Removing prop strobing effect from default Acceleration P51

Hi,

In the P51 Texture folder there are a couple of prop textures. Modifying or deleting these files has no effect on the strobing. I checked the mdls in Model Converter X and the prop disc is visible in both. I'm just slightly familiar with the program so I don't know what I should do to remove or minimize the effect. This is strictly for my use so modifying the files is not a problem. I'd request the modified files but that would likely cause consternation with the powers that be so if anyone could provide help with the procedure I would greatly appreciate it. I'd prefer specifics rather than just a general overview but any help will be great.

Jim F.

Hi,

With 85 views and no replies it seems likely that there is no simple solution to this. I have discovered something however. When examining the mdl in the Material editor of MCX I see the original prop textures displayed; not the ones I fooled with. My guess is that these original textures have been incorporated in the mdl. I tried browsing to my edited textures and exporting the mdl. When I viewed the Mustang in the preview screen I now saw the, previously invisible, prop blur disc. And it looked much worse when I started a flight. It seems like I'm on the right track; it just took it in the wrong direction.

I'm seeing strange things with viewing the textures in DXTBmp as well. I view the texture with the near black alpha in the Mustang Texture folder after saving and reopening and the alpha appears as white. I copy the file to the desktop and view it in DXTBmp and it appears black. Beats me.

Jim F.

Regarding changing of alpha channel.

I noticed when using dxtbmp sometimes the black alpha did not get saved, even though 'include alpha when saving' was selected.

It happened when the alpha display was white, and I made it black by selecting 'invert alpha'.

What did work was selecting 'create black alpha' instead.

Perhaps the white square was not an alpha at all, but a 'lack of alpha', and it had to be created??? No idea, and doesn't matter.

I noticed that what also worked was creating a 256x256 pixel image in paint, making that black, and saving. Then in dxtbmp I selected 'import new alpha channel' and selected that 256x256 image.

I'm not sure about the saving, but I viol that to save a .bmp with alpha you need to save as 32 bit .bmp or something. Not as 24 bit.

You could also try saving as .dds + dxt5.

I made part of a plane transparent. I think I made that texture grey, and the alpha also grey.

I'll look it up later. I don't remember, and I also don't know if that was .bmp or dxt5 .

Hi,

There's something strange going on. What I found most baffling was simply copying the file to the desk top and opening with DXTBmp gave different results than opening it the texture folder. It was getting a bit too weird so I put it on the back burner and discovered a few other problems with the Mustang; Clicking on the VC fuel selector only cuts the fuel with no way to turn it back on, the Aircraft.cfg only references a single left tank and something else I can't recall. I was having a good time learning to fly it without burning up the engine and once I paid attention to setting the rudder 5 degrees right for take off (not 5%) takeoffs were a lot easier. I did add a couple of cameras simulating leaning and looking left and right with my head banked and that made taxiing a lot easier. I'm still flying it but I decided to check out another P51 by GJSmith and Warwick Carter to and have been playing with it also. I haven't burned up the engine yet so it's just not as interesting. The phrase glutton for punishment springs to mind. There are a lot of aspects to this hobby!

Take care, Jim F.

Figured it out.

Open the \P51\Texture folder.

Lcate file: prop_P51_Racer.dds

Copy it to the desktop.

You will be editing it and placing it back, so:

In the folder: \P51\Texture

make a backup of the following 2 files:

prop_P51_Racer.dds

prop_P51_Racer_spec.dds

name the copies:

prop_P51_Racer -0- orig copy.dds

prop_P51_Racer_spec -0- orig copy.dds

---------------------------------------

Now for the file: prop_P51_Racer.dds

on the desktop.

Open that with dxt.bmp

Select: send alpha to editor (GIMP).

Edit the alpha, so the file is full black, to do so:

Select full black from the image, using the colour picker tool.

Click "Edit menu---Fill with forground colour"

Save as 24 bit bitmap, give it filename Alpha.bmp and save to desktop.

In dxtbmp, use, Import new alpha to add that file "alpha.bmp" to the image.

Not done yet...

Now select: send Image to editor (GIMP).

The outside of the image, outside of the prop area, is grey. Use the colour picker tool to pick that colour.

Again use: "Edit menu---Fill with forground colour", to turn the whole image grey.

Save as 24 bit bitmap, give it filename "image.bmp" and save to desktop.

In dxtbmp, use, Import new alpha to add that file "image.bmp" to the image.

Now save the image

to the desktop,

as type: DDS 888-8 32bit

filename still: prop_P51_Racer.dds

--------------------------------------------------------------

Check that the file if opened with dxtbmp shows a grey image with a black alpha.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now with this one file you will have to replace two files.

make a copy on the desktop of the file "prop_P51_Racer.dds"

name the copied file: "prop_P51_Racer_spec.dds"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You have made safe backup copies of both these files in the folder \P51\Texture.

Now copy the new versions to the folder \P51\Texture.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Almost there.

These files do not only exist in the folder \P51\Texture.

Texture.4 texture.6 and texture.9 have these files as well.

So, in those folders also make backup copies of the originals.

Then add the two new files you have made.

You can use these two files for each substitution.

-------------------------------------------------

result:

----------------------------------

--

Hui il88pp,

Thanks for the reply. Took me a while to recall what the problem was. I still don't know exactly what the problem I had was, but solved it by saving the near black alpha layer to the desktop and then importing it prior to saving.

I've modified several aircraft since the P51 and found that by changing the brightness and contrast of the alpha it's simple to leave just a hint of blur; at least if I look carefully I can detect it. One of the aircraft was the freeware IRIS Kittyhawk/Warhawk P40 with counter-rotating props. It's beyond me how anyone flying from the VC could stand it.

BTW, as far as backing up the original files I right click the file and while holding the button down, drag the file to an unused area of the folder and the when I release the button I choose "Copy here" from a menu that pops up. A new file with "Copy" appended to the name is created. Thanks again.

Jim F.