Psitioning and size issues on VVS a/c?

[mandrill]

Hi aces, I'm a big fan of your product and have used it for about 9 months. But the "fit" of the numbers on some of the VVS a/c is not always very good. For instance, the numbering on the LaGG3-66 overlaps the rear stabilizers and crawls almost off the top of the rear fuselage. There are lesser, but still niggly problems with fit on the La-5 and -7 planes.

Can I rectify this myself by messing around with the MAT files? If so, what is the applicable MAT file to edit?

Thanks!

Also, is it possible to someday make alternative scripts for numbering on VVS bombers??? I'm bored with my Pe-2-359's always having that big white number code.

[Aces]

Hi mate,

The problem with such things is the way that aircraft are "grouped" together making it very hard and in some cases impossible to get everything to fit on all aircfaft models that are in a group.

If you look at the CoopRegt folder then you will find sub-folders for numbering MATs for various VVS aircraft groupings. There are also the same sub-folders in the Randomised folder for the randomised numbering. The MAT file parameter that you need is as follows :



The first yellow area highlited allows limited placement and/or scaling tweaking of the graphic. The "TextureCoordScale" parameters are as follows the first number moves the graphic left and right, NOTE minus numbers move it to the right, the next number moves the graphic up and down and the last two numbers change the horizontal and vertical scaling note LARGER numbers make the graphic SMALLER. Note MAT files which load a two-digit number eg. those plane numbering MATs with "C" in their filename have two such sections (layers) within the file each of which points to one digit of the number (one TGA file) and placement/scaling parameters for each digit.

The second yellow are highlighted allows a colout "tint" to be applied to a graphic for example if you design a white coloured graphic and wish this to be displayed in another colour then this is how it works. The first three parameters of the ColourScale are values of Red, Green and Blue ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 where 0.0 = 0 and 1.0 = 255. So if, for example, these parameters are set to 0.501 0.501 0.501 then your graphic will be mid-tone grey (Red 128, Green 128, Blue 128). To convert from RGB values in your graphics program DIVIDE the Red value by 255 then do the same for the Green and Blue values eg. 128/255 = 0.501. I have taken this to three decimal places. I'm not sure what the final parameter does , I though it might be some form of intensity value but settings other than 1.0 cause the graphic not to be displayed !. Astroman has used this to produce one set of white coloured number TGAs and three sets of MATs each with different ColourScale values to display them in different colours

The third higlited parameter is the file path to the graphic (tga file) that is loaded.

Note the sample MAT file scematic doesn't show edited values for lighting effects and alpha transparency but the MAT files included in MAT Manager have these set.

Also please bare in mind that there isn't one MAT file to edit but rather potentially hundreds as each aircraft grouping has MATs to load a number on the left and on the right of each aircraft in the grouping and, in the case of two-digit numbers one MAT file to load on both sides. Also one has to condider that there are four "regiments" so multiply that by four to do all if wished. The program currently includes more that 100,000 edited MATs a stunning figure I guess .

Regarding the Bomber number I'll see what might be done but again there are many planes lumped together in groupings. So you ight well find that it's perfect on your Pe-2-359's but totally screwed up on several more aircraft in the same grouping. An excellent example of this is the option to re-position/re-size RAF lettering. Looks brilliant on Spitfires and Hurricanes, but then look at a P-40 or the Gladiator that shares the same grouping as the Hurricanes and it's not so good, that's why I included and option to enable it and disable it.

BTW if you do manage to obtain what you're after then please let me know so that I may be able to share this with others in MAT Manager. I always give credit to others for their work in MAT Manager. Beware MAT file editing especially en-mass is tedious, tiring and often fruitless but worth it when things come together .

Regards

Aces

[mandrill]

Thanks for the response. I'm beginning to understand that much of the "grouping" of a/c together for graphics purposes is complex and illogical.

How would I figure out which grouping the LaGG3-66 is in for example?

[C Wilches]

Hi Leigh!! I´m second that!! When I first saw the LA-5/7 in the game I almost fainted! The fuselage numbers is placed ahead the star, wich is immensily wrong!!! Is there any way to change that? Could you cheat like this-replace the number by the star and vice-versa, got it? All the best!!!

[Aces]

Hi chaps,

Yes the aircraft grouping is the cause of many problems. They did this from the start so as to cut down on work but in the process ruled out any possiblity for correct markings placement on many many aircraft.

From memory, I'm at work, the Lagg5 and Lag7s are contained in two aircraft groupings. Look for MAT filenames that start "psFM02RUS..." and "psFM05RUS..."

You only have 5 grouping for Russian fighters and IL-2s so look in your CoopRegt folder and there you will find 5 sub-folders with the MATs for each grouping, grouped in turn into different alternative number sets.

If you hover the cursor over the "i" symbols in the MAT Manager GUI under the "VVS Red Stars" section it will give you some information on what aircraft are grouped together.

If you change the number with the Star then the number will appear on all aircraft that use this star and then you'd only get one number as there's only one MAT file for this star, a no-go solution.


Hi Claudio,

No chance my friend, one cannot move an area on the 3D model another consequence of grouping totally un-related aircrfaft together. Just look at what aircraft have been grouped together, there's no reason or rhyme to it.

Cheers

Aces

[C Wilches]

That´s a pity, Leigh ! Damned game !

[Aces]

Hi Claudio,

Yes, imagine my frustration regarding the Luftwaffe, RAF and Italian changes that I requested which Oleg recently rejected. I know how much of a change these would make and what opportunities that would present.

We can only do what we can do but just a little help from them would make so much more possible. I live off of scraps from the high table but I've not been given many scraps over the years and in some respects opportunities for improvement have become worse and not better as they add more and more planes to already crowded and non-rational aircraft groupings..

We can never hope to have everything as it should be but I hope that MAT Manager is able to offer folks a huge amount of historically correct markings, alternatives and features that they wouldn't otherwise have.

Cheers

Leigh