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Mi-8 "Goodies Pack"


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Hi,

 

I have been working in different things at a time, most of them for the Mi-8, so that is why I name this post "Goodies Pack" as all is about this excellent module and helps me also to track any feedback in a single post. ( Looks like finally, I am a lazy guy...) :]

 

Here are these "Goodies":

 

Mi-8 Full RoughMetal Patch

 

Mi-8-Goodies-by-Grajo-01.jpg

 

1. Mayor one (I guess) is a RoughMetal (PBR) shader workflow implementation for most of the textures of the Mi-8 including rotor blades, wheels, B8V20, UPK, and GUV pods. The rest of the standard Mi-8 Textures have been updated with custom Rough, Metal and AO Maps also. Special mention to the AO map which will not show dark patches in the place of armor parts for any livery any more, and wheels that will not be weirdly metal looking.

 

If this patch is installed, it will change the look of ALL the liveries of the Mi-8 that do not have custom Rough/Metal maps, implementing a "default" Rough/Metal shader. Until the date, no liveries have them except the ones in this post...

 

This is necessary because so far there are no vanilla textures for the PBR shaders although they are supported by Mi-8, so the only way for DCS to use the "new shaders" is for it to find these _RoughMet textures in the right folder.

 

I encourage all livery creators to start using this workflow and create their own custom _RoughtMet maps as it can improve really a lot the look of their work.

 

Hope this is somehow clear, sooner or later DCS will release their own _RoughMet maps so patches like this will not be necessary anymore. At that point probably they will update vanilla liveries and make custom maps for them so some are glossy or matte like they are right now (with old Specular workflow). If you want your liveries to support PBR and you do not like how my maps work on them, (They work much better in "matte" liveries) you can try/mix with those from the "Un-Official RoughMet Patch", create your own... :], or keep using old Specular shaders until ED does something about it. (I also provide in the zip a very basic Gloss and Matte alternative for the maps that can be used if you prefer.)

 

The maps in the patch just need to be copied inside your DCS directory: Bazar/Word/Textures, I advise using OvGME, installing it as a mod (following Rudel_chw advise) as it might be deleted every time DCS is updated. (As happens to most Mods)

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3304385/

 

 

Mi-8 USSR - Afghanistan Liveries Pack

 

Mi-8-Goodies-by-Grajo-02.jpg

 

Mi-8-Goodies-by-Grajo-03.jpg

 

 

2. Here some "USSR - Afghanistan Liveries". These are the ones that took me more time (as the Rough/Metal patch is done from a simplified, more standardized, maps created for these liveries).

 

Before any purist of realism and historical precision start making any critic about the chosen colors for these Liveries I want to say that I have checked A LOT of references of this specific camo for the Soviet-Afghan war. Most of the photos are low res black and white pictures and those few that are in color, differ between them, and many others seem to be painted. Color has been chosen by my own criteria even if they might or not be historically accurate. B (Desert) version color just go great with Nevada and Persian Gulf Map... Was not a big deal to tweak the camo layers to another color and re-export the maps as another version, so I did so.

 

The liveries have their own custom Rough/Metal maps, as soon as "Mi-8 Full RoughMetal Patch" is installed, they will work properly ( should work fine also whenever ED creates their own maps for the Mi-8 )

 

Special thanks here to NickD for his "UNOFFICIAL - Blender .edm Addon":

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=178430

 

Which allowed me to start the really long journey to get a decent version of the Mi-8 3D model inside programs like Blender and 3D-Coat from where I got some nice base Rough, Dust and AO maps. (That I spend ages retouching....)

 

Thanks to 104th_Fallen and T. Nark for sharing their knowledge about the PBR shader availability for older modules and their work on their patch so far:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=233321

 

And thanks also to SkateZilla for his great PBR workflow documentation:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=193596

 

I would love to do an HD version of the normal maps with some shuttle bumps and stuff but not very confident with that kind of map (and how to edit it efficiently) yet to do any decent job so another thing in my infinite TODO list.

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3304386/

 

 

Mi-8 RPK HD reticle and Custom Color Mod

 

Mi-8-Goodies-by-Grajo-04.jpg

 

3. This one is more the kind of my "go to" Mod; something small and easy to handle where I can focus easily and gives me a good visual reward.

In the line of the one for the Spitfire, this Mi-8 HD Reticle mod just has double res as the vanilla plus some few weathering/shuttle glow details that make it more appealing. (Working on one for the Huey at the moment.)

 

Also, the little mod makes it easy to tweak the color of it so anybody can just edit the .lua file easily to get their desired reticle color.

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3304387/

 

 

Mi-8 Small Mission Pack

 

Mi-8-Goodies-by-Grajo-05.jpg

 

4. Finally, a couple of missions for the Mi-8. Have been working on them for a long time as they started in a really rough stage where I created them to train my landing and strafing skills...

 

So basically are just that, although both have their little storyline and are crafted with care and have been "tested" by me many many times.

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3304388/

 

 

Ohhhh man! That was a lot of bla, bla, bla...

 

Bottom line... Really hope you like any of the content. Let's keep enjoying the Mi-8 during this long wait for the Mi-24 and beyond !!!

