MarkFirst, to give credit where credit is due:
Credits: Gavin Cole (gavinc)
Graham Eccleston (ggeccles)
Tony RD (peluso5)
and Henry Tomkiewicz, for his original model available at http://htai-models.com/downloads.html and the permission he gave the three guys above to create their work.
I have been actively following Tony, Gavin and Graham's FSX model additions for FSX AI aircraft. I am a former C-130E/H & HC-130P crew chief, so that really caught my attention.
Using Tony's videos on how to add alpha channels to create FSX light maps, I set about to do that to my collection of C-130s. I have approximately 350 C-130s, ranging from AC-130Hs to WC-130Js and the L-100-300. I found that there are many variations of window positions, quantity and type within even a single variation (ie C-130H). I ended up modifying/creating 43 different alphas as well as 5 modified C130*_l.dds textures.
The new alphas are based on locations found using Photoshop at over 900% magnification. Rectangular windows are now incorporated in the correct fuselage positions (paratroop doors, near FS 265, etc. to include a larger scanner window on the right side of the AC-130Us). Round windows now have the correct quantity and position per side. In addition, if a model uses the green position lights (see HC-130P based on the C-130E model), the alpha has had those added; for those who choose not to run position lights, those alphas are indicated by the words "..no PL alpha.bmp". Also, I removed the inadvertant placement of a light on the APU exhaust on the left side of the appropriate fuselage that was in the original release (that one took me several hours to realize what it was).
I modified the Main FSX Texture folder textures to incorporate green postion lights, the large scanner window on the AC-130s and to ensure any newly added windows/lights are incorporated with lighting at night. Again, the no PL alpha, if added to your texture, will not show the green position lights.
NAMING: I named the alphas the way I knew the aircraft and have them separated in my AI aircraft folder. For example, C-130H alpha.bmp, HC-130P 4R 4L alpha.bmp, etc.
Descriptors:
*R = number of Round windows right side of fuselage
*L = number of Round windows left side of fuselage
Lg = large
SM = small
no PL = no position lights
RPD = Rectangular Paratroop Door windows
* Rect = number rectangular windows each side
Use the same instructions Tony provided http://www.alpha-india.net/forums/index ... #msg246443) to use these alphas (reposted here for specific emphasis):
Some notes:
3.- To have cabin lights working you must add the included alpha channel in all your repaints
4.- The included xxx_L texture goes to the main FSX texture folder, to save HD space. You can delete the old texture, not needed any more
7.- The C-130J & C-130J-30 have "green slime" formation lights enabled. These formation lights may be in slightly different places on different repaints. You may need to adjust the alpha channel to reflect your specific repaint.
Other Notes:
Alphas are all saved as 32bit BMP.
L-100-200 are not added as I do not have them in my fleet.
All positions of windows and position lights are my own doing so don't blame anyone but me. It was also my first serious go at Photoshop.
Thanks to Tony for providing those videos on how to add alphas and create/modify lightmaps.
Enjoy!
EDIT: Link to file at dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n548p3kwtz7ea ... X.zip?dl=0
