Railworks America

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Overview
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I recently created this 1K (1024x1024) color grid image (png format) to assist with finding how small details were mapped to the texture. My prior color grid had larger squares with color gradations that became too difficult to distinguish on the model. This grid was procedurally produced using a 16x16 grid pattern with random RGB colors. Each grid square is identified with a small ID number in either white or black, depending on the darkness of the grid square color.

How to Use
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Simply copy this image into your repaint graphics file. Set this new layer on top of layer that has the base texture. Set the color grid layer blending method to Overlay at 100% opacity. Save your graphics file and then save as a DDS file. Follow your regular procedure to convert the DDS file into a TgPcDx file and apply to the repaint's asset folder.

Assuming the rest of the repaint files have been altered to allow being added to a scenario within TSC, create and load your test scenario. I prefer to use a free roam scenario as it allows me to easily fly around the model. Take note of the details you're trying to map, and look for the colors mapped to that detail. Also note if the grid ID appears on the detail part.

Sometimes I'll use a screen capture program, like Snipping Tool in Windows, to grab a reference image while I'm working on the repaint texture.

Go back to your repaint texture, disable the color grid layer, and paint away.

I hope you'll find this color grid useful. You are free to use and distribute this image as part of your repaint graphics file(s) for any freeware repaints. All I ask is you include a credit in the repaint's readme file. If you wish to distribute as part of a payware release, please contact me.

If you have any questions or issues with the color grid image, please reach out to me on the RWA forums or through a PM. Thank you!

Hi Howard,

That's an excellent idea and brilliant execution of it! Many thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Michael

Nice work! I've been using a larger multi-colored panel finder, but I like yours better. These are great for locating the target areas to search for all those smaller parts.

Speaking of which; if you need to go even deeper into the weeds, here's an example of what I came up with to assist in finding nuts, bolts, hinges, grab-irons, and all those other elusive little details. Unfortunately, I can't post it in it's native form as it consists of two template layers over a background. The first layer is a grid-work of multi-colored lines, and the second layer is a complimentary patchwork of multi-colored numbers using the smallest readable font-size (the lighter colored numbers are difficult to see against the white jpg background, but they're there). The good news is, it doesn't take long to create. The straight lines are the easy part, just stretch the lines (single pixel-width) from border to border; the only time consuming part is changing the color for each line. The numbers were done in a smaller square, then copy-pasted to fill the entire image; they fall randomly over the colored lines, so no two numbered grids are the same. The resulting layers may be used directly over another panel-finder layer of choice, or directly over the model's textures. There's also the option of using only the lines or only the numbers.

This technique will enable the discovery of every little piece on a template; even the ones that feature individual nuts and bolts throughout the model's paint-scheme. It's also useful for identifying the exact borders of multi-colored paint-schemes, especially on models where the panels don't line up exactly; for example the merge points between the nose, cab, hood, and chassis.

Thank you Michael and Rudi. Rudi, your version definitely has the detail. I like it. How many grids across is it? I may try to reproduce using my program. Thanks!

Thanks Howard.... That will be a big help. Much needed. Stefan

cnwfan wrote:Thank you Michael and Rudi. Rudi, your version definitely has the detail. I like it. How many grids across is it? I may try to reproduce using my program. Thanks!

Hello Howard; Using the ruler-border in Paintshop Pro, the lines are spaced about 5 increments apart but not exactly. I just laid out the lines without regard to measurements. But that brings up a good point; if the lines were laid out precisely to the increments of the paint program's rulers, they could also be used as a tool to determine exact placement (the first time) of paint lines and such. There's also no pattern behind the numbers I selected, other than being a series of three digits; but if I were to do it over again, I would make the numbers sequential to more rapidly identify the area within the template. In my version, I just wanted to create a pattern where I could identify the tiny parts within a template, matching the numbers with the line intersections, which still requires a bit of "hunting" to pin-point the exact location. Of course, it would be rather time consuming to lay out a precision multi-colored grid with sequential numbers; I can't think of any short-cuts to get around it. Perhaps later I'll get around to implementing this idea into my own panel finder, but currently I'm a bit pre-occupied. If you have the time and would like to run with the idea, by all means, go for it; anything that helps our fellow re-painters would be welcome.

I think I'll fiddle with this over the coming week or so. I'm using Excel VBA to produce a grid, as it gives me procedural control over the basic cell properties and its location.