[A-4E Community Mod] Livery Template Questions

[Gandalf_56]

Could we have available the skin template for the A4E?

As I have said before we have some artists eager to work on the paint schemes of our beloved A4!!.

 

Thanks again to A4E community for this amazing mod!!!

Edited November 19, 2018 by Gandalf_56

[BoNidle]

Seconded.

[Vfa-81 Fix]

Template available here:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wjLMFu38EXqYOcEjJakuvzedhWdbWNW0/view

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Vfa-81 Fix

[Bananimal]

I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure out where all the files are that need to be created locally for the skins so I can properly view the model in ModelViewer. They packed them away in zip files spread across multiple zip files. Uggghhh! The skins loads properly in the sim, but not ModelViewer.

 

Apparently, the roughmets are loaded somehow, but the description.lua file in the livery folder I'm using as a template mentions nothing of them. The skin I am working on isn't loading the roughmets and I have no idea where they are located.

 

Here's my description.lua. Looks right, but references to the roughmet are not there. Works for default skins though. I don't get it.

 

livery = {

{"Bottom", 0, "VFA-204_401-bot", false};

{"Top", 0, "VFA-204_401-top", false};

 

-- flaps, used on most liveries

{"flaps_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"flaps_010", 0, "empty", true};

{"flaps_100", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- three digit, smaller nose numbers, used on most liveries

{"nose_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"nose_010", 0, "empty", true};

{"nose_100", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- two digit top-of-tail, used on most USMC liveries

{"tail_aggressor_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"tail_aggressor_010", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- three digit top-of-rudder, used on most USN liveries

{"rudder_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"rudder_010", 0, "empty", true};

{"rudder_100", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- wing bort used on most USN liveries

{"wing_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"wing_010", 0, "empty", true};

{"wing_100", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- 2-digit large nose numbers, used on USN/USMC aggressors

{"nose_aggressor_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"nose_aggressor_010", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- 3-digit large tail numbers, used on some USN/USMC aggressors

{"tail_001", 0, "empty", true};

{"tail_010", 0, "empty", true};

{"tail_100", 0, "empty", true};

 

-- custom fuel tanks: 150 gallon

{"fuel_150_a4e", 0, "VFA-204_401", false};

 

-- custom fuel tank: 300 gallon left/right

{"fuel_300lr_a4e", 0, "VFA-204_401", false};

 

-- custom fuel tank: 300 gallon center

{"fuel_300c_a4e", 0, "VFA-204_401", false};

 

}

 

name = "VFA-204 River Rattlers 401 (c.1976)"

--name_xx = ""

--[[ assign the countries ]]

countries = {"USA"}

 

 

And here's what I'm getting. The base skins top and bottom load. No roughmets though. :cry:

Edited November 20, 2018 by Bananimal

[Bananimal]

Here's what I have at the bottom of my ModelViewer autoexec.lua file. Not sure why the other textures aren't loading. As mentioned, the skin loads properly in the sim, but for whatever reason, while building the skin in the Bazar/Liveries folder, the call out to the other textures is failing. I copied the A-4E-C Textures folder to the Bazar/Liveries folder to no avail. I sure wish ED would fix this ModelViewer so we can point it to the files we want to load into it instead of guessing what we have to move into the Bazar Liveries folder. It's messy as all get out. An entire day wasted on trying to figure this out. I could have been done the repaints at this point. Seriously.

 

LoadModel("Bazar/Liveries/0 A-4E-C/Shapes/A-4E-C.edm")

--LoadModel("Bazar/Liveries/0 A-4E-C//Shapes/DFT_150gal_a4e.edm")

--LoadModel("Bazar/Liveries/0 A-4E-C//Shapes/DFT_300gal_a4e_C.edm")

--LoadModel("Bazar/Liveries/0 A-4E-C//Shapes/DFT_300gal_a4e_LR.edm")

--LoadModel("Bazar/Liveries/0 A-4E-C//Shapes/DFT_400gal_a4e.edm")

LoadLivery("0 A-4E-C","VFA-204 River Rattlers 401 (c.1976)")

Edited November 20, 2018 by Bananimal

[Bananimal]

Found the issue.. ModelViewer cannot read files in the Saved Games folder. I had to copy the mod into the mods directory in my DCS install. Back to painting VA-204. :-)

[Baco]

Yeap the Model Viewer only reads liveries in the main DCS Folder.

