FSX SP2 Propeller aircraft from FS9 , how to upgrade?

[Emile 28]

Hello,Since my upgrade to SP2 , the propellers in FS9 airgrafts are ugly.Can someone help me to upgrade these bit maps?I have NO experience with imagetool.Thanks in advance.

[Guest Stoopy]

Sure, why not, 'tis the season of good will, n'stuff....see fixed ZIP file attached at bottom of message.Procedure isn't too hard really. Takes less than 5 minutes once you get the rythm going....- Download and install Martin Wright's DXTBMP program http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htmThis will also need mwgfx.dll to function so download and install that too:http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/graphix.htm#dllsThen after these are installed, launch DXTBMP and configure it for an Alpha editor:- Start DXTBMP and assign an Alpha editor to it, like MSPaint (don't need anything fancy for this). You do this by going to the Prefs menu and choosing "Select Editor", then navigate to MSPaint which is in your C:WINDOWSsystem32 folder and select it....or maybe the menu selection "Reset editor to MSPaint" will do that for you. I haven't done that part in a long time and I don't remember.Anyhow once that's done here's what you do:- BACKUP the stinky prop texture files first.- Open the stinky prop texture file(s) in DXTBMP- Modify the Alpha layer by going to the Alpha menu and selecting "Send Alpha to Editor"- MS Paint should open up. Maximize it, double-click on any color in the pallette (I use the second color, the grey), the color selector will show up, go to "Custom Colors" and drag the slider on the right all the way down to a value of 20 (not zero).- Hit OK and return to MSPaint. CHoose the dark grey color you made, and use the fill bucket to fill the white Alpha area with the dark grey.- Hit "Save" (not "Save As"), then Exit MSPaint.- You'll return to DXTBMP. From the Alpha menu, select "Refresh Alpha"- The Alpha window in the upper-right corner will change from white to the dark grey - that's the transparency value (the darker, the more transparent).- From the File menu, select "Save as" -> "Extended Bitmap", then in the selection rollout choose "DXT3". Save using the original filename.- Repeat for the other prop texture and save. You should be good to go with nice, mostly-transparent prop discs.Here are the results, feel free to post a screenshot or some feedback on how it works for you. The transparency level I use is acording to my own taste, yours may vary. Pure black (value 0) is completey invisible, white is completely opaque (as you've already seen) and 20 is just a tad visible. Season to taste.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/182535.zipOne thing that this cannot fix, or even make worse, is how clouds and/or autogen display behind or though the prop disc(s). Short story is, that's an artifact of FS9 vs FSX modeling and texture assignments, and display techniques, and it simply will be what it will be until an FSX-specific version of that aircraft is created.Happy holidays!

[Emile 28]

Hello Stoopy,Thanks for the information , the solved .bmps and tutorial.Exactily what I was looking for.Regards and happy 2008 .

[PhilTaylor 45]

This seems like the sort of thing I should republish, with credit of course, on my blog. Is that ok?

[Guest Stoopy]

Perfectly fine with me, edit where you feel approriate ("stinky" textures?) ....I'd be flattered, and thanks for asking!Happy holidays and THANK YOU.:)

[rhodges 6]

For what it is worth, simply replacing the prop texture with one from a plane that does not have the problem and renaming it to the original worked for me.Happy flying:RTH

[Paul J 349]

Good topic, guys - but I followed all the above, including using another prop from a different aircraft - and that works, too - BUT - the aircraft I'm "working" at is the RA Spit 14's prop. It's five-blade and a nightmare. It just doesn't seem to follow the rules. I can make the heavy black disappear but then I lose the yellow tip color: I'm pretty sure I'm having the problem because I just "ain't smart enuff" with using PaintShop Pro, Adobe PhotoShop6 OR plain ol' MS Paint. I can get a BETTER prop - but none which look as good as the other bmp props. I can write in C and am very computer literate - but I'm a dummy at graphic arts. It's a long learning curve. :(Would any super-smart graphics guy like to do me a BIG favor and do this one - please?. :( This Spit works really well and it seems to be taking SO long for Rob to finish the FSX version....

[Mace 1,902]

Related to this topic, if you have an FS9 aircraft that has invisible parts with SP2, then you should take its textures, load them with ImageTool (comes with the SDK) and save them as DXT5 textures.This has worked for me on a couple of older aircraft.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2585 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2gb Corsair XMS 3-3-3-8 (1T), WD 150 gig 10000rpm Raptor, WD 250gig 7200rpm SATA2, Seagate 120gb 5400 rpm external HD, CoolerMaster Praetorian

[Paul J 349]

Thanks for the suggestion, Rhett: I just tried it and it may be a bit lighter than the way she appeared before, but it's a long way from all the other props. Still has a black and heavy appearance. :-( EDIT: Actually I should quit whining. It is a vastly different sim to how it was at the beginning of this year, and I should just fly something else until Rob gets it together. There's lots more folks with far greater problems than a blackish looking prop! Right??Happy (and prosperous) New Year!:-beerchug