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Quick Guide on
How I do the Reflective Effect
by Garry J. Smith
Member of
 
 Click image to visit the top 100 Flight Sim Sites
NOTE
Full Graphics Tutorial
Available in Computer Pilot
Volume 6 Issue 4 May 2002

Now also available online:
Full Tutorial

Aircraft Textures Painted by
Garry J. Smith

Please feel free
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VERY IMPORTANT 

(1) WORKS ONLY WITH GMAX CREATED AIRCRAFT WHEN COMPILED TO USE REFLECTIVE EFFECTS.

(2) DO NOT FORGET TO TURN ON REFLECTIONS OPTION FOR AIRCRAFT IN THE DISPLAY OPTIONS (AIRCRAFT TAB)

There are a few complex steps but very simple to remember after the first run.

IMPORTANT

(1) You  need the Microsoft imagetool.exe file which can be found in the gmax\Flightsim\gamepacks\FlightSim\ directory (available with Microsoft Flight Sim 2002 Professional only)

(2) You DEFINITELY need Martin Wright's magic DXTBMP.exe program from http://fly.to/mwgfx/

You need Paint Shop Pro or any other Graphics editor (not sure about others as I almost exclusively use PSP)
 

Important to NOTE: Texture work for FS2002 and FS2004 use the same graphics formats therefore this tutorial can be applied to either.

Though PSP5 is the guiding product (chosen as it is often available for free) these steps and processes are easily converted to equivalent functions in more current version of PSP.

OK HERE WE GO

(NOTE: DXTBMP can now do this function if you so desire)

OPEN IMAGETOOL
LOAD the ########_T.bmp image file from the texture directory of your choice.
# = example b777_300_T.bmp from the b777 texture directory.

FORMAT (menu option) to 32 bit

SAVE the image as "tinker.bmp" or any other meaningful name! into the same texture directory.

EXIT IMAGETOOL

OPEN  DXTBMP

SELECT FILE-LOAD EXTENDED IMAGE - select the "tinker.bmp" file you just saved

You will see both the normal image and the "ALPHA" image.

The ALPHA image is the one you want to play with for the metal reflective effect.

Select  ALPHA - Send Alpha to Editor

This will load up you preferred paint program and allow you to edit the texture.

NOTE:  ALPHA is 256 shades of GREY and creates various shaded of reflective intensity - from maximum reflect at full black to no reflect at full white.  - experiment and tinker here to your hearts content.

When complete exit your paint program and the TRANS file will request to be saved

SELECT ALPHA - REFRESH ALPHA (VERY IMPORTANT TO DO THIS!!!!)

SELECT FILE-SAVE EXTENDED IMAGE

SELECT DXT3 with Alpha as the format

Name the file "tinkerDXT.bmp" or any other meaningful name! in the same directory as tinker

Click on SAVE

EXIT DXTBMP

(NOTE: DXTBMP can now do the below function if you so desire)

OPEN  IMAGETOOL

FILE - LOAD "tinkerDXT.bmp" - check image and Alpha.

FILE - SAVE AS (select the original _T.bmp file that you started with) - accept overwrite (of course you have backed up the original)

Now go flying!!!!!!!!! with you new texture.

NOTE:   

The reason that I use tinker.bmp and tinkerDXT.bmp is to provide myself a little safety and consistency in the formats that I am dealing with - there are of course several other way you could do this but this way works best for me.

Regards

Garry J. Smith - happy simming.

Please do not repeat or duplicate this guideline on any other sites or Forums - I believe that I should be afforded the curtesy of a link to this page if anyone wants to provide this information to others.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter