AS F8U Crusader (it's also back at AS) + alpha channel question . .

[expat]

100% right. Works well - even better than the AS Phantom - in FSX. A real handful to trap though especially if you have been recently spoiled practicing with Dino's F-14!

Have been playing around with some mods but have been perplexed with trying to add some metallic shine to the burner nozzle using the normal route via adding an alpha channel with DXT.bmp. What seems to happen in FSX is that you end of making the bmp texture more or less transparent, rather than reflective. Have tried various values of white to black, but either there is no reflection or there are increasing decrease of transparency.

What am I missing? NB: none of the textures for this particular model seem to have been created with ANY alpha layers.

Thanks

expat

[dhazelgrove]

Isn't it something to do with the model what the effects of the alpha channel will be?
Shine against transparency - or something like that.

Dave

[Bone]

I'm running the AS F-8 in FSX also, but I'm not having any texture problems at all. The only issue I had was the airspeed indicator, which I swapped out. Interesting that the same plane ports over differently for different users.

[expat]

Just to be 100% clear, this is NOT a port over problem, it is one of my own making. I found the F-8 worked fine in FSX with no gauge OR texture issues.

What you see in the photo is the result of my attempt to add a chrome reflection by adding an alpha channel where there isn't one in the default texture. NB: removing my mod returns the burner texture to look perfectly normal, i.e. the transparent see through problem only occurs when I add the alpha channel. If I were to do the same thing using FS9 it should work.

So my question is, in FSX how can you add reflection and avoid the texture becoming transparent instead, by adding an alpha layer?

[Bone]

Ahhh. So solly.

[DaveQ]

Sorry Expat but the model is set for alpha channel transparency not reflectivity. There is a way to change that in the .mdl file; OBIO had a thread going some months ago related to some of Kazunori Ito's work. He may be able to help as he managed to change Itosan's F-94C .mdl file for me from specular shine to reflectivity.

Regards

DaveQ

[expat]

the model is set for alpha channel transparency not reflectivity

Thanks Dave. That was kind of what I had suspected. It really looks fine as is so not sure I want to change the whole model just to add a little bling! I will see if I can dig up OBIO's thread though . .

To those that have this in FS9 somewhere, dust it off and fly it in FSX!

Regards

expat

[Navy Chief]

To those that have this in FS9 somewhere, dust it off and fly it in FSX!...

I did just that! I think there is more than just the airspeed indicator that did not tx properly. But in addition, the reflectivity of the canopy is somewhat annoying. Almost like waves of light reflection? Hard to describe. I mean I can see through the canopy ok. The sound for the Crusader isn't too good. I am not picky usually about the AB effect, but......



NC

[Desert Rat]

Expat,

Obio used Ivan Hsu's mdlc program to add reflection to the Moonbat, etc, you can find mdlc here in the OH downloads

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.ph...Name=archisoft

Obio ran into a few problems detailed in his threads in the FS2004 forums, but they can be fixed mostly.

Here's pics of some of the older Alpha ones I played with.

[Desert Rat]

Some planes don't work to well, especially if prop texs share a bmp with other parts....pity.....note missing pilot head through canopy.

[dhazelgrove]

One suite does work very well in FSX - and I've banged on about it quite enough.

Any clues, perhaps?

Dave

[expat]

But in addition, the reflectivity of the canopy is somewhat annoying. Almost like waves of light reflection? Hard to describe. I mean I can see through the canopy ok. The sound for the Crusader isn't too good. I am not picky usually about the AB effect, but......

Sorry you are having trouble with the canopy. Had this recently trying to get the Turbo Commander 690B to fly in FSX. I seem to have no probs with the glass in FSX SP2/Acceleration. Maybe I just should consider myself lucky!

Re sounds, go get yourself a freeware J57 sound set and you are good to go!

One suite does work very well in FSX

Would like to second that. Looks awesome in FSX!

[Navy Chief]

I never could get the AS Phantom to work in FSX properly, if that is the Phantom in those screenshots.

But if I remember correctly, isn't only one of the packs portable?

NC

[peter12213]

Expat,

Obio used Ivan Hsu's mdlc program to add reflection to the Moonbat, etc, you can find mdlc here in the OH downloads

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/index.ph...Name=archisoft

Obio ran into a few problems detailed in his threads in the FS2004 forums, but they can be fixed mostly.

Here's pics of some of the older Alpha ones I played with.

The DH Hornet is one of my fave aircraft did you fix the canopy/prop problem at all?? you know when the engine is running the front canopy frame becomes translucent did you fix that at all?.. I can see you did the props and they look great too!

[fsafranek]

I never could get the AS Phantom to work in FSX properly, if that is the Phantom in those screenshots.

But if I remember correctly, isn't only one of the packs portable?

NC

According to this thread the first pack doesn't port as well as the second and third packs.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ad.php?t=22171

:ernae:

[Shark]

So, let me get this straight. The Alphasim F-8 works in FSX? I have FSX w/accel. Their website states FS2004 only. Do you have to do anything special for it to work in FSX?

