Black Prop!

[U4EA]

I've searched the site over and could not find a solution to this particular dilemma, so I thought I'd ask y'all smart folks....

I downloaded a freeware twin engine prop plane, from (ahem!) another site, and discovered that the spinning props show as black disks.

[Daube]

Yes, it's a typical transparency problem because of the SP2 for FSX.
It can be corrected. You just need to use DXTBMP to make the Alpha Channel of the prop texture darker.
If the sentence above doesn't make any sense, don't worry. It's nothing complex, it's just new. Make a search on the forum using the terms 'DXTBMP' (it's a freeware program), you will find a lot of explanations and examples

[U4EA]

Thanx for the tip!  I looked into the how-to of it but Ima thinkin' that may be a skill-level or two above me.

The "problem child" is the Howard 500.  I nixed it from my hangar, and then saw it listed here at SimV.....so I snagged it and found that it too has the black-disk props.

Someday when (if?) I get a bit more 'puter literate I'll try to fix it.

Ain't like I need any more of a stash in my hangar, I got about 130 others to choose from!

Thanx agin!!!

[Daube]

Ok, two things for you then:

- first, this DXTBMP stuff looks complex, that's true. But in reality, it's not that difficult. In fact, once you've done it for an aircraft, you're pretty much able to do it for any other FS9 aircraft with the same problem.

- second, you are certainly referring to the Howard 500 from Milton Shupe. This plane was made for FS9 as you guessed it, and so it has some little problems with the props.... BUT, the cools news is that this plane now exits in real native FSX SP2 format

[U4EA]

Yes, it is Mr. Shupe's.  I found the first one on another site, then found a FS2002 here at SimV, but the prop difficulty was still there.

Thanx so much for the locate on a version for FSX!  I'm thinking about attempting the fix you told me about, BUT, last time I tried something like this I FUBAR'd things to the point of having to unistall/reinstall FSX.

But my noob-level is still improving.....I've done more than a few panel upgrades and repaints without screwin' too much up, and my hangar is stuffed with about 130 units....one screwup I did end up keeping just for grins was a F-86 that now has an invisible fuselage.

Once again, THANX!  It is so nice to have a place like this and folks like y'all to help folks like me out with stuff!