Victory marking mod

[thrawn777]

Hey guys just wondering if theres a mod to add Victory markings on your plane? Just came up with this idea and its really cool to me.

[Vishnu]

8 hours ago, thrawn777 said:

Hey guys just wondering if theres a mod to add Victory markings on your plane? Just came up with this idea and its really cool to me.

I love it too!  But I think it would be too difficult because each plane’s skin is hand modified using gimp.  (I think it’s gimp)

and, with so many planes it would be near impossible. 

Great idea though!

[Skycat1969]

The only way to add victory markings is to 'repaint' the entire aircraft texture sheet (aka the skin). GIMP is a free graphics editor program that works in layers, much like Adobe Photoshop. With the correct plug-in, you can save your work as the required .dds file format. If you save correctly, you'll have the correct alpha channels, which control skin details like shine and transparency.

 

Getting started and comfortable with GIMP (or Photoshop) will take several hours initially. Once you have created a layered template, you can update your skin with additional kill markings in just a few minutes. You'd have to do it outside of the game however.

 

I think there is a 'down and dirty' way to edit skins with programs like Microsoft Paint. You'd need to convert the .dds skin file to a .bmp file using a converter; draw on the bmp; and resave as a .dds. I believe you'll lose the alpha channels, so the output will probably look like crud--if this method even works at all.

 

The best solution would be to have e a separate layer added to the aircraft model that allows a 'decal' on the nose or rudder, similar to the tactical codes we now have on the fuselages and tails. However, this would have to added by the developers because they control the 3D models; and unless they make the decal a grid array of separate panels where each square could be customized with a stock kill marking (similar to the tactical codes system), we'd still have to paint the entire scoreboard ourselves as one completed picture (like the optional cockpit photo).

[thrawn777]

10 hours ago, Skycat1969 said:

The only way to add victory markings is to 'repaint' the entire aircraft texture sheet (aka the skin). GIMP is a free graphics editor program that works in layers, much like Adobe Photoshop. With the correct plug-in, you can save your work as the required .dds file format. If you save correctly, you'll have the correct alpha channels, which control skin details like shine and transparency.

 

Getting started and comfortable with GIMP (or Photoshop) will take several hours initially. Once you have created a layered template, you can update your skin with additional kill markings in just a few minutes. You'd have to do it outside of the game however.

 

I think there is a 'down and dirty' way to edit skins with programs like Microsoft Paint. You'd need to convert the .dds skin file to a .bmp file using a converter; draw on the bmp; and resave as a .dds. I believe you'll lose the alpha channels, so the output will probably look like crud--if this method even works at all.

 

The best solution would be to have e a separate layer added to the aircraft model that allows a 'decal' on the nose or rudder, similar to the tactical codes we now have on the fuselages and tails. However, this would have to added by the developers because they control the 3D models; and unless they make the decal a grid array of separate panels where each square could be customized with a stock kill marking (similar to the tactical codes system), we'd still have to paint the entire scoreboard ourselves as one completed picture (like the optional cockpit photo).

Yeah thats what im considering. It will be soo difficult to make the markings look smooth. 

[czech693]

Yep, wish we had an IL2Stab and MatManager like the old IL-2.

[FodderMonkey]

I am no programmer, so forgive me if this is unrealistic or impossible.  There's already the option for "painting" squadron numerals and rank insignia on the aircraft.  It seems like it would be possible to use this feature to make a zone near the cockpit or on the tail, then instead of numerals have the graphics for however many kills are desired.  It would have to be manually selected each flight, similar to editing markings, but it would be a way of incorporating the feature using already-present mechanics.  Just my two cents.

Just now, FodderMonkey said:

I am no programmer, so forgive me if this is unrealistic or impossible.  There's already the option for "painting" squadron numerals and rank insignia on the aircraft.  It seems like it would be possible to use this feature to make a zone near the cockpit or on the tail, then instead of numerals have the graphics for however many kills are desired.  It would have to be manually selected each flight, similar to editing markings, but it would be a way of incorporating the feature using already-present mechanics.  Just my two cents.

aaaaand just realized Skycat already said exactly this.  My fault for just skimming comments.