F/A-18C Lot 20 Template Questions / Help

[_mu110_]

Is there anyway to get the raw normal maps for the Hornet? I've tried editing the ones that are in the textures file but they suffer heavily from recompression issues.

 

I'm trying to add some mapping around the ID light that the RCAF/SwissAF/KuwaitAF/FinlandAF use on their Hornets.

 

Not that I know of, I've run into the same issue but maybe ED will oblige if enough people are interested.

[Woodsman2112]

bort number covering livery

 

right now I have a livery made using the F18C_1_DIFF and F18C_2_DIFF. When I see them ingame a part on the stabilizer get's cut off and the vfa-37 bull shows through. how do I fix this? something to do with bort numbers I think but all of them are "empty"

[_mu110_]

right now I have a livery made using the F18C_1_DIFF and F18C_2_DIFF. When I see them ingame a part on the stabilizer get's cut off and the vfa-37 bull shows through. how do I fix this? something to do with bort numbers I think but all of them are "empty"

 

Not sure exactly what you're describing, can you share a screenshot?

[depauperate_moth]

Hello Guys,

currently I'm trying to create my first livery and search in vain in the F18C_1_DIFF for the following spots. Could someone give me a hint?

Thanks a lot!

[_mu110_]

Hello Guys,

currently I'm trying to create my first livery and search in vain in the F18C_1_DIFF for the following spots. Could someone give me a hint?

Thanks a lot!

 

Not sure that I know where those spots are, but try overlaying a numbered grid to help you figure out where it is on the texture.

[Megalax]

Try this

 

http://www.pumaszallas.hu/Private/VO101_Tom/Panel_Finder_by_Tom_2_2048x2048.jpg

[depauperate_moth]

Thanks, I was hoping for an overlay like this!

 

I was able to locate my problem areas - would it be possible to paint these fins individually for each side?

Edited May 14, 2020 by hanne
Forgotten attachment

[atcdrew]

Curious if anyone can point out where the "Pilots Rank / Name / Call sign is located on the skin. I searched this thread but couldn't find it.

 

Thanks!

[atcdrew]

nevermind I found it!

[Bananimal]

I'm looking for a little help with formation light panels.

 

I'm skinning a demonstration team and want to apply an alpha mask to the green color on the F18C_Bano.dds texture. My thought was if I make that part of the texture transparent, then it will not show up on the skin. Much like the BORT numbers.

 

I added an alpha channel to the file and saved it to the livery folder. No go. I then renamed the BANO file in the livery folder as well as the FA-18.zip texture file to see if the textures would fail to load and still the formation light panel textures show on the aircraft. Are these textures being pulled from somewhere else, perhaps?

 

I have the following in the description.lua for the skin with a modded alpha on the F18C_BANO.dds file in the livery folder:

 

--HeadLights and Self Illuminated Textures

--{"f18C_headlight_R", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"F18C_headlight_L", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"F18C_headlight", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_KIL", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_band", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_band", 8, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_band_f", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_band_f", 8, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"f18C_headlight_band_banno", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"F18C_omni_banno_192", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"F18C_rulezh", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

--{"F18C_aoa", 0, "f18c_bano", false};

[Bananimal]

I've noted that the Blue Angels skin is missing the formation light panels. I see nowhere in the description.lua a reference to a texture file. There's got to be a way.

[Cyclops]

Hey everyone, I have some questions about skins for the Hornet pilot model. Patches are done, new helmet skins are almost done, but I am stuck on the visors. I gave my group the option to choose their own (i.e. clear, mirrored, smoked, etc...) but I am struggling the get the results I am after. For mirrored I know that will involve adjusting the Roughmet. For the clear and different colors I have tried to adjust pilot_f18_visor and am definitely doing something. Note the bit of yellowing (I tried making the DDS completely yellow). However, the lens is still dark overall. Am I missing something? Thanks!

