How to make Decals?

[SmashingKirby148]

It's something I've honestly wondered about for a while. Unless I'm blind, I've never seen decals covered for parts. Y'know, where your flag sows up on a part. So how do I do those?

Edited January 20, 2017 by SmashingKirby148
Missed a word :P

[Galileo]

2 minutes ago, SmashingKirby148 said:

It's something I've honestly wondered about for a while. Unless I'm blind, I've never decals covered for parts. Y'know, where your flag sows up on a part. So how do I do those?

Hopefully this helps

[SmashingKirby148]

1 minute ago, Galileo said:

Hopefully this helps

 

No, I literally mean like the stock parts, where the flag is already on it, and not a sperate part.

[JadeOfMaar]

@SmashingKirby148 do you mean how to put a flag module in a part like the stock cockpits? We kinda need more of this.  

Edited January 20, 2017 by JadeOfMaar

[SmashingKirby148]

Just now, JadeOfMaar said:

@SmashingKirby148 do you mean how to put a flag module on a part? We kinda need more of this.  

Is that what they are properly called? If so, yes.

[JadeOfMaar]

I edited my post a wee bit (Gotta stop doing that). I don't know if that's the proper name sadly. @SmashingKirby148

[SmashingKirby148]

3 minutes ago, JadeOfMaar said:

@SmashingKirby148 do you mean how to put a flag module in a part like the stock cockpits? We kinda need more of this.  

Yes! There we go! Those are them!

[SmashingKirby148]

Soooo... anyone know how to make them?

[Eleusis La Arwall]

Yes, it's actually very easy. First set up a plane in blender or what 3D modelling tool you prefere. The flags are all in 256x160 px resolution and the plane needs to have the same aspect ratio:

Once the aspect ratio is set up you can scale the plane to the size you want and place it where it needs to be. No UV unwrap required. Bring the model to unity and use "alpha/translucent shader" for flags with transparancy:

Finally you need the module in the config:

	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform
	}

Thats it!

Edit: Actually the mesh needs UV unwrap.

Edited January 21, 2017 by Eleusis La Arwall
Fixed a mistake

[SmashingKirby148]

18 minutes ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

Yes, it's actually very easy. First set up a plane in blender or what 3D modelling tool you prefere. The flags are all in 256x160 px resolution and the plane needs to have the same aspect ratio:

Once the aspect ratio is set up you can scale the plane to the size you want and place it where it needs to be. No UV unwrap required. Bring the model to unity and use "alpha/translucent shader" for flags with transparancy:

Finally you need the module in the config:

	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform
	}

Thats it!

 

Ah! Seems easy enough. Thank you.  But do I have to have the plane and the model in the same save or is the plane separate? And shouldn't the flag curve around the whatever is being made?

[Eleusis La Arwall]

It needs to be a seperate object inside the same .blend file (or other format). Here is an example of my hierarchy in unity:

To fit the curvature of a 24 sided cyclinder, cut it vertical in half and rotate the outer vertical edges each by 7.5° around Z-axis:

You can fit it to what every you want but if you change the aspect ratio, the flag will stretch.

[SmashingKirby148]

Ok, got it! Thanks!

[SmashingKirby148]

It doesn't seem to be working. The flag jst stays white in KSP. What do I do, @Eleusis La Arwall ?

Edited January 21, 2017 by SmashingKirby148
Forgot to tag the person I was asking. xD

[Eleusis La Arwall]

@SmashingKirby148 Merge both fragTransform into one gameobject. The module may get confused with two gameobject that have identical names. You can use other names but it must be same as referenced in the module:

textureQuadName = flagTransform

I can't spot any error in the unity setup. If this doesn't fix the problem I need to take a look at the config file.

[SmashingKirby148]

1 hour ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

@SmashingKirby148 Merge both fragTransform into one gameobject. The module may get confused with two gameobject that have identical names. You can use other names but it must be same as referenced in the module:

textureQuadName = flagTransform

I can't spot any error in the unity setup. If this doesn't fix the problem I need to take a look at the config file.

 

Hmmm... like this? Btw, I tried this and it didn't work, but if this setup is right then it means I need to show you the cfg. So is this right?

Yes, the flagTransform is a renamed GameObject.

[Eleusis La Arwall]

@SmashingKirby148 No, this is not what I meant. Both (or multiple) flags must be the same object. The Module only references to 1 mesh.

If you want multiple independant flags you need a mesh for each one with a unique name and a module for each one referencing the desired mesh. Like in unity have flagTransform1 and flagTransform2 and use this in the config:
 

	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform1
	}
	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform2
	}

Just want to check that the cfg is set up correctly.

[SmashingKirby148]

1 minute ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

@SmashingKirby148 No, this is not what I meant. Both (or multiple) flags must be the same object. The Module only references to 1 mesh.

