Help Needed for VC textures!

[Guest]

I am having trouble applying base textures to objects in the VC, and I hope some kind soul will help me to master this! :)Let's take the compass housing on top of my center avionics pedastal for an example.I need to apply a base texture to the compass housing to 'paint' the object. I already have a UVW map on a simple plane on which to project the compass itself, and that works fine.But, when I create a UVW map for the housing itself, and try to apply a texture, the texture will not appear in the compiled model, regardless of whether the texture is in the panel's texture folder or the a/c's texture folder.Thinking perhaps I needed to use the $ prefix to the texture's name, I tried that and now the whole darn object becomes invisible! :(I've had the same problem trying to apply textures to the yokes as well... :(Now, most of the rest of the panel (with active gauges) has its base texture applied in the panel.cfg like this:(Vcockpit09}file=bdvc_09.bmp :(Please anyone, help save my sanity! :)

[Guest odog]

hi Bill,Well, Im a little confused, but Ill try to help you. If your problem is trying to texture the compass, it will have nothing to do with the panel cfg. I try not to get ahead of myself when Im in the home stretch, I texture before adding gauges. If the compass is becoming invisible, then you applied the gauge bmp onto the compass...not the compass plane. It shouldnt be that difficult, if you apply a texture to the compass...int. and ext., then apply the $compass.bmp to a plane that sits infront of it. the plane will become transparent save for the compass.(VCockpit01)size_mm=512,206pixel_size=512,206texture=$navgagebackground_color=0,0,0visible=0This entry works for me. Im sure you know the gauges dont get stuck to the object, they float just infront of the object on a plane.It should be just like normal texturing. It looks to me like your applying your base texture with the panel.cfg, I have never done it that way, I always texture in gmax first then apply the gauges.I hope I could help, just let me know if you need more info.

[Guest]

>If the compass is becoming invisible, then you applied the >gauge bmp onto the compass...not the compass plane. It >shouldnt be that difficult, if you apply a texture to the >compass...int. and ext., then apply the $compass.bmp to a >plane that sits infront of it. the plane will become >transparent save for the compass.Nope... I'm trying to apply a texture to the *part* named compass_housing using the Material Editor. It is a totally separate bitmap. Just applied as normal to any other part.I use a totally separate planar object named compass_screen to which the $compass.bmp (0,0,0 .bmp file) is applied with the Material Editor, just as all the other gauges are. >(VCockpit01) >>size_mm=512,206 >pixel_size=512,206 >texture=$navgage >background_color=0,0,0 >visible=0 >>This entry works for me. Im sure you know the gauges dont >get stuck to the object, they float just infront of the >object on a plane. Obviously, that part is working, as from the picture I sent the compass is plainly visible. What is not visible is the previously mentioned .bmp texture. I've used this technique on seven panel assemblies so far:P1 ConsoleP1 Kneepanel ConsoleCenter PedastalP2 ConsoleP2 Kneepanel ConsoleSwitches ConsoleThrottle ConsoleThe reason I cannot do this with the compass is because if I do, then the compass is 'reflected' backwards on the front of the housing! That looks rather silly... :)In fact, none of the textures I've tried to apply in the 'regular fashion' in the VC will show up, unless I apply it in the panel.cfg entry.>It should be just like normal texturing. It looks to me like >your applying your base texture with the panel.cfg, I have >never done it that way, I always texture in gmax first then >apply the gauges.>I hope I could help, just let me know if you need more info. Well, it should work like 'normal texturing,' except it's not! :(Thanks for the reply. I'll keep trying...

[Guest odog]

>In fact, none of the textures I've tried to apply in the 'regular fashion' in the VC will show up, unless I apply it in the panel.cfg entry.>hmmmm....bizzare! Thats incredibly strange, Ive never had that problem.is your VC a clone of your exterior model? My interior is exactly the same as my exterior model.sorry, good luck.

[Guest]

>>In fact, none of the textures I've tried to apply in the 'regular fashion' in the VC will show up, unless I apply it in the panel.cfg entry.>>>hmmmm.... >>bizzare! Thats incredibly strange, Ive never had that >problem. >>is your VC a clone of your exterior model? My interior is >exactly the same as my exterior model. As a matter of fact, at the moment it is. I use MdlCommander to create an 'interior' automatically. When I'm done, I'll group the parts separately and minimize the size of the .mdl file...

