Having a decal issue, lil' help?

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

I've been fooling around with an idea for a USAF Flanker skin and I've run into a bit of wall with the decals.

 

I've nicked the decals from the Mirage Factory F-15C for the time being just to get an idea as to what it would look like, but I can't seem to figure out the co-ords in the decals.ini. My entry for the snaps shown are:

 

[Decal005]

MeshName=Right_Vstab

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal006]

MeshName=Left_Vstab

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal007]

MeshName=Right_Vstab

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal008]

MeshName=Left_Vstab

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

This is using the existing Flanker decals entry from the skin that came with the Marcfighter Su-27. I was going to just copy and paste to the Vstab's texture directly, but they seem to inflate somewhat after being added. I had a looksee in the KBase but the entry of decals didn't have anything to positioning co-ords as far as I saw.

[+Gocad 26]

You'll need to add entries for the rudder .

 

Just copy and paste the extsisting entries and then replace Left/Right_VStab with Left/Right_rudder.

 

Maybe it's just me, but decal placement usually takes longer than making them (especially when dealing with USAF tailcode and numbers)

Edited May 28, 2008 by Gocad

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Cheers Gocad. Alright, getting there, right side's still a bit iffy though...

 

Do you or anyone else know if these are x/y co-ords?

 

Position=-5.9,2.2

[+russouk2004 6,958]

Position=-5.9,2.2

these are co ordinates for Y axis and Z axis

you use Y and Z for decals that are seen from the sides...(horizontal plane)

you use X and Y for top or bottom facing decals...

X being left and right

Y is front to back...

.so -5.9 is left of centre and 5.9 is right of centre

and -2.2 is front of centre and 2.2 is rear of centre point of the a\c

Z is vertical height...- means below centre and no - means above centre(vertical plane))

hope this helps

Edited May 28, 2008 by russouk2004

[+Gocad 26]

Do you or anyone else know if these are x/y co-ords?

 

Position=-5.9,2.2

 

like I said, the coordinates aren't the problem here, it's rather that the decal covers two meshes, Left/Right_VStab and Left/Right_rudder. (I do think that the meshnames are correct.)

 

[Decal005]

MeshName=Right_Vstab

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal006]

MeshName=Left_Vstab

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal007]

MeshName=Right_Vstab

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal008]

MeshName=Left_Vstab

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal009]

MeshName=Right_Rudder

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal010]

MeshName=Left_Rudder

DecalLevel=3

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RT

Position=-5.9,2.2

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal011]

MeshName=Right_Rudder

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=RIGHT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/RTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

 

[Decal012]

MeshName=Left_Rudder

DecalLevel=2

DecalFacing=LEFT

FilenameFormat=SU-27N/Grey Camo/D/LTailnum

Position=-5.8,1.7

Rotation=0.0

Scale=3.0

DecalMaxLOD=3

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Cheers Russo! I was thinking they might be but didn't get much (if any) reaction when I first altered them. Yeah, you're right Gocad, I was thinking it was prolly the mesh conflicting, I was just curious if they were X/Y co-ords to see how moving them around might look...

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Righteo, gave the placement a bit of a playing with and came up with the following. The red stripe will still be an issue since it intersects with the rudder mesh. Not sure what to do about that...

 

 

Thanks a lot for your help gents! This one's been dwelling in the recesses of my HD for a while now. Gonna keep looking at it and see what else needs doing to it. If anyone has any suggestions, gimme a holler!

[Wrench 9,823]

Add it (the stripe) to the rudder mesh, too, using the same coordinates as the fin, or maybe moved back a hair. Just make sure it's set to Level=0, then anything else will be on top of it. Did this for the P-82 SWOTL mod; had the rudder red, with the serial number above it.

 

Don't forget to paint the airbrake to match the rest of the fueselage!

 

You know, it actually looks GOOD in USAF colors!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Syrinx 13]

Maybe it's just me, but decal placement usually takes longer than making them (especially when dealing with USAF tailcode and numbers)

 

 

Really? I can't make a decal for the life of me, tried and tried just can't do it. Followed tutorials etc still no good.

 

That Flanker does look good, doesn't it

[+russouk2004 6,958]

If you cant make decals....just add a layer to the bmp...and paint the stripe on...save as bmp then as a layered file for future use...just paint it on that sqd bitmap....

Russ

[+Gocad 26]

Really? I can't make a decal for the life of me, tried and tried just can't do it. Followed tutorials etc still no good.

 

A few months ago I would have said the same.

[+Spectre_USA 7]

I can still say the same thing.

 

Decals kicked my tailfeathers quite soundly.

 

As to the looking good in USAF colors, I agree, but then again, what doesn't?

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Finally got my computer back up and running since my crappy video card crapped out on me. I've been able to fix it up a little more:

 

It's easy to see how I've cheated by using Marco's original skin, but I haven't had the time or patience to make one from scratch and it doesn't look too bad... kinda.

 

But this section of the skin under the vert stabilizers is kicking my ass!

 

I can't figure out where it lies at all! Does anyone know whether it's part of the fuselage or the Lefttail/Righttail files?

[+Jimbib 741]

I can't help you where it is SayWhat, but try using the panelfinder tool...

 

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/dow...panelfinder-40/

[+Dave 2,322]

SU-27 in USAF colors....heretics should be burned.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Yeah... it does feel a little sacrilegious... :yes:

[Stratos 3,188]

Having a little problem by myself will use this threat to search a bit of help.

I want to add numbers ( like in the nose ) to both flaps and top of the tail, I tried everything, doing from scratch, copying from another files... but no luck, can someone help with this please??

 

[Wrench 9,823]

Since it's the stock 3W one, I can't tell you to "look at the OUT file", since we don't have it.

 

BUT....as it IS the stock one, why not look at the decal positions from the existing decals inis?? USN birds always had something on their tails. Adjust the fore/aft, up/down as needed.

 

You can also use the data ini, as it often gives the mesh names, and you might wind up looking inside the lod with hex editor, searching for "flap"

 

HINT: look in the ControlSurfaces section of the data ini. Distance parameters you'll have to figure out for yourself Yah, I'm a meanie!!!

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[Stratos 3,188]

I tried with no luck, there are strange squadron markings no numbers :(

[Stratos 3,188]

Can't find skins for the default WOV A7B that have flap decals, even don't know If is possible to add them to the default A7B. what a pity

[Spinners 15,986]

Spanish Armada Corsair A-7B.

 

'309' of the Spanish Armada carrying Shrikes and Walleyes.

 

The default typeface on GIMP is a pretty good match to create an 'ARMADA' decal

Edited July 25, 2008 by Spinners

[Spinners 15,986]

 

Fin crest/emblem added.