uniform reskinning

[ViperAssassin26]

I really admire all of the new uniform mods that have been coming throughout Combat Mission games. I would really like to get in on it, but I don't know how to Reskin. Is there a video on how to do so? Or a set of instructions on what to do? I have tons of great ideas.

[MikeyD]

There's no real shortcut to doing (or redoing) textures.
You do it by doing it, sometimes from the ground-up. Nose-to-the-grindstone. If you're lucky the original texture gives some indication of where the pieces fit on the art. Here's an example of how the pieces of the model is laid out on the CMSF2 Syrian uniform texture. Legs, arms, torso, collar and shirt cuffs. Other uniform types in other title are laid out different-but-similar.

[Jaime]

It's kinda pointless to start without a template really, but I've never seen them post any templates to help people create skins for vehicles or uniforms, though these undoubtedly exist. The only templates I've seen them post are for mission briefings. I guess if it is just small changes to existing textures you can do it, but a complete overhaul or new texture is pretty difficult. The texture map above is a token gesture, there are only a couple such maps in the game files for any of the games. In summary, there are no tutorials, starting points, help, templates etc, it's kind of amazing the modders who did make new textures got anywhere at all (maybe they did get a bit of help? - who knows? ).

You might try asking a modder who makes skins for the game you are interested in, they may have something. Perhaps ezjax for WW2 uniforms, aris/fuser for WW2 vehicles but some of them are less active these days and may have deleted whatever resources they had.

[Frenchy56]

I'd personally like to take a look at the templates EZ made to make his German uniforms. They look pretty stunning.

[kohlenklau]

Just to see that image that MikeyD sent is pretty educational to me.

I admit I am a ham-handed photoshop/GiMP/paint.NET troglodyte with yellow sticky notes of the tool commands to remind me of what to do. I have always been of the school of taking the Mona Lisa and paint over her to make the Mona Betty. I always figured some parts of the bmp just didn't matter and now with the polygon triangles there, I see why.

@JM Stuff take a look at that bmp with the skeleton dispalyed

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by kohlenklau

[mjkerner]

This Uncon bmp from CMSF2 confirmed what I was finding when I used to grind through various color coding attempts (pink where I think the knees are, purple where I think the elbows are, etc., then put in game and see where they show up).

[benpark]

As long as the underlying model is the same, choosing the most pared-down existing texture helps.

Start with the non-camo versions, or as close as you can get to it- if they exist. Mike's camo example at top would be far easier to see from the standard OD version. That makes it easier to see where things might line up, and where to position any new camo or detail you wish to adapt/add.

Blending Modes and Hue/Saturation in Photoshop can do a huge amount for variation of any basic recolor of a texture you make for alternates.

[mjkerner]

The Overlay function (in Corel Paint Shop Pro; not sure if it's called the same in Photoshop or Gimp) is your friend for putting camo on plain color textures. I built my own uniform in plain textures for the US and British troops in SF/SF2, so I could later put various camo patterns on them. I am sure that my hit and miss process was way more work than necessary, but being self-taught has some advantages. I'm still trying to figure out what those are!

[kohlenklau]

It is interesting to see that these CMSF2 bmp's are very precise in what is on the bmp for mapping versus what I am used to seeing for the WW2 titles' bmps.

MikeyD gave us the view with an overlay of the skeleton 3D model. Must be his "BFC insider" plug-in for making the art! All that extra woodland on the edges is unused. The UNCON image Mark posted is the "no extra unused stuff is shown". The WW2 titles BMP seem to fill the entire BMP but not much is unused. I am excited to see if things change with F&R's new bmp's and mds's? Is this the sign of different 3D guys involved in WW2 versus modern titles? Just curious.

[JM Stuff]

A very interresting thread !

[benpark]

32 minutes ago, kohlenklau said:

Is this the sign of different 3D guys involved in WW2 versus modern titles?

It's Cassio doing 3D, and Mike doing 2D stuff these days (since around CMFI). Pete and I kick in 2D/3D things in from time to time if we have a specific plan for incorporation, but the art assets you see on screen are largely made by two people.

[kohlenklau]

@benpark

What I would think when I would see the WW2 bmps's is that somebody at BFC hooked up with a WW2 uniform collector or a museum and would lay out the actual uniform very neatly and take a high res photo with proper lighting as needed by the game, then flip it over and do the back. same with sleeves and the pants. Then in photoshop move it all around as needed.

For CMCW, Bil said he was doing these type chores for gear and such. He musta went out to his garage or up in the attic and took photos of his old 782 gear!