Getting .mrk to work

[kozlo]

Hello all,

Been on a kick for the zerstorerwaffe lately on TWC, and playing around with skins I found that the staffel/gruppe markings are .mrk files in the skin folder of each Bf-110 type. It seems that it pulls the marking onto the nose in various designated spots pending the variant, and it’s sized as needed for whichever area is alotted on the nose of the Bf. What I’ve found and what I’d like to fix is the marking for III/ZG76. The design is 3 bees over a cloud, but in game it only shows up on a tiny spot, and mirrored (bees flying backwards towards the tail) and only on the C-4 variant. Does anyone have any insight on the .mrk files and how they work? Is there a way to make/modify them for the game?

[AKA_Blasto]

S!~
I could shoot your fuselage in half for you - too make the bees look bigger. We'll call it Operation Bumblebee. - I am such a good person to want to find solutions to these vexing problems. You're welcome! Meet me over Cape Grene. \ French Point. Gotta love Cliffs!

S!~ AKA_Blasto

[major_setback]

Hello all,

Been on a kick for the zerstorerwaffe lately on TWC, and playing around with skins I found that the staffel/gruppe markings are .mrk files in the skin folder of each Bf-110 type. It seems that it pulls the marking onto the nose in various designated spots pending the variant, and it’s sized as needed for whichever area is alotted on the nose of the Bf. What I’ve found and what I’d like to fix is the marking for III/ZG76. The design is 3 bees over a cloud, but in game it only shows up on a tiny spot, and mirrored (bees flying backwards towards the tail) and only on the C-4 variant. Does anyone have any insight on the .mrk files and how they work? Is there a way to make/modify them for the game?

TF added a few of this type of emblem when DWT was released ( for the P40s, I believe). It is not easy, and even requires code changes, so it is nothing anyone outside of the team could do. Someone else might have more information though.

[FTC_Rostic]

...Does anyone have any insight on the .mrk files and how they work? Is there a way to make/modify them for the game?

You can make copy of .mrk files from steam library install dir to corresponding folder in user documents dir and make necessary changes.

D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover Blitz\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-1
same as
C:\Users\<YourUserName>\Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-1

Game priorities files from user documents folder. But in multiplayer you will be the only one who will see changes.
Inside .mrk file there are 5 numbers. My guess they mean:
X_scaled, Y_scaled, WIDTH_scaled, HEIGHT_scaled, ROTATION_radians

X,Y,W and H are just multiplier in range 0.0 - 1.0 for skin size in pixels to place emblem on skin and set size.
ROTATION - in radians 0 means do not rotate, pi (3.141593) means rotate 180 degrees, etc.


Also you can look what "Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3" does with game files to add swastika.
Download this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ei6...usp=drive_link
In that archive you are interested in:

IL-2 Cliffs of Dover - random documents.zip\Разное\Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3\_extracted_from_installer\

I never tested Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3 for BLITZ. That altered "core_update02.SFS" file may break something. Use only for TFS beta 4.312

[major_setback]

You can make copy of .mrk files from steam library install dir to corresponding folder in user documents dir and make necessary changes.

D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\IL-2 Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover Blitz\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-1
same as
C:\Users\<YourUserName>\Documents\1C SoftClub\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover\PaintSchemes\Skins\Bf-109E-1

Game priorities files from user documents folder. But in multiplayer you will be the only one who will see changes.
Inside .mrk file there are 5 numbers. My guess they mean:
X_scaled, Y_scaled, WIDTH_scaled, HEIGHT_scaled, ROTATION_radians

X,Y,W and H are just multiplayer in range 0.0 - 1.0 for skin size in pixels to place emblem on skin and set size.
ROTATION - in radians 0 means do not rotate, pi (3.141593) means rotate 180 degrees, etc.


Also you can look what "Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3" does with game files to add swastika.
Download this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ei6...usp=drive_link
In that archive you are interested in:

IL-2 Cliffs of Dover - random documents.zip\Разное\Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3\_extracted_from_installer\

I never tested Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3 for BLITZ. That altered "core_update02.SFS" file may break something. Use only for TFS beta 4.312

That's news to me - that size and rotation might be easily adjustable.
Let me know if anyone manages to do it. One of the Eagle symbols on the Hurticane nose ( American Eagle squadron?) needs resizing too; as some forum members have mentioned previously.

[Mysticpuma]

Also you can look what "Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3" does with game files to add swastika.
Download this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ei6...usp=drive_link
In that archive you are interested in:

IL-2 Cliffs of Dover - random documents.zip\Разное\Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3\_extracted_from_installer\

I never tested Historical_Markings_Enabler_for_TF4_3 for BLITZ. That altered "core_update02.SFS" file may break something. Use only for TFS beta 4.312[/QUOTE]

TFS disabled it. Sadly it no longer works. Also by blocking moddng, no-one can re-enable it.
Honestly, I wish they would just let players choose if they wanted historic markings or censorship. Really should be a players choice in an historically accurate simulator?