Top Gun skins

[Ikaros]

I came across the Top Guns that were added in the new hot fix update and I thought it was a nice little stealthy addition. I'm going to see the movie tomorrow and I hope there is some F-14 action in it.

[ShinyMikey]

Yes, they also slipped in two more 1999 VF-14 skins, 202 and 206, to go with the other two that they added a while back. Very much appreciated! (VF-114 Aardvarks...hint hint nudge nudge )

[LanceCriminal86]

4 hours ago, ShinyMikey said:

Yes, they also slipped in two more 1999 VF-14 skins, 202 and 206, to go with the other two that they added a while back. Very much appreciated! (VF-114 Aardvarks...hint hint nudge nudge )

 

The sudden inclusion of the Top Gun skins was as much a surprise to the people that made them. It hadn't been supplied anywhere else and suddenly I see a screenshot in the livery thread thinking someone either had made the exact same jet, or somehow had mine. They were a combined effort though of 5 or 6 folks, with one knocking out Maverick and Goose's helmets in about 2 days time, 2 of us doing the actual jets, and others helping with the art vectors to use for tails and patches etc. And there may even be more to come.

Squadrons will keep coming, the F-14 externals are going to be getting some love, fixes, and additions it looks like so the other squadrons should start flowing. The skins that had been added so far were all passion projects rather than just churning out something for each squadron real fast. We're also hoping for a better solution to handle and distribute skins officially that servers and players can use, because it's not looking sustainable to do 4x skins per squadron/timeframe just based on drive space.

[Blinde]

I think that VF-1 insignia on tail is way too big, compared to the one in the movie. Also the font on pilot names is wrong.

[BreaKKer]

19 hours ago, Blinde said:

I think that VF-1 insignia on tail is way too big, compared to the one in the movie. Also the font on pilot names is wrong.

It’s not meant to be 1:1

[Blinde]

4 hours ago, BreaKKer said:

It’s not meant to be 1:1

Then what's the point on making one with so big errors? It could be easily fixed to at least make that insignia proper size.

Helmets and flight suits are accurate.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Blinde

[Q3ark]

The skins look great, I want to say thanks to the team that put them together! 

[Hobo 1-1]

Agreed. Thank you for the hard work we all get to appreciate!

[Swordsman422]

Matt Lawlor at the Top Gun Props Forum made a reference diagram for modelers. Might be useful here.

[lunaticfringe]

On 5/29/2022 at 2:25 PM, Blinde said:

Then what's the point on making one with so big errors? It could be easily fixed to at least make that insignia proper size.

Helmets and flight suits are accurate.

 

 

Fictional aircraft skin with undefined callsign font, no known apostrophe match, and a slightly over-large tail flash is LITERALLY UNPLAYABLE. 

Instead of curbing their enthusiasm for having some fun, curb your expectations for a minor deviation into levity.  Or, make your own.  And if that doesnt work, don't use them. 

[LanceCriminal86]

Not to mention sailing right over the "done in 3 days and weren't originally told it would be released anywhere" comment but hey.

I was already working fixes after the deadline because my original reference pic made the logo seem huge but was from far away, not to mention I also had an unseen version that actually was made to match the film jet, but it's always a wonderful wet blanket to stop in the forums sometimes so thanks for that. I was working on some neat 1991 VF-11 skins and paused all that to try and help out, plus reworking the 1988 ones after losing a whole PSD during a crash.

And even many modeling guides don't exactly match the singular photo I found that shows the tail up close, not to mention the tail logo was simplified from the fancier versions of the bird out there and the positioning inside the circle. Then there's trying to work out the size and position of the logo with almost no reference points visible and the shot being from a low and not side-on angle of the tail, so can't exactly make out the tail reinforcements or how close to the front edges it is. There are surprisingly few shots of the actual tails from Maverick's jet, and add the fact they had to use multiple jets so each could be different and different jets are in each shot even within a single scene. Sometimes it's one of the Iceman jets, sometimes it's the one with the big VF-213 logo on it. Good luck finding a solid reference shot of Maverick's tail. And to add to that, one of the "VF-1" jets the bird is the same on both sides, one it's always facing forwards. Tons of shots are either in the forced night/evening lighting during the intro or the tails are completely cut out of the frame.

In the process of making them and watching the movie about 5 times back to back, I also noticed when Iceman's engine is "hit" the bullet holes are by the rescue arrow, which is on the nose/forward fuselage. And then the smoke as they're shutting it down, is actually the gun so it looks like they used footage of a live gun shoot.

I don't know if I should post it yet but there is a version of 114 as close to the movie's patchy corrosion control, funky anti-skid panels, missing MODEX, and all that jazz. I added a VF-1 on the ventral strakes but at this point I don't know if the jets even had that, if they had the original VF-111/51, or blank strakes.

[Swordsman422]

I'd... kinda been working on one on and off, waiting for the -135 Early to come out. Wasn't sure I was ever going to release it and probably don't need to now anyway.

