paint question: full PSD files

[Guest]

Hi,It has been a LOOONG time since I've done a repaint and I've found good tutorials (www.freeflightdesign.com) on how to repaint for FS2002/FS2004, but I have this question about the paintkits:once I've worked up the left and right sides using 700_full_right and 700_full_left, what is a good method to get them into pmdg_700_fuse_t?I am using PSP 8.0.Any suggestions?Thank you,Jeff

[Guest GeorgeDorkofikis]

Hi Jeff,I'm working with PSP 7, but it should be the same...Once you are done and SAVED your work:0. Open 700_full_left.psd1. Merge all the layers2. Without selecting anything, press the copy icon on the toolbar3. Open the TGA file you wish to work with (ie pmdg_700_fuse_t.tga).4. Paste as new selection5. Move the selection and place it at 0, 0 (down left corner on your status bar). Don't worry about missing the right portion.6. Deselect the selection.7. Paste again as new selection8. This time move your view to the right end of the second part of the fuselage and move the selection to align the end of it to the underlying image (x -913, y 256) on the status if I remember right.9. Close 700_full_left.psd without saving. You don't want to save it merged in case you want to make changes to it.9. Open the 700_full_right.psd10. Repeat steps 1 to 8 for the lower portion of the tga file. 3rd row is at x 0, y 512, and last row is at x -913, y 768.11. Save the tga and close the open files.12. Open ImageTool and do what you usually do... Load the tga, and save it as bmp. If you wish you can change the format to DXT3 before saving to save space, although sometimes the result with DXT3 is not that good. Especially for the fuselage and tail.Hope this helps.Regards,George DorkofikisAthens, GreeceUnofficial Olympic Airways repainter. :-)

[Guest]

Thank you George,I actually worked up a copy/paste situation much like what you described here, but x911 seemed to be the magic number.In any case, is there anything special I need to do with the alpha channels (like turning them on before collapse?Thanks again!Jeff

[Guest]

I collapsed my PSD files and did the targa thing and... it WORKED!!!but now... we'll it seems like my airplane is NEON and dayglo. The reflections are so strong that the whole plane kinda "shimmers."Obviously, I need to go back to repaint school, but which of the layers in the PSD file are doing this?I am psyched this worked, but was amazed to see how psychedelic it turned out.Jeff

[Guest Bob_Jones]

Hi Jeff,send me a mail with pic's outlining everything you are doing, this sounds like the alpha is being reversed somehow thru the conversion to bmp.Regards,Bob JonesPrecision Manuals Development Groupwww.precisionmanuals.combjones@precisionmanuals.com

[Guest]

Bob,maybe I need to reduce the alpha levels?also, do you know why pmdg_engine_r_t.psd does not have alpha and pmdg_engine_L_t.psd does? It looks like the engine templates are totally missing from the -600 paint kit too.sending pics shortly. Right now, I am working on reducing the alpha opacity levels, hoping maybe that does something.Thank you for your help.Jeff

[Guest Bob_Jones]

Jeff,the right engine uses the same alpha as the left one, thats why I only included the one, the .tga files already have the alpha embedded so you don't need to add or adjust it, just convert to bmp.The engine map for the -600 is missing :+, this model only uses the one map, I'm fixing now ;)Regards,Bob JonesPrecision Manuals Development Groupwww.precisionmanuals.combjones@precisionmanuals.com

[Guest GeorgeDorkofikis]

Hmmm... Alpha problem...Did I mention you need to save it again on the same file? (The TGA file, I mean).Then open the TGA with the ImageTool of FS. (The one of FS2002 is just fine).When you load it you will notice on the stats on the right that it says Mip Levels 1, Alpha 1.Save As BMP with the same as the TGA and that's it.That's the way I did the OA repaint (in todays AVSIM files) in little over 2hrs.George DorkofikisAthens, Greece

[John_Tavendale 453]

Jeff, I find the easiest way to get the full fuselage textures onto the aircraft texture is to basically go by windows for the length, then copy, paste onto the texture as a new layer, set to multiply, then align the lines and rivets, when its in place, set the opacity to normal, then flatten. You basically do that 4 times to get the fuselage textures done ;)

[Mac_Paint 35]

Gentlemen,Bob can correct me if I'm wrong but the paint kit is set up so that all you need to do is open the PMDG_fuse_t psd file then open the fuse side tga, copy that file then paste into the PMDG_fuse_t file. The front section of the fuse will be correctly positioned horizontally and all you have to do is position it vertically. Then paste again and position the aft portion of the fuse. I use the aft apu exhaust layer as a guide to position the aft fuse horizontally. Use the bottom of the fuse to correctly position the fuse sections vertically. After all four sections are aligned, save then save again as a TGA file.

[Guest GeorgeDorkofikis]

Yeap... That's the way I said in my first reply.It's pretty easy and the kit is designed perfectly.George DorkofikisAthens, Greece

[Guest]

George, all,Yes, I think my novice is showing. I just don't know what to do with the Alpha layers. I have read every post here on repaints and have conversed with Bob (thanks Bob, you are very helpful!). The paint kit is great for a novice like myself and is letting me get back into repainting (starting with fictitious things to get warmed up). I think what I am not clear on is what to do with the alpha layers. I do this1) edit the left and right full files2) collapse (this is where I am a little lost, do I collapse alpha too?)3)copy (although I was doing it the hard way, thanks for the suggestions here folks!) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd as 4 new layers (front left, rear left, front right, rear right). 4) collapse pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd (again, do I also include alhpa?) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.tga. In PSP 8.0 I've done this both as a new layer - deleting the existing layer - and then collapse and as a selection.5) open DXTBmp (I've erased my FS2002 install and don't have imagetool installed) and open Targa with Alpha. I was always seeing an alpha in the upper right corner that pretty much looked like my repaint in grey scale (and I believe this was the problem) 6) Bob, via email, taught me to then double-click on the alpha such that PSP would edit it7) with the temporary BMP open I was instructed to open the original pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd file and I deduced that I should make only alpha layers visible. 8) I then collapse these visible alpha layers (PSP 8.0 has a cool Copy Merged option in the Edit menu that helps) and copy them over this new temp.BMP sent over from DXTBmp.9) I then save this temp.BMP and close (without saving) my pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd file.10) back in DXTBmp, I select Alpha | Refresh Alpha, which updates an alpha channel that is far more reasonable (not a negative image of my repaint)11) I then select File | Save Extended Image (Extended 32-Bit 888-8)12) drop the new file(s) into the a new texture folder which is a copy of the default PMDG-700 texture folder (renamed of course, with appropriate aircraft.cfg entry)13) (lucky number) IT WORKS!Now, if anyone could point me to references that describe proper handling of alhpa layers, I'd be most grateful.Sorry so long, but there are many steps to follow, all of which need care.Jeff

[Mac_Paint 35]

>George, Here you go...>1) edit the left and right full files>2) collapse (this is where I am a little lost, do I collapse>alpha too?)No, no need to do anything here other than match your alpha to any changes you've made to the BASIC fuse. I.E., add or remove windows. You'd want to make sure the alpha matched these new or missing windows.>3)copy (although I was doing it the hard way, thanks for the>suggestions here folks!) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd as>4 new layers (front left, rear left, front right, rear right).>4) collapse pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd (again, do I also include>alhpa?) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.tga. In PSP 8.0 I've>done this both as a new layer - deleting the existing layer ->and then collapse and as a selection.Just saving as TGA file format collapses these automatically. >5) open DXTBmp (I've erased my FS2002 install and don't have>imagetool installed) and open Targa with Alpha. I was always>seeing an alpha in the upper right corner that pretty much>looked like my repaint in grey scale (and I believe this was>the problem) At this point I'm in imagetool. I only used to use DXTBmp when I needed to adjust the alpha layer.>6) Bob, via email, taught me to then double-click on the alpha>such that PSP would edit itAh, never tried that!>7) with the temporary BMP open I was instructed to open the>original pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd file and I deduced that I should>make only alpha layers visible. Yes >8) I then collapse these visible alpha layers (PSP 8.0 has a>cool Copy Merged option in the Edit menu that helps) and copy>them over this new temp.BMP sent over from DXTBmp.Yes, if you're adjusting the alphas, otherwise once you've created an alpha for a texture you can just repaint the texture for your next repaint, preserving the alpha for later use.>9) I then save this temp.BMP and close (without saving) my>pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd file.Yes>10) back in DXTBmp, I select Alpha | Refresh Alpha, which>updates an alpha channel that is far more reasonable (not a>negative image of my repaint)Yes>11) I then select File | Save Extended Image (Extended 32-Bit>888-8)Ok>12) drop the new file(s) into the a new texture folder which>is a copy of the default PMDG-700 texture folder (renamed of>course, with appropriate aircraft.cfg entry)ok>13) (lucky number) IT WORKS!>>Now, if anyone could point me to references that describe>proper handling of alhpa layers, I'd be most grateful.Me too! My knowledge of alphas are gleened from messages from Bob and the 'ol trial and error(Bob and Robert know about the hugh amounts of trial and error I subjected them to).

[Guest]

Thank you Pete.

[Guest GeorgeDorkofikis]

Jeff,Why are you making your life difficult on your own? It's already hard as it is! :-)>1) edit the left and right full filesCorrect...>2) collapse (this is where I am a little lost, do I collapse>alpha too?)Negative. From PaintShop Pro, goto Layers, Merge, Merge All (Flatten). NOTHING else is required.>3)copy (although I was doing it the hard way, thanks for the>suggestions here folks!) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd as>4 new layers (front left, rear left, front right, rear right).Negative... You do NOT need to even touch the pmdh_700_fuse_t.PSD file! You must paste on the pmdh_700_fuse_t.TGA file instead right as I described on my first reply.Unless you have changed the number of windows or the layout of the windows you will never need to edit the alpha channel. By pasting into the TARGA file the alpha channel remains intact.>4) collapse pmdg_700_fuse_t.psd (again, do I also include>alhpa?) and paste into pmdg_700_fuse_t.tga. In PSP 8.0 I've>done this both as a new layer - deleting the existing layer ->and then collapse and as a selection.Negative... Step NOT NEEDED.>5) open DXTBmp (I've erased my FS2002 install and don't have>imagetool installed) and open Targa with Alpha. I was always>seeing an alpha in the upper right corner that pretty much>looked like my repaint in grey scale (and I believe this was>the problem) Try again without pasting into the PSD file as I explained on step 3 and you will see that the Alpha will be different.I can send you imagetool if you like. It's better for the conversions.After this, you just open the TARGA file with ImageTool, Save it, and that's it!!!All the remaining steps are not required unless you want to indeed change the alpha channel because you changed the window configuration or something.Good luck!George DorkofikisAthens, Greece