Ship Side number and name

[Balu010]

I'm trying to figure out how to change the ship name and number on the texture.

 

 

I found that the description.lua contains the

 

custom_args =

{

[66]= 0.3

}

 

 

 

lines and in the model viewer I can check what setting is what. I can see that both the number and the name is from the texture atlas, and the argument defines which one to select.

 

 

What I can't find is where are the number and names defined ? In the model file? Or where, how can I make a custom one?

 

 

Anyone knows ?

[Balu010]

The Ticonderogas for example, but same with the Olivers and Burkes

 

 

 

For example we have

 

CG-66 Hué City and CG-72 Vella Gulf

I want to make

 

 

CG-47 Ticonderoga and CG-55 Leyte Gulf

I know this is very minor but I'm trying to recreate the 1995 and 1996 Theodore Roosevelt strike group as accurately as possible :D

The possibility is there, since the names and numbers are form a generic texture atlas containing all the numbers and letters, so I just need to find the place where it is stitched together ,assign a custom value for the args [66] and there I go.

I probably should look up how the dynamic tail numbers are done on aircraft. probably similar method , no ?

[Admiral189]

You can change the name and number within DCS ME. There's a drop down to change it. Also, for the perry class frigate as well.

[Balu010]

602/5000

I have created new liveries for the individual ship classes. you can find these under my downloads at Dropbox. For the Burkes you can find this under user-download. However, this class only came to DCS with the new carrier mod. The Maekindl USS Arleigh Burke Class no longer work. I painted the numbers 100-111 here. You get corresponding examples for the paints and the entries in the description.lua for all classes.

 

Links: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3309893/

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3306739/

 

 

Ye that is a solution, but I want to avoid creating actual textures, since they already exist. I want to use the default texture and numbers already in the default files. (the atlas that is uses fort he current numbers have all numbers from 0 to 9, same with the letters a to z)

[Balu010]

You can change the name and number within DCS ME. There's a drop down to change it. Also, for the perry class frigate as well.

 

 

Yes but only a some predefined numbers are available, it is controlled by the argument 66, like an animation. But I want to add more stepes to it to have more number and names, without the need of new textures.

 

 

But I'm afraid this is all defined inside the .EDM model, and if that is the case I cant access it. The EDM plugin for Blender cant import, and I don't have 3D max :(

[Grimes]

The problem is argument 66 changes the location of the first and second digit simultaneously depending on the value instead of having an argument for each. Plus the order of the numbers is weird so it is a PITA to figure out. The names on the back would require additional textures to be added as there are only so many. The files are in install\Bazar\World\textures\NAVY_textures.rar if you want to take a gander.

 

This applies to the Perry and Tico as they use the same system. The new Arleigh Burke is a bit better in that all it has is a relatively small custom texture file containing each ship name, number, and destroyer squadron emblem.

[Balu010]

The problem is argument 66 changes the location of the first and second digit simultaneously depending on the value instead of having an argument for each. Plus the order of the numbers is weird so it is a PITA to figure out. The names on the back would require additional textures to be added as there are only so many. The files are in install\Bazar\World\textures\NAVY_textures.rar if you want to take a gander.

 

This applies to the Perry and Tico as they use the same system. The new Arleigh Burke is a bit better in that all it has is a relatively small custom texture file containing each ship name, number, and destroyer squadron emblem.

 

 

If you check the textures use for the Tico in Model Viewer, the names are also constructed from a texture atlas, containing the abc letter, they are not fixed textures as far as I can tell, same with the number, the problem is the argument 66 drives an animation as far as I can tell, and this means the text and number is predefined (constructed) inside the edm file . So I can't do much :( Have not checked the Burke more closely yet.

 

 

Edit: and idea come to me while writing this, this is a hack, but what one could try, is to make a new livery , copy the names and numbers textures and just re-arange the letters and numbers :D what I mean for example we have CG-66 , so in the livery file use a texture atlas where 5 is where 6 is in the original atlas :D I won't go down that rabbit hole, but someone might.

Edited May 29, 2020 by Balu010

[Grimes]

The names are grabbed from a texture file that literally has all the names on there organized vertically. The .dds texture file is in the Navy_textures.rar I pointed out before. You can add to the description file telling it to use a different texture so that is how you could get different names. Numbers are the problematic part.

[Stevo_HR]

Where are the positions of the numbers described, is that embedded in the .edm files?

[Balu010]

Where are the positions of the numbers described, is that embedded in the .edm files?

 

I'm afraid the answer is yes.