Embarrassing skin problem...

[JD_Wyberton]

Hey Guys,

I said I wanted to start skinning some FSX stuff - having done some other skins with PSP, Photoshop and GIMP. I'm still pretty rubbish at it - and having used PSP 5 for years I still am an absolute amateur as far as knowing my way around the application is concerned. It doesn't seem as flexible as the other two, though.

I have only used Photoshop and GIMP to make dds format skins - and to a step-by-step tutorial in both cases, during which I did as I was told, and learnt very little.

Please bear these facts in mind, when offering advice.... STUPID

I decided to start with a nice and easy fictional RAF training scheme for a Piper Arrow. I painted the colours for the fuselage and two wings as separate files - this is the appalling result:



I have no idea what's gone wrong. Could it be that I painted the left wing 'as is' but changed the colour in the fuselage and right wing to 16 million?

The reason I did that is because after painting the left wing, I was totally unable to match the paint colour for the other wing and fuselage. The only way I could get the same hue was by increasing the amount of colours from 256. But all of the images were originally 256 colours - so I don't understand why I couldn't get the same hue in the first place?

Any simple help greatly appreciated. HELP

[Techy111]

Did you save the DDS file upside down......Need to do this.....An FSX "quirk".....

;-)

Tony

[JD_Wyberton]

Well thanks for the reply, Tony - but I don't really know how a dds can be 'upside down'? The skin files are bmp.

In any case - I now have the problem sorted - it was so easy, I should kick my own backside for not thinking of it straight away.

I just reloaded the various files and reduced each one back to 256 colours before saving. So simple.

Told you I was clueless.... :fart:

[SkippyBing]

but I don't really know how a dds can be 'upside down'?

Before you save the DDS flip it vertically. It's one of the image/rotate options in PS, not sure about PSP (although the option must be there somewhere).
Bear in mind later that if a model uses DDS files it may or may not accept BMP according the export options chosen by the modeller.

[TSR2]

Bare in mind with FSX the DDS texture preforms much better than bitmap, so best to use that format.

[JD_Wyberton]

Yes, okay - thanx for the tips. Getting a bit close to confusion - but doing okay so far...

I would use dds as I was aware of the advantages - I did some skinning to dds in rFactor and Lock On - I have dds plug-ins for Photoshop (6) and the GIMP. I don't really understand the different DXT compression types, but all I really needed to know up to now was which one to use. Too much info can be a bad thing.

Maybe one day if I get off the codeine I may be able to think straight again..

[Garry Russell]

JD

DXT compression types

http://wiki.beyondunreal.com/Legacy:DXT

Garry

[SkippyBing]

Off the top of my head I think FSX uses the 8888 rgb DDS format, or at least that's the best one to use, which makes more sense if you use the pull down in the nVidia PS exporter.

[JD_Wyberton]

Well I'm pleased to report that I successfully completed my first FS skin this evening - after having spent a whole afternoon( ) on it!

But then I guess, as I was following a tutorial and it was for FS9, it's no great achievement.

However, I hope it'll be the first of many.