Some skin problems.

[Huxy]

Hi all. Just registered and I will say it is a nice site

My questions is some socalled newbie questions... I've been playing this sim for about a year. And started playing online for about a week ago.

After I noticed how nice the online gameplay was, I figured out to skin some of my own skins.

I use GIMP and I don't know anything about skinning.

I've checked the tutorials both here and there. But it didn't help. I found a tutorial witch got me to paint transparency.. haha..

I added some simple text to a copy of the Void file for the P51d 20-NA or something... haha... (The text was on a copy of the void!)

And after I added some text, I saved the file as "Hgip.bmp" in the skin folder for the P-51D.

I opened up the game and.. well.. It wasn't there..

Could someone give me a GIMP tutorial wich shows how to add some simple lines and some text here and there from the very first opening of the file to the final saving?


In advance-Thx.

-Huxy

[Serval]

You need to save the file in 8-bit or 256 colors.
I bet you saved in 24 bit.
Easy to check: the BMP files should be 1 MB in size. I guess yours will be 3 MB.

You can transform your image to 256 colors in Gimp. But many skinners like to use Bright for this (in your case the program and not the plug-in).

This tutorial shows how to use Bright.
It starts with Paintshop Pro a bit, but how Bright works is for everyone the same:
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...ng-bright.html
I think you can run Bright on your current BMP to get the job done.

[Huxy]

Hum.. You can read my harddisck.. Ya, it is 3 mb.. I'll go check if I find out how to save it as 8bit..

Thx for the help..

Edit: look down...


Huxy.

[Serval]

Like I said. Run the Bright program with your BMP file and it will be converted to 256 colors.

[Huxy]

Well, I thought I found a way in the gimp.. I ended up with a laggy gameplay and a total black P51..


I check the Bright thingy now..
Thx.

-Huxy

Edit: I checked it.. Tried the "save as" but the only I oculd save it to was 24/16 and something called monokorm...

It might be me that is slow with what you mean. but....

[adlabs6]

I'd suggest the batch file version of BRIGHT (the one shown in that tutorial) as it's really most straight forward, and works with almost any BMP file.

[Snake]

I don't know much about gimp other than it's free to download.
And if you convert the Bmp using gimp you will lose some color clairity.
I tested this some years ago and found that the claims were all true, Bright will convert your Bmp file with little or no color loss.
Its Nice to know how to convert it in your program .
But for ease of conversion and clairity of the skin Bright win's hands down in my Opinion.
Just keep doing what your doing, and all will be fine there is a period in skinning where you have to experiment, which is good cause it brings about new things and discoveries.
This site is very good for Help in just about any area you want to work in, and the members are eager to assist you any way they can.



Charlie

[Serval]

Here you can download bright:
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/file35.html

[Huxy]

I download the .. that thigny I can't remember right now.. haha

In the folder I find two .exe files... I open one, it just get a black window and stops after a half second.. same with the other.. help..?



-Huxy

[Snake]

Ok

Just drag and drop your painted skin into the folder and double click the little gear looking gizmo.
The black DOS Prompt window will open and that let's you knwo that Bright is converting your skin , there should be some text and numbers visable while the black window is open, this is good .

Read my Tutorial in the PSP section of the forums called using Bright.
if you havn't already, sounds like your doing fine though to me.

Charlie