[expat]

As Frank points out, the Phantom Pack 1 has some issues in FSX but to me at least they are not a big deal. You need to swap some gauges in the 2D panel - that's quite normal for portovers - and there are some issues with the VC in that there are a few holes in the bitmap ie you can see the runway through it. It looks and flies so very well othewise in FSX I certainly fly it and also use the VC for short final in carrier ops so I can use the HUD.

The Crusader - as far as I have experienced - didn't have any of these issues porting into FSX/SP2/Acceleration. I don't recall having to change anything. In FSX I generally put the gauges in the Panel folder instead of the main gauges folder. That way I keep the number of planes in the airplanes folder to a minimum and frequently switch them in and out of my large and growing hangar I keep on an external HD along with the relevant gauges. There are a some exceptions of course e.g. the default planes. I use RCBCO-30.zip gauges rather than the Acceleration for cat/trap purpose. Works great.

Shark, giive it a go and if you have any problems I will try to help you sort them out.

expat

[dhazelgrove]

As Frank points out, the Phantom Pack 1 has some issues in FSX but to me at least they are not a big deal. You need to swap some gauges in the 2D panel - that's quite normal for portovers - and there are some issues with the VC in that there are a few holes in the bitmap ie you can see the runway through it. It looks and flies so very well othewise in FSX I certainly fly it and also use the VC for short final in carrier ops so I can use the HUD.

The Crusader - as far as I have experienced - didn't have any of these issues porting into FSX/SP2/Acceleration. I don't recall having to change anything. In FSX I generally put the gauges in the Panel folder instead of the main gauges folder. That way I keep the number of planes in the airplanes folder to a minimum and frequently switch them in and out of my large and growing hangar I keep on an external HD along with the relevant gauges. There are a some exceptions of course e.g. the default planes. I use RCBCO-30.zip gauges rather than the Acceleration for cat/trap purpose. Works great.

HUD? You use a HUD?

Geeting back to the original point in this thread, there is a reason why the (non-existent) alpha on the F-8 model is set for transparency. It's simply that the RF-8 had neither missiles nor pylons, so the alpha was designed so they could be 'hidden' when not required.

Dave

[DaveQ]

Geeting back to the original point in this thread, there is a reason why the (non-existent) alpha on the F-8 model is set for transparency. It's simply that the RF-8 had neither missiles nor pylons, so the alpha was designed so they could be 'hidden' when not required.

Dave

I think the 'RF-8' .mdl file was posted by the original developer as freeware much to Alphasim's consternation and was quickly withdrawn and so, Expat, you can change the other .mdl files but not the one you use for the 'RF-8' (really just the F-8E .mdl file with transparent pylons) if you have it.

Best of luck

DaveQ

[expat]

HUD? You use a HUD?

LOL, yeah, well, I know, I know

It came with the aircraft and is just there, what can I say?:d

Anyway, re the F-8 I have both models. The RF-8 does not look perfect in FSX, at least I don't have the skills to figure it out.

See this recent thread: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ad.php?t=22149

In any case, while I now understand why this occurs - thanks for the explanation - I am not sure I really understand what I need to do with the model or the tools involved to get the F-8E model to display reflectivity vs transparency.

expat

[dhazelgrove]

I am not sure I really understand what I need to do with the model or the tools involved to get the F-8E model to display reflectivity vs transparency.

I don't believe that there is anything you can do, as you don't have the model source files - or do you?

As for porting, the only gauge that really needs attention is the usual ASI.
There's a lot to be done in the aircraft.cfg, though.
Has anyone got the nav lights to work?

Dave

[Navy Chief]

Sorry you are having trouble with the canopy. Had this recently trying to get the Turbo Commander 690B to fly in FSX. I seem to have no probs with the glass in FSX SP2/Acceleration. Maybe I just should consider myself lucky!

Re sounds, go get yourself a freeware J57 sound set and you are good to go!




Would like to second that. Looks awesome in FSX!

Ahoy! I sent you a PM!

NC

[dhazelgrove]

The thumbnails for this are proving a mite problematical, as AS have placed the skins for six aircraft within the same texture folder - and it's not immediately obvious which bitmaps are common.
What I've done (for the moment) is to duplicate the whole of the texture folder, rename the duplicates as texture.1 to texture.5 and change the texture lines in the aircraft.cfg so that there's a different texture folder for each aircraft choice.
Texture sharing will come later - when I've the time.

Dave

[fsafranek]

The thumbnails for this are proving a mite problematical, as AS have placed the skins for six aircraft within the same texture folder - and it's not immediately obvious which bitmaps are common.

Yep. But not Alphasim's doing at all.
That was just how "ninjamouse" always did it.
:ernae:

[expat]

Wonder what happened to Carl? He sure did a bang up job modelling this one! I also am using several of his F-8's as AI on the flight line with surprisingly little hit on FPS.

The only thing I want to do is maybe swap out some of the original gauges for some better looking ones, which is easy. Otherwise it would be cool if there were a few more paints!