BoNidle

Since the update to 2.5 the F-5E no longer has relective metal textures to any of its skins. Instead the exhausts, adjacent bare metal engine area and undercarriage legs that should show relective metal are matt black instead. Carried out a repair to no avail.

Always believed DCS should look at the Vietnam Air War. So in keeping with that thought: 1/ F-4J Phantom 2/ A-4E/F Skyhawk 3/ F-4E Phantom 4/ OV-10A Bronco 5/ A-1E Skyraider Helos: AH-1G Cobra OH-6 Cayuse

Just submitted to User files so should be up soon.

Thanks Basco1. Glad to be able to get back at it again. I intend to update them all with a few new ones thrown in.

The latest and hopefully last re-release of The Huff to take advantage of the new lighting engine in the OpenAlpha version. First screenshot is over the Normandy map, second over Nevada, to show the difference in lighting as both were at the same time of day, altitude etc. Should be up tomorrow on User Files.

Thanks for the reply SkateZilla.:thumbup: A couple of questions: For Spec you say you use DXT1, no alpha? Do you set it for MipMaps? What do you save the DIFF at? At present I am using DXT3 with Explicit Alpha and generate mipmaps. Sorry to be a pain but while I haven't been skinning I lost all my notes so I'm searching my memory desperately....and its pretty dusty in here!!!:huh: Thanks.

Hello again chaps. I'm getting back into skinning following my enforced absence due to an injury to my arm. Its amazing how much I've forgotten. I am revamping a couple of old skins for the Alpha 2.1.1 (i think thats it) and I'm saving both the Diff and the spec as DXT3 with mipmaps but I'm not sure if thats right or not. It looks okay but the way of saving seems wrong. I have tried other DXT versions but they seem to give visual problems with the aliasing on panel lines. I'd greatly appreciate any advice.

I'm trying to return to skins after an enforced absence due to an injured arm. I thought I'd try and get to grips with the procedure again by starting with a revamp of a popular previous effort: "The Huff". However in my absence it appears a few things have changed with regards to saving the .dds files? At present I am saving both spec and diff as DXT3 with mipmaps and it appears to be working. Is this correct? What formats are others using? Any info greatly appreciated. This image was taken over the Normandy map with gamma set at 2.2 and time of day 1300hrs. The othe side of "The Huff" showing the difference in appearance the lighting engine makes at different angles...

Second submission, another Ferris schemed TOPGUN F-5E. It first flew in this scheme in 1976. https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/2121635/

This one is already up at User Files. "41" scheme was designed by aviation artist Keith Ferris and Cdr C J "Heater" Healey USN. Another TOPGUN Adversary in a Keith Ferris devised scheme that first flew in 1976.

For my initial submission is Ferris schemed TopGun F-5E. "41"'s scheme was designed by aviation artist Keith Ferris with Cdr C J Heatley. It flew in the mid 1980's. It has a false cockpit painted underneath in an attempt to confuse opponents as to the aircraft's true attitude. It wore no national insignia. https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/2102050/

WIP about 95% complete.

Heater-Ferris schemed "41" submitted to user files and should be up soon.

WIP, almost complete, "Heater-Ferris" scheme "41". Hopefully it will be up by Wenesday.

I'd settle for an unofficial one (hint, hint) ;) ;)

Is there a template available somewhere? If so then I would really appreciate knowing where to find it. I have started my own but its slow going.

As a long time Aggressor/Adversary fanatic I am really looking forwards to rolling this into my paintshop. So many schemes, so little time!!

I've only just seen this thread. Short answer is you can't, not without getting the pixelation problems you have already encountered. On my skins I have always worked on the principle of starting oversized and scale down.

As the F-86F is now out of beta can you update us as to when we can expect an official texture template please?

Yes, you could use the jpeg format, that is how I started out doing my F-86F liveries. The .DDS format is the one preferred by the DCS graphics program and gives more detail, subtle effects. Same procedure regarding layers. The templates are normally .PSD files containing the layers. I work on the templates layers, save it into a particular work folder on my PC as a PSD file retaining the layers so I can return to it to work on, then save it into the relevant aircraft livery file in DCS. If saving as either a jpeg or a DDS file the image will be flattened to a single layer. Don't forget that you will need to edit the description .lua file in order for the new livery to show if it is a brand new one.

Livery creation is all about working in Layers. I don't know how much you know about this already but it is essential to have a graphics program that allows you to do this. I use Paint Shop Pro for the livery creation and Photoshop for the creation of the spec layer. I have never used Gimp so cannot advise about that. Is the livery you are talking about in .jpeg or .DDS format? If it is a .DDS file then you will need to download the Nvidia Texture Tools from their site. This is a VERY useful little program that enables you to open and most importantly save files in .DDS format. Just download and follow the instruction to place it in Paint Shop Pro and photoshop. JPEG format liveries are simpler to edit as the graphics programs use jpeg's as a basic setting built in. DCS however uses .DDS for its files even though it does also recognise jpegs. Either way you need to have what ever it is you wish to add, numbers, letters, art etc, saved as a layer in PSD format first. Once you have your specific layer created copy it then open the livery you wish to edit and create a new layer over it. Paste your numbers, art etc into this new layer. You will more than likely have to resize your add-on to fit the livery. The use of a layer allows you to do this without disturbing the original livery layer beneath. Once you are satisfied then save it in the original livery format (.DDS or jpeg) back in the original livery file overwriting the original (back up the original in case it goes wrong). I save my liveries in .DDS format in the following settings: DXT5 ARGB 8bpp Interpolated alpha, generate MIP maps. (I used to use jpeg until a more experienced livery artist on these forums explained to me that .DDS gives the better result). The jpeg method is similar in that you just save and overwrite when asked but it does not save MIP maps or create an alpha channel. Its more of a "quick and dirty" way of doing it. An invaluable tool provided by DCS within DCS World is the "ModelViewer". This allows you to see the livery on the 3D model without having to go in and out of the sim. It can be found in the DCS World folder in the "bin" folder. I created a shortcut to it on my desktop. I hope all that has made sense and not left you more confused than assisted. If you search Google for DCS World livery or skin creation there are a number of useful tutorials available. But be warned: you may be starting on a path to addiction. I spend waaaaay more time creating liveries than flying!!! (PS: Do not re-post edited liveries without the permission of the original artist as it can lead to considerable ill feeling).

There was not a lot of reference material for this Sabre. In fact it was two black and white photos of poor to mediocre quality and a decal manufacturer profile which had errors. I had never heard of General Spicer before, but from the photo he appears quite a character. He had been C.O. of the 357th Fighter Group, 8thAF, during WW2 and claimed three victories before being shot down himself in 1944. He spent the remainder of the war in a POW camp.

Brigadier General Henry R Spicer was C.O. of the USAF Air Training Command between 1956 and 1958. He was assigned his own F-86F-40 in which he would tour the bases under his command. The eight coloured stripes represent the eight Wings which formed the ATC at that time. The Sabre was kept clean and polished as you can imagine. This at User Files and should be available soon.

Last JASDF for a while now, 6th Squadron, 8thAW. Should be up soon at User Files.

Some "Adversary" Sabres from the 1st Air Wing, 1st Sqn, in the 1970's. (should be up soon at User Files;