how do you make serial number decals ?

[crisisloaner]

Hi modders, is there a tutorial available on making serial numbers/registration number decals ???

[Caesar]

The way I do it is the same as nose numbers: iterative decals which are applied either left or right at the location where you want the number.

An example, for the inaugural VF-1 Wolfpack skin in the Tomcat Super Pack, I made a set of .tgas "BuNoxxx" from 000 to 011.  Each one matched the real-world bureau number of VF-1's F-14As from NK100 to NK114 (remember 108 and 109 aren't used), so BuNo000 matches USFtrNum000 and TailNum000, and NK100 will always be 158979, NK101 will always be 158989, etc.  The call-out in the DECALS.ini look like this:

[Decal007]
MeshName=LeftEnginePod
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=F-14A_74/VF1NK74/D/BuNo
Position=-5.275,-0.95
Rotation=0.0
Scale=1.0
DecalMaxLOD=4

[Decal008]
MeshName=RightEnginePod
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=RIGHT
FilenameFormat=F-14A_74/VF1NK74/D/BuNo
Position=-5.275,-0.95
Rotation=0.0
Scale=1.0
DecalMaxLOD=4

Notice that they're the same decal, just facing a different direction.  If you're using italics, it doesn't work cleanly and you have to make two different sets, but most bureau numbers I'm aware of aren't italicized.  

Hope this helps.

[Wrench]

TK's decal tutorial (explaining the Level= system) should be in someplace in the SF1 downloads section (mabye Utilities?)

To actually MAKE them, you need Photoshop or some other program that can create the 32-bit tgas* w/alpha channel

 

* yes, I know by inference, all R/G/B tgas with alpha are 32 bit

[mue]

1 hour ago, Wrench said:

To actually MAKE them, you need Photoshop or some other program that can create the 32-bit tgas* w/alpha channel

I use GIMP. When exporting the tgas I had to disable the option "RLE compression", otherwise the decals wouldn't show up in the game.

Edited April 19, 2019 by mue

[delrey]

This is the tutorial 

 

Edited April 19, 2019 by delrey

[Wrench]

a pity the images are long lost

[Spinners]

 

[Spinners]

I'd also add that for serial numbers you need to name them with a three-digit suffix number something like;

SERIALNUM000.tga

SERIALNUM001.tga

SERIALNUM002.tga

SERIALNUM003.tga

ETC. ETC.

[mue]

Oops ... it seems I should have a closer look at the knowledge base. The information (non-support of RLE-compressed tgas) I found out through trial and error, was already there, even repeated.

[Wrench]

Here's the actual 3W doc..

and another simple one that I wrote simply aaaaaggggeeeesss ago!

DecalTutorial 11-12-02.doc

decal_creation_tutorial.doc

[+FLOGGER23]

I think i have created one too... wondering if it is still around...

[+daddyairplanes]

side note, while this is about serial numbers it can be applied to nose arts, special markings (like CAG birds for navy jets) and even whole skins (like Gepards unique camo's for LSK Mig-21s).

its just a matter of tying the desired marking to the serial number (noseart002.tga with sn002.tga) and assigning decallevel=2 in the decal ini. also in the example of the boss birds you should have a common marking without numbers and one or more with (tail, and tail001 for example). the common one will appear on all others while the special will be just on that bird.

my two cents on the matter

[PeacePuma]

So it looks in Photoshop

1 only one layer filled with the color of the decal

 

2) in the RGB channels layer is added in alpha (the numerals are pasted there)

 

3) It is important that this alpha be with absolute black background and absolute white text (lighter or darker tones will result in a translucent sticker ... which can also be an option according to your intention)

 

4 So it looks with the RGB and alpha activated, in pink all the transparent area

 

A strange fact, product of my experience ... each 3d mesh can accept up to 8 stickers, ask who would use both. Well, when you discover that labels are not only useful for creating serial numbers, for example, they paint. Meshes that have no texture, or locate texts that can not be read by low resolution, you may need it.

I hope it is useful, greetings!

Edited April 24, 2019 by PeacePuma

[Wrench]

Reminder:

all images (numbers, nose arts, insignia, etc --ie, ALL decals) MUST be centered in the tga. Otherwise, you don't really know where it's going to sit, via the placement numbers 

[PeacePuma]

14 hours ago, Wrench said:

Recordatorio:

Todas las imágenes (números, artes de la nariz, insignias, etc., TODAS las etiquetas) DEBEN estar centradas en el tga. De lo contrario, realmente no sabe dónde se sentará, a través de los números de ubicación 

You say by the example that I put ?? because exactly that is intentionally aligned to the left because the numeral that follows fills the space that 1 does not fill ...

[Wrench]

then make them as "one piece"; as I assume they're all Level=2

having made near 10000 (yes, that's thousand, counting them all) decals, you can trust my advice! 

[+russouk2004]

I make blank transparent image,add numbers etc,then...as below...much easier and quicker

[+FLOGGER23]

My Method for serial decals goes like this:

In Excel or Google sheets i create the serials:

Then paste them to a notepad:

Then move to Word or any other text app and edit the font and effects

Then cut them with Snag it

And then i create them with Photoshop, the process explained above...

Hope this helps...

 

[yakarov79]

You can also make own unique desired font. - which is quite easy and takes just a few moments. Considering you might use it in a few projects, one effort of making font will profit in the future. 

I am using Gimp. So the process is quite easy and you can even make  20-30 decals per minute. (serial numbers etc..)

Create a layer - full transparent. Chose 'text' from the side bar and write what is needed and export - without RLE compression. then delete text, input new one and export... and again and again. 

I am always setting some small transparency to text/numbers etc...in my opinion it looks better on aircraft and blends much better with skin. Usually around 90% transparency. 

[+daddyairplanes]

doublin down on yakarovs response, if you save the gimp file from making the first few decals you can also save the font you use.

B-52s as example, i have a tailNum xcf (GIMP file, like a Photoshop psd) and to make a new serial just go to the text layer, then backspace rather than delete the whole thing.

if you place the cursor within the text layer at teh end or in between numbers, it will keep the exact previous format. that way, i only have to change two digits to get 78912 from 78908 and the color, size, and font are the same as before

notice the placement of the cursor in the second one. one click and its back to teh settings first created in December

and play with the transparency for best effect. on a high contrast skin 90% is good, for mostly green/gray skins (like Strategic Scheme or European 1) i use around 55-60% as they were harder to see. full 100% opacity tends to leave a white line around dark edges of the decal

finally, @Wrench

20 hours ago, Wrench said:

having made near 10000 (yes, that's thousand, counting them all) decals, you can trust my advice! 

only 10000? i'd think more towards a million

[Wrench]

Quote

white line around dark edges of the decal

 

that's why i always fill the surroundings with hard black. That "leakage' is only an SF2 thing; in 1stGens it never showed up. Might be related to how DX10 sees the alpha's transparancy

[yakarov79]

24 minutes ago, daddyairplanes said:

if you place the cursor within the text layer at teh end or in between numbers, it will keep the exact previous format. that way, i only have to change two digits to get 78912 from 78908 and the color, size, and font are the same as before

exactly what am doing...

[crisisloaner]

As always,brilliant advice from all you super helpful modders.Thanks for all your inouot and I'll be giving it a go when I get a minute .