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SimMod and Skin Selection for FC V2.0


Speedbrake

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I seem to be having a problem with various skin showing up when I mod my FC v2.0 sim with the SimMod A-10A mod. I can't see many of the skin selection types that are supposed to be available in the mission editor.

 

Without the SimMod I can select Desert 1 (Warthog) skin. When I install the SimMod A-10a for FC2 the skin changes to a light gray weathered skin. I installed via Modman v7.3. Also I tried Rugbutt's weathered skins for the SimMod A-10A and get the same results although I can see the various skins in the .rar package.

 

What is the deal, am I missing something? I could use a few suggestions. I did notice that the skin files are not in the Temp Texture folder of the sim but I assume that Modman keeps them elsewhere??? :joystick:

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Here is a tutorial i've made in french. And the translation may help you to understand your problem.

 

How Installing Skin

 

 

 

1 - Why this tutorial, when Modman done everything ?

 

- Well, not everything Modman. In fact, everything depends on how the package was created in Modmaker. Indeed there are two ways to create a Modman pack and following the method you get different results.

 

- Have you ever installed packages and you realize that it replaces the existing skins, or crushed packs previously installed? If so this may interest you.

 

- Be aware that this is only valid for new 3D models in .LOM (KA-50, Su-25 (T) and others).

 

- Again, what follows is valid only for packs of skins, mods change of aircraft (ADA's Mod - Mod Pink_tigrou Sweden) do not fall into this category.

 

 

1.1 - The proper method

 

- If the modder went to the end of things, he used the tutorial included in the Modmaker Modman and the skin will assist with skins already installed.

 

- To check this, open the pack you downloaded and see if it contains Skin.lma7 and addon.lma3 files. If so, you can go quietly and install the package with Modman.

 

 

1.2 - The method to removal

 

- If the modder has not taken the trouble, you will see that the package contains xxx.lua, yyy.skins and db_countries.lua files.

 

- In this case, these files will overwrite your original files and you could overwrite and loose previously installed mod's. You can then use the manual method below or redo the package itself.

 

- Most of the mods are done in this form and unfortunately lead to losses. Even modders well known in the community does not bother to use the modmaker procedure.

 

 

2 - How to install a package properly

 

2.1-installation manual

 

*- Open the package and copy the zzz.CDDS file in the directory /bazar/world

- If it does not exist, you can always compress the skins with ED's CDDS Studio or copy the BMP files into /temptextures.

- A .CDDS file is a compressed pack of all BMP textures you need for a skin.

 

*- Open the file config/graphics.cfg or config/graphics_bs.cfg (for Black Shark)

 

- Find the following lines and add the statement of your pack.CDDS

 

TextureCollections

(

highFolder = ". \ \ Bazar \ \ TempTextures \ \";

common = ". \ \ Bazar \ \ World \ \ My_pack.cdds";

common = ". \ \ Bazar \ \ Terrain \ \ Surface \ \ LandTexturesBMP.cdds";

.....

 

*- Go to the directory /bazar/world/Shapes and find one to one yyy.skins files corresponding to those of the pack.

( for the Simod A-10, 4 files to edit A-10.skins, OBLOMOK-A-10-WING-L.skins, OBLOMOK-A-10-WING-R.skins and PTB-2000.skins for reservoirs. )

 

 

- Open the files one by one and compare the lines (this is and example from the KA-50):

 

Skin

{Value = 2.3;

material = ("KA-50-lamp", "Standart", "KA-50-PAINT24-DEF-02.bmp");

material = ("KA-50-PAINT1", "Standart", "KA-50-PAINT24-DEF-01.bmp");

material = ("KA-50-PAINT1_M", "Standart", "KA-50-PAINT24-DEF-01.bmp");

...

material = ("KA-50_BORT_NUMBERs", "Standart", "KA-50_NUMBERS_DC.tga");

material = ("KA-50_SIGN.tga", "Standart", "KA-50_SIGN24.tga");

}

 

- If there are new definitions of skins, simply copy the original file. (Note the numbers Value = X.Y), it can be used only once and in order.

 

Skin

(

value = 3.0;

material = ("KA-50-lamp", "Standart", "KA-50-PAINT30-DEF-02.bmp");

material = ("KA-50-PAINT1", "Standart", "KA-50-PAINT30-DEF-01.bmp");

....

material = ("KA-50_BORT_NUMBERs", "Standart", "KA-50_Numbers23.tga");

material = ("KA-50_Turkey_Numbers", "Standart", "empty.tga");

)

 

- You have to understand that each skin number is made by a list of textures packed in a CDDS file or listed in the temptextures directory.

