Imported/Converted skins ...

[+Wrench]

What exactly is the procedure for importing , converting and releasing FS** skins for use with the same freeware aircraft we have here?? Need a little guidence here..

In particular, the Super Connie airliner that Russ & I did.  I finally figured out (most) of the mapping differences, and was able to redo 2 skins I found through massive searching (apparently there's more than one L-1049G Super Connie around and they're not even close to each other!!!)

There was no read me for any of the skins I found, although the zip was called "ALPHA_Constellation_Set_FS9". It contained the EC/RC 121s & TWA we already have, plus BOAC and Lufthansa (see below).  So, how does one credit the original creators? 

Providing there's a way to give proper credits, where can I find the Quantas and Air France skins??? I know they exist. I think these would make excellent eye candy for the 1950s.

thanks!

[+daddyairplanes]

i would talk to allenjb42 or emre mola (i forget his handle here), iirc alot of work on the FB page is based on FS models so they may have a better clue

course this is where a baremetal skin and buncha stickers comes in handy you know

[+russouk2004]

if freeware skins kev....if no name attached just use them....as long as they say freeware and do what you like,...then its fine,I asked one guy about that who did some and thats what he told me about his stuff

did you get the temps?..might help

[+Wrench]

found templates for the Alphasim Connie, but they're layer-less. So, I had to build my own. 

unfortunately, 99% of the skins I've downloaded are not for the alphasim model. and the one or 2 have found are so corrupted, no image program can open them (5 different ones, including MS paint!!).

I have a BOAC skin to finish, and that might be it. Unless I become a better texture artist than I am for KLM and Air France

[+russouk2004]

you should open the files with DXTBmp...and convert to 24bit bmp then in ps to jpeg or tga...as most FSbmps wont open in ps etc...I ll dig out the temps for you now

[+Wrench]

oh man! that DTXbmp did the trick! Got 2 other skins converted. Pity nobody has done Air France or KLM for the alphasim Connie....(sadface)

[+allenjb42]

Kevin, I'm sure you've done these searches already, but here's the results for searching 'Alphasim Constellation' at Avsim, Simviation, FlightSim.com and Sim Outhouse

AVSIM Library

Simviation: Microsoft Flight Simulator Addons

FlightSim.Com - Search Results

Search - SOH Forum (sim-outhouse.com)

Also, if any of the FS skins are in .dds format you sometimes need to flip them vertically in DTXbmp to match a .bmp or .jpg skin for a SF2 model.

There's a lot of skins out there for the A2A and other Connies but not that many for the Alphasim model.

[+daddyairplanes]

now i'll ask it Kev, why not tga them onto a bare metal skin?

im quite aware of the PITA im setting up in the beginning but once the intial skin and placement are done, you can knock out as many as you please very easily

only (actual) one skin to work on, about two days (maybe less, youre good with finding positions on a model) to set up the tga then off to the races. and nothing stopping you from doing it with one airliner per skin with serials rather than my everybody is a serial in the skin method

up to you, and doubting you go for it. but it seems a solution to your current issue (at least to me)

[+russouk2004]

Forgot that yes...flip vertical or wont be right 

[+Wrench]

it's actually just those 2 airlines, Air France and KLM for our European bases and CA members (ie: GermanyCE). The problem is there's not that many for the alphasim model. Lots for the others, especially for the earlier 749 and 049 Connies.

DA: The difference is, these skins are already set up -- just minor fill-in painting required to decals can be used for registration numbers. For the most part, on several I DID have to repaint the windows.

on the Northwest Orient shown below, the original skin actually has CURTAINS in the windows!!!!

[+daddyairplanes]

ok, gotcha. thought you were making from scratch.

could have used those windows doing the VC-130 a few months ago

[+Wrench]

well, i can send you skin if want to steal the windows   

[+daddyairplanes]

nah, made some myself and keep damn near everything in the templates.

probably would have spent as much time converting as scratch building any how. preciate the offer tho