If you want multiple independant flags you need a mesh for each one with a unique name and a module for each one referencing the desired mesh. Like in unity have flagTransform1 and flagTransform2 and use this in the config:
 

	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform1
	}
	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform2
	}

Just want to check that the cfg is set up correctly.

 

Ah, I see. So is it easy to make them into one object in blender? What do I need to do to make them separate objects?

[Eleusis La Arwall]

2 minutes ago, SmashingKirby148 said:

Ah, I see. So is it easy to make them into one object in blender? What do I need to do to make them separate objects?

Not quite sure if this is what you want but the commands in blender are easy. Join 2 objects: In object mode select 2 objects and press Ctrl + J (first selected object(s) will be joined into last selected object). Separate part of one object: In Editmode select verts/edges/faces you want to separate and press P. Click "from selected".

[SmashingKirby148]

17 minutes ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

Not quite sure if this is what you want but the commands in blender are easy. Join 2 objects: In object mode select 2 objects and press Ctrl + J (first selected object(s) will be joined into last selected object). Separate part of one object: In Editmode select verts/edges/faces you want to separate and press P. Click "from selected".

 

I've joined them, still won't work. Unity setup is:

GameObject
   SarnusVMainFuelTank
      flagTransform
      tank

And the cfg:

PART
{
	name = Size3MegaTank
	module = Part
	author = SmashingKirby
	rescaleFactor = 0.625
	node_stack_top = 0.0, 15.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0, 3
	node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -15.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 3
	node_attach = 0.0, 0.0, -3.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
	TechRequired = highPerformanceFuelSystems
	entryCost = 56600
	cost = 20000
	category = Propulsion
	subcategory = 0
	title = Sarnus V Main Stage Tank
	manufacturer = Smashing Industries
	description = A mega tank for your mega main stage.
	attachRules = 1,1,1,1,0
	mass = 12
	dragModelType = default
	maximum_drag = 0.2
	minimum_drag = 0.3
	angularDrag = 2
	crashTolerance = 6
	breakingForce = 400
	breakingTorque = 400
	maxTemp = 2000 // = 2900
	bulkheadProfiles = size3, srf
	tags = fuel fueltank ?lfo propellant rocket Sarnus
	MODEL
	{
		model = SarnusVParts/Parts/FuelTanks/Large/model
	}
    RESOURCE
        {
        name = LiquidFuel
        amount = 12960
        maxAmount = 12960
        }

    RESOURCE
        {
        name = Oxidizer
        amount = 15840
        maxAmount = 15840
        }
    }
	MODULE
	{
		name = FlagDecal
		textureQuadName = flagTransform
	}
}

 

Ok, wait, I did a bit of reshuffling and it kind of works. But when I select a flag, it chooses the main background colour of the flag and displays that. For instance, if I choose the Orbs flag, the flag turns yellow but doesn't show the orbs. If I choose the main KSP one, or those that have a transparent background, it disappears.

[Eleusis La Arwall]

Whoopsi, I made a mistake. You actually need to unwrap the mesh. Easiest way is to use "Project from view (Bounds)" from orthographic view like this:

Sry, I totally forgot that it needs an unwrap. 

[SmashingKirby148]

15 minutes ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

Whoopsi, I made a mistake. You actually need to unwrap the mesh. Easiest way is to use "Project from view (Bounds)" from orthographic view like this:

Sry, I totally forgot that it needs an unwrap. 

 

*sigh* I got it now, but one of them is flipped horizontally. I can't just flip 180 degrees because then it would be upside down. I also don't know which one it is since they're perfectly symmetrical. |:/

[Eleusis La Arwall]

Glad it works now!

You can use the mirror tool to flip the mesh along an axis. Set Pivot Point to "Bounding Box Center", select one of the meshes, press Ctrl +M and than Y (In my screenshot the view is along X axis, so I need to flip along Y.). Than Ctrl + F and select "Flip normals". it should fix horizontal flip.

Another way is delete the wrong faces/verts, set Pivot Point to 3D cursor (make sure 3D cursor is at 0,0,0) and select the remaining face(s). press Shift + D than R than Z than 180 and Enter. It will create a duplicate on the other side.

[SmashingKirby148]

13 minutes ago, Eleusis La Arwall said:

Glad it works now!

You can use the mirror tool to flip the mesh along an axis. Set Pivot Point to "Bounding Box Center", select one of the meshes, press Ctrl +M and than Y (In my screenshot the view is along X axis, so I need to flip along Y.). Than Ctrl + F and select "Flip normals". it should fix horizontal flip.

Another way is delete the wrong faces/verts, set Pivot Point to 3D cursor (make sure 3D cursor is at 0,0,0) and select the remaining face(s). press Shift + D than R than Z than 180 and Enter. It will create a duplicate on the other side.

 

Yay! Finally, my fuel tank can be finished now.  Thanks a lot for your help, hope your mod goes well too.