Skinners please help

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

I'd like to do a flyable Hornet with custom skins (6 skins) over the F15.

 

Can anybody write me a list of the files I need to edit ? (graphic.. lua... more...?)

I'd also like to see F-18 on the list and not F15, and custom names on skin choice from the payload page..

 

 

Thnx!!!

[britgliderpilot]

OK . . . .

 

First, you do know that if you base it on the F15, you'll only be able to use air-to-air weapons, and you'll only be able to land on . . . well, land.

 

Yes?

 

Good.

 

 

First - swap all the Hornet shape files for the Eagle shape files. Bazar\World\Shapes folder.

 

IIRC, the skins are linked to the shape - so all you need to do is provide the custom skins.

Hornet skins are contained in the Bazar\World\Textures\WorldTexturesTGA.cdds file. Example filename is:

F-18A-USN-PAINT1-DEF-01.tga

 

The first part designates the aircraft, the second the country (there's some Spanish and some Canadian in there), the third the section of the aircraft (there's difference sections for wings, fuselage, tail, cockpit, etc), and the final is the ID number.

Having fun?

 

 

Good . . . .

 

You need to edit the MeInit.xml to change the F15C entry to the F/A-18 name, you need to add the line "Shape="f-18c" " so you'll have a visible model in the Mission Editor, and you need to edit the skin ID numbers and names further down the Hornet entry.

There's other fun stuff you can do in there, but you can play with that yourself.

 

You can then use LOPE on the modified MeInit to change the weapon assignments.

 

If you want the feel to be right, then you can also edit the Config\View\Server.lua file to put the cockpit in the right position in the 3D model.

 

 

If you're being clever, you can also edit the MeInit to allow the AI to operate from the carrier, and to allow you to take off from it. Hint - look for LandRWCategories and TakeOffRWCategories for the real F/A-18 entries.

 

 

Let us know when you've finished all this good stuff ;)

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

OK . . . .

 

First, you do know that if you base it on the F15, you'll only be able to use air-to-air weapons, and you'll only be able to land on . . . well, land.

 

Yes?

 

Good.

 

 

First - swap all the Hornet shape files for the Eagle shape files. Bazar\World\Shapes folder.

 

IIRC, the skins are linked to the shape - so all you need to do is provide the custom skins.

Hornet skins are contained in the Bazar\World\Textures\WorldTexturesTGA.cdds file. Example filename is:

F-18A-USN-PAINT1-DEF-01.tga

 

The first part designates the aircraft, the second the country (there's some Spanish and some Canadian in there), the third the section of the aircraft (there's difference sections for wings, fuselage, tail, cockpit, etc), and the final is the ID number.

Having fun?

 

 

Good . . . .

 

You need to edit the MeInit.xml to change the F15C entry to the F/A-18 name, you need to add the line "Shape="f-18c" " so you'll have a visible model in the Mission Editor, and you need to edit the skin ID numbers and names further down the Hornet entry.

There's other fun stuff you can do in there, but you can play with that yourself.

 

You can then use LOPE on the modified MeInit to change the weapon assignments.

 

If you want the feel to be right, then you can also edit the Config\View\Server.lua file to put the cockpit in the right position in the 3D model.

 

 

If you're being clever, you can also edit the MeInit to allow the AI to operate from the carrier, and to allow you to take off from it. Hint - look for LandRWCategories and TakeOffRWCategories for the real F/A-18 entries.

 

 

Let us know when you've finished all this good stuff ;)

 

Yeee you're the man!!! Thanx duude, my house is your house!!

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

Hey what's the difference between F18a and F18c ?

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

Some shapes files in F-18 are available two times, for f18a and f18c, I can't rename it both to F-15C, do I keep the version I want (llike F18c...) ?

[britgliderpilot]

Hey what's the difference between F18a and F18c ?

 

Not much - the Canadian and Spanish Hornets I think use are F/A-18A spec, but I don't know if Lomac differentiates between them.

 

 

Suggest you use the F/A-18C model, though - if you're flying for the US, it's more appropriate.

 

While you're changing everything over, it's probably a good idea to try and make the old Hornet entry at least look like an F15 - just for the sake of symmetry :)

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

Ok phase one (shapes ) done, and working!!!

 

Going to phase 2.

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

Ok, MEINIT works great, now the probl is the Pilons, I don't need to config all weapons, I do only aerobatic, I just need to have a smoke generator pod inside left engine, or if not possible should be ok on wingtips and center airplane. How can I do this?

[britgliderpilot]

Ok, MEINIT works great, now the probl is the Pilons, I don't need to config all weapons, I do only aerobatic, I just need to have a smoke generator pod inside left engine, or if not possible should be ok on wingtips and center airplane. How can I do this?

 

INSIDE the left engine?

 

Interesting idea . . . . and I'll have to get back to you on that. There is a way to move pylon location, but I don't remember off the top of my head what it is.

 

You should still be able to do the smoke pod loadout in the Mission Editor for now, though. If you can't load smoke pods onto the F15 at the moment, try adding them with LOPE.

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

LOPE? I don't know it but I'll search the web for it right now.. thanx duude!

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

I saw that LOPE can assign a variety of weapons and stuff to various pylons but it dosn't move pylon position, correct? If yes how can I edit pylon position?

 

Thanx!!

[britgliderpilot]

Correct, LOPE just edits what you can hang on the pylons.

 

Editing Pylon positions . . . . is another MeInit tweak.

 

Partway through the MeInit entry should be a list of the pylons - contained within the <Pylons> </Pylons> tags.

 

Each pylon is given a number, and the co-ordinates immediately after that are the positions.

 

It'll require some serious trial and error, but editing those co-ordinates is the way to go.

 

Suggest you start by trying to move the centreline pylon a little left. If you want the smoke to emerge from the engine nozzle, you might also need to move it back . . . . otherwise you'll get it emerging from the middle of the aircraft, which could be odd.

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

I will try, thanx duude!

[zaGURUinzaSKY]

I just try it with my wingman IAT #2 Lambite and it looks very nice, working at the skin at the moment...