Texture Error?!?!

So as you may know.. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH REPAINTING :}

 

So, I repainted a Fokker 100 (Insel Air)

 

Now I see it flying in FSX. But the textures are messed up!

 

How may I fix this?

It could be a number of reasons Jack. Are your textures the right way up?

You can check that your new texture is in the correct format & orientation by opening an original texture in DXTbmp & taking note of it's file format & orientation compared to yours.

To prevent this kind of mixups I use a very simple approach to painting.

I have a texture folder to start out from. It's installed. Let's say: texture.nepal

I create a copy of that folder, in the aircraft's folder, and give it the new name.

for example: texture.the-new-name-Iwantto-endupwith

 

Then I add this new texture (which still looks the same of course) in the aircraft.cfg as new texture.

a new

[FltSimXX]

section, with:

texture=the-new-name-Iwantto-endupwith

in tat section.

plus, a clear description:

ui_variation="creating newname"

 

I also change the thumbnail.jpg image in folder: texture.the-new-name-Iwantto-endupwith

I simply create a blank image in "Paint". 1024x786 pixels, and paint that fuly purple. So it is just a purple rectangle.

I put that in the folder as thumbnail.jpg.

 

I save what I did so far. And start fsx, to check if the basic installing part worked. Always check.

 

If Ok, I start editing.

I do the editing inside the installed active folder:

\airplanes\plane_name\texture.the-new-name-Iwantto-endupwith

 

If I want to edit for example: b737_1_t.dds

I first make a backup of this file. Again, inside that same folder. Just keep it all in one place.

 

the copy I name: b737_1_t -0- orig copy.dds

A number, always useful. 0 --> the original master file.

That way always you know that is not a copy you edited later. Even when looking at it in a years time, when you long forgot what you have been doing.

 

I then start editing file: b737_1_t.dds

I save. And check the result by flying in FSx.

 

Good so far, but more editing required? Great, but... first make an intermediate copy again!!

 

make a copty of: b737_1_t.dds

you are using now, and save as:

b737_1_t -1- first edits - painted tail white.dds

Or similar.

use the basic file name, then a number, and a description.

The numbering is important, and you soon see why.

All versions start with:

b737_1_t

then a space, and then:

-1-

-2-

-3-

That means, if you view the folder and let Windows organise files by name, you see them listed in the order in which they were created. Helps bucketloads!!

 

A description is very useful too. At the moment you save a file you always know exactly why you saved it, and how the file started. Add that in a description, so you know it in 5 months too.

 

After hours of editing I often suddenly feel dead-tired. I used to just quickly save the open files. Usually choosing the shortest possible filename. Then fell asleep, and next morning I had 5 files with names that don't really mean anything. It took hours to get the mess in order.

Now I add numbering that also works in the folder view listing, plus a description. Makes all the difference.

 

If you want to test the difference between the current:

b737_1_t.dds

with an older:

b737_1_t -3- not bright enough yet.dds

 

Simply rename that:

b737_1_t.dds

to:

b737_1_t -6- temp off for test.dds

(6 being the next number that's not used)

 

Then copy:

b737_1_t -3- not bright enough yet.dds

the copy in the same folder will be named by Windows as:

b737_1_t -3- not bright enough yet -copy-.dds

And then rename:

b737_1_t -3- not bright enough yet -copy-.dds

to:

b737_1_t.dds

(by deleting most of that copy's filename.)

 

Simple, to do.

Safe, because files:

b737_1_t -3- not bright enough yet.dds

and

b737_1_t -6- temp off for test.dds

do not get changed.

And, it is also easy remove the b737_1_t.dds you have creaated, and start using version:

b737_1_t -6- temp off for test.dds

again.

Same thing, make copy of:

b737_1_t -6- temp off for test.dds

The copy in the same folder will automatically be called:

b737_1_t -6- temp off for test -copy-.dds

Then rename that copy to:

b737_1_t.dds

 

 

 

Using that steady approach, you are always sure what version you are working on.

You always click the correct thumbnail when checking it in FSX.

And if you went a step too far with the editing, it is easy to go back a step.