Paint Kit Questions

[mjrhealth 3]

Hi,

I am having dificulties with the paint kit, mainly which layers I need. I have done two repaints but cant figure out hoaw to get the reflections etc working. If you look at the dds of the one i posted on here 'mt cook airlines", it dosnt look the same as teh others. I am missing a few steps and not sure what.

do the paint,

merge the layers

flip veritcal.

convert to dds.

do i need to enble the reflection layers, is there something i have missed.

Help

Simple steps would do. Oncei get one right im good to go.

Thanks

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51558]

I'll ask the developer to assist here.

[mjrhealth 3]

Thanks Mathis, appreciate the help. Got two more aussie ones to do.

Regards

[Stefan Hoffmann 4160]

Hi,

I am having dificulties with the paint kit, mainly which layers I need. I have done two repaints but cant figure out hoaw to get the reflections etc working. If you look at the dds of the one i posted on here 'mt cook airlines", it dosnt look the same as teh others. I am missing a few steps and not sure what.

do the paint,

merge the layers

flip veritcal.

convert to dds.

do i need to enble the reflection layers, is there something i have missed.

Help

Simple steps would do. Oncei get one right im good to go.

Thanks

Hi Mrjhealth!

1. At first i must ask which paint software you are using. When using Photoshop what most of the painters use, saving and flipping happens within the export plugin automaticly. I strongly recommend photoshop. Any other paint software i used beside is pretty unsufficient in many matters.

2. You do the color paint normally in the lower most layer, called SPECIAL LIVERY or similar.

3. Below the lila UNWRAP layers at top, which give you a 2d representation of the geometry you paint on, there is a layer called REFLECTIONS. This contains the amounts of reflection strength as grey values from 0 to 255. Black means maximum reflection, white zero. This inverse logic

is forced by FSX. First i recommend you paint your color stuff, then if you want them especially represented in the REFLECTIONS section, you drag a copy from the color layer to the reflection layer. There you make then a total color fill with the grey amount you want the reflection.

If you finished then your paint in the color and reflection texture you activate the reflection layer so it is only seen (thats the reason it is located ontop of the layer list) and create a full file duplicate. Those you flatten and copy/paste its reflection map content to the alpha layer of the main texture.

When done you can delete the copied exemplary of the main texture again.

PS: In the delivered paintkits there is already special color information also represented in the reflections channel. You can select those stuff circling with the mouse cursor over and click the right mouse button. Select one of the most upper layer results, as those are represented top to bottom!

4. Now make a regular SAVE of the finished color texture.

5. Use FLATTEN option to make an unlayered version of the file.

6. On saving now you select DXT5 for all texture which activly use the alpha channel, so color (and later also specular). On the export dialog zse DXT5 with Alpha and check the "flip" option to on. Now the files is automaticly saved flipped and appears correct in the sim.

7. Congratiulations! This should have been a success now.

[mjrhealth 3]

Thanks, i use use the Gimp. I flatten than , flip, than convert to dxt5 it has a plugin for that. Its just the reflection layers i need to sort out. Will play on weekend.

Regards

[mjrhealth 3]

Which is the ALPHA layer. I can do the paint part fine. Im just confused about the Alpha thing.

Thanks

[Stefan Hoffmann 4160]

Which is the ALPHA layer. I can do the paint part fine. Im just confused about the Alpha thing.

Thanks

REFLECTIONS = ALPHA LAYER

WHEN COMPLETED COPY REFLECTIONS TO FILE ALPHA LAYER

[mjrhealth 3]

1. At first i must ask which paint software you are using. When using Photoshop what most of the painters use, saving and flipping happens within the export plugin automaticly. I strongly recommend photoshop. Any other paint software i used beside is pretty unsufficient in many matters.

The Gimp Is what I use

2. You do the color paint normally in the lower most layer, called SPECIAL LIVERY or similar.

That part I have no issue with

3. Below the lila UNWRAP layers at top, which give you a 2d representation of the geometry you paint on, there is a layer called REFLECTIONS. This contains the amounts of reflection strength as grey values from 0 to 255. Black means maximum reflection, white zero. This inverse logic

is forced by FSX.

That part I understand

First i recommend you paint your color stuff, then if you want them especially represented in the REFLECTIONS section, you drag a copy from the color layer to the reflection layer. There you make then a total color fill with the grey amount you want the reflection.

This bit i dont get. Do i flaaten my repain layer than drag it up to the reflection layed and merge the two ???

(thats the reason it is located ontop of the layer list) and create a full file duplicate. Those you flatten and copy/paste its reflection map content to the alpha layer of the main texture

But teh reflction is the Alpha layer so where do i paste it,??/ into teh s file ??

If you finished then your paint in the color and reflection texture you activate the reflection layer so it is only seen

DOes this mean I hide all the other layers

When done you can delete the copied exemplary of the main texture again.

PS: In the delivered paintkits there is already special color information also represented in the reflections channel. You can select those stuff circling with the mouse cursor over and click the right mouse button. Select one of the most upper layer results, as those are represented top to bottom!

Have to understand the first bit first.

4. Now make a regular SAVE of the finished color texture.

5. Use FLATTEN option to make an unlayered version of the file.

6. On saving now you select DXT5 for all texture which activly use the alpha channel, so color (and later also specular). On the export dialog zse DXT5 with Alpha and check the "flip" option to on. Now the files is automaticly saved flipped and appears correct in the sim.

7. Congratiulations! This should have been a success now.

Have no toruble with thsi bit

Can some one post some pics with examples... Please

he only other paints i ever did was for teh original Twin otter and it was not this complex. I am just trying to get it right.

Thanks

[mjrhealth 3]

Hi, getting there, found the alpha channel in Gimp. Starting to make sense, now have to fighure out what to do with it. I also need to save DXT5 with Alpha. Getting there.

Thanks

[mjrhealth 3]

Hi all good , finally sorted out the Alpha channel thing in Gimp, wasnt that hard just took a lot of reading to find out how to do it. Specular next, doesnt look to hard, Drag drop.