Huey Pilot Skin

[Mistermann]

I've searched the forum for this, but can't locate.  Sorry if this was asked before.

I am looking for the Huey pilot and co-pilot models.  I can't seem to locate them.  I'd like to take a shot at editing for my personal missions. 

Would some kind soul please point me to the hidden cache of Huey Pilot goodness?  

Thanks!

[DishDoggie]

In your Game Tree is a file "ModelVieweer2" it is in the BIN Folder My install is like this "E:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin\ModelViewer2.exe" Open the Model Viewer Then Load A new 3D Model by going to "FILE" then "Load Model" then Pick This File from the List. At file path "E:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Bazar\World\Shapes" FILE"ab-212.edm" The Huey is Under this file type ab-212 It is hard to find till someone helps you find it. Now You go to the Textures Menu "a black Bar in the Main Window. Open it and look for the Pilot File "pilot_uh1_01" This is the File You want to edit. you will see a little arrow click it to open the menu tree to see the file. then look for the NAVIGATE BLUE BUTTON above the Picture and it will open the file explorer window to the file. I am taking you the long way around to get the file Because I want you to see the ModelViewer Because You NEED to USE it a Lot to do Skins and if you Know nothing about it...... wow it can be hard to find info and how to videos on how to do this. I have been teaching myself for a month or 2 now. okay maybe more lol anyway good luck. I only do Huey Skins because I'm still new and it is what I fly the most.

 

Look for some Youtube videos on the ModelViewer I did one is good he goes through all the menus and you can learn what it is used for more then My short exposure I gave you.

Edited March 15, 2022 by DishDoggie
forgot something

[Mistermann]

Hummmm - I got it to work, but didn't do any of what @DishDoggie did.  Strange.  Thanks for responding DD.

I found this following thread for the Hind - 

Here's what I did (right or wrong).

Found the BASE Huey textures located in the zip file (uh-1) in this directory

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Bazar\Textures

I believe the textures here are what drives the base huey (if this is incorrect, please let me know).

The pilot heads are located in the "pilot_UH1_head.dds"  - as you can see the 4 faces that makeup the Huey (Pilot/Co-Pilot/Gunners)

Using GIMP, I quickly updated the texture to look like this just to test.

I then found a custom skin in the downloads and installed into my DCS user files.  Loaded it just to make sure it worked.  Once I verified it worked, I went into the livery and added the pilot head texture.  I updated the description.lua by adding the following line:

{"pilot_UH1_head", 0, "pilot_UH1_head.dds",false};

Worked like a charm.  

See images below:

Original

 

Updated

 

So, as a proof of concept, I have shown myself how to update the pilots.  Awesome.  The sunglasses are an opaque layer and appear to be a little too opaque.  They are also misformed because I just pasted a regular image in there instead of a "flattened" one.

As an aside, I see the door gunners are First Sergeants.  I am skeptical that there were E-8's sitting in those positions very often.  I wanted to change their ranks to E-6 (staff sergeant).  That's still probably too high, but again, I am just trying to feel around in the dark here.  Using the same strategy as above, I found a texture called "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery" that contained the ranks and patches.

Seems like the texture I need to update ....

So I update it to be this:

... and add the following line to the description.lua

{"pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery.dds",false}; 

BUT in this case, the ranks don't change.  Its as though there's some other source for the ranks, OR I have that line above coded incorrectly.

Anyone have enough experience here to direct?

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by Mistermann

[DishDoggie]

LOL Maybe do what I say in this one lol that is a joke for fun. Keep going Brother. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by DishDoggie
forgot something

[Mistermann]

Fair - I just went though the directions above an using your technique, it told me what I determined by trial and error - the location of the textures.  Maybe this viewer tool is the unlock.  I didn't use it.  As you said, this is all some sort of black art.  I have a feeling my description.lua entry is incorrect for the ranks, but, like you, am flying around in the dark.

I'll probably just give this a rest.  I was able to make changes to the faces on a custom livery.  I'd love to do that to the base so ALL the models use my custom heads.  Nonetheless, its not like I see them all that much.

 

 

[DishDoggie]

    {"pilot_UH1_patch", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_vtnam_117", false};
    {"gunner_UH1_patch", 0,    "pilot_uh1_patch_vtnam_117.dds", false};

This is the way I get it to work

4 minutes ago, Mistermann said:

Fair - I just went though the directions above an using your technique, it told me what I determined by trial and error - the location of the textures.  Maybe this viewer tool is the unlock.  I didn't use it.  As you said, this is all some sort of black art.  I have a feeling my description.lua entry is incorrect for the ranks, but, like you, am flying around in the dark.

I'll probably just give this a rest.  I was able to make changes to the faces on a custom livery.  I'd love to do that to the base so ALL the models use my custom heads.  Nonetheless, its not like I see them all that much.

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by DishDoggie
forgot something

[Mistermann]

I just saw your other thread - thanks!!!  I'll give it a shot.

[Mistermann]

2 hours ago, DishDoggie said:

    {"pilot_UH1_patch", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_vtnam_117", false};
    {"gunner_UH1_patch", 0,    "pilot_uh1_patch_vtnam_117.dds", false};

@DishDoggie - thanks for the help.  No Dice.  Still showing the base patches.  Probably not worth it for me to continue wasting time on this.  I'll fly around with E-8's manning the door guns!

