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[herbarnold99]

With the advent of several nice new planes in HD, I also see lots of new HD skins of both 4MB and 12MB size to fit them.

I'd like to keep my giant skin collection to a manageable size, and so prefer to use 1MB skins. (They also load a lot quicker on my rig.)

I've noticed that some aircraft (the new 3D He-115 for example) can use the smaller 1MB skins without a problem, but others can't. This seems to be connected to the "skin1o" size, but I may be all wrong there. Bottom line, I'd like to mod all my new HD aircraft to be able to use 1MB skins. Is this feasible? Thanks for any help....

Cheers
Herb
(running 4.12/5.3)

[Kelso]

For me it is so (I think everyone, but I'm not sure) that if the default plane skin (summer) is HD - the game can only read HD skins (those from PaintSchemes). If the default skin has a normal resolution (1024) - the game reads HD and 1024 skins correctly.

[Epervier]

I'd like to mod all my new HD aircraft to be able to use 1MB skins. Is this feasible? Thanks for any help....

Yes !
For bmp skins it's easier. A free tool found on the Net will allow you to convert the files into 1024x1024 and 8bits indexed bmp !
You can also find tools on the FM site made by dr strangelove.

For tga files it's a bit more complicated. These files have an Alpha layer.
But dr strangelove has also made conversion tools for these files...

See your PM !

[Gaston]

For me it is so (I think everyone, but I'm not sure) that if the default plane skin (summer) is HD - the game can only read HD skins (those from PaintSchemes). If the default skin has a normal resolution (1024) - the game reads HD and 1024 skins correctly.

So the logic would be that all planes come with the most universal possibility : normal resolution, so user can use both HD and normal skins... the best compatibility...

[Vampire_pilot]

The whole point is:

HD can mean several things here:
It can mean high resolution default skin (2048² and up)
or it can mean high polygon model - at least I have seen the use of the term in this context.
The polygon count has no affect whatsoever to skin usuability. Only the default skin in the mod has

If the mod comes with a "HD" (2048²) default skin, you can only load skins with this resolution or higher. 1024² skins don't work.

While I do understand why some mod makers want their high-res skins on the plane, I personally think this is a stupid restriction and I usually reduce default skins to 1024² in BAT, so the user can chose what resolution (and therefore memory size and loading time) of skins they want to use.

The .tgb file inside the "summer" folder in the mod is the one in question. Check that one for size with a graphic viewer and you know if it is "HD" or not.  The He-115 for example comes with a 1024² as default, but offers the 2048² as an option. If you add this option, you will lock out all your 1024² skins.

[Gaston]

While I do understand why some mod makers want their high-res skins on the plane, I personally think this is a stupid restriction and I usually reduce default skins to 1024² in BAT, so the user can chose what resolution (and therefore memory size and loading time) of skins they want to use.

Agree 200 % with you ! To allow all skins, tgb should normally be 4097 kb. It easy to downsize it. The easiest to do it is to use IrfanView (after renaming the tgb in tga, of course), which is what I sistematically do. Problem is that, sometimes, once visualised, the tga looks like if the plane has damages... and in this case, once the tgb has been downsized with IrfanView, the plane will look damaged in the game when using default skin...

[Vampire_pilot]

You must use a program that can handle layered tga with alpha.
Gimp can do that really fine.

[Gaston]

Tried Gimp, few years ago, but found it so complicated ! Anyway... will try again. Am not in that kind of things. This is why I like IrfanView !

[herbarnold99]

Gaston/Vampire pilot,

I use Irfanview and resize the default file 'skin1o.TGB' to 1024 x1024. (Size is reduced to 3073KB rather than 4097KB) The resized default skin does indeed show in the QMB, but I still can't load other 1MB skins. What am I missing? (I'm using the new 3D Me-108 as my test case)

thx
Herb

[Epervier]

I use Irfanview and resize the default file 'skin1o.TGB' to 1024 x1024. (Size is reduced to 3073KB rather than 4097KB)

TGA/TGB 1024x1024 without Alpha Channel = 3 145 772 byte
TGA/TGB 1024x1024 with Alpha Channel = 4 194 348 byte

It is preferable to have an Alpha channel on the tga/tgb skins.

[herbarnold99]

hmmm. I add an Alpha Channel to the TGA file in GIMP and save it, but it only increases the size from 3072kb to 3162kb.

Perhaps I'm using the wrong sequence to downsize the original HD TGB file....?

[Gaston]

Try to modify your 3073 file with paint.net. It generally works, and result will be 4097 ko. Only problem is when at the beginning, the tga looks like if the plane is damaged...