new updated A2A P-51D Template

[Tom_Weiss]

As I am finishing updating my DCS P-51D skins - time to move to the A2A P-51D Mustang, which still uses a 3 year old template with a few updates.

I started to remake the template by applying textures I used on a P-47D template I just finished , in the P-51D these textures work even better as the model naturally reflects light, so much so that I was able to get almost the same results without the ENV mod and just let the skin reflect the sim light naturally.

this is the clean "airshow" template using the ENV mod



this is the clean "airshow" template using no ENV or fresnel mod




this one has some of the weathering elements enabled and reflections toned down - no ENV or fresnel mod used



this new template does away with several of the color matching restrictions I had to work with before in order to weather the template.

[Pistonpilot]

I want this. Just sayin'. Stellar work!

-Ian C

[Piper_EEWL]

Sharp looking paint(s)

[Lewis - A2A]

woohoo looking awesome!

[Tom_Weiss]

Thanks !!!

I added the weathering layers in correct order - now comes the tweaking ...





the new template also includes an updated BUMP map

[EnDSchultz]

This is looking absolutely gorgeous!

[Lewis - A2A]

Please please please do your usual weathered and un-weather air-show releases. I love having the choice as some to my eye look better a bit weather where as others look better all shined up for the warbird air-show circuit.

thanks,
Lewis

[Tom_Weiss]

OK !!!

[Tom_Weiss]

time to go back to the template

added today new fuel and oil spill and improved a bit the upper fuselage reflection

(no env or fresnel used)








this weekend - if all goes well, I'll have the time to work on it.

[Michal - A2A]

Looks stunning!

Tom, I've sent you a PM.

[Tom_Weiss]

this form my blog:

http://www.lockonfiles.com/blog/12/entr ... late-pt-1/
-

As always - it is better to start with the more difficult part, in this case creating a new DCS P-51D template, now that that was done and I am near the end of updating the skins I made for it, the time came to do the same with the A2A template.

The A2A template is much less work (4 templates vs. 8 DCS templates) and I have the skins better organized so it should be less work to update them.

I am working on the template only on the weekends so it will be at least another weekend or two before I can start updating the skins, but it is going OK and I don't expect many technical difficulties.

the idea behind the skins is as always to make them look realistic AND good looking







I am working now in how the paint looks and in finishing the aluminum weathering - there are some elements that need to be added later on.

the skin reflects the light naturally - I did not enhance it with fresnel or ENV files, which to do it as well, I'll use the ENV in the "clean" airshow version

this is how it looks WITH the ENV mod





ENV mod is a very nice mod and I like it - it gives the "Chrome plating" look, the nice thing about this new way of skinning that I am using is that it works well with or without, so long as the model has a natural reflection included in the model.

I'll be releasing the A2A skins in both Airshow and Weathered versions it is the same template, which by the way has already grown to humongous size.

[Tom_Weiss]

now tweaking the new template to work with painted surfaces , a WIP screenshot:



aluminum version - no FRESNEL or ENV mod used:

[Lewis - A2A]

Great looking continuation of your works Tom

cheers,
Lewis

[Tom_Weiss]

got my replacement GPU after a month's wait !

still WIP - exhaust reflections

[Lewis - A2A]

New Card? What did you go for?

cheers,
Lewis