[Jadehawk]

Hey all,
I have extensive experience in making templates and creating skins for CG aircraft in the Il2 series of games. Some of you may have seen my work at several sites relating to the Il2 flight sim if you venture into that area and what I want to do now, is extend my skills to create skins or textures as they seemed to be called here.
I'm currently making a campaign that uses the SOF Banshee but I wish to redo the skin or texture that it currently uses and cannot use the current files they use to create any useful layered template.
I do not see any sites that have templates for others to use for creating such things as I wish so I'm here to ask for help in what I need to go about to start making as such? If none is available, then maybe someone can create a new 2048X2048 UVMap? I dunno if this is the correct way to go about all this, but gotta ask! 

Here is a screen shot of a Do-335B2 in the Il2 flight sim I did. I created the template for this and also created this skin from that template. I even created the details such as wheels, tires, gun muzzle, etc you see here.

[Galemp]

That would be great... although to be honest I think the Banshee needs some geometry fixing before it can be remapped like that. If you want a new, clean UV map then certainly someone will have to open up the model; while they're at it they could make an Ambient Occlusion map too. All in all it's probably something that you want to team up with a modeler for.

[Jadehawk]

Thanks for the reply!
I was not aware there were any issues with the Banshee. I just know the current skin does not suit my needs. Since I know squat about making a UV map, I'm at mercy to any of the modelers here for help set me up.

[Galemp]

Since I know squat about making a UV map, I'm at mercy to any of the modelers here for help set me up.

Huh. And yet you say you set up a template for that fighter you posted. How do you work, exactly? That is, what do you need to be able to make a texture?

[Jadehawk]

In that flight sim, they had what they call Voids. It was a single layer file that had all the outline, panels, rivets and some details all on one layer. It was up to the individual to create new layers for such as panel lines, rivets etc. These "Voids" were similar to what is called UV maps outlines here I believe?

When a new CG model was released for the flight sim, they also had these voids so the community can create what I just described. I do not see anything like that here for these ships. Hence why I'm asking about all this.

What I'll need is a UN map outline of the Banshee as described in the texture tutorial.

[TrashMan]

Hmm...a HTL Banshee.......hmm.....

*slaps himself*
No, no! Focus T-Man..focus! No time for that now.

[Galemp]

Ah.

For that then you would need a modeler to open the Banshee, look at the UVs, then take a snapshot of them and post them here.

Gimme a moment...

[Galemp]

Oh dear gods my eyes are bleeding.

Jadehawk, PLEASE, for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, let someone revamp the model before you remap it. Please.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Water]

The current uv is not suitable for a 2k texture even if combined on one map. An ambient occlusion pass looked patchy in a few areas which would cause problems for a normal map

[Jadehawk]

ok just got home from work...HOLY...Oh man! I can see what your talking about with that map. my gut feeling is if I even tried to use that, it would be for a lost cause.

Galemp, I do thank you for taking the time to make a map from the Banshee. I appeared to be a good looking machine with a bad texture map when I first saw it. .
I guess if anyone wanted to fix that model, I do see some areas that could be improved upon. Namely where the lower wings attach to the body. I believe the engine front area could be extended forward to meet the front edge of the wings to improve the looks? but it being a very dark map, it's hard to see any of the model details and if you say it's bad, I'll take your word for it! 

If none wishes to improve this, then I'll look for something else to work with.  Any takers?

Galemp, Again thanks for your help!

[Galemp]

Well, the FS Upgrade Project is always looking for help. I don't think any fighters are still using the old 256x256x8-bit PCX textures, but there are a couple minor ships that are still left untouched, like the PVEP Ra and PVSG Ankh. You can just browse the Assets Media VP and see what needs help.

Alternately you can look and see if a mod team needs someone to draw textures. I have a model that's not yet UV-mapped, otherwise I'd let you have a go at that.

Sorry I couldn't do more for you.

[Jadehawk]

You helped more than you realize! I work in Paint Shop Pro 9 and also Pro X as well. What I'm gonna do is try something simple just so I can get my feet wet making this stuff then try something more substantial.

Again thanks for the links and help! Who knows, I'll be helping you and others someday soon. 

[Hellstryker]

You'd be a godsend for TotT. If you want to know more you should probably PM blowfish, as he knows more about it than I do.

[Jadehawk]

I'd be happy to help...providing I can do something with texturing. I understand some aspects of the texture process, but this "Baking" thing has got me lost. I also hear it takes some over an hour to do? Like what?!? Are they actually "baking" it to the CG model or what? In the Il2 series of flight sims, you make a skin which is a 1.0mb skin file that the game will apply it to the CG model. Makes it very easy for anyone to create new skins by the dozens providing you have a layered template to create skins from.

I'm getting the feeling that's not the case here? I read that Tutorial, but there are some stuff that just does not make sense to me about what is actually going on. OK I'll shut up before I go ballistic with all these Questions!

[Galemp]

Ah, so you're looking for something more like this...

'Baking' and 'UV Mapping' refer to the process of getting the skin from your modeling program into a single texture that can be edited in a graphics program. Generally it has to do with taking complex geometry, lighting, shading, and other effects that you normally get with lots of layers and high-intensity calculations and combining them all into one texture. The END RESULT is your skin, and that's what the game ultimately uses, but getting it there takes significant effort on the part of the modeler.

[Jadehawk]

EXACTLY!

This type of work is what I do. Here is a screen shot of some of my work like this:




In Il2 flight sims, we make all the shadows and highlights as we can. The game engine does the rest more or less and the game engines also had a Shine render that we don't have to mess with.

[Water]

What you do works fine. You don't need to touch baking.

Extra bits you get to play with are glow, shine and normal maps.

Being able use a 3d modeling app can speed up some parts. Doing the shading can be sorted with ambient occlusion. An app like Blender allows you to paint on the model - it's not great but it would allow you to have the cammo pattern crossing multiple uv boundries with out much effort. It can also be used to save an outline of the uv map in whatever size you want. Lithunwrap might be an option for saving uv outlines also.

There are no layered templates/voids. Usually all that is avalable is the final texture, mostly because the files are so big. What it means is you will end up using a few more tools to get the job done.

The other tool is a model viewer, so you don't need to mess about with tables.
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/alliance/PCS2_2.0.3_2008-05-15.exe
Once it's installed go to options>preferences and add      .\      to the texture path. It will allow you to have the pof and textures in the same directory.

[Hellstryker]

I'd be happy to help...providing I can do something with texturing. I understand some aspects of the texture process, but this "Baking" thing has got me lost. I also hear it takes some over an hour to do? Like what?!? Are they actually "baking" it to the CG model or what? In the Il2 series of flight sims, you make a skin which is a 1.0mb skin file that the game will apply it to the CG model. Makes it very easy for anyone to create new skins by the dozens providing you have a layered template to create skins from.

I'm getting the feeling that's not the case here? I read that Tutorial, but there are some stuff that just does not make sense to me about what is actually going on. OK I'll shut up before I go ballistic with all these Questions!

That's exactly what we need, texturers.

[Galemp]

So in that case he needs unwrapped UV templates to paint on.

[pecenipicek]

You interested in joining in with TAP JadeHawk? We could really use someone who knows how to draw textures.