how to download user created skins war thunder

How to install custom skins in War Thunder.

War Thunder has over 1,700 vehicles to choose from. With all of these different choices, you’re going to want to stand out on the battlefield, not
just with your skills but with your skins as well. The best way to do this is by installing a custom skin.
Downloading a custom skin.
Head to live.warthunder.com and click on the Camouflages tab Type in the vehicle that you want to customize in the search bar Download the file
(you may have to decompress if it is a .zip file)
Installing a custom skin.
In-game, click on the customization options for your chosen vehicle Click the wand tool labeled “Create a user skin sample files in the game
folder” Go to your War Thunder folder: Local Disk (C:) > Program Files (x86) > Steam > steamapps > Common > War Thunder Once in the
War Thunder folder, go to the User Skins folder and find the template for the vehicle you want to re-skin Copy and paste all of the skin files from
the folder you downloaded and be sure to click “replace files in destination” In the “User skin” drop-down menu, change the skin from Disabled to
the new skin template.
Now when you click on the template in game you will see your custom skin. Keep in mind this method is available for all types of vehicles and you
can add as many skins as you want.
How to download user created skins war thunder.
War Thunder’s collection of planes is massive, but sometimes your vehicle needs to set itself apart. Enter user skins. This feature gives anyone
incredibly powerful customization tools with just a piece of free software. This guide will provide a walkthrough of how to make a custom skin for
just about any vehicle. Something to note: it is likely that you are using another OS. This guide may not be exactly correct for other use cases,
including non-Steam installs.
Step 1: Get GIMP. This image editing program can have a steep learning curve, but is one of the few ways to work with the .tga file format used
for War Thunder skins.
Step 2: Open War Thunder.
Step 3: Pick a vehicle, and create a skin template under the customization option. Here I’m doing it for my SB2C-1c. This will create a folder in
your UserSkins folder with a name like template_sb2c_1c, except with the name of your vehicle.
Step 4: Navigate to your UserSkins folder. Mine is at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\War Thunder\UserSkins. My version of
War Thunder is running on a Windows 10 computer, so your path may be different. The folder will look something like this:
Step 5a: At this point, if you wish, you can rename the relevant template folder to anything you like. Step 5b: Open the template folder for the
vehicle you want to customize.
Step 6: Open <vehicle_name>_a.tga in GIMP. In my case, that would be sb2c_1c_a.tga.
Step 7: On the texture file, locate the part of the vehicle you want to modify and make your changes. It is vital that these changes are made on a
new layer. For this, I’m putting an image of the War Thunder logo as well as a rather familiar snail logo.
Step 8: Using the slider on the right, lower the opacity such that you can see the texture through the image. This will allow the texture of the plane
(bolts, seams, etc.) to show through.
Step 9: Go to File > Export As: and overwrite your previous file. This must have the same <vehicle_name>_a.tga name. Make sure the option
Select File Type (By Extension) is checked.
Step 10: Click Export on the box that appears.
Step 11: Now, if you refresh the skin in the hangar, your image will appear. Make sure the template is selected.
Step 12: There is one problem left: any damage taken will switch to the damaged file, removing your changes. To fix this, open
<vehicle_name>_a_dmg.tga in GIMP. Do not close your previous file.
Step 13: In the bar of images, on the top of the screen, open your previous file. Right click then select “Duplicate” on the layer with your edits.
Drag the duplicated layer into the icon image for the damaged file, then drag it into the center. Your edits should appear on the damaged texture.
Step 14: Turning the visibility of your image layer off, located damage on the texture underneath. Turning visibility back on, use the erase tool
(select a small brush from the grid in the upper right) to remove parts of your image from over the damage holes. Accuracy isn’t very important
here. It’s very important to only select the layer with your images, so that you don’t poke holes in the plane.
Step 15: Staying on the erase tool, select texture brushes from the upper right grid. I like a combination of charcoal on top of pencil scratch.
Combine clicking in single places and dragging until you have a suitably damaged image. Again, be sure that only your image layer is selected, so
that the vehicle’s base layer is not erased.
Step 16: Export the damaged file, overwriting <vehicle_name>_a_dmg.tga. Now, in the hanger, after you refresh the skin and enable “Damaged
Model Preview,” hover the mouse over the damaged part of the plane to see the properly damaged plane!
Now you have a customized, totally unique vehicle! You can repeat this for as many vehicles as you need. This customization ability is one of many
great features of War Thunder, and the implementation is such that anyone can make amazing looking airplanes (and tanks and ships and
helicopters).
If this guide doesn't work for you, please leave a comment. I want to present the best version possible of this guide.
War Thunder CDK.
The CDK is installed in the game folder and allows the player to edit or create new unique missions and locations, as well as helps create game
models. Players can share created content with each other on LIVE and take part in the Revenue Share program by adding their content to the
game and earning real money.
In the War Thunder Wiki, you will find the main series of how-to articles that will help you create your first piece of user content. Open the main
category to see all articles related to War Thunder CDK, or learn about the tools one by one.
Contents.
Working with the editor.
Guide to using the editor in War Thunder CDK – interface, basic steps, and examples of simple missions.
Creating missions.
The basics – even opening a template correctly is important. Tips for getting started. Expanded examples of typical missions.
