Need help removing markings from .dds

[toonces]

Hello all.

I'm new here, but I did some searching and can't find the answer to my specific question, so I'm hoping someone can provide some insight.

I'm am editing a skin for Falcon 4. The skin comes in .dds format and I am using Photoshop elementals for editing.

I have figured out how to open the .dds, edit the skin in photoshop, and then re-import it into the game. I also figured out how to use the 'heal' tool to erase all of the markings from the original .dds; EXCEPT ONE!

See the pictures below:

In this picture, notice on the tail, below the red star, the black text. I can't seem to remove this text no matter what I do. Note the nose: the original numbers have been removed and red numbers pasted over. The original caution markings are painted over and barely visible.

first picture


Now, in this picture, I tried moving the red star over top of the black markings by moving it to the front. The text shows right through the star. I also removed the black markings in the original bottom layer with no luck. Further, the black text isn't dulled at all by the paint.

Second picture

Note the wing: The original Korean markings are gone (you can see the smudge where I 'healed' it off, and the US markings show fine:

Third picture

So I started completely over, erased all the markings, and painted the whole plane opaque. The ROKAF markings still show. The wings, nose, etc have no markings:

Fourth picture

Fifth picture

I am new to photoshop, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. I tried alot of combinations, from making the base layer healed, cutting the black text out and making the area transparent, cutting the text out and pasting an opaque box in its place, etc.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Toonces

[Baron von Blutwurst]

Hi toonces,(the driving cat). It appears that you have run into the dreaded DECAL poly which is built into the model. Take a look at some of the other .DDS files in the aircraft folder and search for the exact text of the numbers. If you can find it,you can change the number or erase it completely. If you decide to just change the numbering, it will be in the exact same position on the model regardless. If you make it transparent by way of the Alpha channel, you can then paint your numbers any way you see fit on the original texture contaqining your camo and Star markings.


hope this helps
Cheers
Randy

[toonces]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't understand precisely what the decal in the poly means, but I get the gist of it. I figured it was something like that. Somehow, the text is permanently attached to the .dds- it can't be erased like other parts.

I'll look for the text in the other .dds, but it definately isn't in any of the ones I've looked at so far. I'll look deeper.

The workaround I found was to use a .dds somebody else already altered as a base layer, then I simply applied paint and then hid the base layer. So, in a sense, I'm borrowing somebody else's work to fool the skin into not seeing the ROKAF lettering.

At least I know I'm not doing something wrong...thanks for the help!

Toonces out!