The A2A Simulations Community

Hi!

As I'm a total noob in FSX Skinning, I'd like to know how to use the paintkit.

I Know how to handle the t files but the spec files, not that much. I noticed that the spec files in default skins show exactly the same parts that are colored in the default t file (say Miss Loraine ), only they appear darker.

Also, what are those ALPHA files included in the paintkit? They really confuse me.

Help a noob here!

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Hi Royale_Adio,

I have only just saw your post asking for help with the paintkit.

The main texture is only part of the final product, if the alpha and specular textures are not done correctly you end up with a bit of a mess to be honest.

The alpha for the main texture dictates how light is reflected off each part of the main texture. The darker it is the more reflective and glossy the texture will look in FSX. If you want something to look matt then make the corresponding area of the alpha pure white. So for example an exhaust stain on your main texture would look silly with a glossy look, so make the exhaust stain pure white in the alpha texture. The alpha channel/texture has to be greyscale.

When you have the main texture and the alpha texture the way you want them, open them both in your paint package and copy the alpha texture to the alpha channel of the main texture. Save the final version as a .DDS texture (be sure to flip the textures first as DDS textures are flipped upside down by FSX).

The Specular textures dictate how bright or dark and how diffuesed the reflected light is reflected. From my experience the specular channel is better being saved as a greyscale image. The darker your specular map the duller your aircraft looks. Go dark for matt effect and lighter for a more shiny effect.

The Specular alpha dictates how diffused the reflections from your specular texture are displayed in FSX. The darker the specular alpha the more diffused the surface will refelct the light. The lighter the specular alpha the more concentrated and pinpoint the reflections will look. From my experience the lighter the specular alpha the more plasticy and oily yor reflections will look.

The best way to find out what I mean is to examine the textures and alphas from the loads of paints already released (and the default ones included with the P-47). You can look at the effects/colours on each of the four textures and see how it effects the light/reflections in FSX.

Experimentation is the key to understading how these textures effect your paint in FSX.


Martin

I Need help here to...

so the Alpha and the Main textures both need to be edited separatly but in the same manner. or there is a way to obtain a alpha from the main texture??

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They do have to be edited separately for best effect. A basic alpha is included in the painkit if you want a quick and dirty version. All you need to do is save it with basic markings and paste it into your main texture alpha. The same is true for the specular textures, basic copies are included in the paintkit.


Martin

After literally scourging the net, I foud my way into creating a perfect texture. But now I'm stuck again...

I need to edit the alpha included in the paintkit as well as the specular map with the alpha. What I need is a complete, step-by-step tutorial for these files: How to create/edit 'em, what to do to match the reslut of the stock paints and all that is required to finish my skins.

So yes, you can expand your posts, I'm not affraid to read.

I'm leaving you with my WIP paint, The Green Menace:

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Ok, so your aiming for a bare metal texture, with some paint on it.

here's the simplest version:
First you do the main texture (and it looks as if you've done that). Save as bmp.

Then, I'd copy everything that is painted, yes everything, so your paint, but also the antiglare panel and the differennt little texts and everything else that is not going to be bare metal from the main texture file to the alpha file, group them and make them white. Of course, you need the greyish bare metal base alpha layer to show below your textures. Save it as a bmp.

Combine the two using dxtbmp and save as dxt5 dds file. No need to flip, they are already flipped

Then copy your white texture layer from the alpha file to the spec file. reduce the size to 50% and position carefully. Now give it a different color, according to your wishes, experiment or look at some already made textures that you like. I usually make them mid-gray and slightly transparant. save as bmp.

copy the same layer to the spec-alpha file, and adapt the color once more. Check, again, with another paint you like to determine the color you like, save as bmp and combine with the spec file to a dxt5 dds in DXTbmp.

good luck!

Jan Kees

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Thanks for the quick reply! Now I think I can finish it.

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