 

[LanceCriminal86]

This was the only close photo I had found of the tails:

This is the one I just got the scale wrong from, then realized the tail logo we whipped up needed to be altered because the bottom banner was not patch style but just had a straight "ribbon" shape unlike the VFA-25:

 

I've been trying to go through the film and behind the scenes shots, there's just not great references. I'm just working/finishing this because I started it, not trying to steal any thunder especially if someone's been working on one for a long time. If anything it was a fun exercise to see how quickly I could do it and the weathering but a "default" style weathering was also requested and ultimately used instead. I'm using the process to fine-tune doing roughmets that match the corrosion control paint but the reference material is frustrating. One 114 jet seemed to have the style of tactical paint like I did while another shows that but also with a faded standard TPS nose under it. I think you captured that somewhat in your version.

 

I haven't even started trying to get the nose MODEX sorted out, they were painted over and one set looks like no font I can seem to find. I would also like to do a final scene version with Merlin in back.

 

Really we need to get some VF-51, 111, 114, and 213 line birds done, I think some of the other longstanding "passion project" skins are starting to be more finalized. If the early jet and other features are in the pipe soon maybe something can be done up to go with it. We'll have to go back and re-do stuff though as some of our "duct tape" early style jet mods might be negated as the features are modeled in.

[IronMike]

"Look what you guys did to my boy Lance."

Be kind to your skin creators, guys, they do god's work for us to enjoy.

 

[Redliner7]

I for one, bowdown to the great overLord supreme chancellor Lance for the skin!



Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[Spurts]

Great skins are most of the reason I fly the A.  The challenge of performing whatever task I am doing with less "oomph" is the rest.  Loving the Maverick and Goose skin.

[LanceCriminal86]

18 hours ago, Redliner7 said:

I for one, bowdown to the great overLord supreme chancellor Lance for the skin!



Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk
 

Let's not get too carried away here, @Shmoo42 @VFlipand @_YaeSakura_ do all the lifting around these parts!

While there was also a more screen-style jet made I've gotten a lot of references from some of the other talented skinners around, so at the least I'd like to say that a screen-style Maverick and Goose "114" skin is coming. It wasn't purposely not included or anything, there were just a lot of moving parts and it was a very short timeframe, plus lots of people in different countries all trying to make some stuff happen. And yes, I am eyeing an Iceman/Slider jet as well. A "final battle" pair or trio will have to be a while because there are some historic skins that I would really like to get ready for next patch if I can, and there's also some VF-114 and VF-213 photos that caught my eye as well from 1990. That, and I've got some reserve skins of VF-201 and VF-202 that I need to just stop sitting on and get pushed out.

[draconus]

I know these skins are popular but is it really the plan to add all of those to the module, @IronMike ? I suppose they are entirely fictional and so I prefer to minimise their presence on my disk. Would be best to leave them on DCS user files to download.

Thanks for all RL skins to all artists.

[Q3ark]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

I know these skins are popular but is it really the plan to add all of those to the module, @IronMike ? I suppose they are entirely fictional and so I prefer to minimise their presence on my disk. Would be best to leave them on DCS user files to download.

Thanks for all RL skins to all artists.

You could just go in and delete them from your install. 

[IronMike]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

I know these skins are popular but is it really the plan to add all of those to the module, @IronMike ? I suppose they are entirely fictional and so I prefer to minimise their presence on my disk. Would be best to leave them on DCS user files to download.

Thanks for all RL skins to all artists.

Yes, ofc they will stay. They are part of the Top Gun/ Maverick bundles and very much what some would expect from these, hence they are included default. They may be fictional, but for the majority they are part of the culture that very much helped define what I would wager sparked most of our love for aviation, the myth around the Tomcat (and now Hornet), etc...

Edited June 3, 2022 by IronMike

[draconus]

34 minutes ago, Q3ark said:

You could just go in and delete them from your install. 

They'll come back with every update.

[Q3ark]

4 hours ago, draconus said:

They'll come back with every update.

Obviously, however it’s hardly effort to remove them. 

[draconus]

5 minutes ago, Q3ark said:

Obviously, however it’s hardly effort to remove them. 

It'd be download waste to do it, obviously.

[IronMike]

21 minutes ago, draconus said:

It'd be download waste to do it, obviously.

IMO just live with them, bud, even if you don't like em, they are 500MB altogether. I know it isn't nothing, but in today's age and in comparison to everything else and in light of how cheap storage is these days, really not much either. My DCS install for example is well above 1TB hehe (given I run 2 at the same time, but still).

 

(+ I hope you never looked in your coremods folder, how much space liveries from aircraft take up, you may never fly... They ofc need to be there to have matching skins online, etc. but altogether it is uhm, a lot.)

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by IronMike

[draconus]

It's not really a problem. I just asked and been answered but find @Q3ark suggestions questionable.