RCN_Moose

Okay, here it is. Standard MODMAN 7.1 rar pack. Remember, you MUST uninstall any current MODS, install this, then you can reinstall your MODS. This will make a standard skined KA-50 available to all countries in game. Temporarily removed while I investigate some issues.....

Okay, I'm going to make a MODMAN addin that will allow skin makers to make their KA-50 skins installable to their specific country. Currently you need to manually edit the db_countries file in order to get MODMAN to actually install a KA-50 skin for a country that doesn't have it in game (ie Canada) I was just going to make an edited one for Canada, but realized that wouldn't work if people were going to add skins from multiple countries, you'd need to keep editing the db_countries file. When finished, this MODMAN addin (just a modified db_countries file) will include the standard KA-50 skin available for ALL countries in game. This will have to be the first MOD installed with MODMAN. (ie if you have stuff already installed, you'll need to uninstall all mods, install this, then reinstall your MODS. Once this is installed, IT WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON CURRENT MODS. It will allow future MODS to be country specific for the KA-50. All you'll need to do is put your specific country ID in the lma7 file. Current Countries available in game: (yes means the KA-50 is already available) Russia - Yes Ukraine USA UK Turkey - Yes Germany Canada France Spain Netherlands Belgium Norway Denmark Georgia Isreal Insurgents I'll be re-releasing all of my skins to take advantage of this, so the Canadian Skins will be available under Canada, and the US skins under the US.

crazyeddie, thats not actually true. the game will recognize a unique GUID just fnie, as long as its properly setup. Crazy, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you can set-up your skin to work with MODMAN and have it be Canadian :) The bad news is, that you can't do it with the default db_countries.lma file. MODMAN looks for the KA-50 ID when it goes to enter the info, which unfortunately doesn't exist for Canada. I was hoping to just be able to add the KA-50 ID line )[cnt_unit] and go from there, but the game won't let you have a class ID, with nothing after it. The best working method I've tested so far is to follow crazyeddies directions and delete all the skin lines except for the Standard skin. That leaves one existing default skin for Canada, BUT it allows you to use MODMAN just fine thereafter, since there is a KA-50 cnt_unit already there, it will add any news after it with no problem. I'm still thinking about the best way to get this out there for the masses. I'm thinking that the best way is going to be to make MODMAN compliant skins, setup for Canada, and include a modified db_countries.lma file with a readme along the lines of, unstall all MODMAN addons, then backup your db_countries file and replace it with this one. Then reinstall all your mods... I'm hoping Skypat will have a better suggestion.

I haven't heard anything back from Skypat yet. Not sure if he's tied up with real world issues, or just deciding the best way to approach the problem.

Nice looking skin!

Crazy, you can add the KA-50 to Canada. It will add in the appropriate info as required. (pretty sure) I do not believe you can add multiple countries in on one skin. (actually going to test it out this weekend) I think you'll need to create 2 seperate skins, one per country. I'll let you know how my trials go :)

Alex, thanks for the thanks :) Yes MODMAN includes a cdds viewer that you can use to extract the files. (there's an example in the tutorial as thats how I get the PAINT3 missing texture) The only downside is they are bmps, so no layers.

The value numbers have to match between computers. So if you install skin x, y z and he installs skin y, z, x the skins will not match. IE, if you host and have skin x, he would see skin y. The skinning methods and requirements are definitely NOT mulitplayer friendly.

Thats is the absolutely awesome!......If only I wasn't 4000miles from home using a temporary setup.....

That would be it

Skypat, MODMAN issue #2. In order for the KA-50 to take damage properly, the information in the KA-50.skins file needs to be replicated in the KA-50-Blade, KA-50-NOSE, KA-50-TAIL, etc etc files as well. (ala the New Years skin) I don't think there will be any requirement to change existing skin mods, its just a matter of you taking the same information and adding it to the other skin files as well. If the information isn't there, when that section is damaged, it will just disappear.