 

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/97422693_2323141051313360_136091450432552960_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_oc=AQkky8HZycZt8w89pGxHwpQcLqdnvN1vKuwAUF_lM-dCWEm8IUYPG-NTdqZGnWCogaE&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=2ba2d4536c73f154d5372d07fefec593&oe=5EEF98DB

 

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/99428172_2323141157980016_5674137756385673216_o.jpg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_oc=AQk6YU-3qFEFE6NGUNQciQm_CgICwIlHEK_Bo5smk1cWDTn7a0Y5vu0X7L-VxCbph9M&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&oh=50bbd184a98a6c425b83aa73656bd9f8&oe=5EEE26E5

[Cutlass72]

Hey guys can anyone point me to where this section of the underside of the F18 is on the template please?

 

[_mu110_]

Hey guys can anyone point me to where this section of the underside of the F18 is on the template please?

 

This should be it

[Cutlass72]

Thanks so much

[Backy 51]

Has the F-18 pilot rank become a mirrored object now? I cannot get Major, Lt Colonel, or Colonel rank to display properly now.

[Cyclops]

Yeah, if you look through the CoreMods textures the helmet, visor, and patch files were all updated when the SC released.

[Cyclops]

I have a question concerning changing the BuNo number in the cockpit. I have tried starting from the original and adding this to the Lua:

 

{"f18c_cpt01-console-arg466", 0 ,"f18c_cpt-tex01", false};

 

The texture does change, but a lot of artifacts are introduced. I have tried replacing my edited file with the original and it works (no artifacts) so I do not think the Lua scripting is at fault.

 

What I do think is happening is my DDS settings are incorrect in some way (maybe I need to apply an effect? Save in alpha only?).

 

Attached are a screenshot of the original and edited textures. Note a lot of the weathering disappears and a nearly all the yellow caution paint disappears, except for a small rectangle on the ECM Jett panel. The last image is a closeup of the ECM Jett panel texture in Photoshop showing the same rectangle. This is not something I added.

 

Any help on this would be appreciated, thanks!

[cmigdalski]

Any ideas of where or what should I edit to get rid off the black visor mark?

 

Already tried editing the roughtmet file (and double checked that the new/edit roughtmet is really loading) but it keeps showing on the ambient occlusion channel (and only in this channel).

 

 

Thanks.

[Megalax]

If you edited it on the AO channel and it is still showing up you are more than likely missing a .lua entry.

[cmigdalski]

You're right. I was using the wrong channel on .lua file, change to 13 and now it's fine. Thanks.

[Bones1775]

Help with cockpit texture

 

Help with cockpit texture. i have edited the BuNo previously on other hornet liveries with no issues but with a new install of PS and the latest DDS plugin from NVidia i get this when the instrument lights are on. any help would be greatly appreciated.

[_mu110_]

Help with cockpit texture. i have edited the BuNo previously on other hornet liveries with no issues but with a new install of PS and the latest DDS plugin from NVidia i get this when the instrument lights are on. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'd make sure that none of the export plugin settings haven't changed during the update before anything else.

[Nealius]

Is there a template for pilot/patches? I want to add custom patches but don't see how it works with the official template.

[JayRoo]

Looking for a little help with side numbers. I'm trying to emulate the italicized side numbers found on VFA-136 seen on the nose and top of vertical stabilizer:

 

Here are my numbers. I used another FA18 custom numbers file as a template to size my custom italicized numbers and for the overall canvas size:

 

For whatever reason, my nose numbers are not aligned from the 2nd digit and the 3rd gets progressively higher to the point that #7-9 are clipping on the top and have a black line show up underneath. *See below* Any ideas how to change my photoshop file to straighten this out? The size seems a little small but not the end of the world. I'd like to make it editable by people and not create 301-309 separate aircraft.

 

 

I would also like to be able to make the vertical stab numbers a bit smaller and closer together. I imagine I will have to make a separate file for the desription.lua to go looking for. Based on the file with the numbers/transparency, what do you experienced skinners think I should do in photoshop?

 

Thank you in advance for consideration and advice

Edited December 14, 2020 by Strider
typos