 

Now regarding decals, if Y place an "empty" in every Number, I should get no numbers right?

 

And would you share your custom Tanks Template?

[SkateZilla]

Found the issue.. ModelViewer cannot read files in the Saved Games folder. I had to copy the mod into the mods directory in my DCS install. Back to painting VA-204. :-)

 

Open /DCS World/Config/ModelViewer/Autoexec.lua

 

Scroll all the way to the Bottom:

 

Add:

mount_vfs_liveries_path ("<full_path_to_User_Liveries_folder>")

 

This will allow you to load liveries from saved games folder.

 

then you have to mount the textures, as the livery description.lua only tells the sim where specific files are and not all of them needed.

 

so:

mount_vfs_texture_path  ("H:/Eagle Dynamics/DCS.Aircraft/A-4E-C/Textures/")
mount_vfs_texture_path  ("<path_to>/A-4E-C/Textures/")

 

And then lines for each zipped folder as well.

Edited November 21, 2018 by SkateZilla

[Bananimal]

Thanks Skate.

[Bananimal]

Challenge of the day. I don't know that this can be resolved. In the end, this skin and all work put into it for the last three days may have to be scrapped. :noexpression:

 

Severe UV mapping issues on the A-4E hump. Here's what the snake looks like on the PSD followed by what happens to the texture when it is mapped onto the model in ModelViewer.

 

UPDATE: It took me a total of 26 hours fiddling with this one decal to straighten it out. It's not perfect, but it is acceptable at this point. If you are planning on doing a skin with a decal on the hump, be advised, you'll have your work cut out for you trying to straighten it.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Bananimal

[MPalmer]

Two part question.

 

1. is there a paint template for the drop tanks and pilot?

 

2. where is the arresting hook, and the two objects towards the rear of the main gear fairings that looks like an Antenna and the other is the bottom beacon light to repaint?

[Baco]

No tanks or pilot Yet as templates.

 

I did ask for the drop tanks, and was told that it will happen in the future.

 

Cant find the Hook either ;)

[MPalmer]

cool...thanks Baco

[Bananimal]

Anyone know where the hook, tailpipe and compressor blade textures are located?

[MPalmer]

Anyone know where the hook, tailpipe and compressor blade textures are located?

 

I think the texture for it is missing...odd that the shape file has it, just no call-out for texture.

Fan might be..."high-speed-fan", check previous thread for naming convention

[Bananimal]

Found the hook. It's on the fus_bot_v472.dds file top center. You need to call it in your description.lua as such:

 

	--Arrestor Hook
{"Gear and metal", 0, "fus_bot_v472", false};

 

I have no idea why they would map stuff like this. Makes no sense from a skinner's perspective. The hook texture is on the bottom PSD already. Why not map it from there? Makes for a very confusing scenario. On top of that, they applied a metallic roughmet to it, so it's a metallic white and black striped hook on my skin now. Better than gunmetal grey though.

 

I was not able to fix the flickering compressor blades. It looks like they mapped the wrong texture to the blades with overlap in a metal area. They will have to fix that.

[MPalmer]

Good Find!! Thank you for that.

 

I was looking at the Roughmet picture, and it'll need to be changed there. But that's beyond my level of understanding how to recreate it at this point.

Edited November 25, 2018 by MPalmer

[BoNidle]

I've painted the pilots helmet but cannot get it to show.

 

 

Does anyone know the correct .lua entry for this please?

[MPalmer]

{"Pilot", 0, "a4e_pilot", false};

[BoNidle]

Thanks a lot mate.

[Lt.Col. Momo]

Template available here:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wjLMFu38EXqYOcEjJakuvzedhWdbWNW0/view

 

 

File does not exist Boss :cry:

[Mike_Romeo]

File does not exist Boss :cry:

Try this https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19w_bD8xHJiZpAi1JbA2xyPDJpl9dje-4

[Lt.Col. Momo]

On 9/5/2020 at 6:01 PM, Mike_Romeo said:

Try this https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19w_bD8xHJiZpAi1JbA2xyPDJpl9dje-4

Awesome! Thank You Sir!