B26B FSX Native Marauder Painters Release Beta 1.0

[Milton Shupe]

Milton, one last request...any chance to increase the roundness of the fuselage? Currently it is very optimized! even just a little more poly's in the circular shape with help in the bump map not looking so boxy...if not, no worries. I like what is happening. It's transforming nicely now. Started to get dialed in in my work.

Hi Rick,

Not really without redoing the entire fuselage and adjusting all the attachments and windows. The fuse is 28 sided (a lot for FS9 builds), and even if I doubled that to 56 or 64 sides, it would still look "half-boxy" close up. :-) Looks great at angles and at 30' though. LOL

[Mach3DS]

Ok, here's the results: I've got things pretty much where I want them to be. It's too Warbird reflective ATM, but for those that like the warbird look, you will definitely have the capability. Thanks Milton! Don't mind the last picture...zoomed in too much....some clipping. Nothing wrong with the actual model. Now to duplicate on all sheets...the time hog!

[Milton Shupe]

Looking great Rick! Is fresnel activated in those shots?

[Mach3DS]

Yes it is. In fact speaking of fresnel. If you want to. again, this is your baby, if you add a unique canopy fresnel such as "Fresnel_Canopy.dds" then all that glass could technically have it's own variations aside from specular where if multiple color bands are used in one fresnel you can get off angle color changes like those seen in aging or heat distorted older plexiglass...anyhoo...not needed but just good for thought. Thanks Milton!

[BrittMac]

Good grief that looks amazing! Cannot wait to see it in my sim.

[Milton Shupe]

Yes it is. In fact speaking of fresnel. If you want to. again, this is your baby, if you add a unique canopy fresnel such as "Fresnel_Canopy.dds" then all that glass could technically have it's own variations aside from specular where if multiple color bands are used in one fresnel you can get off angle color changes like those seen in aging or heat distorted older plexiglass...anyhoo...not needed but just good for thought. Thanks Milton!

I already have a glass_fresnal_red.dds on the glass. It should be in your common texture folder.

Here are the settings boxes options I have ticked.

Would this do?

[Mach3DS]

Perfect I would just leave it then. Sometimes less is more? I actually really like the look of your glass as is. However...food for thought: with all 3 Fresnel modes selected what happens is that none are isolated so it creates a blending. However in this case how you have it setup looks great. I would not mess with it. Does the glass have a specular? We could make it possible to have scratches and smudges...niw that would be just more ismmerssive IMO...

[Milton Shupe]

Perfect I would just leave it then. Sometimes less is more? I actually really like the look of your glass as is. However...food for thought: with all 3 Fresnel modes selected what happens is that none are isolated so it creates a blending. However in this case how you have it setup looks great. I would not mess with it. Does the glass have a specular? We could make it possible to have scratches and smudges...niw that would be just more ismmerssive IMO...

Yes, it does. See attached.

[Mach3DS]

Thanks Milton! I was purely mobile yesterday using my phone and was away from my PC. Thanks for the info!

[Mach3DS]

Ok quick question/observation. I just noticed that the glass specular is the same file name as the diffuse? I think that will negate our ability to place a custom specular texture (like smudges for instance) without a discrete specular file name referencing it's own texture file?

[Milton Shupe]

Ok quick question/observation. I just noticed that the glass specular is the same file name as the diffuse? I think that will negate our ability to place a custom specular texture (like smudges for instance) without a discrete specular file name referencing it's own texture file.

Only the specular color name is the same; the specular level is different.

That allows the specular color to pick up the diffuse colors.

The specular level is a different name allowing you to treat the level independent of the color.

Edit: I am new to these FSX material setups so I am just doing what I think is best based on the SDK and what others have done. So, I am open to suggestions.

EDIT2: If you look at the attachments from posts 131 and 133, you will also notice there are scalars for reflectivity and specular. Those may be adjusted as well.

EDIT3: I should also mention that the windows, turret and plexiglas have the material generally applied, not individually mapped.

EDIT4: LOL This is crazy! Just noticed that the material for Specular Level calls for Glass.bmp but the texture in the common folder is Glass_diff. That needs to be changed to Glass.dds

[Mach3DS]

Only the specular color name is the same; the specular level is different.

That allows the specular color to pick up the diffuse colors.

The specular level is a different name allowing you to treat the level independent of the color.

Edit: I am new to these FSX material setups so I am just doing what I think is best based on the SDK and what others have done. So, I am open to suggestions.

EDIT2: If you look at the attachments from posts 131 and 133, you will also notice there are scalars for reflectivity and specular. Those may be adjusted as well.

EDIT3: I should also mention that the windows, turret and plexiglas have the material generally applied, not individually mapped.

No problem Milton. I wouldn't change your sliders for for reflectivity or specular. I would leave them as is.

1. The way you have them setup is good. It allows the alpha channel to control it. Which IMHO is better. This gives the painter the most control over what happens.

