AI Aircraft With Multiple Skins

[Daiwilletti]

A few years back Ndicki started to experiment with putting multiple skins for an aircraft in an installation. The idea being, it would be great for variety if whenever an aircraft spawns, it appeared with different codes on the skin signifying a different aircraft. CFS3 has random spawning which adds great life to a factory or airbase as different vehicles can appear, so it would be nice to have variety when aircraft spawn too. Even the nationality of facitilities is randomised in CFS3, you can spot different flags flying if you keep an eye out. So its a shame Microsoft didn't fully operationalise randomness with aircraft skins too.

Unfortunately there are limitations to the multi skin approach. If you select a multi-skinned aircraft for QC, and get four to appear in a dogfight, all four will have the same skin. Doesn't seem to be a way around it.

After some experimenting I found some things help. I took the ai 3gb hurricane from ETO and plonked it in my test mule installation. I created five folders named hurricane01 through to hurricane05, and put them in the root of the installation, rather than the aircraft folder. I found that almost always, the skin from hurricane01 folder seemed to be selected for the ai aircraft. Perhaps the cfs3 engine is numerate? It didn't seem to matter whether I deleted the bdp between tests. In order to get variability I had to exit CFS3 and turn off the computer.

The I took the folders containing the skins and renamed all the folders to "hurricane". Needless to say I had to put them in other folders as folders with the same name cannot exist side by side in the same pathway. After turning my computer off and restarting, I finally got some variability in the skins spawning. Each time I started QC mode I got a different skin (within the limits of only having 5 skins to start with). Can't fix the fact that all four aircraft in a QC session use the same skin, but at least there was randomness between each QC session.

So for those of you who have a pile of skins from some of the ai aircraft from a while back, the lesson is: name the folders which contain the skins in a way which is not ranked by the game engine. My initial use of numbering is a no-no which impedes random selection of the skins. 01 seems to be preferred to 02. Another surprise is that with my limited testing it does not seem necessary to delete the .bdp file between sessions.

Ideally, the computer would be turned off and on between sessions as some information about the pathway to the last used skin somehow seems to "stick". But naming the skin folders the same and distributing the folders amongst other folders seems to assist in random skin selection.

In the WWI versions of cfs3, I think they link the aircraft skin to the mos file in order to get individual lettering on different aircraft within the same flight. That unfortunately is beyond my skill and time available.

[BorekS]

As to the WW1 described feature.

The letters are images, stored outside the skin, defaultly at the aircraft Shared folder. The stock CFS3 airplanes use various letters, body stripes, fleet unit logos, selectable ingame in the menu.
I personally don't use this feature, because it is easier to paint it directly into the current skin, BUT if the MOS related “decals” can hold the AI skin feature as you mentioning, it would be phantastic!

Yet, imagine each MOS layer wouldn't be the current small decal, but a whole different skin

[BorekS]

well, I didnt bothered with it before, so it probably is a common thing, however:

* I can cofirm the AI enemy airplane formation, if thier .mos files contents the variable "decals" are generated random paint scheme - I did a meele with stock CFS3 Me 262A-1 five birds and each was different stripe color and letter/number code.
* I have to say this is not happen for the players ariplane wingman band, unfortunatelly. they are all identical skin.

[gecko]

Interesting! Too bad it doesn't work for your own wingmen, since you see them together more than anyone else, but it would be nice if the enemy at least is all using different markings, and if like you say, the decals were actually done as complete skins that could be selected as a code letter, all the better!

[BorekS]

well, sofar I took my small single seater Me P.1110 model and did a clean skin texture patterns for a few own camouflage color tags, to simulate variable color schemes.
the "default" color scheme areas for color tags should be white or light gray color - in case to match the predefined CFS3 paint color library. depends on the current layer object blend mode in the .mos file, of course

the result: the AI enemy fleet got random airplane camouflage scheme patterns

if can be editted the predefined CFS3 paint color library I dont know...

[BorekS]

[Daiwilletti]

That's a great experiment, BorekS!

[BorekS]

its good that the AI skin randomisation works that way, at least.

I was also trying to bother with the whole skin layer replacement, a bit, but this approach is getting a few initial problems, basicaly which CFS3 selectable PAINT tag to choose. CFS3 offers to apply decal images, number/letter codes and the color stripe schemes. the offered color palette list is limited, a few base colors.

if we would make a full skin layer as the decal tag, or as the letter tag, we would need to remove all the CFS3 original decals (emblems), otherwise such other image (256x256 resolution) will render over the full airplane skin thats the problem of the ingame randomisation...

so I think the randomly generated color camouflage is the only painless solution. such AI airplane addept would be designed such way as other standalone airplane menu slot, lower skin resolution and color tag related sources and the user would just choose to play the common skin airplane slot instead.

[BorekS]

as to the stock CFS3 color tag list, Ive found the most matching xml config, to find out same thing like the others who tried before: not so easy to edit it. if ever. thread here.

I have to say I saw a violet colored skin ingame a few times, which supposing is one of the randomly mixed main palette colors, made by the game. I mean the game renders strictly not only the white / black / red / green / blue / yellow.

so, it is a lot easier to leave the CFS3 stock color library as it is and make the related .mos color tag layer some decent blend settings and default color, which, in the final ingame, will render a mixture of this. this way we could get matt camouflage colors, for example.

[Daiwilletti]

Really, this is a big step forward for freeware CFS3. To have a schwarm of colourful 109s bounce you out of the sun would add another level of immersion. I think it would call for a renaissance of the AI aircraft which were used extensively in MAW. ETO provides a group of hurricanes and spitfires in AI form, but could do with a lot more (like AI 109s, 190s).

Thank you for experimenting with this concept!

[BorekS]

youre welcome, mate I like such kind of research and I should thank to you infact

I was testing the darker color tag related images and also variously color toned image areas, to get less "sharp" color camouflage pallete. it works usable.

in another words, with a wisely prepared color tag layers it is posible to get completelly color filled airplane skin depicting variously toned levels of one stock CFS3 color. its all just about our imagination.

what is great is no superspecial paint experience is needed and each airplane can get such feature basically.

what is shame a bit is the AI seems always use same color for all skin color tags - if you check all the Mr P.1110 airplane AI skins above, you can notice the camoufage color is same for all colorable areas (nose, wing camo, fuselage stripes) on the current body. this way we cant get a AI "lozenge" camouflage generated by game, I am affarid, only hand made for players airplane.