Need a little decal help

[Wrench 9,847]

"See, we piddle, twiddle, and resolve

Not one damn thing do we solve

Piddle, twiddle, and resolve

Nothing's ever solved in

Foul, fetid, fuming, foggy, filthy

Los Angeles!"

 

(with apologies to the songwriters/lyricists of '1776')

 

 

OK guys, it appears that even I need a little help every now and then....

 

As you see below, the revamped, re-number arctic red/metal skin for the 75th FIS. But I'm gong nutso trying to get the individual aircraft numbers (a 2 digit that matches the last 2 of the serial number, as was originally painted on)

 

 

The number is supposed to go on the red area of the rocket pod, more or less centered between the checks and the outer blast ring (the black bit at the front)

 

This is what I have in the decals ini:

 

[Decal023]

MeshName=LeftRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=-8.880,1.05

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal024]

MeshName=RightRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=8.880,1.05

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

and this is from the out file (bless you Monty, for including it!!!)

 

LeftPylon1 (112 polys, 336 verts) 'Tail'

LeftFuelCell (108 polys, 324 verts) 'LeftWing'

LeftRocketPod (118 polys, 354 verts) 'LeftWing'

 

Based off the known position of the running lights, this should be just about there...albeit a few mms in

 

Anyone want to ventrue a guess? or should I just let it go, and release it as is???

 

Just a few more data ini tweeks, to try and calm down the proposing...and it's ready.

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Major Lee 18]

8.8??? Seems to be too far forward... Isn't first number the length-wise axis, the second the vertical axis? Try -1.5, 0.0... You're putting the decal on the individual part, not on the global model...

Edited December 6, 2007 by Major Lee

[+LloydNB 212]

Hi Wrench

 

Are you sure that the two halves of the pod are connected left-to-right? They might be set up to be top-to-bottom, the same as the wings is. Try setting the decalfacing as TOP and BOTTOM.

 

 

LloydNB

[+Major Lee 18]

Besides all that, you're flying it over the WRONG terrain... :tomato2:

[+LloydNB 212]

I thought about this on the train home (commuting to the suburbs).

 

 

If Major Lee is correct then you should try the following:

[Decal023]

MeshName=LeftRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=1.05,0.00

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal024]

MeshName=RightRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=1.05, 0.00

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

If My suggestion is correct then this should work:

 

[Decal023]

MeshName=LeftRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=TOP

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=-8.880,1.05

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal024]

MeshName=RightRocketPod

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=TOP

FilenameFormat=F-89D/75thFIS/D/NNum

Position=8.880,1.05

Rotation=0.0

Scale=2.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

Edited December 6, 2007 by LloydNB

[Wrench 9,847]

I'll give that a try!!

 

What I think I was thinking, was the distance from center of the model....not thinking that it's a seperte piece.

 

note to self: remember basic decaling --- coords are from CENTER of mesh, not gobal model.

 

Heck, I'll try anything just to finish this off!!!

 

Ken, is this one any better???

 

 

Late-model J without rocket pods.

 

Still need some better pictures for finish skinning it and the early J WITH pods...

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Wrench 9,847]

Well guys, that's fixed that...

 

 

 

All I need do now, is write up the readme. This bird still has a little bit of a 'bobble' in level fllight, with plays havoc with the rockets, but that's just beyond me. It still works, though!!

 

Expect this sometime tommorrow!

 

And thank you gentlemen, I made a nuub mistake

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Spectre_USA 7]

And thus the reason for these fine forums!

 

Glad you got it worked out, cool old scooter you've got there.

 

Nice job!

 

[Wrench 9,847]

thank you!

But all skin credit really goes to Volksjager; I used his original skins to create a new template from, and removed the painted on numbers, so I could decal it with individual buzz and serials. Of course, all the rivet and panels had to be redrawn, but that was pretty easy.

The only thing I couldn't figure out, was getting the sharkmouth on the nose gear doors...couldn't find what part of the map they're on (well, I could, but I'm getting lazy...ok, lazier)

 

BTW, everything but the sharkmouth is a decal

 

some other data ini edits, besides the 104 rockets mounted, canopy closers faster, landing llight, little bits and stuff.

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Guest capun]

I'll give that a try!!

 

What I think I was thinking, was the distance from center of the model....not thinking that it's a seperte piece.

 

note to self: remember basic decaling --- coords are from CENTER of mesh, not gobal model.

 

 

Wrench

kevin stein

 

Kevin, I hate to disagree with you, but all decal locations are referenced from the 3DS Max World Center (X,Y,Z at 0), Now where you put the model in the world center skews the decal location a bit.

 

If you use the 3DS Max Point Helper to create a text file with the x,y,z coordinates, you need to remove one of the axis that you don't need. For example, for Left and Right decals, you use the y and z values.

[Wrench 9,847]

I learn something new about this everyday!!!

 

Thanks CP!!! Maybe, someday, before the End of the World...I might figure out how to model...might actually take me that long, too!!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[+Major Lee 18]

So Kevin, what was the correct ini entry that worked?