Returing to the fold !

[Mizzy]

Hello, I am so out of the loop in DCS but wish to return doing artwork and tinkering about as I do with flight simulation. I have no interest in combat playing as I use DCS as a flight simulation only. What I wish to know is how you can do skins and artwork with the new format. I can't seem to find how to extract and replace skins for aircraft anymore. What tools do I need to do this ? Much appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

Mizzy

[diveplane]

long time no see hi mizzy.

[Hamblue]

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/misc/

 

You can also go into the user files section and find a couple of hundred skins people made.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Hamblue

[Mizzy]

Hello there Diveplane :-) yes been a long time but my computer wasn't fast enough to play my sim games and real life became expensive !! Not exactly Hamblue, but it's helpful. I used to use a CDDS extractor to take out and replace my skins but that doesn't work so I am looking for a similar tool if one exists ?

 

Mizzy

[GGTharos]

Welcome back Mizzy :)

[luckybob9]

Welcome back Mizzy! Ill help best I can. CDDS archives are no longer used. They now usually convert the textures into .dds and then package them into a .zip file. Things are a lot more organized instead of just bmpworld1 bmpworld2 etc, in a sense that each major aircraft will have its own .zip archive with a naming scheme relative to the aircraft. (Example: the Su-33 archive name is Su-33.zip) You can just open the archive up and drag the file into photoshop. to resave them, you will need a plugin. I use the NVIDIA DDS tools:

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

 

It is also worth mentioning that the new model format, (.EDM), since lockon supports specular maps and normal maps

 

 

Textures that are part of DCS: World aircrafts are usually located in: \Bazar\Textures

 

Textures for general DCS: World items, buildings, ships, etc, are usually located in: Bazar\World\textures

 

If the aircraft is a standalone mod, A10a, SU25a, etc, textures might also be located in: \Mods\aircrafts\[AIRCRAFT NAME]

 

Textures for ground terrain and airports are usually located in: \Bazar\Terrain\vfstextures

 

Textures for effects such as rivers and oceans and maybe other items are usually located in: \Bazar\Effects

Edited September 10, 2013 by luckybob9

[Mizzy]

Hello GG and familiar faces still here, nice to see. Yes Luckybob, that's what I am looking for but it still seems very complicated. Anyway, I will persevere until I understand it, trouble is advancing years makes the task longer and longer ...LOL

 

Mizzy

[luckybob9]

I actually find it easier than it was before. Say you want to edit a su33 texture. First step is to install the nvidia dds tools so photoshop can open and save in the .dds format. then find the texture you want in the su33.zip. drag it into photoshop. make your edits. save as .dds and drag back into .zip archive

 

Ill put notifications on this thread for any questions you might have

[Weta43]

Welcome back :) Hope life's treated you well while you've been gone...

[Mizzy]

Thank you Gentlemen, I have sussed out how it works now. I actually use 'Paintshop Pro' but found a program called DXTBMP to separate the alpha channels from the BMP when converting from dds :-) Right, all I have to do now is do some arty farty stuff, wish me luck :-)

[Ells228]

Welcome back Mizzy, looking forward to seeing your skins.

[Glowing_Amraam]

Welcome back :)

[Mizzy]

Another problem, does anyone know how to open the archives and re-stuff them ? I use winrar and it says access denied when trying to extract them.

 

Mizzy

[luckybob9]

Another problem, does anyone know how to open the archives and re-stuff them ? I use winrar and it says access denied when trying to extract them.

 

Mizzy

 

I haven't seen that before. Drag and drop always worked for me. Which .zip archive?

[Mizzy]

All of them, doesn't seem to want me to save my work !!

 

Mizzy

[luckybob9]

Try opening them in the default windows 7 archive explorer thingy

[shagrat]

Another problem, does anyone know how to open the archives and re-stuff them ? I use winrar and it says access denied when trying to extract them.

 

Mizzy

Where are the archives stored? Do you try to open files from C/program files etc.? User or in this case user launched winrar does not have permission to extract (write) to that folder by default. If the goddamn UAC isn't launching you won't know.

Try to copy the archive to the desktop or your user folder structure before opening them.

[Blaze]

7zip is better and more recommended over WinRAR. Free too, can't beat that.

 

Oh, and welcome back Mizzy. :)

[Mizzy]

Yes that works, thank you ever so much gentlemen x

 

Mizzy

[joey45]

Welcome back. Hope to see some of your great work.