In game skins provision or lack thereof

[BOO]

I hope is taken as in the constructive manner its meant. Im aware @major_setback has done sterling service over the years in providing hundreds  of skins for the game, and Im not here to bash.

 

Have just gone through each of the many aircraft to select a suitable default MP scheme, it appears there are many "oddities". 

 

Some types have no un marked default skins (the macchis for instance) others have no appropriate blank default schemes for thier envionments (for instance some hurri trops, JU88s etc have no desert defaults). In some cases there are numerous temperate skins for a type in the "trop" version but none in the non "trop folder. 

 

In general the skins a bit all over. For SP this isnt so much of an issue but in MP, where custom skins are often switched off and its a default only environment, no default or the incorrect default can be immesion breaking. 

 

Now its not beyond even the wit of me to swap skins about in folder, however the issue of the defaults remain and really, I shouldnt need too. 

 

Any plans to fix this issue?

 

Would it help if I were to go through the folders and produce a error list for want of a better term?

[FTC_Rostic]

I see only one solution.

1) When server not allows custom skins downloading it still should provide information about file name of custom skin selected by player.

2) Client game checks if skin with same name exist in documents folder or in installation folder (lower priority) and just loads skin with same name if it founds.

 

Stupid, simple, just like BoX does that.

Yes, the issue of players have different skins of same name is a possibility. Can be used as cheat by painting all default skins with pink paint for better spotting. But who cares?? CloD is not eSports game

[major_setback]

11 hours ago, BOO said:

I hope is taken as in the constructive manner its meant. Im aware @major_setback has done sterling service over the years in providing hundreds  of skins for the game, and Im not here to bash.

 

Have just gone through each of the many aircraft to select a suitable default MP scheme, it appears there are many "oddities". 

 

Some types have no un marked default skins (the macchis for instance) others have no appropriate blank default schemes for thier envionments (for instance some hurri trops, JU88s etc have no desert defaults). In some cases there are numerous temperate skins for a type in the "trop" version but none in the non "trop folder. 

 

In general the skins a bit all over. For SP this isnt so much of an issue but in MP, where custom skins are often switched off and its a default only environment, no default or the incorrect default can be immesion breaking. 

 

Now its not beyond even the wit of me to swap skins about in folder, however the issue of the defaults remain and really, I shouldnt need too. 

 

Any plans to fix this issue?

 

Would it help if I were to go through the folders and produce a error list for want of a better term?

 

I don't know what you mean. All planes have a default skin. Do you mean there is no custom skin without any markings? I don't use multiplayer, but can't the default skin be chosen if there is no custom skin without markings?

BTW I made 95 percent of the new default skins for Blitz and Tobruk as well as most of the custom skins. However two planes I didn't make skins for were the Macchi and the Ju88. These were either made by others, or by the 3D modeller (and there was no point in me re-doing work that had already been done by them; especially considering there was such a lot of other work that needed doing). As I have never made a Ju88 or a Macchi skin I don't have a template or any method for doing those at this time (I would be working from scratch just like anyone else). Though I'll do a Ju88 skin template if I need to.

Note as well that regarding the older original planes that came with the original Maddox game,  lots of those didn't need a desert skin for Tobruk, so I have not got templates for some of those (Sunderland, Fw200, He115, Walrus, Do217, Anson etc.). I have no plans to do skins for most of these planes, partly as I am working on skins for TF6, and partly because the creation of a new skin template takes a lot of time/energy. I have redone some of those older skins though, for the sake of improving the look of the game (example Defiant, Gladiator). But mostly the older temperate (brown/green) skins that were reworked were those of aircraft that required a desert scheme (Wellington, Spitfire, Blenheim, Beau, Tiger Moth etc.), and therefore also required the making of a template. Once you have a template it is relatively easy to change the colours of the camouflage, or to make a blank skin without markings.

Edited January 22 by major_setback

[FTC_Rostic]

12 hours ago, BOO said:

...Some types have no un marked default skins (the macchis for instance) ...

I guess you gone through "Defalut" skins either in "Options -> Plane" or on the Channel map in "Quick Mission" or "Single player mission". In all these situations game will use default green skin for macchis and default skin for Channel map for all the aircrafts. But, if you start any quick mission on Tobruk map, you'll notice that "Default" skin is now switched to desert type. More over, loading once a quick mission in tobruk and switching back to "Options -> Plane" you'll notice that default skins is now always desert type for all aircrafts

[FTC_Rostic]

.

Also, let's be clear in terminology.

• "Default skin" - is a skin that game apply to aircraft in ongoing mission (SP or MP) or in FMB depending on loaded map and selected squadron name when selected skins name is "Default". They all are stored in .SFS files hidden from player. Default skin displayed in "Options -> Plane" depends on last mission was running or Channel type by default. Also they can vary for selected squadron or nation (mostly can be observed for Bf109E1 - E4 for "BoB - Fighter" sqn for Channel map).
• "Custom TFS skins" - bunch of custom skins provided by TFS and stored in game installation folder "<SteamLibrary>\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover Blitz\PaintSchemes"
• "Custom Player skins" - the skins stored in documents folder "<Documents>\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover\PaintSchemes"

Edited January 22 by FTC_Rostic

[FTC_Rostic]

By the way. Interesting thing about "Default" skins for aircrafts that have "*.mrk" files in their skin folder. Those should have special name of regiment that game use internally. When that regiment is selected markings and custom skin applied to aircraft.

 

For example checkout .mrk files in folder "<SteamLibrary>\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover Blitz\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-4".

 

Wanna have some fun? You can copy these to similar location in documents folder, and game will use those as a "Default" with higher priority "<Documents>\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-4". To see it you can apply so called "missing historical markings" to LW planes (or paint the whole plane pink). Though that is a wrong way for alternating markings. For that .mrk files should be used.

Edited January 22 by FTC_Rostic

[BOO]

6 hours ago, major_setback said:

 

I don't know what you mean. All planes have a default skin. Do you mean there is no custom skin without any markings? I don't use multiplayer, but can't the default skin be chosen if there is no custom skin without markings?

 

 

If you launch the game and simply go to Options/Plane then, in some cases the default skin is not apptopriate for the map. 

 

@FTC_Rostic has provided the insight that for some desert defaults to show in the selection, the player must select either a mission or enter a MP server with that map. Then the options screen changes its default. 

 

This is really the first Ive heard of this but its another "Clod" thing that could prove frustrating to new players should they not know it. 

 

Anyhow - as it stands - if you want a Med skins as a default, launch a med mission. Then do your choosin. Thanks @FTC_Rostic

[major_setback]

Yes, the default skins are linked to the map used.

 

 

In addition to the reasons I gave above for the absence of desert default skins on some planes ....

 

... For some aircraft: The reason that some aircraft don't have any desert default skins is that they are seaplanes /floatplanes, and therefore have sea appropriate camouflage.

 

There are also some aircraft that never operated in the area of the Tobruk desert map, these wont have desert default alternatives. 

[BOO]

3 hours ago, major_setback said:

Yes, the default skins are linked to the map used.

 

 

In addition to the reasons I gave above for the absence of desert default skins on some planes ....

 

... For some aircraft: The reason that some aircraft don't have any desert default skins is that they are seaplanes /floatplanes, and therefore have sea appropriate camouflage.

 

There are also some aircraft that never operated in the area of the Tobruk desert map, these wont have desert default alternatives. 

 

The issue with me was more that aircraft that DID operate in Tobruk were not showing desert default skins. As pointed out, one must have spawned into ether the DW or Blitz map first before the default switches. I wasnt aware one had to do this.