Hi..... it's me .....again...
these questions are directly made to the owners of simviation... and to those who clearly know about the subject
( "how to accommodate or simplify the use of files", ...legality, freeware use, and "rules of use")
I will give you a summary...
I'm about to complete my biggest modification:
a complete re-texture of the freeware T-6A TEXAN II aircraft
consists of
-5 liveries (new paintings) (also... each painting can be "edited", just moving files, at the player's discretion)
-new pilots helmets
-new cockpit cover glass
-new cockpit textures (panels, and completely redone textures)
and various other things... (like minigames)
Anyway... A LOT of textures... but... I found a problem...
the (damn) TEXAN (because of IRIS) has a CRITICAL texture of the VC....NOT in the VC folder (!!!!!!!).... rather it is found in the MAIN TEXTURE of EACH AIRPLANE TEXTURE....(!!!! very bad!!!)
what does this mean?... if THAT texture were in the VC folder... all the planes and textures would benefit... but SINCE IT IS NOT THERE... (it is in each of the textures of plane)...I can't modify ALL the textures of all the texans (I'm not crazy to do that)
and what is the problem? (you will ask yourself)
MY TEXTURES (obviously) have ALL the modifications and improvements...(the 5 models) but I wanted ALL the texan liveries (defaults) to benefit ALSO...it is not possible...(you would have to modify all the default texan textures)
So I have 2 APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM:
1- that ONLY MY TEXTURES (AND ONLY MY TEXTURES!!!) HAVE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS... and that the default texans are COMPLETELY default (summary: my textures would be the ONLY ones improved)
2-that all default Texans can also benefit from the new textures and improvements....but...without modifying the "error". (summary: my textures would have all the improvements... and the default texans ALMOST all... but clearly you will notice that ONLY my textures are completely corrected and in the default texans you will notice a lack of improvements)
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these 2 APPROACHES have their advantages and disadvantages
-OPTION 1 (only my textures have all the improvements) has the following advantages:
a)- It does not overwrite almost any original file (because I obviously impose that only my textures have all the benefit)
b)- You don't have trouble or problems when overwriting (or backups) or etc.
problems:
-the only (and big) problem is the LARGE number of duplicate files (so as not to overwrite original files... each texture folder will have EVERYTHING necessary)
(this is a BIG ISSUE that I wish someone would answer)
-OPTION 2 (that all default Texans ALSO benefit in addition to mine (texure folders)) has the advantage:
a)- the GREAT advantage of being light in megabytes... BECAUSE THEY ALL SHARE THE TEXTURES
b)- also the default texan would have the texture improvements (but not all)
issue:
-the only big problem is that it doesn't have ALL the improvements...the default texans haven't modified (and improved) the vc panel (you'll clearly notice it)
look at the photos and you will understand: