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Livery database

Discussion of aircraft textures and liveries

Re: Livery database

Postby gooneybird » Sun May 09, 2010 4:01 pm

Gijs wrote:Please confirm the fix :shock:


:D :D Working great here, Thanks Gijs. :D :D
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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Wed May 12, 2010 11:06 pm

Hi folks!

Emanuel Baranger's valuable and extensive work on so many of the FG aircraft has provided a huge choice of well finished aircraft. And by chance, it happened to be one of his; the B-25 Mitchell, which I'd been flying, when I decided to investigate the files which define it. So I set about some experimentation, to see what happened if I tweaked a few things...

Soon I was able to see my alterations, which led me on to doing a bit more. This led to deciding on a complete re-skin: just for myself, for some 'practice'.

Having done half of the work (screenshot published here: http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7955, I found myself needing more information and was lucky enough to find some original photographs of the actual airframe, which has proved to have been an invaluable resource; resulting in starting over again! (Therefore the screenshots seen here are out of date and heavily revised and improved).

Anyway, now I am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. And having put so much work into it, I feel it only fair to share the result when it is finished - hopefully within a couple of weeks.

The problem is that I do not know how to make my work available as a download for other people. Can anyone tell me what I need to do please? Apart from dealing with graphics, I am not familiar with computing protocols, languages etc., and I don't know what to do with my artwork! (Apart from fly it!).
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Re: Livery database

Postby simbabeat » Wed May 12, 2010 11:40 pm

Well you would need to package the .png file and the .xml file in a folder and compress the folder. The compressed folder could also contain a readme and license information. Then you could upload it to any file sharing site such as http://www.mediafire.com or the flightgear livery repository
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Re: Livery database

Postby Gijs » Thu May 13, 2010 7:37 am

ZzerozZ wrote:The problem is that I do not know how to make my work available as a download for other people. Can anyone tell me what I need to do please? Apart from dealing with graphics, I am not familiar with computing protocols, languages etc., and I don't know what to do with my artwork! (Apart from fly it!).

I'd be happy to help you with your files, if you just package the following things into a .zip file and upload it at http://liveries.flightgear.org:

- .png file (the actual texture)
- .xml file (the livery file)
- .jpg thumbnail of the (airborn) aircraft with your texture. Resolution has to be 350*250 (w*h).
- .a file with the airline/registration/owner of the aircraft (in real life).

You can upload your file here.

Cheers,
Gijs
Airports: EHAM, EHLE, KSFO
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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Thu May 13, 2010 2:23 pm

Thanks very much Gijs. That's very helpful.

I really like the way you explain the basics. Even I can get the idea from your words and I'm sure that, when the time comes in the next few days, actually going through with the process you've described will be simplicity itself! (There is a lot still to be done with the .png file).

(Thanks also to heroic simbabeat, who ALWAYS helps!)

There is one more thing I'd like to ask. Does the finished file size have any affect upon frame rates?

Thanks in advance.
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Re: Livery database

Postby Gijs » Thu May 13, 2010 3:15 pm

ZzerozZ wrote:Does the finished file size have any affect upon frame rates?

It shouldn't make much difference once the textures is loaded. However, large files do take longer to (down)load. Add all the detail you can add (don't let the filesize hold you), but do try to minimise the filesize where possible.

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Re: Livery database

Postby simbabeat » Thu May 13, 2010 3:17 pm

If it is extremely detailed frames can go down. But nothing drastic. You won't experience a 20fps drop. The most I've seen with detailed liveries is about 3-5fps. The more detail the better!

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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Thu May 13, 2010 3:23 pm

Thanks Simbabe. And does this only affect frame rates when using an external view of the aircraft? i.e., if flying from 'within the cockpit', are frame rates affected?
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Re: Livery database

Postby simbabeat » Thu May 13, 2010 3:28 pm

Hmmm I can't give you a definite answer but my guess is no. Also, Gijs brought up loading times. With a very detailed livery it may take a minute to load once clicked on but that is no big deal.
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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Thu May 13, 2010 4:09 pm

Sorry simbabeat. I'm not sure if you've answered my question there. I am not concerned about loading times.

My question is this:
Are frame rates differently affected when using different views of the aircraft whilst in flight?
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Re: Livery database

Postby simbabeat » Thu May 13, 2010 4:46 pm

simbabeat wrote:Hmmm I can't give you a definite answer but my guess is no.


Usually with an extremely detailed livery, it is only in external views.

Remember the livery mapping can be ANY size. A really detailed livery is usually 2048x2048 or more!

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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Thu May 13, 2010 5:24 pm

Right. Thanks mate.

Currently I have it at 1024x1024 and a file size of 742KB, but doubling it will help get some of the detail I am planning for. I'm glad you've told me this before I do further work because I was planning to leave it at 1024. :D

Cheers Simbabe.
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Re: Livery database

Postby ZzerozZ » Fri May 14, 2010 5:50 pm

I have now realised a problem:

I have done so much work at 1024 scale, in so many different files, that to increase the resolution would require starting the whole project again, which I do not have the time to do. It will therefore have to remain at 1024.

Here is a picture I took last night, showing its current state of development.
Image
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Re: Livery database

Postby simbabeat » Fri May 14, 2010 6:03 pm

You can just resize the texture. I would be happy to do it for you if you want.
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Re: Livery database

Postby gooneybird » Fri May 14, 2010 6:22 pm

simbabeat wrote:You can just resize the texture. I would be happy to do it for you if you want.


Resizing a bitmap texture done at 1024x1024 to 2048x2048 will not make It look any better, It will only increase the file size. To gain the extra detail etc. it has to be created at 2048x2048.
This doesn't apply to vector graphics, you can save these at any size regardless of the size they are drawn at.
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