B26B FSX Native Marauder Painters Release Beta 1.0

[Mach3DS]

Ok I've finally had some time to finish up the hard part -- the engines! Now that the bumps are complete here the rest should go much quicker! I have to admit I've been feeling a little burned out with everything going on IRL but I feel much better about this project now that I'm making some headway! It's turning out better than I expected! I'm really pleased with it so far. Ounce the bumps are done I'll send them off to Duckie to complete his paints and I'll focus pin completing my aluminum paint which is not really what you see here. This is more off a warvird look. I'll do both for the folks who like both styles.

[TuFun]

Beautiful work Rick!!! Planes look so much better P3Dv.4!

[Mach3DS]

Thanks TuFun! I'm actually flying this in P3Dv3.4. I'm using PTA (which I simply won't fly without anymore) it makes the environment so realistic with ambient lighting effects!

[jankees]

outstanding work!

[Milton Shupe]

That's great progress Rick; looking more life-like with each showing.

[stovall]

Wonderful stuff B-26 team, can't wait to get my hands on this beauty.

[Mach3DS]

Thanks guys!! Once these are done the specular will be universal. So all one has to do is add their paint as a layer over top and adjust the white/black balance for painted areas and it should look good. Just need tonfimd some time to finish this up. Only 3 textures left to do!

[Mach3DS]

Getting closer, had a little time tonight...Left wing basically done.

[stovall]

Great job Rick, one only has to look back at the beginning of the project to see just how really good this Marauder looks. Looking forward to the download.

[Mach3DS]

Thanks Tom. I just discovered a small booboo that needs fixing before I continue to right wing. Should be complete this weekend with bumps for Duckie.

[Milton Shupe]

thanks tom. I just discovered a small booboo that needs fixing before i continue to right wing. Should be complete this weekend with bumps for duckie.

*bump* :-)

[Mach3DS]

Funny enough I just emailed Duckie this morning with an update. Maybe you can help. I've been stuck for a few days trying to resolve this. I must be missing some thing obvious. Take a look at my last screenshot. Notice the very leading edge. It has a nice black line running the entire length. That is from the bump. I can't get rid of it. It won't wrap fully around the model to complete the leading edge. It's this a mapping issue on the bump map? Duckie said to me that he had a similar issue but that it was solved by simply painting slightly outside the width of the wireframe. I've done the same. Maybe I need to go even further than I have....

[Milton Shupe]

Funny enough I just emailed Duckie this morning with an update. Maybe you can help. I've been stuck for a few days trying to resolve this. I must be missing some thing obvious. Take a look at my last screenshot. Notice the very leading edge. It has a nice black line running the entire length. That is from the bump. I can't get rid of it. It won't wrap fully around the model to complete the leading edge. It's this a mapping issue on the bump map? Duckie said to me that he had a similar issue but that it was solved by simply painting slightly outside the width of the wireframe. I've done the same. Maybe I need to go even further than I have....

Rick,

See the attached screen captures of the mapping of teh top and bottom. I suspect that the bump is not taking on that leading edge. Red indicates selection of the top and bottom polys for each of those maps.
The LE is either too vertical to catch the paint of the bump and is likely impacted by the Fresnel ramp.

[ferondoe]

B-26 Willie the wolf

[ferondoe]

B-26B BIG ASS BIRD

[ferondoe]

Heaven Body

[ferondoe]

ISH-TAK-HA-BA

[ferondoe]

Keller's Killer

[ferondoe]

B-26 Valkyrie

[ferondoe]

B-26 Wham Bam

[ferondoe]

The Big Hairy Bird






There is no alpha layer and I would like to have the know-how of 000rick000 to give a more metallic effect

[Milton Shupe]

Wow! Those are amazing paints Ferondoe!

Do you have access to the SDK?

Study the FSX materials and Teapot section. Take a look at the Specular texture alpha channel.

This link shows the stuff but the selection options beside the teapot are very slow to load for me. If you have the FSX or P3D SDK, that would be better.

The Fresnel ramp reflection effects may not work here as the reflection option is not selected for the Fresnel Ramp.

Materials: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526971.aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526948.aspx

[Milton Shupe]

Ferondoe,

Maybe Rick can give us a hint or a small tutorial on how he has achieved his great results.

Meanwhile, you are correct, the diffuse alpha is not enabled (as shown on the first image under Enhanced Parameters). Only the specular texture has the alpha active.

Here are the material settings for the fuselage, wings, tails, and engines as shown on the fuselage material.

[Mach3DS]

So I've been developing my own personal techniques over the last few years studying the SDK, and learning sometimes via trial and error.

For a good metal skin:

IMO you need to understand the difference between Diffuse Alpha, Specular Diffuse, Specular Alpha.

In a model where the materials are setup such that reflection is created from the inverse of the diffuse alpha:

Diffuse Alpha - Controls the amount of REFLECTION ONLY. You must learn to "paint" reflection areas.

Specular Diffuse - What you want to be in the highlighted areas (smudges, footprints, scratches etc.)...this works hand in hand with the Specular alpha. You are painting "light" here.

Specular Alpha - You are painting the light intensity.

Fresnel - If it affects Specular only can add color and viewing angle depending on the blending of the fresnel. If set to refelction only, will change the viewing angle of reflections. You'll need to learn about this in the SDK. Far too much to cover here. Lots of possiblities for usage.

So bottom line, for metal you need to learn to paint reflections and light and do so in a complimentary way between the Diffuse alpha and the specular texture.

[Duckie]

Outstanding work Marty. Love the weathered and chipped paint. The screen shot lighting is a really great effect and shows off your work beautifully.