How do you repaint?

[esaboy]

I'm new to the simulation world and have no idea how to repaint aircraft. I don't know where to begin. Can somebody help? I'm most interested in repainting the F/A 18's in Acceleration and the F/A 18D's.

[fael097]

grab a paint bucket and a brush and let your imagination flow

[chupaflier]

He/she was probably asking how you integrate the new paint to the game? How do you create a new paint for the F-18? I'm sure its not just open paint and start painting, there must be a system for it.

[micro]

If you notice, among the the various F-18 paint schemes is an all white version. That is intended to be used for custom paint jobs. You pretty much have to do it in Adobe Photoshop. However, you also need a special plug-in to open the files. It's available around the web but if anyone wants it, PM me and I'll email it you.

[SUBS17]

Let me guess a dds plug in, is there a template for the Hornet anywhere?

[micro]

You got it. The "template" is the all white version.

[SUBS17]

Sweet thanks dude I guess I now have no excuses for not making a VFA35 Wolfpack skin.

[fael097]

xload comes with a repaint kit for the hornet

[SUBS17]

You got it. The "template" is the all white version.

It doesn't look like a template, a template should be saved as a PSD with layers for each component the white Hornet is already in dds unless I'm mistaken and its located somewhere else. Does anyone here have the original PSD for the Hornet?

[Voodoo]

You could use a DDS utility, like the excellent freeware DXTBmp by Martin Wright, to extract the DDS files to a graphics editor of your choice (Paint Shop Pro, Photoshop, etc), edit them, and import them back into FSX.

(I'm sure there may be other DDS converters around but I can only speak of my personal happiness with DXTBmp).

Hope this helps.

**********
Having just tried this method though, it is pretty difficult to do a decent job, it really would be better with source files that are "layered" - either PSD's (for Photoshop) or PSP's (for Paint Shop Pro).
Anyone know if anyone makes them?
For that matter does anyone know of a decent freeware repaint kit? (I see Xload is payware)

[fael097]

The 'template' is the xload paint kit. Hello?
Same textures for both f18s

[SUBS17]

Yeah its a pity that acceleration doesn't come with a template as it saves alot of time making skins. That F18D looks sweet does the back seat work in MP?

[fael097]

Yeah its a pity that acceleration doesn't come with a template as it saves alot of time making skins. That F18D looks sweet does the back seat work in MP?

nah, both f18D and f117 (yep thats right) from Xload use the fsdt cockpit for the original f/a-18

[micro]

It doesn't look like a template, a template should be saved as a PSD with layers for each component the white Hornet is already in dds unless I'm mistaken and its located somewhere else. Does anyone here have the original PSD for the Hornet?

I would have bet my first born that I had gotten the F-18 dds to open in layers, but after trying again, I guess I was wrong. My mistake.

[Razgriz]

Use the X-Load paint kit.  The hornets are Cross-Compatible.  (Love that