Decals.ini

[amariani 4,899]

I know this has being asked before (probably by me!) but here it goes...what exactly these lines do?

 

DecalLevel=

.

.

.

.

DecalMaxLOD=

[Wrench 9,858]

decal level = sets what kind

 

Level 0 = national markings

Level 1 = squadron markings

Level 2 = serial/modex numbers/plane-in-group ID letter, also nose art

Level 3 = killmarks

 

decal max lod = how far away it's visible, based on the aircraft physical model (LOD), for with multiple LODs (sometimes called distance lods) that render the aircraft at varying distances from the players viewpoint.

Some models (stock ones for sure) have multiple distance lods, many 3rd party ones do not

 

rule of thumb I use is DecalMaxLod=3

the higher the max lod, the more the graphics engine has work to render the decal (make it visible further away) as well as the skin and aircraft model

[+daddyairplanes 10,254]

level one is esp. useful if you are going to represent units via decal instead of skin. just make sure your decal name features the units number in the squadronlist.ini

ie, F4SqTailR402, badge402, etc, etc. you can add units to the squadronlist.ini, just have to what that everything matches up.

or(shameless plug) get a copy of my Phantom decal pack or my squadronlist.ini in the Realism Mod thread. got a whole lot in there that ever flew stock TW planes, as well as bout everyone that phlew a Phantom.

[amariani 4,899]

The reason I ask is while working on a skin for the 374th FS for TW's P-51D I stunbled onto this problem. As you can see in the pics below the letters should appear over the invasion stripes like in the first pic (Wolf's P-51C), but on the P-51D they appear underneath the invasion stripes (pic. 2). I've tried different .ini edits but it always comes up like this.

[Spinners 15,986]

Check that your codes appear in the decal.ini after the invasion stripes.

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

Easy fix, paint the stripes on the skin. :-D

I personally use always less decals as i can.

mostly then are only numbering decals left.

Makes the skins look more realistic.

[Wrench 9,858]

WHY use decals for invasion stripes??

on Wolf's you can paint the invasion stripes on; the mappping on that is very well known (well, at least by me..and my 40meg template!)

 

on TKs mustang, why not use the positions for the Suez stripes? (edit -- TK made them DECALS????!!!!! wtf??)

 

but, like alfie said, move the squadron codes down, make the stripes 1st (level 0, codes, level0, ID letter level2)

 

edit: correction, I just checked and the B/C template is 66+ megs!!

Edited November 29, 2012 by Wrench

[Wrench 9,858]

guess I should finish this one off, and ETO B/C upgrades...

Edited November 29, 2012 by Wrench

[+daddyairplanes 10,254]

WHY use decals for invasion stripes??

 

beacause you can! seriously though if some had and some didnt but other wise the skin is the same i could understand. i have walkway decals for Phantoms, although very very few and only for when the walkway was much different than the main one i use on skin. and yes it was a pain but its there now.

[amariani 4,899]

WHY use decals for invasion stripes??

on Wolf's you can paint the invasion stripes on; the mappping on that is very well known (well, at least by me..and my 40meg template!)

 

on TKs mustang, why not use the positions for the Suez stripes? (edit -- TK made them DECALS????!!!!! wtf??)

 

but, like alfie said, move the squadron codes down, make the stripes 1st (level 0, codes, level0, ID letter level2)

 

edit: correction, I just checked and the B/C template is 66+ megs!!

 

I first tried to paint then on the skin but the rear part of TW's mustang is broken down on three parts and it was kind of dificult to line everything up. So I decided to try decaling. The stripes on the wings are painted on though

[Wrench 9,858]

really? actually, the fueselage is broken into 4 parts .. bottom, top, left and right.

 

other than the to-be-expected, and well-known-about mapping issue at the base of the vert fin.., with full stripes

 

with half fues stripes (circa july 44), obviosly the problem disapeares.

 

there's been mapping issues since day one with all of them ... hence the need for newer models

Edited November 29, 2012 by Wrench