FSX Native Lockheed Lodestar Series

[MZee1960]

My textures for the Western Airlines Lodestar look fine!

No, Charlie. I think they look just like what I have. If you look closely, you will notice that the yokes, yoke stands and the two pilot and co-pilot seats are 'black'. In some repaints, if you look closely, you will notice some screw heads on the yoke stands and other dark shading - which leads me to believe, as Milton said above, that the textures are actually quite dark - but in my case there is nothing visible (no screw heads, shading etc. on the yoke stands). If you call up the 'Texture.NAC' (ZK-ANB Karuwai repaint) and look in that VC you should see the actual yoke, yoke stand and both pilot seat textures.

[MZee1960]

Not seeing any missing textures MZ on my end but the default texture folder yoke stem examples of parts_t and cabinseats has the cockpit seats quite dark. You can select lighter examples from other liveries like PAA or KLM.

You could also copy the parts_t from the Santa Fe livery temporarily until Willy can add the yoke stem and wheel to the Western livery parts_t.

Try the cabinseats texture from Ferondoe's TAA livery for a lighter cockpit seat arrangement.

Thank-you, Milton, for the prompt reply.

I will try to play around with these and see how things go.

I really like the 'Texture.NAC' Karuwai ZK-NAB VC also. I just wanted to know which .dds files represent which items in the VC before I start.

I think now I understand. The interior and VC textures are all contained in five files : cabinfloor.dds , cabinseats.dds, cabinwalls.dds, cockpitwalls.dds and parts_t.dds . So theoretically swapping these out will allow for entire cabin and cockpit appearance change in a particular repaint, and if these aren't present in a particular repaint file, the interior falls back on those darker ones in the common texture folder, simply labelled 'texture' in the aircraft file.

[Milton Shupe]

Thank-you, Milton, for the prompt reply.

I will try to play around with these and see how things go.

I really like the 'Texture.NAC' Karuwai ZK-NAB VC also. I just wanted to know which .dds files represent which items in the VC before I start.

I think now I understand. The interior and VC textures are all contained in five files : cabinfloor.dds , cabinseats.dds, cabinwalls.dds, cockpitwalls.dds and parts_t.dds . So theoretically swapping these out will allow for entire cabin and cockpit appearance change in a particular repaint, and if these aren't present in a particular repaint file, the interior falls back on those darker ones in the common texture folder, simply labelled 'texture' in the aircraft file.

Correct Sir. There are 5-6 combinations used across the liveries.
Some of these do appear darker on some systems.

The Western parts_t.dds is missing the yoke stem and wheel however.
Maybe Will can fix that. You can substitute the Santa Fe textures for a close resemblance.

[MrZippy]

OK, now that I made the minor change to the Western textures I see what you are talking about!

[MZee1960]

Correct Sir. There are 5-6 combinations used across the liveries.
Some of these do appear darker on some systems.

The Western parts_t.dds is missing the yoke stem and wheel however.
Maybe Will can fix that. You can substitute the Santa Fe textures for a close resemblance.

Hi Milton,

Your advice worked very well. Thank-you. ..... and Charlie 'looking good' !

[MZee1960]

Expat,

Sorry it is not possible for us to be compatible with all the sims and options.

It sounds as if your version with the options you selected is "enhancing" the alpha channels of the primary body textures. I do not think it is a bump or spec map issue.

Reflections for this model are based on the body textures' alpha channels. If what I suspect is correct, then if you loaded the attached textures for the United livery (just the major body parts here), the mirror reflections should be more toward no reflections.

Try this and let me know the effect. This is like a proof-of-concept test.

All I did to these textures was essentially make the alpha channels near white.

You might want to keep a copy of the original folder before replacing the textures.

Hi Milton, just following up with results of a trial I did in my FSX Deluxe Ed. with SP2 re your alpha channel mod of United repaint :

Before mod applied -



After mod applied -



YMMV ....... but in my base FSX setup (no shaders, HDR,or other graphic addons), .. although both versions present beautifully, .. it's the 'after' which speaks more realism to me (compare frt. engine cowling by prop spinner).

Can these files be used for the beautiful 'Western' paint also, as my FSX shows this one as a mirror finish, much brighter than in post #87 by @wombat666, where, to quote @expat, it's 'bang on perfect' ?

The other paints I chose to use are fine.

[Milton Shupe]

Hi Milton, just following up with results of a trial I did in my FSX Deluxe Ed. with SP2 re your alpha channel mod of United repaint :

Before mod applied -



After mod applied -



YMMV ....... but in my base FSX setup (no shaders, HDR,or other graphic addons), .. although both versions present beautifully, .. it's the 'after' which speaks more realism to me (compare frt. engine cowling by prop spinner).

Can these files be used for the beautiful 'Western' paint also, as my FSX shows this one as a mirror finish, much brighter than in post #87 by @wombat666, where, to quote @expat, it's 'bang on perfect' ?

The other paints I chose to use are fine.

I do not recall the files but, the alpha channel controls the degree of reflectivity, so the closer you get to 255,255,255 (pure white) the less reflective the paint.

You can use DXTbmp to Export the alpha channels from one you like, then import that alpha channel to the one that needs changing.

[MZee1960]

I do not recall the files but, the alpha channel controls the degree of reflectivity, so the closer you get to 255,255,255 (pure white) the more reflective the paint.

You can use DXTbmp to Export the alpha channels from one you like, then import that alpha channel to the one that needs changing.

Thank-you, Milton. I have heard of DXTbmp, but never played with it, ..... perhaps later, I will investigate further, not a big deal.

Now, I'm anxious to learn how to control this aircraft on the ground better .. without running everything over !

I think I'll start by adjusting my seat for better visibility.

[Milton Shupe]

Thank-you, Milton. I have heard of DXTbmp, but never played with it, ..... perhaps later, I will investigate further, not a big deal.

Now, I'm anxious to learn how to control this aircraft on the ground better .. without running everything over !

I think I'll start by adjusting my seat for better visibility.

Just noticed I FUBAR'ed my post. Said "more" when I should have said "Less" reflective. Now corrected.

Ground control for a tail dragger, practice, anticipate, be gentle, patience, use tail wheel lock helps tremendously. :-)

[MZee1960]

I adjusted the viewpoint a bit in the AC config (personal taste) to help me overcome the one drawback of tail draggers when on the ground - forward visibility.
YMMV, as usual ........ just don't forget to save the original viewpoint config so u can go back, if necessary.

[Views]
eyepoint= 3.699, -1.297, 4.235 // orig. was 3.366, -1.217, 4.038


Also, does anyone know if these 2 'Pennsylvania RR' beauties (maroon and green versions) done by @Willy , are available anywhere for the current model ?

http://sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php/60836-A-Lockheed-quot-Rounder-quot/page103?styleid=33

(Milton has a picture of the 'green' Pennsylvania RR version in his post #1 here.)

[MZee1960]

Does anyone know if these 2 'Pennsylvania RR' beauties (maroon and green versions) done by @Willy , are available anywhere for the current model ?

http://sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php/60836-A-Lockheed-quot-Rounder-quot/page103?styleid=33

(Milton has a picture of the 'green' Pennsylvania RR version in his post #1 here.)

After further investigation, I found out that they were done by @mvg3d, who was inspired by the beautiful Santa Fe livery done by @Willy. I located them here in the SOH library.

[Milton Shupe]

After further investigation, I found out that they were done by @mvg3d, who was inspired by the beautiful Santa Fe livery done by @Willy. I located them here in the SOH library.

That is correct. Two of my favs done by mvg3d. I did not include them as I had so many liveries already.