Advice on Skinning with Photoshop please?

[UK_Widowmaker]

Hi All,

I have been trying not to bother anyone with silly questions on Skinning, and have reached this level so far (for what it's worth!)...ie:- a few lining up issues with stripes, and numbers the wrong way around...but I am getting there..slowly....and can see where I am going wrong. (even putting a few weathering details on (though not on this particular skin!)

I have posted this pic, because it shows first hand, my problem which I hope someone can help me with?

I read on a forum a comment thus........

"the use of specular textures : these textures are greyscale and they define the amount of shininess of parts, which can be of great use to weather a plane very realistically"

This comment sums up what I want to achieve.....but sadly, the contributor never went any further than that!!...can someone advise what 'Specular Textures are?...I can find no reference to them in Photoshop help.

I guess, what I want to do, is get rid of some of the 'shinyness'

Would be hugely grateful if some of you jolly clever chaps could give me a pointer?
The use of 'Blending' is a little bit restricted, due to overlapping the original skin, if it's a lot darker

Gousgounis is going to write another skinning guide for Photoshop at some time, but he's very busy at the moment!

thanks all

[Bullethead]

This comment sums up what I want to achieve.....but sadly, the contributor never went any further than that!!...can someone advise what 'Specular Textures are?...I can find no reference to them in Photoshop help.

I guess, what I want to do, is get rid of some of the 'shinyness'

I was about to ask the exact same question. This isn't a Photoshop issue because I'm using Paint Shop Pro.

Where are the specular settings and how do I tweak them?

When I made skins for Aces High, there was a separate text file with the specular values, so you could just play with the values in there until you got something you liked. But I see nothing similar in OFF.

[Gousgounis]

Gousgounis is going to write another skinning guide for Photoshop at some time, but he's very busy at the moment!

You B*stard! It was supposed to be a surprise!
*cough* *cough*
Getting rid of over-shinyness of new skins:
Select an area, add Noise to it (you will find it on filter menu), and then use Gaussian Blur on it (maximum 1.00).

As for specular textures. I have a slight suspicion that they are used for metal textures in alpha channels so you dont need to use them. (WWI=canvas) But I am not 100% sure.

[sandbagger]

Most of the OBD aircraft have a specular file.

The actual aircraft skin texture files are located in the Campaign/campaign data/skins folder.

However, if an aircraft has a specular file (not all have) it'll be located in the Aircraft folder. For example the specular file for the Camel is named "camel_squad_s_dds" and is located in Aircraft/camel_squad/textures folder. In most cases its also located in the same folder for the other folders for that aircraft type.

The DH2 for example does not have a specular file as such.

It is basically the texture file with all markings removed, to stop 'see through' if you change their positions on the skin texture file. The specular is a merged and greyscale version of that.

Remember that any alteration to the specular file will affect ALL aircraft of that type, as it is called up each time that aircraft is seen in-game.

I'm sure Pol or James etc may pitch in here with further advice (they are more experienced than me in this area).

[Bullethead]

Never mind--Sandbagger answered my question

[Bullethead]

It is basically the texture file with all markings removed, to stop 'see through' if you change their positions on the skin texture file. The specular is a merged and greyscale version of that.

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

Doing some quick looking, I notice that none of the Alabtri appear to have a specular file at all, yet WM's is shiny. I take it the gray-scale version results in dulling the skin and in its absence the plane is shiny?

But OTOH, I'm working on a DFW. Instead of a grayscale version of the skin, this one's specular file is just a solid dark gray square. But my plane is pretty shiny on the fuselage anyway.

Remember that any alteration to the specular file will affect ALL aircraft of that type, as it is called up each time that aircraft is seen in-game.

That brings up a host of other questions. For example, in the \aircraft folder, there are many subfolders for each type of plane, with names like _AC1-AC4, _QC1-QC2, _SQ1-SQ4, and _Sqd. Each of these subfolders usually contains exactly the same things, including the specular file. Which specular file is being used? Just 1 of them or all of them?

OTOH, the skin I've made is all by itself in the \campaigns\CampaignData\skins folder. So which specular file is it using? It's got several to choose from. Or is it not using any, which would explain why it's just as shiny as WM's, even though the DFW has a specular file?

[UK_Widowmaker]

You B*stard! It was supposed to be a surprise!
*cough* *cough*

OOps!...Sorry!

Yes, that works with some textures, but not others (the Alb in my pic, the chequered tail worked, but the lozenge and Fuselage did'nt)

[UK_Widowmaker]

Actually..tell a lie..it did improve it, but had to go quite a bit over the 1.00 setting

[sandbagger]

That's why I said maybe Pol or James might chip in as I'm not that deep into the file structures. I doubt they'll be long.

[UK_Widowmaker]

That's why I said maybe Pol or James might chip in as I'm not that deep into the file structures. I doubt they'll be long.

I might be being paranoid, but I don't think Pol likes advising on the skinning?

[Gousgounis]

So thats what specular files are! Thanks sandbagger will take a look on these.

[UK_Widowmaker]

So thats what specular files are! Thanks sandbagger will take a look on these.

Can you post back here with the results of your investigation?

[Gousgounis]

Hmm? My difficult investigation included opening up the dds files in the aircraft folder of the Se5a, while playing the harmonica, singing the Lumberjack song, and writing down one of my 100 unpublished proofs of Goldbach's conjecture all at the same time. :costumes:
I just opened up the files in the texture folder of the aircraft thats all. You can do it yourself I think :costumes:

[UK_Widowmaker]

Hmm? My difficult investigation included opening up the dds files in the aircraft folder of the Se5a, while playing the harmonica, singing the Lumberjack song, and writing down one of my 100 unpublished proofs of Goldbach's conjecture all at the same time. :costumes:
I just opened up the files in the texture folder of the aircraft thats all. You can do it yourself I think :costumes:

If I didn't know better...I would think you're being very cheeky!! :kiss:

(I can certainly do it...but I would'nt know what the hell to do when I'd done it!)

Bloody Youth of today!...When I was your age young man...blah blah blah!

[Gousgounis]

Well If you think that I was being cheeky...you betcha I was! I really dont have a clue with what to do with that gray..stuff. So I just wanted to have some fun bwahahahahaahahaaaaa....!
Seriously now, I am gonna see what to do with these dds files and Ill keep you posted.