Edited March 15, 2022 by Mistermann

[=Skywarp=]

On 3/15/2022 at 12:34 PM, Mistermann said:

Hummmm - I got it to work, but didn't do any of what @DishDoggie did.  Strange.  Thanks for responding DD.

I found this following thread for the Hind - 

Here's what I did (right or wrong).

Found the BASE Huey textures located in the zip file (uh-1) in this directory

C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\Bazar\Textures

I believe the textures here are what drives the base huey (if this is incorrect, please let me know).

The pilot heads are located in the "pilot_UH1_head.dds"  - as you can see the 4 faces that makeup the Huey (Pilot/Co-Pilot/Gunners)

Using GIMP, I quickly updated the texture to look like this just to test.

I then found a custom skin in the downloads and installed into my DCS user files.  Loaded it just to make sure it worked.  Once I verified it worked, I went into the livery and added the pilot head texture.  I updated the description.lua by adding the following line:

{"pilot_UH1_head", 0, "pilot_UH1_head.dds",false};

Worked like a charm.  

See images below:

Original

 

Updated

 

So, as a proof of concept, I have shown myself how to update the pilots.  Awesome.  The sunglasses are an opaque layer and appear to be a little too opaque.  They are also misformed because I just pasted a regular image in there instead of a "flattened" one.

As an aside, I see the door gunners are First Sergeants.  I am skeptical that there were E-8's sitting in those positions very often.  I wanted to change their ranks to E-6 (staff sergeant).  That's still probably too high, but again, I am just trying to feel around in the dark here.  Using the same strategy as above, I found a texture called "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery" that contained the ranks and patches.

Seems like the texture I need to update ....

So I update it to be this:

... and add the following line to the description.lua

{"pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery.dds",false}; 

BUT in this case, the ranks don't change.  Its as though there's some other source for the ranks, OR I have that line above coded incorrectly.

Anyone have enough experience here to direct?

 

 

 

 

For the pilot using sunglasses, you have to paint the eyes with the same sunglasses layer, so it will cover the eyes, like this:

Edited March 17, 2022 by =Skywarp=

[DishDoggie]

Well I Ain't No Fortunate Son Till Today So I made This lol

A I AIN'T NO FORTUNATE SON NOSE ART HUEY with The Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer M261 Rocket Pod.

Just uploaded it so as soon as it updates you can get it.

[Mistermann]

7 hours ago, =Skywarp= said:

For the pilot using sunglasses, you have to paint the eyes with the same sunglasses layer, so it will cover the eyes

Thanks!!  I wondered why that layer remained opaque in spite of me setting it otherwise.  I kinda like seeing the eyes.  But NOT as much as is shown currently.  I also prefer the green tint vs. black.  I might mess around with the airbrush tool to color the face as you've described and see if I can replicate more of this kind of look.

Thanks for weighing in, @Skywarp

 

[Mistermann]

Boom!  This is more what I was going for.  Thanks again, @Skywarp!

No change to eyes is on the Right and my "coloring" of the eyes using the airbrush tool on the Left.

Yes, the sunglasses are meant to have different tints.  I'll "fix" the AC eyes and call it done.  This has been a fun little mini-project.

Here's a closer shot

Edited March 17, 2022 by Mistermann

[Mistermann]

On 3/15/2022 at 11:34 AM, Mistermann said:

As an aside, I see the door gunners are First Sergeants.  I am skeptical that there were E-8's sitting in those positions very often.  I wanted to change their ranks to E-6 (staff sergeant).  That's still probably too high, but again, I am just trying to feel around in the dark here.  Using the same strategy as above, I found a texture called "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery" that contained the ranks and patches.

Seems like the texture I need to update ....

So I update it to be this:

... and add the following line to the description.lua

{"pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery.dds",false}; 

BUT in this case, the ranks don't change.  Its as though there's some other source for the ranks, OR I have that line above coded incorrectly.

Anyone have enough experience here to direct?

Future me coming in with a response. 

After struggling with this, I KNEW it was a "me problem".  @DishDoggie, thanks for your patience with me.  Well, I knew @Reflected pulled this off in his excellent Paradise Lost campaign, so I looked at the Liveries containing that content.  I was incorrectly coding the description.lua file.  Once I squared it away, these are the results. --- E-6's in the house!

My problem was solved by copy/pasting from Reflected's description.lua and updating the file names.  I was using the extension of .dds in my original attempts, but the working file doesn't.  So I updated the lua with the following lines:

    {"pilot_UH1_patch", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery", false};
    {"gunner_UH1_patch", 0, "pilot_UH1_patch_1_cavalery", false};

Works like a charm.  

I really hope this thread sheds a little light on how to modify the pilots of the Huey.  Maybe some months from now someone will be in a similar situation and can reference this thread for some specifics.  If this saves someone else some time, it was worth me spending time to document my process.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Mistermann

[DishDoggie]

@Mistermann

I am Happy You Got it working. lol I Knew you Would.

[=Skywarp=]

On 3/17/2022 at 10:46 AM, Mistermann said:

Boom!  This is more what I was going for.  Thanks again, @Skywarp!

No change to eyes is on the Right and my "coloring" of the eyes using the airbrush tool on the Left.

Yes, the sunglasses are meant to have different tints.  I'll "fix" the AC eyes and call it done.  This has been a fun little mini-project.

Here's a closer shot

 

 

Very nice effect you got there

another way of achievment is to create a layer over the eyes region, paint it black (or dark green, or gray) and add transparency

Edited March 19, 2022 by =Skywarp=