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Mach3DS
October 2nd, 2016, 00:09
Decided to take the power washer to my XP56...started to take the paint off, so I just kept spraying...added some wax later in the day...been flying it that way ever since...

Just messing around...


Ok so here's the lessons part. Having been at this for the better part of 2 years now of noticed a few things.

1. Developers vary in skillets
2. Most are talented modelers
3. Most have talented texture artists
4. Creating airplanes for P3D/FSX is HARD!
BUT....

5. Materials application...there is a fog of confusion (in my observation) cloaking this in a veil of secrecy wrapped in an enigmatic gift wrap!

Materials is where it's at. In my experience it's where the rubber meets the road so to speak for.the visuals. Let me illustrate, using specific examples of products. There is no "Right way"...but there is definitely a finite execution vs. A more open ended application.

Example: one of my most favorite aircraft and addons for FS, M2M M2KC. Just fabulous all the way around. When I do paints I use MCX to view them instead of opening flight sim and closing again...so naturally I take a peek at the materials applied. It's actually a great way to know what you're painting and how it's going to react to what you are trying to do. But thats for another article.

Back to materials...so once I'm in MCX I check out what's been done. M2M M2KC is a great example because they know what they are doing. Clearly. The only thing I would have liked to see; which they actually said they may include in a patch (my fingers are crossed, here's hoping), is the ability to use environment blending in the diffuse alpha. So, that can't be that hard to do right? Well yes and no. Adding it to the model is a cinch, yes. But applying it to each texture is not. Take another model...one I worked on. The Milviz F100D: it has IIRC in the neighborhood of about 7 main diffuse textures, for the exterior aircraft which means 7 customers alpha channels. If you're un aware the fsx alpha channel brought with it a per pixel lighting system...yes that's right. So if your alpha isn't exactly the same on the seams of each texture sheet you'll get well, a seam on the model in game. So you can see that it may be preferable to not bother with it at all. Those are just the alpha channels. For example, To get an aluminum look is actually an interaction between the bump, diffuse and specular. Since the bump is complete it provides one layer of lighting. The bump should be completed first before you start work i ng the alphasame and specs.

So back to the MV F100D. In order to get the factory fresh look we needed a bump, diffuse with correct grey color tones, diffuse alpha, environment map with good contrast and specular maps. Speculars consist of a diffuse set of RGB Channels and an alpha channel. So all in all 7 custom diffuse textures, 7 custom diffuse alpha channels, custom bumps for painted vs un painted and 7 sets of speculars and specular alphas all custom had to be created for one livery! With almost no "paint"!

So it's no wonder I find more often than not, that the materials are used to keep all that texturing at bay. Certain model material blending modes are used as a "poor man's" way to create an effect without having to really texture anything. Which is fine. Like I said there's no "right way". However what works for the developer who's mind is wrapped around giving a specific product usually doesn't translate into the repainting world in all forms. For example. If i wanted to make the Captainsim B-52 an all aluminum beast I would have to settle for the old school method of painting in the highlights and colors of reflection which remain static day or night...it doesn't have alpha enabled. You're stuck with flying a modern G or H model. Why do this? Why not enable those features? I can't answer those questions. As far as Maximum repaint architecture goes: you want a model to achieve the highest realism possible in a repaint, the following items should be enabled:

1. Fresnel. You can have multiple fresnels controlling multiple materials. Just remember that if you blend all three modes you will get a transparency. As rule of thumb when I edit aircraft I add seperate exterior fresnel and glass fresnel.

If you're looking to create a a primarily metal exterior texture than you should use fresnel controls specuar for.the exterior. While if you have an aircraft that will be painted both equally fresnel affecting reflection will do better so as to compliment the painted areas that appear more dull in most angles but have a reflection in very shallow.angles.

2. Enable blending of the environment by the INVERSE of the diffuse alpha. This gives reflection control to the alpha channel.

3. Set the reflection to 100%. This allows the alpha channel greyscale to control each part equally. Otherwise if each part is set to a different percentage it will be impossible for a repainter to know what to do. If what was giving them 100% reflection in one are is now reduced by half...they will have no way of knowing. Best to set it 100% for all parts and simply white out parts that don't reflect.

3. Create a specular texture for each main texture including exterior glass. Even if they are placeholders and just solid white. This will alow users to create realistic material surfaces.

Ok i think that covers it for now! As you can see im a noobe. But there's always room to improve.

As far as below goes...sometimes it's fun to mess around on Saturday afternoons!

