repainting aircraft

Programs used by me: * DXT.BMP freeware...you must have this program. * MSPaint Also a must have. * MS picture it for adding picture files to aircraft and turning them around...also a good text adder. * MS photoeditor Comes in office. A must have for many projects. * photoshop cs. Not totally necessary but saves long hours erasing original textures.

Step 1. create a texture folder in your aircraft folder (shown on my adding textures page) and copy all the textures from another folder to that one. If you have a basetextures folder, then it will save time to use those textures. Either saving the aircraft as default flight or loading it in your sim would be a good idea about now. If you only load the aircraft then each time you want to look at the new textures, you will need to change aircraft then change back. Step  2. Open DXT & choose the panel item you want to paint first. Most fuselages will either be named fuset or main. Where there is a L after the word fuse usually means this is a night shot...you shouldnt need to change this. Save as 24 bit BMP image. Step 3. Either erase the original textures with MS Paint (Picture 1) or erase panels using the magic wand in Photoshop. (Photoshop will only erase the textures that have a definite line around them).

Picture 1.

Picture 2.

Step 4. Now youre ready to start painting. If you need to continue lines, you can use photoeditor to box & drag to where you want things to be. That is the whole reason I use that program. The best straight lines are done in paint. Once you have created your lines, use the paint fill bucket to fill. (picture 2)

Now you can put writing on you aircraft. If there is backwards writing on the aircraft you will need to use picture it, then press ctrl d to duplicate your writing so you can invert and turn etc...then you just drag the writing to where you want it. It pays to check for inverted writing before you start.  If there is no inverted text then you can use photoeditor to box & drag you text to where it should be. Keep referring to the sim model so that the ends meet & the text/pictures are in the right position. Also do this when there are two halves to the fuselage to join so that you get the lines meeting up.

Adding logo in picture it.

texture Folders shown on right

Dxt.Bmp program

Once you have completed all the externals then convert you panels using DXT.BMP The best format to show up in everyone's sim is DXT3. Just click file>save then scroll down to DXT3. Dont include mipmaps or 16 bit dither (Uncheck these) In the scaling filter, choose Edge Detect to get a crisp texture in the sim. You shouldnt need to save all the fiddly bits like wheels, props, spinners etc. as a DXT file, however things that will show up on the body will need to me converted like the body, wings, tail, external doors, stab referrences & possibly flaps. If anything shows up as matt grey in the sim, then change it to DXT3. Once all is changed that needs to be, and you have put in your configurations then you are ready to hit the skies. * If you want others to see your aircraft in your new textures then they need the textures. Either email it to them or post them on your VA, download site etc...                 Happy Flying                                                   BGAN021 Luke