Creating Skins with GIMP

Discussion in 'Car Modding' started by Seven Nation Army, Feb 2, 2019.

  1. Seven Nation Army

    Seven Nation Army Registered

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    It seems there is a problem with the "new skinning" and loading skins into the game. A few people have posted new format skins to RaceDepartment but it looks like no one is getting them to load. Also, I'd like to have the skins (all skins) at the root level, not where you have to go dig them up from the basement (showroom) in order to use them. So after S397 fixes the loading problem then I'll come back to this. Hopefully it doesn't take long and hoping even more the new UI makes it easier to manage skins within the game.
     
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  2. Coutie

    Coutie Moderator Staff Member

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    https://forum.studio-397.com/index....al-editor-car-paints.62249/page-6#post-976255
     
  3. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    Argh!

    I've made a teeny bit of progress in that I can now save a template that will show up in the showroom without gmotor errors - but when I try to assign the materials to regions in the carpainteditor, they are all messed up and I can't work out why.

    In both cases, I've created a Layer From Visible - which is what I highlight before Export As and choosing the BC3/DXT5 option for the main file (with Mipmaps generated) and BC1/DXT1 for the Region file.

    If I change the Black region in the carpainteditor to Chrome, basically the entire body turns to Chrome - not the circled regions. The rest are messed up too...

    Any pointers?

    In my template, Black has a layer mask with the grey circles (the equivalent in the tutorial of the grey stripe and triangles) and white has the outlines of my Fox logos. Everything else as per tutorial.
    REgion Map.png Template.png showroom.png Incorrect Chrome.png
     
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  4. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    Just a guess, it looks like your region is/was not loaded. Make sure it is named youraltskinname_region.dds, and press the RELOAD button once you have all files in your folder.
     
  5. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    Ah - maybe! Is it the *entire* file name including the alt and Region that needs to squeeze under the 13 characters (or whatever)? My file name prefix is/was alt_FoxAM3 - which would break the bank with Region appended to it....

    Thanks for the suggestion - i’ll try later this morning.
     
  6. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    Should be out unicycling, but.....:)

    It does seem to be the Region file is not being loaded, but it’s not the file name/length.

    I made copies of the two files (and the MAS file that is created when you define the new car/driver - othwerwise you get the gmotor errors...) and severely shortened the names. Made no difference.

    I then deleted the Region file entirely and reloaded - and the car paint editor behaviour is as before.

    I wonder if my DXT1 export process is broken somehow....
     
  7. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    Interim update.

    OK, my Region file is fine - I have managed to get it working (caveat to follow...) by careful naming etc.

    However... Although when I first create a new Driver and move my files into the folder (making sure there's a correctly named MAS file to avoid the gMotor / brilliant-white issues) - the regions do work initially in the showroom, I have problems later on.

    The tutorial says to make all your changes in carpainteditor and then press Reload in the showroom to make them stick. What I'm finding is that if I then try the car out, the results are not quite as expected - and if I go back into the showroom, Chrome areas are now a (possibly matte) grey etc. - they certainly aren't shiny chrome. Reloading the editor and trying to reassign them does not work.

    I've also noticed some annoying behaviour in terms of creating the new car/drivers - sometimes they will appear in the Select car list, other times the folders and files will be created, but the car will not show up in the main Select Vehicle rf2 screen.

    The good news is that I had a breakthrough day learning to unicycle! Yay! Hope I can replicate that with GT3 skins and GIMP:D
     
  8. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    I've spent the whole afternoon documenting and writing up a step by step guide for GIMP - but I'm still hitting a final hurdle.

    I've created the McLaren, below, from scratch - and as you can see in the top image, the circles start out as Chrome as you'd hope (they are the Black region).

    Once all the materials are assigned, I clicked 'Reload' once (as the S397 tutorial suggested) and went for a drive. In game, the materials are not correct. If I then drop back to the Tuning screens, the materials remain broken (i.e. Chrome is now some kind of matte dark cherry colour.

    What's going on? I've not changed any of the lacquer settings etc. and the regions do seem to work - they just don't visually match the materials they claim to be or what they appear as the first time you ever load the skin.

    Part 3.08.png Part 3.09.png
     
  9. juanchioooo

    juanchioooo Registered

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    @MileSeven do not know if you saw the video of Aidan Millward
    with gimp, in case it helps
     
  10. AMillward

    AMillward Registered

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    Who?
     
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  11. juanchioooo

    juanchioooo Registered

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    I tried to help (MileSeven), who uses gimp just like you in the video, unless the language fools me
     
  12. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    Thanks - i’ll Take a look.
     
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  13. AMillward

    AMillward Registered

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    I think I fooled you with the language. I was saying “who is Aidan Millward?”
     
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  14. juanchioooo

    juanchioooo Registered

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    a partner with whom I share a hobby with the simulator and editror of graphics:):):);)
     
  15. MileSeven

    MileSeven Registered

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    *SOLVED*
    The Chrome effect (at least) does not work unless you have the Environmental Reflections setting (global options for the game) to at least Low!

    Nothing wrong with GIMP. Nothing wrong with my skin or region files.

    How annoying! What's particularly annoying is that, as repeatedly pointed out, the chrome effect works for me the first time I enter the showroom but not if I've been on track first.
     
  16. Akela_DE

    Akela_DE Registered

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    Where is it ? We need it ! :D
    (Millward is talking to fast and i prefer reading)
    i take it halfready!
    i am running in lots of errors like the BMW cannot be exported when you dont flatten the layers, but the Audi does, complete white skins, etc pp.
    The system is a headache :eek:
     
  17. Ned52

    Ned52 Registered

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    This game is completely dead no one can do any skin he likes and use it in the game as it is more difficult than graduate from High school and all the GMTs are locked so you can't see your work without launching the game that takes hours.That's completely crazy for a game that was made for modders in the beginning.
     
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  18. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    With Gimp you always have to create a single layer to export because the DDS plugin only exports the selected layer. The plugin also does not take care of rendering a single layer before export. So you have to do that on your own. Probably selecting a layer group before export could work too (never tried it). Still, best practice is to create a new layer from visible first (Layer > New from Visible), then apply layer masks (alpha), and export that selected layer as your alt.dds file. Flatten your image means applying any alpha or layer mask to your image, but this step is not needed at all. But make sure that you have selected that single layer with your skin before exporting.

    Doing a not too complex skin for any car just takes you a couple of minutes until an hour or maybe one and a half. Including all the setup of regions (if required or available, because you know, there are still a lot of cars without) and files.
    GMT's are locked with a reason. And it's industry standard. Only because creative minds cracked other games or found a way to illegally extract the models does not mean it's what anyone can expect by default. And I don't want to discuss 3D skinning here because I doubt that most have a license for the required software. Anyway :rolleyes:
    I don't know what's up you with your installation or setup, but for me starting the game takes about 60 seconds (pure starting time from the launcher, without verifications etc., even under Linux). That's not enough time to do anything great other than fire up Gimp with a template or start/continue painting or preparing files (or get a coffee :D). At least in my opinion there is no real issue here :cool:
    Additionally I don't see any problem with having the game running windowed in background to check my skin from time to time. That's what I do for ages now.
    You are referencing to rFactor1 as the beginning? Then you are correct, at least kind of. But rFactor2 was never made for modders, even if it originates from rFactor1. ISI and later S397 don't wanted to lose the modding community, but no, the game was not made for modders at all! It's not even part of the game's specification o_O
     
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