Repaint...

[bowler_man]

Is it possible that someone could give me a detailed explanation on how to repaint a plane, or give me a link to a website that explains how to?

[smiley=dankk2.gif]

[igorski]

The following might be useful to you, its not a how-to as such, but it is a lot of useful information!


Part1: Texture Format Converters

Do exactly what thay say on the tin, convert bmps from 'normal' bmp format (that is, 24 bit), to formats that flightsim will read (principally 32bit and dxt3).

The two major converters are DXTBmp and Imagetool. I use a mixture of the two as they both have advantages and disadvantages.

DxtBmp can handle 'the Alpha layer' used in reflective textures, but imagetool is quicker on my system, and can have multiple images open at once.

DxtBmp:
http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/pr ... dxtbmp.htm
Imagetool
http://www.projectopensky.com/files/ind ... getool.exe

Imagetool is just a single file, no install needed, so just sit it somewhere useful like in ur FS aircraft directory.

Its worth noting that, as far as I can tell, DXTBmp will be required to open the textures used in FSX, unless a new version of Imagetool is released.


Part2: Grapics editor.

'Payware' products: Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, - I use PSP
Free alternatives, "gimp", "paint.net" or even MS Paint.


Part3: Aircraft and Paint Kits

As your just learning, its important to pick aircraft that interest you, and that you want to see in a particular scheme, or your likely to just loose interest.

As for which actual models to use, I reccomend Mike Stones. His models are simple enough to learn on easily, and they all come with blank textures for you to repaint onto!! (Also if you use PSP or Photoshop, I have a shedload of layered kits I've made over the years, which makes things ever easier for you!)

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Part4: Formats

A normal .bmp which you would find on your computer is a '24bit' bitmap. Flight Sim WILL NOT read a 24bit image,

It will however read the following:

32Bit - uncompressed, full clarity, large file size
8Bit - uncompressed, limited to 256 colours
dxt3 - compressed, looses quality, but smaller file sizes.

There are other formats, but those three are the major ones for use on aircraft.


Part5: Aircraft.cfg

To get a repaint to show up in FS you need to give it an entry in aircraft.cfg, below is a sample, taken from the Alphasim Park 3 Phantom, with some hints added.

[fltsim.0]                                  //The number must increase sequentially (+1) with each new repaint you add.
title=ALPHA FG 1 Phantom II    //Must be unique
sim=RR_Phantom II                   //Refers to the .air file the aircraft will use.
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=                                   //On this line you would put the 'name' of the texture folder your using (the part after the '.')
kb_checklists=RAF_Phantom_check
ui_manufacturer=ALPHA                          //In the aircraft menu, the manufacturer
ui_type=F-4 Phantom II                           //In the aircraft menu, the type
ui_variation=12. FG.1 No.111 Sqn. RAF    //In the aircraft menu, the variation
atc_id=XT873                                        //ATC details
atc_heavy=0                                         //ATC details
atc_airline=Air Force                               //ATC details
atc_flight_number=XT873                      //ATC details
description=