P-38L re-visited

[RogueSnake]

Months after I completed my P-38L template, I decided to return to it. And make it better. I was never really pleased with my first attempts. They were just to shinny. After a break, I was able to see some of the things I did wrong. I was just too burnt out on it the last time.

Here's a pic of the wing, Its duller now, more weathered, and to me it looks alot better. If you have any of my first p-38 skins, you should see a difference.(get them at flying legends)

Again, this is my first metal template. So its a learning prosses if anything.




The only reason I started this thread was becuse I want feedback. Positive or negitive. I want to make it better, so don't worry about hurt'n my feelings with constructive criticism.

[Serval]

I think you cannot make aluminium perfect.
If you try with different daytime settings (and more or less clouds) you sometimes get unrealistic reflections.

I think the test at 12 o'clock allways shows the worst reflections.
What I did a while back when I tested my latest aluminium looks (no skin ready yet) is look up some air to air pictures of aircraft showing reflections. I was working on a P-51, but found a nice picture of a Lightning in "Thunder in the skies". Then I try to determine where the sun should be. And then pick a day time, flying direction and viewing angle that would approach the photo and then look how the skin looks compared to the photo.

The screenshots you provide both look a bit dull (my favorite for wartime skins), but the first one also shows the common problem with reflections, but you clearly have a 12 o'clock sun. Try some screenshots with 10 and 15 o'clock sun in different angles and see how the skin responds.

[Aero_Shodanjo]

Couldnt say it better...

But how about "modelling" aluminum skin reflection under overcast sky? Lower contrast, "smoother" highlights, and better looking overall, IMO.

[RogueSnake]

Yeah, I understand. Its like painting something that is always changing.
So you can get it pretty close at some angles/times , but it will be way off in all other settings. A good balance is all we can really shoot for.

You can see how dull this skin appears in photoshop, compaired to it ingame.


If only we had a graphics engine simular to BF1942's, which alows chrome skins. All you have to do is know the correct way to paint them, and the dds. settings.

Here's a tutorial showing how its done in that game, interesting process.

http://www.planetbattlefield.com/bf1...ing/shinyskin/