 

- Be very careful if you notice if the file names of the textures are already used, extract the textures of the CDDS, rename them, repack and use the new texture names in the skins file. (this is most the case if the pack is a replacement pack of the original skins)

 

*- Open Scrips/database/Helicopter/KA-50.lua (script/database/plane/plane_name.lua for aircraft A-10A.lua)

 

Compare it with the pack, you will find additional lines, add them to the original. Again attention to numbers (the numbers in red are those from "value =" in the .skins file w/o the dot)

 

ColorScheme = (

color_scheme ("(060AFECF BFBD-44c5-9C47-D9B5EF35D104)", _ ("Standard"), 0),

...

color_scheme ("(7EB0DAD7-1FDF-9E45-4c1b-B1322A73AED4)", _ ("EURO Desert"), 30)

 

 

*- Finally go to \Scripts\database\db_countries.lua

 

- Looking for the country (do simply a search of USA for example) you want to assign the skin and the add (you can copy/paste relevant lines from the db_countries.lua Pack

 

Helicopter =

(

cnt_unit ("(3457BB1E-523F-4C24-BBEA-58D028623F05)", "Ka-50", (

color_scheme ("(060AFECF BFBD-44c5-9C47-D9B5EF35D104)", "Standard"),

...

color_scheme ("(7EB0DAD7-1FDF-9E45-4c1b-B1322A73AED4)", "EURO Desert")

))

 

 

cnt_unit("{8FDB2742-2283-450D-B417-CFC47774E8B6}", "A-10A" is the unit your searching each plane/helo has his own CLSID

 

- It's long and tedious, but once you've mastered the method, all this will seem clearer and you'll want to go further and make your own packs.

 

- By this method, I added a good fifty skins for DCS 3D models and FC2.0

 

 

2.2-Repeat pack

 

- This method is explained in the tutorial of Skypat you find in the module of Modmaker Modman (click on the icon (?))

 

3 - Compatibility DCS1.0.2 / FC1.2.1

 

- Most of the packs of skins are now compatible between the two sim's, yet it remains a small difference between the two and it is in the statement of CDDS files that this happens.

 

- To use a package on FC2 or DCS you just have to compare two files graphics.cfg and graphics_bs.cfg.


Edited by Michelange

EVAC : French fighter school on LockOn: Flaming Cliffs

 

Moding tutorials at C6

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Thanks!

 

Thanks for the tutorial.

 

It does make me wonder though if the makers of SimMod for FC v2.0 did their homework or tested the various skins, or if it is a problem with the modman install in which why didn't THEY catch it???

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It does make me wonder though if the makers of SimMod for FC v2.0 did their homework or tested the various skins, or if it is a problem with the modman install in which why didn't THEY catch it???

- The right method was not avalaible at release of the A-10. It was include in modman with the release of DCS KA-50.

 

- Many modders dont know this methode to add new slots and many adaptations for FC2 were made too quickly w/o taking care of this.

 

- The adaptation for FC2 of SimMod's A-10 was not made by them and the choise was made to reduce the list of skins i think.


Edited by Michelange

EVAC : French fighter school on LockOn: Flaming Cliffs

 

Moding tutorials at C6

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Okay, I found something else out. I had downloaded a SimMod A-10A for FC v2.0 package with a April file date, that was the one that didn't seem to be working. I redownloaded the package from Lockonfiles.com and this time it was file dated 6/4/2010 (when you load it into ModMan 7.3). This one appears to be wokring but the skins and skin names in the mission editor do not seem to match up on some skins.

 

First of all three of the skin selections all end up with a light gray skin with SP tail marking, the 104th, Desert 2 and Snow 1.

 

Desert 2 is a darker gray skin w/DM tail marking.

 

The 23rd Current is a gray skin w/BD tail marking

 

The Flipper skin selection is a desert camo with warthog tusks.

 

The 52th Fighter Wing is a green/brown camo with warthog tusks.

 

The Jaws skin is correct - green camo with shark teeth.

 

I forgot to check the European Skin

 

 

Did someone screw the pooch on this package?

 

I also loaded Ruggbutts Weathered SimMod A-10A Skin Pack and it parallels the basic SimMod selection vs skin above.


Edited by Speedbrake
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