for the most part.. you can take a look at a 'similar' paint and use it's texture.cfg file in your new paint

Think of it like this.. the texture.cfg is a 'fallback'. As the model loads, it will look at what textures are contained in the texture folder/model you've selected and if it can't find a map, it reads the texture.cfg and uses one listed in there. Many of the main textures (common to all) will be in the texture.common folder. This in itself cuts down the required number of maps for a given range of models and saves a load of space on your drive. Depending on how the texture.cfg is written, it will then look in other folders listed until your model appears on screen fully mapped. The only way to get around NOT using a texture.cfg is to put all the maps you need into each folder so you can see the advantages of using them. If you want to paint a part completely different to any other model, you have to find the map associated with that part.. paint the part as required, then add that map to the paints texture folder. FSX will find whatever maps are found in the individual texture folders FIRST and if it can't find one, it then searches the texture.cfg to fill in the holes.. if that makes sense

Any further snags, don't be afraid to ask
ATB
DaveB

[TSR2]

Mike,

Just for clarity (because my head is fuddled) have you created a new repaint yourself using the paint kit, or are you trying to add the repaints that are in the downloaded pack?

[DaveB]

Yeah, it's the paintkit used to create repaints, I copied one of the Red Arrow .CFG entries and changed the "texture=" entry. I'm totally stumped!

I see your possible uncertainty Ben

Mike.. just to make sure we're all singing from the same sheet, I take it you've done a repaint using the PK then used one of the aircraft.cfg entries as a base for the new paint and changed the texture= line to the new paint. Make sure you not only change the [fltsim.XX] line but other entries too. Here's the entry for paint 1 (front seat).
[fltsim.0]
title=BAe Hawk T.Mk.1 FrontSeat Red1
sim=HawkT1
model=frontseat
panel=
sound=
texture=XX308
kb_checklists=HawkT1_check
kb_reference=HawkT1_ref
ui_manufacturer="BAe"
ui_type="Hawk T.Mk1"
ui_variation="Red 1 W Cdr Jas Hawker"
ui_typerole="Single Engine Jet Trainer"
ui_createdby="Skysim"
atc_id=RED1
atc_airline=AIRFORCE
atc_flight_number=308
description=Red Arrows 2008 "Red 1" W Cdr Jas Hawker
\n\copyrights @2008 Rick Piper & Skysim

////////
You have to change the fltsim.XX number to the next corresponding number AND change the title line (eg.. title=BAe Hawk T.Mk.1 FrontSeat Red2 . Also change any other info that isn't relevant to your new paint (eg. ui_variation/atc_id/atc_flight_number/description. FSX doesn't like seeing 2 (two) of anything the same and will spit one out if it doesn't like it

ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

Sounds to me like a texture format issue. If you're saving as 24bit BMP, you're going to lose the alpha channels. FSX won't display 24-bit BMPs. I don't know how DXTBMP handles those.
For best results, either export as a DXT5 DDS directly from Photoshop, or as a 32Bit BMP & convert that to DDS.

[miker32159]

Cool, I will try saving as 32bit, thanks for the help everyone, absolutely invaluable

[miker32159]

Still no luck, have tried saving as 32-bit BMP and converting to DDS/DXT5 but no luck

[miker32159]

I think I've identified the problem! The paintkit is supplied with alpha-channels which I haven't used in my repaints, could that be the problem? Also, how do I go about integrating the alpha-channels into my repaint? Thank you all for your patience

[miker32159]

I've added alpha-channels in using DXTbmp but still the textures don't show! Really frustrating, as I can't wait to get my custom-painted Hawk in the air, but I know it's a simple mistake I've made somewhere along the line...