Decals showing up in Viewer but not in Game

[DaniloE31]

Yet another Decals problem. I thought, I would know the rules, but...

I made a VF-31 skin for the F-4J for my personal use... As you can see below, the Nose and Bu. No. on the tail show up in the LOD Viewer but are missing in game.

 

 

I know you can use a maximum of 4 Decals for every Mesh Node... but that isn't the case here:

[Decal001]
MeshName=fuselage_front
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\TGnumAC
Position=7.91,-0.39
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.8
DecalMaxLOD=3

[Decal002]
MeshName=fuselage_front
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=RIGHT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\TGnumAC
Position=8.10,-0.39
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.8
DecalMaxLOD=3

[Decal003]
MeshName=vertical_stabilizer
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=RIGHT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\FLnum
Position=-6.60,2.44
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.50
DecalMaxLOD=2

[Decal004]
MeshName=vertical_stabilizer
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\FLnum
Position=-6.60,2.44
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.50
DecalMaxLOD=2

[Decal005]
MeshName=flap_inner_right
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=TOP
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\FLnum
Position=2.06,-1.82
Rotation=-13.0
Scale=0.80
DecalMaxLOD=2

[Decal006]
MeshName=flap_inner_left
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=TOP
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\FLnum
Position=-2.06,-1.82
Rotation=13.0
Scale=0.80
DecalMaxLOD=2

[Decal007]
MeshName=fuselage_P
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=RIGHT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\serialAC
Position=-4.37,0.51
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.5
DecalMaxLOD=2

[Decal008]
MeshName=fuselage_P
DecalLevel=2
DecalFacing=LEFT
FilenameFormat=F-4J\VF31\serialAC
Position=-4.37,0.51
Rotation=0.0
Scale=0.5
DecalMaxLOD=2

 

I am missing something?

Edited May 17, 2020 by DaniloE31

[+paulopanz]

I have two answers as I experimented by myself:

- your decals are made with Gimp, I don't know why the lod viewer shows them, but not the game ...

- you exceded the maximum decals number per mesh (es. fuselage) set in game (I don't remember the exact number after all these years and most roundels painted on textures ...). The lod viewer hasn't the same limit and shows all decals

Edited May 17, 2020 by paulopanz

[DaniloE31]

10 minutes ago, paulopanz said:

...

- your decals are made with Gimp, I don't know why the lod viewer shows them, but not the game ...

...

This isn't in fact the case, but you brought me into something:
The TGA's were saved with 24bit depth but compression ON... It has to be Uncompressed!

Thank you mate!
 

[Spinners]

Glad you're sorted.

Another reason is if your decal numbering is screwed. Mue's viewer will show the decals but the game won't. Happened to me this morning!

[DaniloE31]

Actually I'm glad I finally asked for help! I was trying to find this issue for weeks! 

[+daddyairplanes]

other possible that happened to me is the folder being in the wrong place.

to clarify, i now do my development work in a folder on a thumbdrive. allows me to work on laptop or desktop. then i transfer the updated versions to laptop to fly.

but sometimes (including this weekend) i forget to transfer. therefore, shows in viewer, not in game

dont know that is your issue, but the topic did stand out to me given 30 mins of frustration yesterday!

one other Gimp bit of advice, relating to how you export: bmp if you go that route has to be exported in 24 bit (found in advanced options). tga you only have to deselect compression the first time you fire the program up, but so far i've had to select 24bit every time exporting a bmp.

just something to throw out there

[kblomkvist]

3 hours ago, paulopanz said:

I have two answers as I experimented by myself:

- your decals are made with Gimp, I don't know why the lod viewer shows them, but not the game ...

- you exceded the maximum decals number per mesh (es. fuselage) set in game (I don't remember the exact number after all these years and most roundels painted on textures ...). The lod viewer hasn't the same limit and shows all decals

Well, I need to add something to this discussion - I make my skins and decals only in Gimp (i don't own PS and don't want to use a pirated one) and I have never experienced decals not showing up only because they were made in Gimp.

[+Wrench]

so, a question for a dedicated PS user...who's never used GIMP (although I have a copy!)

does GIMP actually add the other 8 bits alpha channel to the bmp when saved, or has to be added manually ... Channel --> New

one day I might have to switch over from PS6 as I've lost the install file, and PS7 don't do TGAs so well (in my experience)

[+EricJ]

13 minutes ago, Wrench said:

so, a question for a dedicated PS user...who's never used GIMP (although I have a copy!)

does GIMP actually add the other 8 bits alpha channel to the bmp when saved, or has to be added manually ... Channel --> New

one day I might have to switch over from PS6 as I've lost the install file, and PS7 don't do TGAs so well (in my experience)

 

My install files wouldn't work either (sucks when you pay 700 bucks and it refuses to work) so I bought it for a year (cheaper compared to 700 of course) or it's 10 a month, which isn't too shabby. I just wish that it was a one pay deal, where I pay for the exe and install it rather than the current setup, but whatever works.

[mue]

11 hours ago, DaniloE31 said:

This isn't in fact the case, but you brought me into something:
The TGA's were saved with 24bit depth but compression ON... It has to be Uncompressed!

Thank you mate!
 

It seems every GIMP user stumbles upon this (myself included, of course ): https://combatace.com/forums/topic/93235-how-do-you-make-serial-number-decals/?do=findComment&comment=753952

[+daddyairplanes]

its not that the prolific Gimp users dont make this mistake, its that we do about 3-5 times a week  and are so used to it that its part of our automatic fix it now checklist

[DaniloE31]

The stupid thing is that I don't even use GIMP!