MigBuster 2,885 Posted February 24, 2008 (edited) Adding Skins to Aircraft Adding skins to aircraft is very easy to do, although be careful when working on your games folder structure. Content 1. What is a skin? 2. My planes already have skins why should I download others? 3. In the Aircraft skins download section are these actual planes or just the skins? 4. I have a skin but I have no idea what model it goes on! 5. Adding a skin (Quick Version) 6. Adding a skin (Detailed Version) 7. How to make the skin the default skin for the Aircraft 8. I installed a skin and changed the .ini file so it’s the default skin but I still have to select it manually! 1. What is a skin? 3D models for this game are created in only a single colour. So although it looks like the object, it will have no detail on it. Therefore the detail is added separately using a skin – which is mapped out by the modeller to fit the model in the form of a template. The template is distributed out as a set of bitmap files which are then painted using programs such as Photoshop and GIMP to create the actual detail you see on objects in the game. 2. My planes already have skins why should I download others? Yes the default game objects come with their own skins and 3rd party downloaded objects from Combat ace come with skins also. The reason for downloading skins may be that you want a different colour scheme for your favourite Jet, or you may want to fly in a particular squadron, or for a different nation, or you may want to create another version of a plane for a different nation, or your green jet may stick out a bit too much on that snowy terrain etc. 3. In the Aircraft skins download section are these actual planes or just the skins? They are just skins only. 4.I have a skin but I have no idea what model it goes on! Get in touch with whoever posted the model or ask on the forum. However the person that put the skin up should really put the exact model the skin was tested on. 5. Adding a skin (Quick Version) 1. Download the skin to your desktop 2. The skin will be in a compressed format (either .zip or .rar) so extract the files (For .rar files you may need to install WinRAR) to your desktop also. 3. Copy the folder with the skin you want into the folder for the plane object you want to place it in, so that it sits at the same level as other skins already in there. 4. The skin is now installed and can be selected from the loadout screen. To make the skin default for that object open up the objects .ini file (i.e. F-4E.ini) and change the skinning order. 6. Adding a skin (Detailed Version) When you have chosen a skin you want at the download section at www.combatace.com, click on the download button (you must be registered at Combat Ace). Make sure you SAVE the file to your desktop (so you can find it easily). Once the download is complete you will have a file on your desktop in either .zip or .rar format. These are compressed files so you need to “extract the contents”. Note: You can extract files from .zip archives using Windows XP and Vista. If you have older Windows versions install Winzip. For .rar archives you will need to download and install WinRAR from the WWW. Extract them to your desktop (It’s easier to find) - You will then get a folder with the extracted files inside them. If there is a README.txt file – then read it – because this will give you the install instructions. However in general you just need to copy the folder and files to the plane folder that the skin is for. So using “Windows Explorer” (don’t confuse this with Internet Explorer) Note: Be careful not to move any files or folders when navigating round the games folder structure! 1. Navigate to where on your hard drive you have installed the game: I.e. C:\program files\Wings Over Vietnam (This is an example I don’t know where you have actually installed your game) 2. Open the “Objects” folder 3. Open the Aircraft folder (the Aircraft are held in here) 4. Open the folder of the Aircraft you wish to place the skin in then “Paste” the folder in. The skin is now installed If it is installed properly you can close Windows Explorer and start your game up. You should now be able to select the new skin from the weapons loadout screen. If it is not there then it hasn’t been installed properly – so you need to check the skin sits at the right level in the game folder. That means: Navigate back to your games file structure using Windows Explorer. Open up other skins in the aircrafts folder and you will see that inside is a set of .bmp files and a file called textureset.ini, and one called decals.ini. Now open up the skin you just installed – does it have that layout too? If not then you may need to pull out a subfolder. (Basically get your new skins folder at the same level as the stock ones – otherwise it won’t work) For example Here is where the A-4F is: WingsOverVietnam\Objects\Aircraft\A-4F\ One of its stock skins sits here: WingsOverVietnam\Objects\Aircraft\A-4F\USNGrey1 If I open the folder "USNGrey1" I will see the set of files I described above! Now your new skin should be sitting here: WingsOverVietnam\Objects\Aircraft\A-4F\<NewSkin> And when you open (whatever your skin is called) you should see a set of .bmps files etc. An example: 7. How to make the skin the default skin for the Aircraft 1. Open the Aircrafts main .ini file using Notepad (i.e. A-4F.ini) which will also be found in the main Aircrafts folder using Notepad. 2. Open up the skins "textureSet.ini" file that you have just installed from the skins folder. 3. Copy the entire contents. 4. Paste it into the main ".ini" file above the other TextureSetxxx entries. 5. Alter the following: [TextureSet001] <---------------Change this to TextureSet001 Name=USN Grey Directory=USNGrey1 <----------------Add this line for “your” skin directory (folder) Nation=USN Squadron=VA55 Specular=0.500000 Glossiness=0.750000 Reflection=0.000000 6. The numbers must run in sequence so make this [TextureSet001] to be the default skin then change any other entries accordingly (i.e. [TextureSet002] [TextureSet003] etc) Note: this only works if the skins nation is the same as the actual planes. In this case either change the nation of the skill to the same as the Jet - or you will need to manually select it in game from the loadout screen. 8.I installed a skin and changed the .ini file so it’s the default skin but I still have to select it manually The nation of the skin needs to be changed. 1. Open the planes .ini file (i.e. A-4F.ini) in Notepad: [TextureSetXXX] Directory=ROCAF_1 Name=ROCAF_1 Nation=Taiwan <----------------------Change this to a valid in game nation Squadron=21st_TFS Specular=0.200000 Glossiness=0.200000 Reflection=0.150000 Valid nations are held in Nations.ini (hidden in a cat file somewhere) however – it’s also easy just to look at the .ini files of other planes you have. Edited July 4, 2010 by MigBuster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