2. So, the newer FSX material abilities, allows us to use a discrete specular texture rather than simply adjusting the main diffuse texture. Just like the main textures have specular textures, you can also assign the glass materials and specular texture altogether. This is where I would put smudges, scratches etc. if I wanted that look. No worries that it's applied generally and not mapped (because it's glass, externals should be mapped for nest results) just give it it's own file name ie: "canopy_glass_spec.dds" we can still create smudges etc. Mapped is always better, but if it's too much trouble this will work as well. only becaue it's glass and not a specific shaped part.

Either way, if you decide to do, that's how I would, if you don't, that's fine too.

[Milton Shupe]

No problem Milton. I wouldn't change your sliders for for reflectivity or specular. I would leave them as is.

1. The way you have them setup is good. It allows the alpha channel to control it. Which IMHO is better. This gives the painter the most control over what happens.

2. So, the newer FSX material abilities, allows us to use a discrete specular texture rather than simply adjusting the main diffuse texture. Just like the main textures have specular textures, you can also assign the glass materials and specular texture altogether. This is where I would put smudges, scratches etc. if I wanted that look. No worries that it's applied generally and not mapped (because it's glass, externals should be mapped for nest results) just give it it's own file name ie: "canopy_glass_spec.dds" we can still create smudges etc. Mapped is always better, but if it's too much trouble this will work as well. only becaue it's glass and not a specific shaped part.

Either way, if you decide to do, that's how I would, if you don't, that's fine too.

Rick,

Just to clarify, each of the windows are mapped individually or as pairs and the maps are set to accept the glass materials at proper angles.

I have no problem changing as requested. Will do that in a few hours as I have some errands to run.

Will post results back here this afternoon.

[Mach3DS]

No hurry Milton, I'm mobile again today...normally I'd check out the model and ask fewer questions! Thanks for all the quick responses.

[Milton Shupe]

Updated Model and textures for everyone who has downloaded the Marauder:

1) Model changes for Glass material changes implementation - Replacement Model folder
2) Glass texture name changes in the Glass material - Adds two textures - you must delete one texture (Glass_diff.dds)

This update changes the way glass appearance is managed by using a separately named specular texture for the color slot and one for the specular level slot.

Specular Color (Cabin_Glass_Spec.dds) controls the specular light used, while specular level (Glass.DDS) controls how broad or narrow the specular effect is.

[Mach3DS]

Finally back to my PC and had some time this afternoon to work on this again. Been off essentially the whole week. So back in the saddle. making progess. Will hit up the engines next, then wings, then H-stabs. Obviously this is not a wartime scheme...I'm mainly doing it up like this to help see the bumps a little better as I create them. However, once done I will be able to make changes to make it more of a natural finish metallic look that's been used a little.

[tankerguy72]

Amazing work! looks like the real deal

[Milton Shupe]

Amazing work! looks like the real deal

I agree. With Duckie's panel lines and rivets and Rick's bare metal textures, you have an "awesome" WIP.

[Mach3DS]

Thanks guys!! Remember these are duckie's original panel lines and rivets and any thing painted you see are from his paint kit he passed on to me. I've highly modified everything since then in order to create the bumps, external skin, added alpha channel for reflection and created the specular texture you see I. These screenshots. None of which would be possible without Duckie taking the painstaking time to create the panel lines and rivets...whivh I si.oly haven't the time to do. So praise should be thrown his way as well.

I'm creating the bumps from scratch as I go, because I fselite it's easier to create them while creating the bare metal. They go hand in hand, and I've tried some new techniques here which I absolutely love the outcome of and will continue to use going forward. If like to actually revisit my B-58v3 skin which issues a great diffuse by DaveQ and redo the whole thing now that I know more of what I'm doing! Haha. I didn't know much back then when I created it and would love to see it redone now that I'm one level above noobie hack!. I'm hoping I could do a better job than I have thus far.

As far as Marauder goes I'm plugging away. Won't be able to work on it again until tomorrow afternoon.

[Mach3DS]

Slowly chugging along! Duckie, I should have this stuff done for you hopefully by the weekend!...HOPEFULLY! I've tried to show some different lighting angles, even though the aircraft is in generally the same viewing angle the lighting is coming from different angles....Slew mode is my friend!

[Duckie]

Looks great! No hurry, as I mentioned to you earlier, still dealing with RL.

[Mach3DS]

Thanks Duckie! Copy that, understand you're situation.

[Daube]

It's unbelievable how these textures transform the perception of the model.
I mean, with the original green/brown textures, it's already an excellent 3D model.
With these metallic textures, it's almost a real-world picture in some angles
Superb work gentlemen, both on the model and the textures. I can't wait to see the final results

[RjSchreiber63]

Man, I love that bare metal look!!!!!!! Very Nice

[Mach3DS]

Thanks guys! This is a fun project. And the model is taking to the textures very well. This AP has nice lines.