Custom P-51D Bort Numbers

[Whiplash]

I am hoping to find some help with defining bort numbers for the P-51D. I have been making skins for a while so I know a few basic things like how to make a custom face, pilot texture, or arm patch with the correct alpha layer. What I don't understand is how bort numbers work. I have studied a few of ED's description.lua files so I know it has to do with adding another .dds file with the bort numbers than defining it with some code like this:

 

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_01", DECAL ,"P51D_bort_number_112 Sqdn",false};

 

Currently I have to make a separate skin for each member of our group. It would be pretty awesome if I could learn how to manipulate the bort numbers so all I would need to do is make one skin for everyone.

 

This is the kind of manipulation I have in mind:

 

 

If anyone is familiar with how the bort number works I would greatly appreciate a little help getting started.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Whiplash

[Whiplash]

Does anyone know the location of the lua file which defines the texture source for the mustang? I'm thinking that would be the best place to start.

[Stonehouse]

I'm not the skin artist in my squadron but google found these for me to pass on. May help you.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=107764

and this one seems to say bort numbers can be got around which is interesting if your group is small.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=70570

[-Rudel-]

The base textures for the P-51D is here:

x:\xxx\Bazar\World\textures

 

Notice the texture "P51D_bort_number.tga."

 

DCS is coded to read mission builder parameters to slide this texture left or right on the 51's bort numbers' UVs. It's a called a UV shift. There are 3 individual slots, left and right. Plus what ever the fuselage and Tail code is.

 

The only way you can use custom numbered tails using one skin is using the mission builder to define it. Otherwise, you are only left with customizing the art style.

 

In the description.lua...Defining true or false is the same as the other textures.

 

false means, don't check the P-51D.zip file for the defined texture, vise versa for true.

 

So if you want custom art style bort numbers, you put false.

 

I hope this helps,

Cheers!

[Whiplash]

Thanks for your feedback guys. After playing around with the bort numbers a bit I understand how they work in the mission editor. What I would really like to do is change the location of the bort number on the aircraft. for example I would like to put a bort number location on the nose area of the mustang. I am assuming there is another .lua file somewhere which defines the current locations shown in this picture:

 

 

Then I also need to understand how to modify the coordinate system of the bort number .dds texture file. For example, the default bort number is a .dds texture with 0-9 and A-Z. where is the code which allows you to type G as the bort number in the mission editor which then places the G from the bort number .dds texture file in one of the bort number boxes shown in the picture above. What I am leading up to is this... I would like to create my own custom .dds bort number texture which contains my squad members nose art so I can call them out in the mission editor. This seem like a lot of extra work to accomplish something that could be easily done but giving everyone their own skin but as it is our group skin pack is exceeding 300 mb and that is just for the mustang.

 

I also seem to be having trouble understanding the order which bort numbers propagate their respective boxes.

 

Here is the code I am using for my test skin description.lua file:

 

 

 

 

[code]livery = {
{"P51D_FUZ_FRONT", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};
{"P51D_FUZ_REAR", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_WING_L", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_L_Wing",false};
{"P51D_WING_R", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_R_Wing",false};
{"P51D_FUZ_FRONT", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};
{"P51D_FUZ_REAR", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_WING_L", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_L_Wing",false};
{"P51D_WING_R", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_R_Wing",false};


{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_COCPIT_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};                
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_COCPIT_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};              
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_COCPIT_01", DECAL ,"empty",true};                           
	
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_10", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};                  
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_10", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};                 
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_10", DECAL ,"empty",true};                                  

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};               
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT_01", DECAL ,"empty",true};
	
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_10", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};     
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_10", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_10", DECAL ,"empty",true};

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Front_Guess",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Front",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FRONT-2_01", DECAL ,"empty",true};

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_10", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_10", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_10", DECAL ,"empty",true};

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_REAR-2_01", DECAL ,"empty",true};
	
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_TAIL_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};                
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_TAIL_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};              
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_TAIL_01", DECAL ,"empty",true};

{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FIN_01", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};              
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FIN_01", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};                
{"P51D_BORT_NUMBER_FIN_01", DECAL ,"Bort Number",false};
	

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_001", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};              
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_001", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};              
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_001", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_010", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_010", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_010", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_100", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_100", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_L_100", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_001", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_001", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_001", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_010", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_010", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_010", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_100", 0 ,"p51D_DIF_Fuz_Rear_Guess",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_100", 2 ,"p51D_SPEC_Fuz_Rear",false};
{"P51D_SERIAL_NUMBER_R_100", DECAL ,"P51D_serial number",false};

{"pilot_P51_patch", 0 ,"Pilot_DOW_Patch",false};                                           
{"pilot_P51_body", 0 ,"pilot_WWII",false}; 


}
name = "[DoW] Guess Who"
ountries = {"USA", "RUS", "FRA", "UKR", "SPN", "NETH", "TUR", "BEL", "GER", "NOR", "CAN", "DEN", "UK", "GRG", "ISR", "ABH", "RSO", "ITA"}
id         = 4 -- USAF Pilot with WWII helmet[/code]

 

 

 

 

I defined the bort number in the mission editor like this:

 

 

 

 

I expected the fin number to be "F" and the last three digits of the serial number to be 969. Instead, I got this result:

 

 

The digit six on the fin number almost makes sense since "f" is the sixth letter in the alphabet but the others make no sense. my bort number and serial number .dds texture files are pretty much identical to the stock ones.

 

This is all probably more trouble than its worth but if you read through all that and you are interested in what I am trying to do I would greatly appreciate any feedback. My hunch is there is a .lua file somewhere which defines the placement of the skin files and that is the file I need to modify.

[SDsc0rch]

wait.... DCS DOES THIS??

 

did. not. know.

 

 

sweet!

: )

[MK-82_1_EACH]

I was wondering as well about locations. Serials were also on the wings on Air National Guard units which flew F-51(P-51's) into the 50's and depending on the unit, LG doors.

 

[-Rudel-]

You cant change the location of bort numbers because they are UVd in those specific spots. Only way to do this is by having the source 3d max file.

[Whiplash]

You cant change the location of bort numbers because they are UVd in those specific spots. Only way to do this is by having the source 3d max file.

 

Ah, ok I understand you now. Not really what I wanted to hear but at least I know. Thanks for the info :thumbup:.

[vicx]

wait.... DCS DOES THIS?? did. not. know.

 

Yes it is beyond cool and why I bring this thread back to life.

 

But I have to add some points. First point. DCS enables this via ARG based UV OFFSET applied to DECALS, which is for sure cool. Second Point - The sheer amount of customisation shown here is unique to only a few modules in DCS. P51D is one awesome example in this regard (developers get a special commendation) but perhaps there are other units that are almost as impressive but not quite as advanced as this.

 

A-10C I would imagine has an amazing DECAL system almost as good as this.

 

Interesting thing to note is that some Ships have ARG based UV OFFSET DECALS for unique ship names and unique ship numbers but the feature is not yet enabled in DCS. Soon I hope.

 

Wouldn't it be great for all objects Ship, Ground Unit, Structure to have unique and customisable id/number/symbol.