Modding HUD

[FOTF 0]

Well, since you're on Death Door, I"ll let you in on the big secret....

 

It's a very complicated process called...

wait for it.....

ready??.....

copy and paste.

 

 

LOL!

 

Kevin, you crack me up

[+Brain32 265]

I remember one of the many mods I downloaded did not have a classic ReadMe.txt, it said something like: "DO NOT READ!!!!.txt".

I sure did

[Tantobot 0]

Thanks

[Tantobot 0]

Hmm..well I copied and pasted the F-15A's info in to the Phantom to test it and I ended up with this.....so how do I go about adjust the HUD so that all the info fits in it.

img00048.bmp

[FastCargo 412]

Tantobot,

 

All of the information you need to correct the problem has been said in this thread and in the knowledge base. You need to have a basic understanding of a 2-D coordinate system, negative numbers, and be able to read English clearly. The problem is very easy to fix, just takes a little trial and error. I honestly don't know what else we can do for you.

 

FastCargo

[Tantobot 0]

Hey, no problem I figured it out thanks for the help you all have provided.

[Platinum Rogue 48]

Now, lets get rid of the old HUD stuff.

 

HUDs use TGA files, so you have to have a program that manipulates TGA files...I use Paint Shop Pro.

 

First, make sure you delete references to the old HUD files in the cockpit.ini file...look for Instrument[xxx]=HUDxxx lines and delete. But you have to renumber the Instrument [xxx] lines. If you want to cleanup the cockpit.ini file, you can also delete the [HUDxxx] paragraphs the Instrument [xxx]= lines reference.

 

Now, some of the older aircraft that used Avionics60.dll cockpit HUDs have TGA files that are attached to them. For instance, in the Tornado cockpit directory, there are a few files, including torn_hud.tga, that are not referenced in either the avionics.ini or cockpit.ini files. That means the TGA is referenced by the cockpit.lod file directly. So if you just delete the TGA file, you'll end up with a big white spot in the HUD. What you need to do is make the TGA file completely transparent.

 

This is actually pretty simple. You need to open the specific TGA file, then delete the old alpha channel, which just is a 'mask' to allow the background to shine through the specific parts. Make a new alpha channel as a 'mask' that hides all. Then save the TGA file. And that's it. The new TGA file will 'hide' all the lettering...effectively making it invisible.

 

Try it! I did it just now and it works fine!

 

FastCargo

 

Hm'Kay, this is what I get when I follow what you posted here...

 

 

No doubt an elementary mistake but I'm not used to working with these layers and channels and all that shiznit

[FastCargo 412]

Okay, you didn't accidently delete the TGA file did you? That's what it tends to look like when you do. Also, make sure when you make the new alpha channel as a mask that 'Hides all' that you save the alpha channel, then save the file (at least thats the way Paint Shop Pro does it).

 

FastCargo

[Platinum Rogue 48]

Hi FC, thanks for the timely reply. I can confirm the file is still present. FYI, I'm using PSP 9 to edit.

 

Where I'm falling down is at the 'make a new alpha channel' part. Once I delete the old alpha channel, my only option from the layers menu is to load a mask from disk. I happen to have a saved mask file the same size as the original HUD file. It's a completely transparent layer. This is the file I'm using as source for the new alpha channel, which I promote to the top layer and then save the image.

 

following what you just said, I definitely saved the layer as an alpha channel, now the same fields are visible but now they are yellow instead of white

Edited July 12, 2007 by Platinum Rogue

[FastCargo 412]

Okay, I see the issue. I'm using PSP 6. There should be a menu that says Mask, submenu New, submenu Hide All. You should then get a new mask that covers everything. Then in Masks again, you should have the option to 'Save to Alpha Channel'. That's where you can delete the old alpha channel and save the new one (the mask you just created). Then save the tga file. In PSP 6 it gives you a warning about the limitations of the tga format and that it will save only one alpha channel and save it as a merged image. Also, the mask (the alpha channel) actually has to be completely opaque, NOT transparent (ie that's why you make it as Hide All).

 

The reason the alpha channel is opaque is simple...yet complicated. Think of the alpha channel as a stencil. The 'background' or primary layer of the tga file simply provides color for the tga image. The alpha channel has 'holes' that have the outline of what you want to see. If you look at some other aircraft, open up a TGA file. You usually just see a block of color which makes no sense...until you open the alpha channel 'mask' and have it overlay the background...then you'll see what you were expecting. That's why the alpha channel has to be opaque...so that none of the background shows up...which makes the tga file effectively transparent.

 

Clear as mud?

 

Try that and see if it works.

 

FastCargo

[Tantobot 0]

Thanks again for all your help and sorry if I got on any ones nerves

[FastCargo 412]

Thanks again for all your help and sorry if I got on any ones nerves

 

No problem. Glad we could help.

 

For all you folks new to simulations and modding. Believe it or not, the old heads (I'm not one of them yet) do in fact like to help.

 

However, sometimes we get a bit testy because a lot of the same questions get asked by folks time and time again. Sometimes it feels like people want to get the easy answer instead of doing the legwork with the search engine and the knowledge base. Also, when you're doing a mod, if someone gives advice, don't just do it by rote, but ask yourself 'Why is it being done this way?' If you can understand that, it usually helps if it doesn't quite work the way you expect.

 

And finally, with the Thirdwire series of sims, most of the modding is simple text based, and a lot of the lines in the .ini files are self explanatory. Take a close look at those lines, and a lot of times, you can figure out exactly what to do there on your own. Yes, it takes a bit more legwork on your part, but the upside is that you can customize to your hearts content once you learn. I've fixed a lot of issues, and in doing so, have been able to build my own campaigns, adding carriers, making aircraft modifications, etc.

 

So feel free to ask questions...once you can't find the answers on your own. It takes some skull sweat sometimes...but the rewards can be worth it.

 

FastCargo

[Platinum Rogue 48]

Still no progress for me, any way I create/replace the mask, I see only yellow bars where the tapes were. Could this be the cockpit LOD surface showing through?

[Tantobot 0]

All I did in Adobe Photoshop is delete the Alpha Layer and then created a new one and then saved it as the HUD texture and it worked perfect.