 

Would love some feedback also if possible. Thanks!

 

Note: All the files posted here pass the Integrity Check so far

 

*Download Links Updated to DCS User Files


Edited by Grajo
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great effort thanks!

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FC3 | UH-1 | Mi-8 | A-10C II | F/A-18 | Ka-50 III | F-14 | F-16 | AH-64 Mi-24 | F-5 | F-15E| F-4| Tornado

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Thanks a lot @Grajo, very impressive work ... you clearly love the Mi-8.

 

I'm at the moment fully occupied with learning the Tomcat, in fact the only helo that I've managed to learn is the Blackshark ... hopefully I will sometime soon start to learn the UH-1, as a stepping stone before attempting the Mi-8 :)

 

I will put a bookmark to this thread, to get back to it when my Mi-8 time does come.

 

Best regards

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Thank you for your kind words guys. Indeed, tons of hours has gone with these few "Goodies".

It has been a big challenge for me as I did not even know how to edit a .lua file when I started ...:music_whistling:

 

I am really happy to share the "finished" results and even more if some of you enjoy them too :D.

 

As you say Rudel_chw, looks like I really love the Mi-8, I guess I do.

 

Flying most of the modules of DCS give us some nice sense of achievement when we are somehow "competent" with them, but some like the Mi-8 seems to me Special somehow. The Ka-50, I do not know almost anything about it but looks very complex module also. The Huey is a beauty, more "nervous" to fly I would say, even more, "difficult" than the Mi-8 which at the end is quite gentle. Gazelle also no clue jet, flew it a couple of times but still did not learn any of the buttons... I guess badass looking big fat powerful helicopters are more my type :].

Maybe a Mi-26... That would be epic! Although I imagine most of us would be really happy if the Mi-24P (whenever it comes...) is, at least, as well crafted as the Mi-8.

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Thanks Grajo, this is really great stuff!

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  • 9 months later...

Is it possible to solve this issue with this Rough/Metal Patch?

I´m not yet able to test this?

DCS-Tutorial-Collection       

BlackSharkDen - Helicopter only

Specs:: ASrock Z790 Pro RS; Intel i5-13600K @5,1Ghz; 64GB DDR5 RAM; RTX 3080 @10GB; Corsair RMX Serie 750; 2x SSD 850 EVO 1x860 EVO 500GB 1x nvme M.2 970 EVO 1TB; 1x nvme M.2 980 Pro 2TB+ 3 TB HDD

Hardware: Oculus Rift S; HOTAS Warthog; Saitek Rudder Pedals, K-51 Collective

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No, the patch by itself won't fix any of your issues. I think all comes from the why you set up your lua file for your livery.

 

In any case if you download the Mi-8 USSR - Afghanistan Liveries Pack, you can take a look at the lua file and see if it does more sense to you this way. Took a while for me also until I figured all this stuff out :joystick:.

 

*I replayed in your post about the rotor blades texture, I hope you find the info useful somehow.

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  • 11 months later...

@Grajo - I just bought the Mi-8 today - These constant ED $ALE$ are killing me!  lol..

Of course the first thing I did ( just like I did with the Spitfire) was install one of your excellent Mods.

 

I noticed in this thread you give thanks to 104th_Fallen and T. Nark on their UnOfficial RoughMet patch : https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=233321

 

Maybe I am tired or, too new to the Mi-8, but I was having trouble trying to see the differences between your Mi-8 RoughMet Mod and the one from 104th_Fallen. I can see some differences in files and sizes in the MI-8MT folder but not seeing differences in screenshots. 

What should I be looking for - or is my New 31'' Monitor turning to crap too?  lol. 

 

Cheers. 

 

  • Do not own:  | F-15E | JF-17 | Fw 190 A-8 | Bf 109 |
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Hi YSIAD_RIP,

 

First, IMO you have bought the best ED module to the date, so congrats :].

 

About your question, I do thank 104th_Fallen and T. Nark of UnOfficial RoughMet patch because thanks to them I realized that I could use PBR in the Mi-8, but I am not including any of their files or any modification of them in my patch and my PBR and theirs does not look similar at all, at least they were not similar by the time I released mine. 

Best way to check is to take a look if camo paint scratches and reflections match, orbiting around the model with some side sun lighting. Also, weapons should look more metallic, tires should have a more natural look and rotor blades should look more metallic. (Maybe, you did not install this stuff right?)

 

In any case, my patch needs some updates, and the skins also... But it has been around 8 months that the project is on hold.

 

I am not working on it right now, but there are several issues to fix, the mayor one is that the interior/cargo area (AO map) was black and looking awful, did not notice this until it was too late. Also I am trying to smooth most of the texture UV island seams so the textures looks better, along with some dust weathering reduction that it is a bit overdone.

 

By the way, since some ED DCS updates, the Mi-8 does not read the AO map from the PBR texture, but I fixed already thanks to EightBall :], who found the way around.

 

I am cleaning my PSD files also too, hopefully, share them as a template whenever I finish my work on the new PBR patch and Mi-8 Afghan Liveries. However, this seems to be quite long term thing. I am going to start working again soon in a new job and I won't have time to do much 😞. Work sucks, right?

