28.04.2008, 08:21
Aces (Leigh of Mat Manager fame) once explained on SimHQ that the difficulty with IL2's markings lies in the fact that aircraft are arranged in groups to share the same Mat files. This means various inaccuracies occur: what looks right on a P-51 looks too big on a P-38 for instance. Also, the Mats are mapped to be applied to certain parts of a 3D model only. There is some leeway for moving them around, but not much.
However, he said that he and his programmer chum, Grat, knew how to get around these difficulties and had considered making a third version of Mat Manager to address them. But this was before QTim came along and Aces wasn't happy with the idea of distributing a program that amounted to a game hack just to change a few markings. So the idea was dropped.
AFAIK he isn't active with IL2 anymore and I haven't seen Grat post at SimHQ for a while. But it might be worth trying to contact either of them through SimHQ (via PM as that site isn't mod friendly). Mat Manager has the major advantage of allowing one to easily apply markings appropriate to the theatre being flown. Some kind of equivalent program will always be required to block load alternative defaults, so it would be preferable not to have to re-invent the wheel all over again.
However, he said that he and his programmer chum, Grat, knew how to get around these difficulties and had considered making a third version of Mat Manager to address them. But this was before QTim came along and Aces wasn't happy with the idea of distributing a program that amounted to a game hack just to change a few markings. So the idea was dropped.
AFAIK he isn't active with IL2 anymore and I haven't seen Grat post at SimHQ for a while. But it might be worth trying to contact either of them through SimHQ (via PM as that site isn't mod friendly). Mat Manager has the major advantage of allowing one to easily apply markings appropriate to the theatre being flown. Some kind of equivalent program will always be required to block load alternative defaults, so it would be preferable not to have to re-invent the wheel all over again.