What are the rules for installing aircraft skins. I'm confused..

[Snacko]

I have read several posts about how to install skins, but I can't get the A10c skins that I downloaded to show up in the Mission editor.

 

I have read that skins can be placed in up to 3 different locations. Are there rules as to which locations work for some aircraft and don't for other aircraft? I think I read that the A-10c has to be placed in this folder:

C:\Users\name\Saved Games\DCS\Bazar\Liveries\aircraftname

 

but I'm not sure if that is still true since the post was 4 years old. Several posts said to put your skins in this folder:

C:\Users\name\Saved Games\DCS\Liveries\aircraftname

 

But that doesn't work for the A-10c either. And it I think that I have figured out that you need to see what country the 'description.lua' file specifies, and make sure to select that country for the aircraft in the mission editor(I didn't read this important tidbit anywhere, just figured it out after an hour of failures when I saw some stock game skins finally show up).

 

Is there any guide for skins that has accurate information for all of the aircraft, all of the locations, and all of the changes to the game over the past few years? :cry:

 

PS:

Is there a limit on the number of skins you can have for any aircraft? I think I remember when DCS first came out you could only 'replace' existing skins, not add new ones?

Edited November 5, 2017 by Snacko

[Rudel_chw]

... Several posts said to put your skins in this folder:

C:\Users\name\Saved Games\DCS\Liveries\aircraftname

 

But that doesn't work for the A-10c either.

 

You probably have the "aircraftname" part misspelled, because this method does work .. this is how it looks on my PC, and how the skins show up on the Mission Editor (and on the rearming windows within the game itself).

 

Best regards

[joey45]

Another UK A10 livery.. . Awesome.

 

on ma mobile

[Snacko]

You probably have the "aircraftname" part misspelled, because this method does work .. this is how it looks on my PC, and how the skins show up on the Mission Editor (and on the rearming windows within the game itself).

 

Best regards

 

Thanks for your help. I tried it again and it worked this time. Not sure what I was doing wrong before. I had the aircraft name correct, and liveries spelled correctly.

 

So, does this work for 'all' of the aircraft? Can we just put all aircraft skins in this "C:\Users\name\Saved Games\DCS\Liveries\aircraftname" folder?

[uboats]

yes, just saved games/DCS(version)/Liveries/aircraftname/...

[Rudel_chw]

So, does this work for 'all' of the aircraft? Can we just put all aircraft skins in this "C:\Users\name\Saved Games\DCS\Liveries\aircraftname" folder?

 

Yes, works for all aircrafts ... but cockpit skins use a slightly different name than that used for external skins, and they also need a lua file to describe it. Usually the folder name is "cockpit_aircraft", but the A-10C is different (see my previous screen capture).

[MadDog-IC]

Yes, works for all aircrafts ... but cockpit skins use a slightly different name than that used for external skins, and they also need a lua file to describe it.

 

Usually the folder name is "cockpit_aircraft", but the A-10C is different (see my previous screen capture).

 

Was reading your post earlier, I wasn't able to get the A-10c richardo cockpit working some time ago, even though the directories are correct as per your previous post.

 

Long story short, I just fixed it, turns out my file manager (Total Commander) had an option turned on that plays around with the case of letters on Directory names, displaying capitalized first letter and lowercase on the others, this is what was wrong, they have to be all UPPERCASE for it to work.

 

Regards, Ian.

[uboats]

Yes, works for all aircrafts ... but cockpit skins use a slightly different name than that used for external skins, and they also need a lua file to describe it. Usually the folder name is "cockpit_aircraft", but the A-10C is different (see my previous screen capture).

 

the rule for cockpit folder name is

folder name = cockpit edm file name

[Rudel_chw]

this is what was wrong, they have to be all UPPERCASE for it to work.

 

Glad you could fix that ... I remember the grief that I sustained with the A-10C cockpits, its a pity that ED didnt get those names more standard. I also learned on a post by uboats how to edit the lua files of the cockpits, so I could get several old cockpits for the MIG-21 working under this scheme (and so free from integrity check limitations) :)

 

Best regards

Edited November 6, 2017 by Rudel_chw

[Sierra99]

So does adding Liveries and MODs to the Saved Games Folder instead of the DCS install mean user mods are no longer being overwritten when the game updates?

 

Does this apply to Sound files etc?

[joey45]

So does adding Liveries and MODs to the Saved Games Folder instead of the DCS install mean user mods are no longer being overwritten when the game updates?

 

Yes.

 

on ma mobile

[Rudel_chw]

So does adding Liveries and MODs to the Saved Games Folder instead of the DCS install mean user mods are no longer being overwritten when the game updates?

 

 

Even tough DCS doesnt touch the saved games folder when it updates (except for places like the Logs and metashaders folders), I still use a Mod Manager ... because its nice to be able to deactivate all user-made Mods with a single click when you are troubleshooting problems with your DCS, and reactivate them afterwards.

 

Does this apply to Sound files etc?

Not really ... Mods which add new things to the game (new aircrafts, new map objects, etc) work very well on Saved Games

 

 

... however, Mods that replace files of the purchased items, or files of ED's maps, dont work on Saved Games ... they must replace the original files on Program Files. They work, but usually trigger the Integrity Check and thus impede multiplayer gaming.

[MadDog-IC]

Glad you could fix that ...

 

I also learned on a post by uboats how to edit the lua files of the cockpits, so I could get several old cockpits for the MIG-21 working under this scheme (and so free from integrity check limitations) :)

 

Best regards

 

Good work, I have just done the same with Skull leaders P-51 cockpit mod, took a bit of trial and error, but I am sure I have got it now.

 

Regards, Ian.

[Rudel_chw]

Good work, I have just done the same with Skull leaders P-51 cockpit mod, took a bit of trial and error, but I am sure I have got it now.

 

Yeah, I went trough the same trial&error process, but now works like a charm :)