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5757/29761587170_75e6451f2c_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8406/29761586600_71563595fc_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8498/29761586390_2a5fe8eede_o.jpg

Daube
October 2nd, 2016, 00:35
WOW !!! :dizzy:
Superb ! Simply superb. :ernaehrung004:

YoYo
October 2nd, 2016, 00:45
WOW !!! :dizzy:
Superb ! Simply superb. :ernaehrung004:

+1, amazing work.

jankees
October 2nd, 2016, 02:48
Very nice!

mjahn
October 2nd, 2016, 03:17
Some "amateur"!! I suppose we'd all be happy to take your correspondence course ...

Could you perhaps post a screenshot of the main MCX material settings so that we can see what we are doing wrong?

ThomasDWeiss
October 2nd, 2016, 06:42
brilliant post !!!

tankerguy72
October 2nd, 2016, 06:59
That is some beautiful metal work right there! simply amazing

Mach3DS
October 2nd, 2016, 10:38
Thanks all. One thing more I just thought of as I was looking at the entry to our home and noticing how the new Ikea shoe shelf was reflecting the light off its glossy surface on off angles. Some materials reflect while not reflecting the direct color of objects. This can also be done in fsx. You have the option of assigning each texture sheet part it's own environment map or using the FSX default. If you have a part that will ALWAYS be white (or some other color) for example, you could assign a custom environment map of your own make. This can be done for as many parts as you wish. So theoretically, you could create aircraft reflections of wings say in the fuselage. Just as an example. But there could (and should be) more out of the box thinking in terms of using the SDK. The visual engine especially in P3Dv3.4 is VERY robust. I'm quite certain that those more talented than I here, which I consider most of you, have the noggin power to come up with some outstanding stuff. We just need to see how we can engage in development outside "this is how it's always been done" mentality. Of which I'm a huge investor in! (Sadly)!

Dimus
October 2nd, 2016, 12:42
I think it's time you stop calling yourself a newbie amateur Rick!

This hobby needs everyone's input and keeps progressing. One never stops learning ways to create and enjoy stuff. Your first post is staying in my how-to guides. Thank you very much for your input and insights.

Bjoern
October 3rd, 2016, 09:37
If I ever have a project requiring a proper, painter-friendly material set up, I'll refer to this thread.
All I need now is a good material set up for outside and inside glass as I never really seem to get it right.

Dutcheeseblend
October 3rd, 2016, 10:16
Thanks for this thread! However, rick, comment on your latest post: reflecting wings in fuselage by an environment map won't do any good to realism. The environment map will stay static wrt the environment, and so the wings will, but when you roll, you seem to loose the wings in the reflection. I found this out (although it's rather logically) when I created a custom envmap for my D.21 VC: the cockpit started to spin around on the gauge glass... :o

Mach3DS
October 3rd, 2016, 10:44
Thanks for this thread! However, rick, comment on your latest post: reflecting wings in fuselage by an environment map won't do any good to realism. The environment map will stay static wrt the environment, and so the wings will, but when you roll, you seem to loose the wings in the reflection. I found this out (although it's rather logically) when I created a custom envmap for my D.21 VC: the cockpit started to spin around on the gauge glass... :o

Yes, you're right! I was thinking about it later and realized that I was confusing P3D Dynamic reflections with what I wanted to happen! my bad! This is why I'm still an amateur! LOL

Dutcheeseblend
October 3rd, 2016, 10:50
Yes, you're right! I was thinking about it later and realized that I was confusing P3D Dynamic reflections with what I wanted to happen! my bad! This is why I'm still an amateur! LOL

Haha never mind! I got it so far that I even made a tutorial of it, put it at FSD and only after one reply discovered how reality works! :biggrin-new:

Very useful information you have put here, noted for use on my indev aircraft!

Daube
October 3rd, 2016, 11:28
Sorry to ask, but is there any chances this magnificent repaint gets uploaded to the library ?
I would love to get that Piglet's plane back into my P3D hangar :)

Mach3DS
October 3rd, 2016, 12:09
Sorry to ask, but is there any chances this magnificent repaint gets uploaded to the library ?
I would love to get that Piglet's plane back into my P3D hangar :)

@Daube, that repaint is actually not just a repaint. I've modified the model materials to enable this kind of painting. So I'd have to upload a new version of the model. I created bump maps as well. Which were really just place hilders. I don't have time to work this one ATM. but I would love to. Let me see what I can do. No promises. I'm assuming that Tim Conrad would be ok with me making a few materials upgrades to his freeware models since he's unavailable to contact. I assume the community is ok with it as well. I assume no credit for his work. He did all the hard work and is sorely missed around here!

Daube
October 3rd, 2016, 12:51
Oh yes, I didn't consider the material modifications... That would, indeed, require an agreement with Piglet.
Anyways, no hurry, take your time :ernaehrung004: