How To Add Skins WIP

So there have been alot of requests for a tutorial on adding skins for Black Shark. Now I have never written a tutorial before, but thought I'd give it a try.

Attached is my WIP so far. (it's not done) But I'd like some feedback from people (especially those that don't know what they're doing :D) to see if it makes any sense so far.

It's a standard word doc (though I had to zip due to size...it has a few pics)

If you have the time, download it and see if it makes sense so far.

Thanks.

Completed version has been posted to Lockonfiles

Version 1.1 now available

Changes for Version 1.1

-Fixes a couple of typos

-Adds information for the multiple skin files for correct damage textures

-Adds additional photos to assist with color schemes (courtesy of MadTommy)

-Amplifies section on adding KA-50 to other countries

Thank you Moose - I've read your instructions, and will give them a go. I've got a couple questions that I've come up with, but I'm gonna give it a go first to see how I get along with producing a skin. Thanks again for this.

CRD

Questions are good. Try it out and then post what you aren't sure of so I can add it in.

Just got the skin into the game and took 3 screenies. Now, how do I get the screens posted here in order to enable you all to click the icon and get the picture? And I do have questions for you, however I'll not be able to get them organized today (or for the next 3 days for that matter, lol - 11-hr work shifts, plus evenings non-restricted firearms course and ballroom dance lessons with the wife *compromise to let me get my rifle license, ha ha* So I'll be getting back to you on Thursday.

CRD

No rush. As to posting screenies, if you go to advanced mode when you're doing your reply, there is an attachment tab, that will let you upload files

Here's a screenshot of my first skin - just a rough attempt to see how the process goes ...

Nice looking skin. Any comments on the doc? I've still got to add a section for using MODMAN and maybe a section on how to add a skin to the game, without MODMAN and without overwriting any existing skins.

The obvious end goal will be to have a Skin how-to that is detailed and fool proof (ie LOTS of pics)

I was also thinking of putting in a section that show the in game model, for each bmp with just the background on. Similar to this. I'm thinking if there is a section or annex with those, ie KA-50-Paint1 with a couple images of the helo in game, then the same for Paint2, etc. that would reduce alot of the "I can't find this or where is this part" questions.

RCN Moose - ok, using your method 1 to get the skin in-game worked. Now your instructions said there were three methods to doing this, and based on other posts, I have a vague idea on how another methods works, but for arguement's sake, lets say I don't have a clue (which is close to the truth, lol). Now your guide didn't go beyond method 1, so were you going to get into the other two ways or no? To save time, I'll ask my questions ...

1- in the ka-50 skin folder, the line "value = 0.0; etc, I take is the identifier for each different skin. So I'd like to create a skin file that will enable me to name as "prototype", I would have to give this skin a value number of "1.5", or "4.9" - any number that does not match an existing file set in the skins folder?

2- The name "Prototype", would be placed in the obvious line of the skins list for Scripts\Database\Helicopters, along with its registry id number, but what are the numbers at the end of the line for?

3- Creating a new skin based on the value given to that file, and the id reg # given that name of skin, I trust that all other aspects to the 18 lines in the skin file will basically be typed out the same? The reason for this is that I don't want to overwrite any of the skins already in-game, even to quick load in to check progress of the paint-job.

And based on the answers to these questions, I might be able to figure out how to package the skin for anyone else to use, installing with Modman.

One final thing - what does the "lma7" mean, when referenced by Skypat for modman? I looked and couldn't find any file "skins.lma7" anywhere.

CRD

edit - while I was typing this out, I see you responded to my query about your other two methods - so yes, I'd like to see them written out.

CRD

Edit #2 - had a quick look at your thumbnail - do you have a full body version of your colour chart thingy (I once knew the name of it, but that was a long time ago)

One of the difficult things is knowing where on the frame your colour ends up when modifying the template ...

I also tried to repaint the gear wheel rim, I figured using the "fill" tool would do it, but it only filled some of the wheel - are you supposed to use the "spray" tool and just cover the area? To allow detail through - do you need to allow some opacity, or is 100% still let you see the detail?

1.for the wheels, what I've been doing in using the replace color brush. This changes the color and leaves the detailing. There are times when you'll need to adjust the levels to get the color to match though

2. I think I'll make up examples for the helo with each bmp, then have one overall one so people can see where the diff bmps join

3. the lma7 file is not used by the game. it is strictly used by MODMAN. However, without a doubt I would say MODMAN is the best method for adding anything.

I'm actually getting ready to go to Halifax for a course (leave Monday) so I won't be working on this until I get setup out there. On the bright side, it's a standard military course, so I'll have plenty of free time :)

Hey Moose - I take it RCN = Royal Canadian Navy? At any rate - what you propose sounds really good. So to create a skin file, I should use the Modman to extract one of the standard skins, change the bmps as per your tutorial, make the changes as per Skypat and Bob's your Uncle?

Good Luck in Halifax. How long there? By the way, I found an interesting sample chip for a kitchen countertop that I thought would make a very interesting skin, so I'm motivated to give this a go. No rush to get your tutorial done, this will likely take me awhile, given there's not enough time in the day, plus work, plus renos, plus standard house chores, plus working on the side (for two different people), plus did I mention there's not enough time in the day, plus gaming, plus....

CRD

RCN - Yes.

MODMAN - No. You do not need to extract anything when making a MODMAN compliant skin. IN fact you want unique names for your bmps. Thats where the lma7 file comes in, you list your file names there, MODMAN does the rest when it installs it. (theres abit more to it, of course)

On another note, I have a word doc with all the bmps from the template, shown in game. It's too large to post here, but if you shoot me your email via PM, I can send it to you.

Of ya, I'll be stuck in Halifax for just over 3 months.

Nothing like compression. Attached is 2 zip files, which contain in game pics of all of the template bmps, as well as a few of all the bmps together to see how they fit.

Had a look at your colour templates - I'm impressed that you are able to colour-define the individual components of the airframe - I take it you had to go back and forth between the template and the in-game view to refine the final boundaries of the components? Excellent work (wish I had that kind of time - seems the older I get, the more busy I get)

CRD

If you can - post or PM me a sample of your modman lma7(?) file with your idea of what unique bmp names would look like - I can't seem to get beyond that the name should be "KA-50-PAINT24-DEF-05.bmp", or could you call it "KA-50-PROTOTYPELEFTSIDEFRAME-05.bmp"? See where I'm getting at?

I tried using the colour replace option in Photoshop for the wheels - wasn't able to select the specific colour swatch I'm looking for. How do you do this?

CRD

WHen you install MODMAN, it includes a sample skin, which includes a lma7 file. What I do is open that file, rename the bmps to whatever I have called them for my skin, add a specific color scheme ID, give it a name, and save the changes.

As for the templates, all those colors are there already, they're the background. If you hide everything else those are what you see.

When you look at the layer list for the "wheels" - there shows only 4 layers. one is background ("Fon"), the other is the rims (layer 1), another for the tire face, another for the tire sidewalls. I can change the background layer colour, but the rims layer doesn't seem to want to change. Whether it makes a difference or not, I'm using the DCS supplied template.

CRD

I assume you're using Photoshop.

The wheels is one of the few templates where there isn't really a 'background' per say. What I do is hide the background (fon) layer, then using the magic wand, click any where but the tires or rims, then select inverse. Now you have the rims selected.

I then pick the color replacement brush, select a color and go nuts. 9 times out of 10, the color you end up with will not be what you selected. I then go to Image > Adjustments > Levels and play with the levels to get the color back to where I want.

Ok, good. I'll give that a go. One other thing, I downloaded your Templates in game pics, and tried to unzip, then print them out but every time I try my computer locks up (using the Windows viewer). I haven't tried yet but it just occured to me to try opening in Photoshop (which I do use), so I'll see if that works.

Strange. Not sure why they wouldn't print through the viewer, they're just jpg's.

Man you sure respond quick, lol. Actually, I deleted the files and re-downloaded. Now I can print them out after I unzip them. Sorry.

I'm using the Photoshop version 6.0. I've done the magic wand and inverse select part done. Now the wall I'm up against is this colour replacement brush deal - where is this? I don't see any reference to this on the tools viewer. when I use just a regular brush, it paints over everything so you don't see any of the rim detail, so I don't think that's the brush I'm supposed to use.

Ok, I've got it - Next step is to select your brush, where the tool bar at top shows the brush size, next to it is "mode" - select "colour", opacity is at 100% and then I just apply the colour I want, and it keeps the rim detail, while changing the overall colour of the rim. awesome.

Crazy,

A few more things about photoshop if you dont already know them. Learn to use the shapes tools, the line tool is incorporated in this part of your toolbox. You can do a lot of detailing such as panel lines and curves, It will use any color picked with the eyedropper. Drop Shadow is another good feature, I beleive it is found under the Layers menu. There are certain aspects of skins where the skin artist is representing a three dimensional object or component on a one dimensional surface, things like screwheads,boltheads,panel lines and lapped joints and rivet heads, The drop shadow feature will help to make these details stand out and is good for simulating grime and dirt build-up around hard edges. Play with some of the features of the edit portion of your top menu, there you will find a feature called transform where you can rescale,rotate, and several other commands. This allows you to resize or rotate individual layers. Used if you are mirroring parts. As I think of other things I'll try to post them in this thread.

Congo - I know Photoshop has these features galore - lucky for me, my wife works with it in her job (pre-press), and has a fair amount of insite that she can show me. Unfortunately for me, I don't have time to really get into the gritty detail stuff like some of these other fantastic artists produce. At this point, all I'm doing is re-working the colour schemes, and using the path tool to create the various patterns. I'm working on one now (quite original, I think), I'll be sure to post a pic and request some input for improvement. Give me another week.

CRD

I'm still very confused when it comes to the "Adding skins to the game" part, it says there are 3 methods but there is only 1. None of it makes sense to me.

Can it be explained a little easier?