Drop tank template found!

[MadJeff 3]

Somehow I missed this post from DanW on the SimHQ forum, so I thought I would post it for info. This is in reply to a question on where the drop tank skins were located:

 

Make 2 128x128 bitmaps, paint them how you like, name the 1st one f-4_dtank370.bmp and the second one f-4_dtank_center.bmp. Place these in the Objects folder.

 

FYI

 

DanW or TK, will we have a list soon of object skin locations so we can start working on templates?

[Chief 0]

Say MadJeff, when you guys start working on the drop tanks, can the centerline tanks on tha A-4 Skyhawks be shortened so that the nose gear doesn't extend and retract through the front of the tank? Are the size and shapes of the tanks fixed and can only be "skinned"? Does look alittle odd to see the nose gear passing through the front of the tank. In my 3.5 years working on A-4's in the Marine Corps, I can't remember that ever happening once

[+TK_ThirdWire 0]

Hi MadJeff,

 

Well most everything not aircraft related just go into the Objects folder, I think... :) If there are any other textures you guys need, just let us know, and we can provide them for you.

 

Thanks,

 

TK

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[MadJeff 3]

Hehe, are you kidding? I want ALL of them!

 

In reality, the tanks for all aircraft as well as weapon skins would be great for now, as well as the proper locations for the skins.

 

What I'm currently confused about is if we can have different tank skins to match each aircraft skin scheme. Right now if I change the F4 tank skin for one aircraft, it seems to be an all or nothing kind of thing, it applies to all aircraft of that type. So if I have a Navy grey skin and a tank to match, that same grey tank skin applies to all the F4's, no matter what skin they are using. What would really be cool is have SF pick up tank skins from the skin directory, not the object directory. Am I making any sense?

 

I don't see this being as important for the weapons themselves.

[+TK_ThirdWire 0]

Well, unfortunately no, you can't have different tanks for different skins... drop tanks are treated as separate objects and don't know anything about the skin selection of their carrier.. :(

 

If you really want, I suppose we can have different drop tank types (ie, instead of just one "370gal tank", have two, like "grey 370" and "camo 370"...

 

TK

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[MadJeff 3]

Probably wishful thinking, but how hard would it be to have the game check for a tank skin from the aircraft skin folder and use it if it's there, otherwise use the default? I know it's a nitpicky thing and way down the list of priorities, but most of the squadrons had their own schemes on the tanks, including several A-4 skins I'm currently working on. :D

[Rudel 0]

Cool! Can I get those too? I'de love to do some VMFA skins, and from most of the pictures I have seen they had their fuel tanks specially painted to suit their squadron as well as the MAG / CAG commander

 

Cheers S!