Help skinning my first tank - I have plane skinning exp

[dacuda]

So with the planes you have two files, two templates. The main file for all your painting and another matching template for the alpha channel. I can make skins no problem for planes. 

With tanks, the Panther templates anyway, there are two main files it seems and no template for the alpha channel. 

How are the tanks skinned, explained to someone who skins planes?

For planes I make my changes in the main file, copy that image as a new file, make changes to my alpha and copy that into my new file as my alpha channel and I am ready to export. 

What would be the process for doing so with the Panther template?

Thanks in advance. 

[JV44HeinzBar]

S!,

It's pretty much the same, but w/ the exception of the alpha file. You can find the alpha channel in Photoshop under "channels". Personally, I don't mess with the alpha when painting tanks.

 

Example of skinning the PzVd (panther). When I create a new skin, the first step I do after I open the templates is to save the skin with a project name. Notice that the Panther has 2 templates, one is for the turret area and the other is for the chassis. The template for the turret ends with &1#1, while the chassis template ends with &1. Both files have to have the exact same name. Example: PzVd_Red_II_01_German_Tank_Museum_Munster_2019&1 (chassis) and PzVd_Red_II_01_German_Tank_Museum_Munster_2019&1#1 (turret).

 

Once you're done doing your layers, save the .psd file. To use the skin in the game you must save as .dds.

 

If you've got any questions, you can PM me.

 

HB

Edited June 10, 2022 by JV44HeinzBar

[Maillon21]

Hello,

 

Using Gimp, you can easyly create a new alpha layer.

Open the "Channels" menu and drag the alpha layer into the "Layers" menu.

 

Maillon

 

 

[dacuda]

Oh wow, thanks. I was wondering about the two files. So you make two dds files with the same name, thats what was throwing me off. I was not too concerned with the alpha stuff but was so used to messing with the P51 files. 

I cant thank you enough, this is really helpful and I appreciate the offer. 

Thanks again.