How do you edit cockpit gauge textures?

[WildBillKelsoe]

I have both gimp, its dds plugin, DXTbitmap, and I am trying to edit the file (Pribors.tga) in UH-1HCockpitTextures.

 

After opening it in GIMP, painting on mainpanel layer (just one layer), and saving that targa, I enter the sim, then get weird orange missing texture on the entire cockpit.

 

 

I just want to color and reduce the size of the attitude indicator markings (specifically the top center marking for bank angle). I want it in red, and the moving marker inside meeting that in orange. They are both white in vanilla (0,10, 30,60, 90 degree bank markings).

 

So how do I go about? If I open the file in DXT it is without mipmaps (or alpha). There is no option in gimp to save without mipmaps or alpha, just compression. Meaning that the file gets saved in real colors, and not the transparency witnessed in DXT.

 

I am sure one of you guys will deliver. Waiting.

Thanks

[Strut]

Its been a little while but i would usually after editing in GIMP or whatever program, i would reopen it in DXT BMP and re -save as a DDS by selecting Compression: DXT 5. Also you must be careful when editing / colouring these textures as some locations on the graphic will colour other parts as well. Hope this helps.

[DeJohn]

WildBillKelsoe;

 

I haven't used DXTbmp since my FSX days, now a days I use Photoshop as it allows you to do so much more, but if I remember correctly the process goes as follows...

 

1. Make backup copy of texture file

2. Open texture in DXTbmp

3.(if you've already done this skip to step 4) Click Preferences on the menu bar, choose Select Editor and find the editor program. (in your case Gimp.exe)

4. Click Image on menu bar, choose Send Image to Editor

5. Make your changes to texture

6. Click File on Gimp's menu bar, choose Save (not save as)

7. Bring DXTbmp back to the front

8. Click Image on menu bar, choose Reload image

9. Click File, choose Save

 

Your texture should be ready to use

 

FYI- Do not insert your texture into DCS's texture zip file. Make a folder in the same place as the zip file, and name it the same as the zip file. Then place your re-textured file to that folder.

 

This has several benefits, 1) DCS always grabs un compressed files before using compressed ones. 2) When DCS does an update it won't effect your texture file since the folder its in is not part of DCS original files, it just ignores it during the update. (if you insert your texture into the zip file, then the update will see that it does not match their files and over write it, and you'll have to do it all over again).

 

Hope this helps

[WildBillKelsoe]

Thanks guys. Question: are cockpit gauges in compressed folders or in bazar/temptextures?

[WildBillKelsoe]

Update: to some extent I managed to do what I wanted. I used only GIMP.

 

So I opened pribors_c.tga and it was transparent. applied the paint where I wanted, now overwrote it.

 

Problem is, blue paint and red paint do not both get applied. It is either red or blue, and the main deciding factor is the top hash mark (0 bank) on the bezel. If that gets painted blue, the meeting marker inside the ball, is also blue, even if you paint it red. same goes for red, yellow,etc...

 

 

Oh, and additional info to know: be very careful when applying paint on the targa. If you accidentally smear the whole file (like in coloring a pixel that is outside the intended zone (a common pixel), do not ctrl + z. instead, close view and reopen fresh.

 

Another thing: if you get the file how you want it, make sure to back it up, and in the zip file, select the old one and paste new one. It will compress. This compression sometimes works and sometimes results in the orange missing texture appearing. Be careful. Always back up the original folder (not even the file itself).