Making tail numbers

[WombRaider]

Ok, I have figured out how the decals work, and all that. I am having one small problem, makin the actual TGA file, and have it work. I tried editing the stock ones, but I cannot get paintshop to let me text edit them. Are there any tutorials on how to make them, or do I need to continue off of my trial and error way of doing it?

 

 

Any help would be awesome!

 

WR

[+Bongodriver]

I have found a really usefull and easy to use paint prog called paint.NET, it's free.

 

It's what I use to create .tga files from scratch, it can handle just about all picture formats including photoshop .psd files etc.

 

Craig

[+Bongodriver]

Oh and I forgot to mention, when saving .tga files in paint.NET I seem to recall they must be uncompressed 32bit

[WombRaider]

I have PS CS2, so I do not need that program, unless t churns them out easier. I do need help in at least explaining the basic principles to what you are doing when you make them. So far, as I see it, they are blank backgrounds, with an alphachannel that has been typed on. I would use white to se black, and vice versa. Is there a link that would help me out maybe? I am usually good at figuring all this out, but I am having big time issues with this!

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

edit

Got the prog anyway, for s**ts and giggles!

Edited July 29, 2007 by WombRaider

[+Bongodriver]

I tried to mention that it's easy to use, I really meant it, no messing about with alpha channels and masking, just erase the background colour and start painting/writing or whatever you want.

[WombRaider]

I have PS CS2, so I do not need that program, unless t churns them out easier. I do need help in at least explaining the basic principles to what you are doing when you make them. So far, as I see it, they are blank backgrounds, with an alphachannel that has been typed on. I would use white to se black, and vice versa. Is there a link that would help me out maybe? I am usually good at figuring all this out, but I am having big time issues with this!

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

edit

Got the prog anyway, for s**ts and giggles!

 

Hoy crap, that program does make it easy, in fact, I am very pleased with it! thanks a whole lot for your help, numbered T-6A Texan IIs are coming, very very soon!

Edited July 29, 2007 by WombRaider

[WombRaider]

ok, i have the tailnumbers, I have the list files, and now when I place them, they do not show up at all!

 

I am assuming that the 0,0 coordinates are X and Y, but where do the X and Y start?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

WR

[+Gocad]

ok, i have the tailnumbers, I have the list files, and now when I place them, they do not show up at all!

 

I am assuming that the 0,0 coordinates are X and Y, but where do the X and Y start?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

WR

 

I think the 0,0 position should be the center of the model.

 

Btw. from TK's Decal Tutorial:

Position=

 

This controls the position of the decal on the airplane. The coordinate is given relative to the whole airplane, not to the individual mesh. The coordinates are measured in meters.

 

For DecalFacing=LEFT or RIGHT, the coordinate x,y refers to coordinate as you’re looking from the right side of the aircraft.

 

+x toward the nose

-x toward the tail

+y up

-y down

 

For DecalFacing=TOP or BOTTOM the coordinate x,y refers to coordinate as you’re looking down from the top of the aircraft.

 

+x toward the right wing

-x toward the left wing

+y toward the nose

-y toward the tail

 

The coordinate must lie on top of the mesh specified or the decal will not show up in the game, so you must enter coordinates that the mesh actually covers. If you are trying to add nose art to one of the default aircraft, and it isn’t showing up, you may want to check your coordinates and make sure they are in the bounds of the nose mesh. (Granted, this might be difficult without having the model in front of you in 3d studio max - but you should be able to get close by looking at the default decal settings and finding coordinates that are on the nose mesh, and tweak it from there.)

[Guest capun]

It's from the 3DS Max World Center, that is where the X,Y and Z axis values are Zero.

 

Depending on the 3D Designer, the plane may be placed on that center a bit different. Normally it is set where the designer believes it is the Center of Gravity of the plane (CoG).

[WombRaider]

Thanks alot for your advice on the decals, I released the skinpack, if you want to check it out.

 

Hey capun, how would I go about joining your site? There are a few planes I would not mind checking out on there!

[Guest capun]

See the instructions at our own forum here in the Modding Community section

 

Forum

 

With the exception of the Beta models all models should be here in the download section