[Guest]

Hi there Bill what type of projection are you using (if I may ask)beleve it or not I have found that the above can make a differance(it may have something to do with the drawing order as well.) Dan. Hope this is of some help

[Guest]

>Hi there Bill what type of projection are you using (if I >may ask) >beleve it or not I have found that the above can make a >differance >(it may have something to do with the drawing order as >well.) >> Dan. Hope this is of some help I'm not sure what you're asking, especially with regards to "drawing order." That would seem relevant only to the internal application of bitmaps within a gauge.What I'm asking, to put it as simply as possible, how the heck can I apply a texture to a static part of the VC, like you would apply texture to the blasted vertical stabilizer on the outside?I've created a UVW map of the part, applied the bitmap using the Material Editor, I can see the freaking image in GMAX, but it won't show up on the stinking model in FS!

[Guest bones]

Hi Bill,I've spotted the "double sided" plate as well when a texture is applied. I went for a less complicated "fudge" by adding a thin vertical plate behind the VC texture plate to hide it..Like you I apply a bitmap to the VC panel plate and then overlay this with a file:[VCockpit01]size_mm=1024, 512pixel_size=1024,512file=dh82p.bmptexture=$dh82panbackground_color=0,0,0visible=0It's worked fine so far so I see no need to change the technique!

[Guest]

>Like you I apply a bitmap to the VC panel plate and then >overlay this with a file: >>[VCockpit01] >size_mm=1024, 512 >pixel_size=1024,512 >file=dh82p.bmp >texture=$dh82pan >background_color=0,0,0 >visible=0 >>It's worked fine so far so I see no need to change the >technique! Well, I really don't want to have to define *all* of the interior textures as "gauges" in the panel.cfg file...I've decided to study the 'sample' files to see how "whoever" applied textures in the PA180... obviously, it's something simple I'm missing... :(

[Guest]

>Let's take the compass housing on top of my center avionics >pedastal for an example. >>I need to apply a base texture to the compass housing to >'paint' the object. I already have a UVW map on a simple >plane on which to project the compass itself, and that works >fine. >>But, when I create a UVW map for the housing itself, and try >to apply a texture, the texture will not appear in the >compiled model, regardless of whether the texture is in the >panel's texture folder or the a/c's texture folder. As the attached pics will illustrate, I've finally solved the 'mystery' why basic textures weren't being applied in the VC to static (non-gauge) objects!!!Although three of you great folks made suggestions, none of them panned out, so I spent a few hours and began reading through all of my collection of tutorials. While none of them deal with VC's specifically, it did help to focus my mind on the problem... :)As it turns out, I had forgotten the most basic rule of texturing!: namely, that all static images MUST be "square"; that is, powers of 2 (e.g., 256, 512, 1024)... As most of you know, I had become enamoured with the idea that when creating bitmaps for active gauge panels you don't need to obey the above rule!Hence, when defining a base texture bitmap in the panel.cfg file, the size can be specified there explicitly, and FS2k2 is perfectly happy. So, an entry like the one I've re-quoted below will work just fine!In GMax, the UVW map is .097m x .236m, so I doubled the numbers and created the $bdvc.bmp file and the bdvc.bmp file as 194 x 473 pixels. In the panel.cfg entry, there is a 1:1 ratio between mm and pixels defined, so it works perfectly.This means that there is no need to stick to "square" UVW maps when dealing with active gauge "screens," which makes designing much easier in the long run!>Now, most of the rest of the panel (with active gauges) has >its base texture applied in the panel.cfg like this: >>(Vcockpit09} >file=bdvc_09.bmp <== base texture >size_mm=194,473 >visible=0 >pixel_size=194,473 >background_color=0,0,0 >texture=$bdvc_09 <== FS generated 'virtual texture' >>gauge00=TB20GT!Pitch Trim, 48,104,34,156 >gauge01=TB20GT!Fuel Tank Selector, 92,112,49,38

[Guest]

Excellent tag/sign! Is it for real as well? :D

[Guest]

>Excellent tag/sign! Is it for real as well? :D Uh, not that I know of... I just had to put *something* on the sign as 'proof of concept' (i.e., demonstrate that the graphic is being displayed OK)... :)BTW, I haven't heard from you min *ages!* How is your project going? Any updates lately? Have you abandoned the project?