Quick CFS3 Noseart tutorial

A simple step by step to converting an image you want to Noseart for use
in CFS3. This assumes you have the latest version of DXTBmp and it is set
up to work with your Paint program. Ideally you should start with an image
that is square.

The example is for creating a new US Noseart. Exaclty the same principles
are used to create Noseart for the other countries. The only difference is
the UIRES folder the Bmp version needs to go in (gbr or ger instead of usa)

1/ Get the bmp into your paint program and paint all the bits you want
   see-through in Black then save it as a new bmp file. If your paint 
   program has the option then resize it to 256x256 before saving.

2/ Run DXTBmp and "Load Normal Image" then select the bmp you just saved.
   This wil be resized square and the alpha channel will be created using 
   the Black you have painted as the transparent bit

3/ Select "Save Targa Image" and save it wherever you want. This will be
   your Master image in case you want to make changes later.  

4/ Select "Save Extended Image", from the save dialog filetypes list
   select "Extended 16 bit 444-4" and browse to the CFS3 Uires\usa\noseart
   folder and save it as noseart_us_17.bmp (for example)

5/ Now select "Save DDS".Ffrom the save dialog filetypes list select DDS
   DXT1 and browse to the CFS3 Aircraft\Shared folder and save it as the
   same name as at step 4 (eg noseart_us_17.dds ). It is important that the
   DDS version has the same name as the BMP version so that CFS3 can find it.

DDS DXT1 can suffer from the same nVidia bug as CFS2 DXT1 bmps so you may get
a problem at step 5. If you get an error message there you will have to do
the following :-

-- Close down and restart DXTBmp

-- Use "Load Targa with Alpha" and load the image you saved at step 3

-- Repeat step 5 but select DDS 555-1 from the Filetypes list when saving

General Notes :-

Noseart files can also be done in 512x512 if greater detail is required.

The name of a Noseart file decides where in the list it is displayed. 
Because CFS3 expects the first Noseart to be the totally-transparent
version used by the "None" option you should name your noseart files so 
they will appear further down the list. 

Martin Wright
mnwright@btinternet.com
http://fly.to/mwgfx/