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#4494451 - 10/25/19 02:37 AM Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models  
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SirMike1983 Offline
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Does anyone know where in the Spad VII skin template is the texture for the Spad's radiator shutters? For the early Spads of fall 1916 I was wondering if I could make the shutters transparent. I can't seem to find where on the template the shutter textures are located though. Any guidance is appreciated on my end. Thanks.

#4494457 - 10/25/19 04:13 AM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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Raine Offline
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I don't know whether this is the explanation, but the early Spads did not have radiator shutters. When the Spad 7s arrived in 1916, they were plagued by engine heating and cooling problems. Sometimes the engines would not properly warm and sometimes they would overheat during a climb. The shutters were installed later as a solution for these problems.

#4494461 - 10/25/19 06:27 AM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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I love this community.

#4494533 - 10/25/19 02:47 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: Raine]  
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SirMike1983 Offline
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Originally Posted by Raine
I don't know whether this is the explanation, but the early Spads did not have radiator shutters. When the Spad 7s arrived in 1916, they were plagued by engine heating and cooling problems. Sometimes the engines would not properly warm and sometimes they would overheat during a climb. The shutters were installed later as a solution for these problems.


Exactly so - I'm looking at modding the 1916 era skins to transparent/invisible shutters. That seems the fastest and easiest way of doing the mod. I'd be leaving the 1917-18 era skins alone.

#4494611 - 10/26/19 12:05 AM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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Very cool. Good luck!

#4495129 - 10/29/19 08:48 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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SirMike1983 Offline
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Just an update - located the general files I need to edit. Still playing around to find where the vertical shutters in those files are, and still trying to figure out how to transparent stuff (I thought it was color it all-0 values black, but apparently not). Any advice is appreciated if you've worked on these skins and know a little about them. Thanks.

Last edited by SirMike1983; 10/29/19 08:49 PM.
#4495135 - 10/29/19 09:16 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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SirMike, you will need to create a custom alpha layer to make things transparent in the DDS DTX1 skin file. It should be all white with only the areas you want transparent blacked out, and save it as a .bmp. Then, import it into your DDS editor along with your custom skin .bmp and save it all as a "DDS DTX1" (with Alpha).

HTH.

Lou


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#4495163 - 10/30/19 03:53 AM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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SirMike1983 Offline
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Ahhh now it's starting to come back to me. I remember a user named Ghandi helping me with skins back when we had the online multiplayer OFF with Squadron 60 (Pilotsden group). We made some custom skins for that and the alpha layer issue rings a bell. I'll have to play around some and see if more of this come back to me.

Last edited by SirMike1983; 10/30/19 03:53 AM.
#4495200 - 10/30/19 11:39 AM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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Oh I'm sure it will SirMike. Just make sure you do save them as DDS DTX1 (with alpha). The default is without alpha so if you save it as that all your work on that layer will be in vain. PM me if you need some assistance on this, I've done hundreds of custom paints for OFF/WOFF over the years, so I can likely answer your questions concerning the subject.

Cheers!

Lou

#4495234 - 10/30/19 03:48 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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... on a related note, Gents, I just discovered that the latest version of Gimp (2.10) supports .dds files natively. No more shuttling between DXTBMP and Gimp!


System: i5 8600K @ 3.6GHz,16GB DDR4 @2666MHz. RTX2080, MSI Z370 mobo, Dell 27" G-SYNC @ 144Hz. 2560x1440

#4495235 - 10/30/19 03:55 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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I use Paint.NET for all my image editing and creation, have for years. It's free and constantly supported and does everything I've ever needed it to do. But, to each their own I say. Whatever works for you. smile2

.

#4495253 - 10/30/19 06:26 PM Re: Modding Spad VII Skin - 1916 Early Models [Re: SirMike1983]  
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SirMike1983 Offline
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I appreciate the offer and I will probably end up taking you up on it, at least until I can regain my bearings with the files. I did several for multiplayer over 10 years ago now (I think it was that far, at least). Then I didn't need to do anymore because the community and official skins were better than I could do. Thankfully this mod should be a small-scale thing, just a few 1916 Spad VII skins for a realism detail buff by making those shutters transparent. The artistic side of rendering squadron graphics and wear is beyond my artistic abilities.


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