Hey,
there is a massive problem that every repainter doing high-quality repaints will be confronted with.
Currently, the wings in most (maybe even all) aircraft are fed from a single texture and mirrored to both wings. This means that any asymmetrical paintjob is currently impossible.
The screenshots show how this would affect the adverts on D-EAXN, one of the Extra 330LTs operated by the famous Eichhorns. Apart from sponsor placements, this issue obviously also affects customized registrations on the wings, which means almost no European aircraft can be realistically painted as of now.
The fix for this would be very easy for Asobo, because they would only need to duplicate the wing textures and map the mirrored wing to the second file. No texture or modeling work, just a quick fix in the mapping.
I agree with OP too! There are so many real world asymmetric liveries around - whether it is the need for aircraft registration to be on the underside of one wing, or whether a sponsor logo appears on the leading edge or whether the livery is simply asymmetric. The liveries Asobo are dictating to us mean that we painters can’t create authentic repaints. It would only take the 3D model developer around two hours to solve the problem - this is not conjecture, it is fact.
Have you made the JU 52 without mirrored textures? This is an absolute must if repainters want to add asymmetric liveries such as and WW2 German splinter camouflage patterns (or even the “Milka” civilian livery) or any other RW livery that relies on readable text over opposing parts of the model
These example images are my repaints for the excellent FSX freeware model by the way.
The decals are only good for fixed areas such as ID Markings - if at all. Repainters can’t adjust position or size of these so we are straitjacketed to what the model dev fixes. Camo needs to be asymmetric across the whole wing and on opposite sides of the fuselage. Also many RealWorld aircraft use different locations and sizes for their IDs.
In this day and age of TB storage and multi GB RAM systems, storage should no longer be an issue. There are some models I have created 8192^2 livery textures for extremely high detail but are spoilt because the decals are so limited.
Look at the Milka Livery - it’s a RW paint. Try getting “Milka” that large on just one wing underside decal. Simple laziness by the devs to mirror textures - it does not take many keystrokes to copy paste a second wing texture (for example) and map asymmetrically.
All the excitement of collecting reference material to get going right on release made me completely forget that their mirroring could stop me dead in my tracks…
Another reason to avoid repaint issues due to mirroring - there are planes with individually mapped ailerons/flaps/rudders and/or elevators, but trim tabs aren’t (or vice versa). This whole mirroring issue has been with microsoft developed aircraft since forever and I have been a very vociferous “mister angry” with MS and Asobo for almost 20 years now even to the degree of having posts blocked and getting bans on various fora.
There arent any WW1 planes out yet for msfs, but imagine trying to do the multicolour “lozenge” patterns on mirrored wings…
What still gives me great hopes are that some developers have taken on us repainters suggestions about skinning aircraft. I will name and praise IRIS, Aerosoft, ATS here as those who have especially listened. As these developers come along with new models we really can expect great texturing possibilities for msfs based aircraft.
So this is a great model, they obviously thought about painters because the wings are seperate, as well as the fuselage section. There is just one (sadly significant) hickup:
The main exit door is somehow mapped onto the other part of the fuselage it seems, right where the reg is supposed to be.
I’m trying to contact the creator, maybe this can be fixed - the plane would certainly deserve it.
Hey Marius, that looks like great news about the possibility of un-mirrored wings. Do you have something like Blender that you can use to check the mapping - it is usually quite easy to spot where decals are used - maybe the registration decal overlays the door?
I am sorely tempted…
Ohhhh look at that - Skis and Floats as well!!! And it is only ÂŁ12.50 - at that price a few mapping issues should be able to be worked around. It might also be worth asking for a cargo version with some/all pax seats removed - especially useful for bush missions!
Hi Chris,
the registration decal is behind the door, it’s just that the entire door texture is mapped to a part of the right fuselage, which I need to use if I want to put a “regularly drawn” registration on.
So in other words, looking back at my picture from above:
What you paint in and just around the green block on the right fuselage will always also appear on the door.
P.S.: Texturing issues aside, you need to buy this. It’s stunning visually and I was surprised how well the systems are modelled for that price.
Yes, and even though it has two too many engines for me, I have had a couple of flights. I even managed some neat STOL actions. Definitely one to like!