 

Afghan-Skin-Wip.jpg

 

*Here is how the updates looks until now, in my poor laptop... Hopefully, new computer "arrives" this upcoming year and gives me some boost to finish all this stuff :].

 

Take care

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Hi @Grajo,

 

Thanks for the generous detailed reply!

 

I did download and "re-install"your Mi-8 Full RoughMetal Patch v01 along with your excellent skins Mi-8 USSR - Afghanistan Liveries Pack v01.

 

AND NOW I SEE THE DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENTS! 

(Fantastic tire and paint details indeed - See attached screen shot below.)  

 

Of course I will follow this thread and will be happy to wait 6 month or more for any updates you may be able to apply.   

I would not be surprised if ED did some of their own updates to the Mi-8 in 2021, and would hope they save valuable time by using your Goodies Pack.

 

Until then, good luck in your new job - Merry Christmas and Thank you! 

 

Cheers.

JJF. 

 

 

 

 

Mi-8 Grajo Skin and RoughMet.png

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  • Do not own:  | F-15E | JF-17 | Fw 190 A-8 | Bf 109 |
  • Hardware:  [ - Ryzen7-5800X - 32GB - RX 6800 - X56 HOTAS Throttle -  WINWING Orion 2 F16EX Grip - TrackIR 5 - Tobii 5C - JetPad FSE - ]
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  • 5 weeks later...

Thanks a lot for the nice Mod, I'm currently learning the Mi-8 and so I installed your RoughMet patch and Liveries and it makes for a much more realistic look:

 

7a4LlbP.jpg

 

Cheers!

 

Eduardo

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For work: iMac mid-2010 of 27" - Core i7 870 - 6 GB DDR3 1333 MHz - ATI HD5670 - SSD 256 GB - HDD 2 TB - macOS High Sierra

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12 minutes ago, Grajo said:

Hey Eduardo! You finally bought it 😅! Trust me, you are not gonna regret.

 


🙂 actually, I bought the Mi-8 during a sale several years ago, for only 20 dollars, but never got around to really learn to fly her until now .. I knew when I did the purchase that I wouldn’t have time to fly her for a while, but the price was too good to pass it by 😄

 

i’m also purchasing , at long last, my first set of rudders to fly her properly .. I chose the Virpil rudders, not cheap, but they look to be of high quality 

cheers.

 

For work: iMac mid-2010 of 27" - Core i7 870 - 6 GB DDR3 1333 MHz - ATI HD5670 - SSD 256 GB - HDD 2 TB - macOS High Sierra

For Gaming: 34" Monitor - Ryzen 3600X - 32 GB DDR4 2400 - nVidia GTX1070ti - SSD 1.25 TB - HDD 10 TB - Win10 Pro - TM HOTAS Cougar - Oculus Rift CV1

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5 minutes ago, Grajo said:

Nice one! Helos with no rudders are definitely a nightmare to control . I got VKB T-Rudder MKIV, (helo type ruder/pedals) years ago, and also very happy with them. 


oh, I looked at them, but I think I prefer the rudders with forward-backward movement, while the VKB Seems to move more like up-down, like a gas pedal. Pity, because the VPC are more expensive.

 

For work: iMac mid-2010 of 27" - Core i7 870 - 6 GB DDR3 1333 MHz - ATI HD5670 - SSD 256 GB - HDD 2 TB - macOS High Sierra

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I've been giving the Mi-8 a lot more love now.  Especially after getting the "Mikhail" Collective Controller! 

 

Thanks Grajo, love your mods!  It'll be awesome to have the Afghan map at some point to pull all of this together. 

 

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MSI MAG Z790 Carbon, i9-13900k, NH-D15 cooler, 64 GB CL40 6000mhz RAM, MSI RTX4090, Yamaha 5.1 A/V Receiver, 4x 2TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe, 1x 2TB Samsung 870 EVO SSD, Win 11 Pro, TM Warthog, Virpil WarBRD, MFG Crosswinds, 43" Samsung 4K TV, 21.5 Acer VT touchscreen, TrackIR, Varjo Aero, Wheel Stand Pro Super Warthog, Phanteks Enthoo Pro2 Full Tower Case, Seasonic GX-1200 ATX3 PSU, PointCTRL, Buttkicker 2, K-51 Helicopter Collective Control

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Hey javelina1, 

 

Sure, with that piece of hardware, things start to look a lot more handy and immersive. I have a very "modest" rig: VKB Gladiator MK2 joy, VKB pedals and the Track IR... By now, my "nomad" life style does not allow me to go into nice rigs, dedicated chairs or cockpits. Still, if at some point, I could settle down somewhere... Would not care about getting that "Mikhail" :].

 

Happy to see you enjoy the mods.

 

I am also, like many others, looking forward to the Afghanistan map, for a long time.  Some of my favorite birds; Mi-8 and Su-25A (Mi-24P 😋) would have the hell of a playground there. For what I have seen in the forum, no official news about it for a very long time... Lets hope that this changes asap.

 

Best!

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