Skins + TE Squadrons
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A few questions…
1. Are skins randomly associated with squadrons or set? After a few quick tests it looks like they’re set (Squad 1027 seems to always uses skin slot #2 for example) , but I want to make sure.
2. Are squadron numbers the same regardless of model/block in the TE builder?
3. Is there a “master list” of sorts of the squadron numbers (and hopefully, the skin slots assigned to them if they are in fact set)?
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each new squadron should use a different skin, since the sets are limited to 6 iirc for the common f-16 variants, that’s the most number of different skins you’d see in a te, if the flights are from different squadrons that is. alternatively you could use the change skin button in loadout screen however that’s not really gonna help if there is only 1 squadron - every flight from that particular sqd would use the same skin/tail.
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@Dead:
A few questions…
1. Are skins randomly associated with squadrons or set? After a few quick tests it looks like they’re set (Squad 1027 seems to always uses skin slot #2 for example) , but I want to make sure.
…Regarding skin vs squadron number I found this VERY OLD thread.
The short version of the thread is:
You can use the windows calculator in “Scientific mode” to calculate which texture-set is goin to be used:
type-in the squadron-number click “Mod” and 6; the result will be between 0 and 5 corresponding to the texset that is going to be used with this squadron.
1027 MOD 6 = 1. Hence the first texture set has the number 0, this confirms your observation with 1027 always uses skin slot #2.NOTE: This is for F-16 and other models with 6 texture set. I guess that you should use Mod 2, if the model only have 2 texture set etc.
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Regarding skin vs squadron number I found this VERY OLD thread.
The short version of the thread is:
You can use the windows calculator in “Scientific mode” to calculate which texture-set is goin to be used:
type-in the squadron-number click “Mod” and 6; the result will be between 0 and 5 corresponding to the texset that is going to be used with this squadron.
1027 MOD 6 = 1. Hence the first texture set has the number 0, this confirms your observation with 1027 always uses skin slot #2.NOTE: This is for F-16 and other models with 6 texture set. I guess that you should use Mod 2, if the model only have 2 texture set etc.
In the .pdf it starts as 1, so that threw me off.
Fantastic. This (and that link) is exactly what I needed & answers all questions. Thanks a million guys.
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I would assume that for the AGSR skins, it would be # MOD 10 = Slot?
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@Dead:
I would assume that for the AGSR skins, it would be # MOD 10 = Slot?
As far as I can see, the F-16C-AGSR only have one texture set, so why bother?
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In JanHas’ TexSet it lists 10 different skin slots for AGSR.
Weird.
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Taken from the Mission Commander topic….
Would it be possible in future editions to set specific skins to squadrons?.
It’s possible to do that now.
1. First, find squadron numbers that will pull specific skin slots (see Redfox’s first post).
2. Create a TE with multiple squadrons in Falcon.
3. Open the TE in Mission Commander and change the squadron number for each one to the numbers you figured out in the first step.
4. Apply skins to the respective slots.
5. When you make your TEs, ensure that you use multiple squadrons (e.g. different squadrons for different roles).
6. Enjoy different skins.
As an example - Let’s say you are in a vWing with multiple squadrons. If you all install your squadron’s skins in the same slots, you can actually set it up where you see squadron-specific skins for specific roles. The joy of it is everyone sees the same thing.
Easy peasy.
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Further, this is some testing done recently that illustrates it better.
Here is the TE used in the video.
