NZFF

by **Charl** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:23 am

Well the hi-res export technique first seen on that Stearman is filtering through...
Textures are half the size of the FSX version, but since I tend to further resize to DXT3 in any case, I don't find this a problem!

All-important feets transplant well:

For some reason (I know not what) I do not own the MAAM Dak, so this freeware is extremely welcome

by **Ian Warren** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:45 pm

Charl , Nice Screens , I too have the MAAM DC-3 , i put it into FSX but was a little disappointed , I think the models are getting so much more dynamic for X in such a way you really can learn about the types , Manfred,s Dak is superb in all way and it interesting how it will grow , for those who don't chase payware this one has the thumbsup from me and now FS9 model has been released .

by **captainherc** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 5:09 pm

Looks great.
Always wanted a DC3. Where can one get this model.
Cheers, Adrian.

by **Ian Warren** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:22 pm

captainherc wrote:
QUOTE (captainherc @ Mar 22 2011,6:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Looks great.
Always wanted a DC3. Where can one get this model.

Link here , http://www.flightsim.com/file.php - this will grow into a brilliant freeware

by **Wildbillkelso** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:32 pm

Manfred beyond any doubt did an outstanding job with this rendition!

His FSX version is a pure pleasure to paint (and fly as well!).
The FS9 "downgrade" uses the stock MS flight dynamics, thus keeping the MAAM Dak still the best C-47 available!
Shame on those who don't have her in the hangar!

Charl's shots clearly show the limitations due to the texture size:
De-ice boots (like any transversal lines and edges) show up a little jaggy, at least on close-ups.
His FSX mapping allows 760 pixels for the wing (from root to tip), whereas there's only 380 px (half size) in the FS9 mapping.
MAAM's FS9 Goon on the other hand delivers 650 pixels to spread the wing textures upon, resulting in a far sharper appearance.

Besides these limitations, Manfred's model and paint kit provides an outstanding basis for repaints (FSX and FS9), so it'll be no surprise that NZ Warbirds' C-47 'NZ 3546' (ZK-DAK) is getting tugged into my paint shed just in this moment!

Cheers,
Markus.

by **Wildbillkelso** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 5:06 am

First sketch of the FSX version:

The FS9 rendition of course won't show this kind of specific specular shine...
Don't mind the RCAF cowl markings, it's just an early WIP!

by **Charl** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:03 am

Previous FS9 models didn't really have enough polys to allow zooming close enough to worry about the lower resolution - by the time you got there, all the round bits were stepped anyway!
I always judged a model's quality by whether you could frame the entire aircraft and be satisfied by the overall smoothness.

Now the game has changed with unlimited FS9 polys, I wonder if FS9 will be limited by its texture size.
Perhaps the texture mapping could be opened up to take advantage of the better model detail.
As you point out Markus, some models are able to squeeze more pixels into a given area than others.
I guess it'll just mean a few more texture sheets, although I appreciate that an FSX/FS9 common texture mapping will always produce a lower-res FS9 finish.

As to the FSX specular and bump mapping: these are cute features, but like many cute features tend to be overdone, so that you can see what a cute feature it is!
(In fact, when I photograph an aircraft in bright light, I use a polarised filter so I don't get those flashy bits!)

It would be interesting to see a 3-way comparison when you're done: Real/FSX/FS9.

by **Naki** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:12 am

Great stuff..I have Manfred's DC-3 waiting on my desktop for install but I'm waiting for a NZ paint.

by **Ian Warren** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:53 am

Here you go Markus , HamiltonWest thread and look at the Close Ups ... One DC-3 in all its glory

http://nzff.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;#entry8280051

by **Wildbillkelso** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:11 am

Thanks for the link to further images of "NZ 3546", Ian!
You can't have too much references when trying to do an accurate repaint...

Good point on exaggerated effects, Charl!
But from what I've seen on pics of ZK-DAK, this aeroplane is very well kept with an almost unnatural (in terms of the "average" C-47) glossy appearance.
So that's what I'm trying to depict.

Today's result:

Still a lot to be done...

Cheers,
Markus.

by **deeknow** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 11:43 am

Looking good so far Markus

I got to climb around in the old girl when it was in Hamilton a year or so ago and have a few pics of it posted on flickr following which may be of use, let me know if you need larger versions of them:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deeknow/tags/nz3546/

by **AlisterC** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:28 pm

Very nice. I've never been a DC3/C47 flier, but I'll take a bite at this one sometime. (downloading now). Thanks for the heads up.
So since this one uses default FS2004 flight performance etc, maybe this site might be of use to some? You might already know about it of course, but just in case: http://www.douglasdc3.com/fs2004/fs2004.htm
You have to scroll down quite a way to get the flight improvements section.

by **Wildbillkelso** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:02 am

deeknow wrote:
QUOTE (deeknow @ Mar 30 2011,12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
...have a few pics of it posted on flickr following which may be of use

Thanks, mate!
I've already discovered them when doing research for my previous MAAM Dakota repaint of ZK-DAK.

Spent some more time on her today:

Cheers,
Markus.

by **Ian Warren** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:40 am

Your done a superb , you would be happy with those results - a little edit on the wheel there

and you be honky dory

by **Wildbillkelso** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:57 am

Thanks, mate!

But it wasn't only the wheels to make over.
Underwing lettering needed some re-alignment to show up centered:

And of course she needed proper (white-red-white) proptips:

In order to take full advantage of the crispyness of the high-resolution textures, the exterior skins are saved in 32Bit-888 format. They do look great, but they are a pure frame killer!
If you experience poor frame rates with this repaint, you might replace the exterior texture files with the DXT5 coded ones included in a seperate folder. You may notice these DXT5 converted files have just the quarter size of the 32Bit (4 MB compared to 16 MB), so performance improvement is quite obvious. The flipside is you're losing sharpness...
Go judge on your own!

Ready to upload them to AVSIM, Flightsim.com and SOH.

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Markus.

by **Charl** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:50 am

Looking pretty good...
No biggie, but on my monitor the yellow edging to the lettering jumps out a little.
The real thing is slightly fatter in the black, thinner in the yellow.

Assume you have made DXT5 still using the bigger FSX texture sheet at this stage?

AlisterC wrote:
QUOTE (AlisterC @ Mar 30 2011,9:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
...So since this one uses default FS2004 flight performance etc, maybe this site might be of use to some? http://www.douglasdc3.com/fs2004/fs2004.htm

Alister, thanks for that link, lots of interesting bits there.
I'm not sure if the revised FD is not overdoing it, though!
Sure, a bit of added lag sounds like a good idea, but in some situations you get to max stick deflections, and nothing is happening...

by **Wildbillkelso** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 2:50 am

Charl wrote:
QUOTE (Charl @ Apr 4 2011,7:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No biggie, but on my monitor the yellow edging to the lettering jumps out a little.
The real thing is slightly fatter in the black, thinner in the yellow.

Blast!

You're right!
I wish you've told me before...

Guess I'd better roll out an "accuracy fix".

QUOTE

Assume you have made DXT5 still using the bigger FSX texture sheet at this stage?[/quote]
Correct. As the tiny details (rivets, panel lines etc.) are optimised for 2048x2048 by default, I was afraid too much would get lost in downsizing.
We'll see how the 1024x1024 FS9 rendition will come along.

Cheers,
Markus.

NZFF

Manfred Jahn's C-47

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