Hmm. Okay I just rebuilt my computer, did a fresh install of Black Shark, did a fresh install of MODMAN, and redownloading my skinpacks from lockonfiles. They installed fine and show up in the game fine. The only thing I can think of is that when you were messing around with the files manually they got out of sync with MODMAN. Do you have backups of the 4 key files? I'd recommend uninstalling all MODS, uninstall MODMAN, restore the 4 files, then reinstall MODMAN and the MODS.

So with them installed, can you selec them in the Mission Editor? Or are they not even showing up in the ME? (under country Russia)

Hey Sharkster, when you downloaded the skin pack, did you extract it? Do to the way lockonfiles works, and the way MODMAN 7.1 works, I had to combine the 4 skins into one zip. You need to extract it, which should give you 4 rar files. (one for each skin. When you are in MODMAN, there should only be one file in the list for each skin (the .cdds file) everything else is done with the skin.lma7 file. When you install it, it should just show green. (no CFG in the box, just solid green) I'll be honest, I'm not sure what the issue is. Those skins have been out for ahile, and downloaded many times without incident...(until now) Just rereading above, are you installing skins manually as well? Because if you are, you will screw MODMAN. It's one of those things where you either go all manual or all MODMAN, as soon as you mix, bad things WILL happen. Just rerereading....When you checked the four skins, you did hit install after right? The checkmark doesn't actually install anything, it just lets you select more than one thing at a time..in the upper right box, it should list all of the available mods, followed by a box. The box will be RED if it isn't installed, and green if it is.

Sharkster, which version of MODMAN are you using? And which Black Shark? (Eng or Rus) When you say invisible, can you see anything (ie rotors, exhausts) or nothing at all?

gdotts, I believe MODMAN asks for the ROOT DCS directory, which is Ealge Dynamics (for English Version) and NOT KA-50. (99% sure, will double check today as I'm upgrading my computer and reinstalling everything anyway)

Doomhawk, which skin is that?

Glad to hear you got it all worked out. Lockonfiles uses takes 4 or 5 hrs, depending on when you submit it and how many files are ahead of yours..... One thing to note, if you ever make any changes to skin and want to upload a new version, the modify or edit download doesn't work. You'll need to submit it as a new download, and they'll merge it with your old one.

Sounds like one of the files got corrupted. Sucks. On the bright side, look at all the practice you're getting :)

gdotts, what OS are you running? If you're running vista, where did you install Black Shark? If you installed it in the default (program files) and you have UAC active, Modman will NOT work. (as mentioned in the warning when you install it) You'll either need to install Black Shark in a diff directory or disable UAC and install MODMAN with Admin rights.

Hey Crazy, are you deselcting the star layer on the right template? there a star layer in a couple of the psd's, but its just Paint1 that you need to hide for the tail

Dragon, I'll be honest and say I don't know offhand. I'm just skiming through the files trying to remember where I saw the damage textures. Installing or removing skins shouldn't have any impact on the damages. On the other hand, the Xmas skin uses ALL of the KA-50.skins files (theres the nose, tail, l wing, r wing, etc.) and to honest I'm not sure what they're for. None of the other skins out there use them, and they all work fine. You have piqued my curiosity though, so I'm investigating :)

Whenever you add skins and the value number is even. (ie 2.0 or 3.0) it is incorrectly added as a 2 or 3. Example you have skins added up to value 2.9 The next skin will be added with a value of 3 instead of 3.0. This means that the ka-50.lua will reference a 3, instead of 30. So even though you can select your skin in ME, when you run the game you woulg get whatever skin 3 was, instead of your skin. Not sure if it's been brought up before. But whats a great program without some minor growing pains :)

I think I'll just add the lma7 sample to the package, with a link. that should be easier. But keep the feedback coming :)

Thanks Crazy. Stupd typos. Thats what you get when you mix hockey, alcohol and typing :) I'll make those changes for V1.1 For everyone else, download is avail at LockonFiles