For the demo in the video, the wing uses 4 different squadrons with specific main roles:
- Air superiority (55th)
- SEAD (77th)
- Air to Ground (79th)
- Training (78th)
Those squadron skins are set in specific slots for both the Block 50 & 52:
- First slot: 55th Skin
- Second slot: 77th Skin
- Third slot: 79th Skin
- Fourth slot: 78th Skin
Falcon uses the squadron number in game (as well as the aircraft type) in order to establish what skin is used. An example here is an image showing the different skin slots for the F16-C-50…
(Image taken from JanHas’ TexSet.pdf included in his downloads)So what you need to do is first find out what squadron numbers are associated with what skin slot. This is where Redfox’s post is incredibly informative. If you take a squadron number in Falcon and do the math as Redfox suggests, you’ll see that the default squadron of 1027 will pull the second skin from that list above. All you really need to do is go down that list numerically to find what squadron number will “pull” a skin from the other slots…
1027 = Second slot
1028 = Third slot
1029 = Fourth slot
1030 = Fifth slot
1031 = Sixth slot
1032 = First slotNow we have a list of squadron numbers to work with. So, using the wing’s example of 4 squadrons, we are going to assign a skin slot per VFW squadron…
1027 = Second slot - 77th
1028 = Third slot - 79th
1029 = Fourth slot - 78th
1030 = Fifth slot
1031 = Sixth slot
1032 = First slot - 55thEssentially, creating this…
(We use 1-3 since, as you can see listed there, those skin slots share the same body textures, just different tails)
The next step is to make (or edit) a TE in BMS and create 4 squadrons per aircraft type that you use. For this example, we’ll only use the C50. Once you have a TE with 4 F16-C-50 squadrons in it, open the TE up in Mission Commander (note the first image in this post). Simply change the squadron numbers to the ones you assigned above.
Now open Falcon again and create a package. In that package, make 4 different flights (you’ll note the new Falcon squadron numbers). Make each flight a different squadron of however F16-C-50s you want.
You now have a base TE to create a multi-squadron mission with matching skins for a VFW. The TE builder just needs to remember which Falcon squadron number is associated with which VFW squadron. Since the squadron number can be the exact same for different aircraft types (as the video demonstrates), it’s pretty easy to track.
This basically defaults the skin to that particular seat (squadron). There is no need to change your skin in the Loadout screen. You will see your flight in the appropriate skin and you will see the other squadrons in theirs. Likewise, others will see the same exact thing.
Of course, everyone in the VFW needs to install the same skins in the same skin slots. That’s easy enough if it’s offered as a bundle for folks to install (as long as no one renames files).
As a side note, if you include any other AI flights in your TE that use the same model/block that you have skinned, simply assign them to a squadron that doesn’t pull your skin slots (note the empty 5th & 6th slots above when you assigned your VFW squadrons to Falcon squadrons). That way, no AI will “wear” your wing/squadron skins.
For Block 52 squadrons, just rinse & repeat the steps above (starting where the *** is).
It’s actually really easy stuff. It just seems complicated.
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So there is a method to the madness.
Now I wonder how the campaign does it, since the squadron numbers there are different.
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So there is a method to the madness.
Now I wonder how the campaign does it, since the squadron numbers there are different.
camo.cfg govern the campaign skin assignments.
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Hmm….I’m guessing it’s not possible to create a similar .cfg file to assign skins in a TE if you chose to use real squadron numbers like in the campaign?
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So there is a method to the madness.
Yeah.
Let’s say for an example that you have a package. In that package you have three squadrons (55th, 77th & 79th). Regardless of what squadron you are a member of within the Wing, if you’re filling the seat of Air Superiority, once you jump in that seat you’re sitting in a 55th plane. You see you sitting in a 55th plane. Everyone else will see you sitting in a 55th plane.
Likewise, if you’re making a training flight - If you create a squadron & associate it with your training squadron’s skin slot, you will sit (by default) in a training squadron’s skinned airplane.
It actually works really well.
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Hmm….I’m guessing it’s not possible to create a similar .cfg file to assign skins in a TE if you chose to use real squadron numbers like in the campaign?
Not that I’m aware of.
As noted a few posts back, the skins pretty much cycle from first to last slot numerically based on the Falcon squadron number.
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@Dead:
those codes for nose, fuselage, tail, etc. are they some sort of color codes? RAL-codes maybe?
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I’m wondering if BMS 4.33 still works the same….It seems now there are tail branches?
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I know that this is an old thread but is it possible to have a flight of 4 ships in 4.34 with 4 separate skins. Id like to have the Commanders skin, then the flight leaders, then a regular skin for the last 2 aircraft but all having their own numbers etc etc…Thanks for any input guys!