Vonrd

Skinpack is done. Link is in the original post above.

Thanks Larner!

Thanks Wulfe!

Thanks, got them.

Thanks Klai!

After a couple more weeks of struggle I'm beginning to get a handle on Blender. It's not totally accurate since I was unable to find good blueprints for the gun installation (and figuring out how to model the intricacies of the various individual parts is yet a bit beyond my ken ) but still, I'm pretty pleased with the results and think it will work to give the illusion that I'm looking for. My intent is to do some "art" pieces using BOx screenshots melded with 3D modeling to pay respect to the ground crews with the internals exposed. They (we) don't get the recognition that the pilots normally do. After more tweaks to the guns, the next project is the engine...

We have been discussing 2K vs 4K skins. I had originally decided to do all skins in 2K. 2K size is approximately 1/4 the size of 4K. My reasoning is that I can't tell much (if any) difference between the two at regular view distance in the game... even when fully zoomed in. As the amount of skins increases, I was afraid that the folders would get very large. My current game skin folder is about 23 GB (with several other squads skins included). I would like to hear what others think. In that vein... we are thinking of restricting a maximum of two individual skins per pilot per plane. Again... thoughts?

@AngryGoat I changed a couple of your skin names as @Luftritter suggested in order to keep with the naming Dicta. Please change them in your files in order to have everyone see them: Changed the "Early" and "Late" DR1s to... ! JG1 FokkerDr1 Goat.dds and ! JG1 FokkerDr1 Goat B.dds. Also changed the lowercase "se5a to uppercase (I don't think it really matters for the game to recognize... just for consistency purposes)... ! JG1 SE5a Goat.dds and changed "Sopwith Camel" to ! JG1 SopCamel Goat.

Good point. I could re-size them to 2K. We would have to make a statement regarding that.

I'm planning on compiling a skinpack for the upcoming Winter 2020 FIF. This will be the first time for FIF on Flying Circus. The skinpack will be similar to what I did for J5's Black September and will be a zip file with all skins in their proper folders. In fact, those who have already submitted their skins to Black September need not submit skins unless there have been changes since then. This is purely voluntary. Custom skins are not required to participate. (I would encourage everyone to install them though... you DO want to be able to see who you are shooting down... don't you? ). Please submit links to your skins before Tues Jan 28. The pack will be posted with the link on this OP on Thurs Jan 30. Please see the submission rules here: FIF 2020 SKIN PACK (29 January 2020) UPDATED: Full Skinpack is updated and zipped. Download here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pfy1nmgxfcv3y41/AACE82augCfpOXhCE4hZ-rzBa?dl=0 This is Flying Circus FIF Winter (V2). There were some mistakes and omissions in the original file. If you haven't yet installed the original file Flying Circus FIF Winter just download and install this one. Hopefully all is fixed . Sadly... another error. There is a "data" file within the main "data" file. If you installed as is into the game folder, move the secondary "data" into your main game folder and allow overwrite. The Flying Circus FIF Winter (V2) has been fixed but probably too late for today's FIF. If you did install the original file, you don't have to do it all over... download and install Flying Circus FIF Winter Patch(1). Download here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/66c3reqjqpt82np/AAAwVvGuvqfcb6Ui3-q81Jcra?dl=0 Allow overwrite. There were SPAD skins in the Camel folder for 28th Aero Squadron, 93d Aero Squadron, 103d Aero Squadron and 213th Aero Squadron, as well as z 3PG. Please delete them. Also, please delete the skin file called ! JG1 FokkerDr1 Luftritter B from the FokkerDr1 folder (note the "B" on the end. Do not delete the main file that has no "B" on the end). Both are in a zip file with the architecture: data\graphics\skins\*with the individual plane folders* You should be able to unzip it into your IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad game folder and it will auto populate. However, I would suggest unzipping it into a temp folder first just to check and if everything looks good then cut and paste the complete data folder to your IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad game folder. Allow overwrite since many of the files have the same name as prior skins but have been changed. Let me know of any additional mistakes or issues . Salute!

Cutoff date will be Tues Jan 28 with paint pack posted Thurs Jan 30.

This It's not that much of a PITA once skins are submitted and makes it more likely that all participants will have the skins installed if it's just one download rather than a bunch of individual files which may or may not have been put into a consolidated zip file with all skins in their proper place..

I'm planning to do a FIF skin-pack which will include all participants... individuals and squads... who submit threads.

Sounds like a good plan

In order to keep the updates down to a reasonable level, I will be doing updates on a monthly basis. The next one will include submissions from 1/1/20 to 1/31/20.

So, I was working on another screenshot where the subject is a 109 having it's guns harmonized by the armourers on the ground with the cowlings off. I needed a 3/4 view of the MG-17 nose guns but couldn't find a satisfactory image. This is the raw inspiration image. I thought that it couldn't be too hard to do a 3D model of the guns, that way I could rotate it to whatever angle I needed and take a screenshot to use in Photoshop... yeah, how hard could it be... I downloaded Blender and started checking Youtube tutorials... but Blender just changed from 2.7 to 2.8 and lots of the tools and shortcuts have been changed so any of the earlier tutorials were confusing... I'm slowly getting a handle on it though and really enjoying the process. Here's what I have after a couple of weeks of head scratching: Still have a long way to go though. Anyone here have Blender experience?

Added Luftritter's Cl2 skins. File: Flying Circus Update Jan 5 2020. [link removed] This is in the OP above.

The couple that flies together.... well, let's all hope for the best... Seriously, a most hearty welcome to you Lady!

I like them Luft! Give me a little time to put them in the skins download section, somewhat busy due to Holidays.

Santa? https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8l06wO

Welcome!

Look in the last post here: Added skins are posted as an update file... no need to d-load the full Monty

Congrats to Maus, Loopy and Gen! Thank you for the beautiful Merit award! It does take away the sting of missing the Red Eagle...

We don't need no stinking permission Hearty congrats "Gramps"! Something great to be on your "gratitude" list for Thanksgiving.