SharkPit 2.0 [wip]

[TangoRomeo]

All around new cockpit textures.

 

To do List:

[X] "Westernized" cockpit

[] Night lighting

[] Russian version

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

[goldfinger35]

What changes did you make? I see some changes but do you have a list?

Also, can textures be made for even higher resolution/quality?

[TangoRomeo]

As for a list of changes; i think it will be most insightful comparing these textures:

 

Original dashboard& overhead panel texture:

 

Same texture modified:

To sum it up:

+ higher quality textures

+ better colour consistency throughout the cockpit

+ generally a darker cockpit

+ new warning lights

+ new switches/knobs/ screws ....

+ new lettering (MS 33558 font for panels and gauges (western version))

+ new nightlighting (instead of dark yellow -> dimmed cyan/greenish colour

 

 

As for the max resolution, standard size for main panels is 2048x2048 - 4096 might work/ havn't checked it yet. Standard Res is more than sufficent though to add nice detail even when close up.

[goldfinger35]

I like it, especially Shkval and ABRIS screens! :thumbup:

[crazysundog]

Wow, looks great!!

 

Keep up the good work!

[Devas]

Very nice work! :thumbup:

 

Waiting for the publication of any version to try :book:

[Feuerfalke]

Looks nice.

 

I am working on a cockpit-mod myself, but rather for my personal preference ;)

 

 

I found that some parts of the cockpit look pretty pixelated. A simple smoothing out helps a lot. I also didn't like the color-reflections of the black board as they looked like compression artifacts rather than reflections how it really should look like.

 

Some parts of the cockpit are mapped really odd, though. The frame around the front glass is taken from small areas of the door-skin, for example.

 

You also have to check color depths of your textures, as some files will cause graphical glitches, when not saved in the right bit-depth.

 

As you did, I lowered the brightness for the AP-Buttons. Sometimes you can't see if they are active or not. And I also replaced the "C" in the compass by a "N". ;)

 

 

BTW: Can anybody from the Russian folks tell us, what the text means below the EKRAN? It was not translated in the English pit. Thanks in advance.

Edited April 8, 2009 by Feuerfalke

[Distiler]

It's very nice I'll try it for sure. It looks with higher quality than the original but at the same time I don't know if those new knobs, etc. are realistic or not. I just wish the original cockpit with the blurry textures out ^^

I don't comprehend why ED mixed nice textures and really blurry ones into the cockpit.

[Skypat]

Hello,

 

incredible work !

if you need help for the ModMan package, i can do it for you.

 

BTW, i think it will be a good idea to release beta version of your cockpit textures in order to find all graphics glitch before the 'final' version.

 

just my 2 cents ;)

 

great works

Best regards

Skypat

[Arg0n]

Look quite good! Keep up the good work!

[Chazz_BMF]

Looks pretty good...Yeah some parts of the pit could really need a gentle hand. Maybe add some more wear and tear around it would make it look more real?

[TangoRomeo]

Thanks guys, glad you like it :)

 

i´m now at the night lighting, next will be the russian lettering. There`s where i could need a hand, because i don't speak russian.

For now an option is to layer the original russian texture on top of an unmarked modified panel, set blend mode to lighten, and trim everything around the text. This obviously is sub-optimal and a tedious task, while legibility and quality wouldn't be improved over the original.

 

I would be glad if someone, who does speak russian, and owns an image processing application (preferably Photoshop), could help me getting this done.

 

Feuerfalke

Yepp, i noticed when i first tried placing a 32bit .bmp in the temp textures folder. It´s either 24bit .bmp or 32bit .tga. I take it upon importing the files back into the .cdds, cddsexplorer adds mipmaps to them?

And yes, some of the texture mapping is over-economic - but i´ve seen much worse in other games :D

Thanks for the "C" pointer btw!

 

Skypat

Thanks for your offer :thumbup: and good suggestion about a beta release - i think remember reading a thread about cross-version problems with some external textures.

 

Chazz_BMF

I could add some more wear&tear, there`s already some more than the original - it just doesn't get across on the screencaps because of the lighting. If maneuvering the helicopter, so that outside light emitters hit the pit at different angles, it becomes more obvious.

 

Now back to PS, keeping you posted on progress.

[Skypat]

@TangoRomeo

 

if your cockpit texture are larger than original ED texture, you won't be able to replace the file in the original cockpit****.cdds file

and placing files in temp texture folder is not a good idea at all because it may result in FPS drop

 

the best way is to use ED Tools to build your own CDDS file named like:

TangoRomeo_highres_cockpits.cdds

 

Best regards

Skypat

[EtherealN]

That looks real awesome, please see if you can get a modman package going - even if for beta testing - and I'd love to chuck it in.

[TangoRomeo]

Skypat,

 

thanks for the pointer, except for the STBY ADI scale, no changes were made to the original resolution. Going to have a look at ED tools later. :thumbup:

[TangoRomeo]

Night lighting almost finished - i´m trying to get it somewhat NVG compatible though the provided onboard NVG lighting will naturally

yield better results

 

 

 

 

[crazysundog]

Very NICE!!

 

I cant wait...

[Sh0d4n]

looking absolutely nais, keep it on Tango ! :)

[Chazz_BMF]

REALLY nice...will it work for the western version ??

 

Keep on the good work :thumbup:

[ntonis]

very nice work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TangoRomeo]

Chazz,

 

i´ve got the german DVD version, i don't expect there to be problems with the BS western release. To be sure though, this is going to be released as Beta first. :)

ATM the russian lettering won't look as good as the western, especially true for the warning lights. That's due to having to recycle existing material, as i don't understand russian.

 

Going to finish/release it this WE.

 

Curent status:

[x] Westernized cockpit

[x] Night lighting

[] Russian Pit

[PoleCat]

Nice work man!

 

Thank you.

 

Out

[Punx]

Wow, very nice work man! :thumbup:

 

Can´t wait to fly with this pit.

 

Thank you very much!

 

Greeds from Germany :)

[Distiler]

Aside from polished textures, etc, are the new knobs, switches and lights realistic for n25 ka-50 or just for the coolness factor?

[TangoRomeo]

Distiler,

 

for this to answer, i would need to see the respective panels in detail/ operation, not only of just one AC, but several, to make a valid conclusion. The one you are referring to, might by now look somewhat different than the shots provided at http://walkarounds.airforce.ru/avia/rus/kamov/ka-50/index.htm . Even #25 has a somewhat different layout from what we see ingame, i.e. overhead panel. Also, i don't expect 2 KA-50 cockpits to look exactly the same - especially after some time in service.

 

My personal take is that screws/switches are interchangeable objects in RL, whether taking a phillips- or slotted screw should be negligible, as long as they are not pink and out of proportion. :D Mind you, i didn't change the 3D models of those.

 

Concerning warning lights, they are quite realistic ... if they are also for the KA-50 ... who knows, i used the same colours as ED.

 

If you happen to be in posession of reference material that shows extended detail, by all means, post it. :smilewink:

Edited April 11, 2009 by TangoRomeo