I'm working on the TB20GT from last year, and getting it ready for FS9.Here are a couple of screenies showing the reflections on the glass. Does anyone know a good "formula" for restoring the chrome to the prop spinner? It is washed out badly! :(I've reduced the alpha channel to 100,100,100 with a primary color of 216,240,248. The primary with an alpha of 13.13,13 worked well in FS2k2, but for FS9 I've had to lighten up the alpha a lot, but still am not happy with the results.I also need to finish the "Spirit of Liberty" livery. This a/c was donated by EADS/Socata, Bendix/King, and several other avionics companies and raffled off last year by the AOPA Safety Foundation. The proceeds from the raffle went to the 9/11 Disaster Relief Fund.BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/29861.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/29862.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/29875.jpg

one way is to paint theprop spinner texture black..with black alpha :)

Bill, I'm pleased your going to get the TB20GT ready for FS9, I'll be looking for it. Love your "radios" I've used them in several personal panel remakes. K7NH

Bill, are you using specular lighting to get the reflections on the glass? Or have you found another way? I haven't been able to get reflective glass like that in FS2002--I've only been able to mimic the effect with specular lighting, but it doesn't work as well... -John

>Bill, are you using specular lighting to get the reflections>on the glass? Or have you found another way? I haven't been>able to get reflective glass like that in FS2002--I've only>been able to mimic the effect with specular lighting, but it>doesn't work as well... John, there is no texture applied to the windows at all. It is all done within GMax.Diffuse, Ambient and Specular colors are set identically:R=92G=92B=92Hue=0Sat=0Value=92Specular Level=70Opacity=70This glass has nice "reflectivity" both during the day and the night... :)BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

That's as I expected then Bill. In addition to specular lighting, I've also used an alpha channel on glass to give it more daytime reflectivity...I think it adds a touch of realism. But support for that technique seems gone in FS2004. It's really hard to show it in a screenshot--I think one only gets a feel for it when they pan around an aircraft. My Microlight uses specular lighting alone for the windows, since I didn't cut the windows as a separate part. I used the old FSDS trick of using the alpha channel to specify transparency.My update to Chuck's Mirage used specular lighting and an alpha channel to enhance the daytime reflectivity. Since the windows were a separate part, I could set the transparency in the part properties, and use the alpha to add the reflectivity the same way it could be done with a solid part. -John

>My update to Chuck's Mirage used specular lighting and an>alpha channel to enhance the daytime reflectivity. Since the>windows were a separate part, I could set the transparency in>the part properties, and use the alpha to add the reflectivity>the same way it could be done with a solid part. I tried using a texture w/alpha in FS2k2 and could never be satisfied with the results, so I decided to apply the proven KISS principle... :) The windows on the Socata are separate parts, so it's a simple enough matter to check out the reflective texture technique again.I use a combination of both techniques in the 400A and Hawker 400XP FS9 versions, and it seemed to work out quite nicely. If I have any better success with it on the Socata, I'll be sure to post my findings and conclusions... :)BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

BTW, Bill, did you see my comment in the ES forums?I've been using the enhanced 400A in FS2002... I love the specular lighting work you did there. It's the best looking aircraft I have :) I'll trade the window shades for work like that any day...-John

>BTW, Bill, did you see my comment in the ES forums?>>I've been using the enhanced 400A in FS2002... I love the>specular lighting work you did there. It's the best looking>aircraft I have :) I'll trade the window shades for work like>that any day...I have been reading the ES forum everyday, but I don't recall seeing a post from you lately... I just went and looked specifically, but still didn't find it... :(Anyway, I'm glad that you are pleased with it! :)BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

Hi Bill there is a lot to be said for shaders for things like glassand even hi-gloss paint can be done with 'em. When I work in proggies like Maya I only use a bit map for textures about 14 of what's in a scene. In fact one can make almost anything with a little noise in one channel a lttle bit of bump in another channel and presto one has things like cloth,bricks and most anything one could ever think of. I for one am looking forward to your TB20 in FS9 Dan

>Hi Bill there is a lot to be said for shaders for things like>glass>and even hi-gloss paint can be done with 'em. When I work in>proggies like Maya I only use a bit map for textures about 14>of what's in a scene. In fact one can make almost anything>with a little noise in one channel a lttle bit of bump in>another channel and presto one has things like cloth,bricks>and most anything one could ever think of. I for one am>looking forward to your TB20 in FS9Well, it's getting closer... I finally got the flight dynamics where I want them to be, and am going to put that to bed. I want to do just a little more updating on the model itself to improve a few details, and improve the texture mapping.The gauge rebuilding is about 98% complete now, with just a comple of lighting issues to resolve. I was hoping to have it ready by today for upload tonight, but I'd rather wait another week to get all of this out of the way in one shot.I intend to release this as a complete package with the caveat that it is optimized for FS9 and may no longer be 100% backwards compatible, because of the changes in the FDE.BillAVSIM OmbudsmanFounder and Director,Creative Recycling of Aircraft Partshttp://catholic-hymns.com/frbill/FS2002/images/fartslogo.jpg

Take your time Bill! BTW it's great that people are finding ways around the lack of documentation in reguards to the art that goes into "tweaking" the FDE files. Dan