Creating locations.
The basics – how to use the editor. If you still haven’t read the main guide, now is the time to do so.
Creating models.
This is a pretty big topic. Vehicles and other models in War Thunder are built in line with standard 3D modeling rules, but in order to implement the
many specific mechanics and correctly integrate the models into the game, models must meet certain requirements. So before you create any game
models, you should familiarize yourself with the main modeling rules that we use for our game.
The basics – the starting point for creating great game models. Creating 3D aircraft models.
User content in War Thunder CDK.
Creating user localizations – all texts in the game client can be replaced, e.g. with a translation into a language not present in the client. Setting up
custom hangars – custom hangars are simply ordinary game locations where placement points are set for three vehicle types: aircraft, ground
vehicles, and ships. Setting up custom skins – even without participating in the Revenue Share program, any player can locally install unique skins
for their vehicles.
How to earn money by creating user content.
With its Revenue Share program, War Thunder supports the creation of user content. Participants in the program can add their own user content
to the game and receive remuneration if their creations are used. Learn more about the program in the Contribution Agreement.
Helpful tips and FAQs.
Q: What do I need to make my own content and add it to the game? A: You need the War Thunder client updated to the latest version. After
updating, download War Thunder CDK and install it. Read our short wiki guides on how to create your first mission, location, or model.
Q: I created a new mission – what do I need to do to share it with other players? A: You can share created missions, locations, cockpits, models,
and skins in the relevant section on live.warthunder.com. Your content will be available for other players to download and rate.
Q: I created a mission/location/aircraft – how do I use it with my friends? A: There are several ways to do this. In an online game session, you can
only run a created mission that is based on an existing location in the game – to do this, you simply need to own one of the game store items
costing more than $10. To run a check of locations and models made entirely by users, you must play in single-player mode.
Q: How do I join the Revenue Share program? A: Create your own game content – missions, locations, vehicle models – and upload it to LIVE.
Get your content rated by the community. If your content is good enough to be rated highly by the majority of the players, we will consider the
possibility of adding it to the game.
All user content has a chance of being added to the game. Even a cockpit without an aircraft has every chance of ending up in the game (if the
aircraft itself already exists in the game but its cockpit does not, or has been replaced by a full-scale prototype).
Q: How can content creators earn remuneration for this? A: Firstly, the content needs to be of a very high standard. It’s possible that your first
model or mission will attract limited attention from players, but practice makes perfect. Study reviews and other players’ content to learn from your
mistakes.
Secondly, you need to gain the recognition of players. If your creation has a high rating, a large number of downloads, and a slew of positive
reviews, this increases the chances of it being added to the game. Your content must also pass our selection process. User content must strictly
meet our documentation and quality recommendations. War Thunder is aimed at a wide range of players, so in the event that your content is added
to the game, performance and optimization will be just as important as quality of execution or attention to detail.
Any finished model that appears in the game, the author will receive guaranteed payments of between $6,000 and $10,000 (the final amount will
be determined by the development team depending on the model’s complexity).
And finally, the ways of making money differ depending on the content type. Player-created vehicle models added to the game will be available
only as premium vehicles for a certain period. This means that the creator will receive a share of the money spent by players on this aircraft. If or
when this model is added to the main development line, the creator will receive a share of the earnings from RPs spent on unlocking the aircraft.
When cockpits for existing aircraft are added to the game, the creator earns money in the same way as for aircraft added to the main line (taking
into account that the cockpit is not a complete aircraft).
Missions and campaigns will be included in paid packs. Any user-created mission can be played for free after downloading, but not in a group –
co-op mode is only available for missions that have passed selection and quality control. This also applies to locations created exclusively for co-
op missions or campaigns.
Skins in the game are sold for Golden Eagles and a corresponding share of the earnings from skins sales are passed on to their creators.
Things get complicated when it comes to locations (and in future, PvP missions) as these do not generate any direct earnings, and there is not a
single way to even calculate an estimate. In all likelihood, we will assess locations in a competition format i.e. there will be fixed payments made to
creators of missions that are rated highly by players (by poll).
Q: Is there currently any limit on the size of created locations? A: There is no size limit on locations, in the sense that you will not be prohibited from
creating a location that is 200x200 kilometers. There is no specified size limit because level of detail is just as important.
By prioritizing the level of detail in your location, you sacrifice size, and vice versa. In addition, errors in rendering accuracy and game physics will
likely prevent full enjoyment of flying at points more than 120–150 km away from zero (i.e. the natural limit is approximately 300x300 km). In the
future, we may increase accuracy at such distances if there is demand for it among location creators.
Q: How do I create missions in War Thunder? I don’t know any programming languages. Can I create missions? A: Missions are created using a
system of triggers (event based) and by placing objects on a map. The system might seem complicated, but it is actually quite simple to learn and
understand. You simply set a sequence of events in the mission and the conditions for triggering them.
Q: When a new version is released, will my locations/aircraft/models/missions still be compatible? A: The game is regularly updated, so it is entirely
possible that compatibility will be lost. However, this is highly unlikely and even if it were to happen, we will strive to inform all creators in advance
of the changes as soon as it is clear that they are unavoidable.
Q: Will PSD files (layered image files) be provided for all aircraft textures? A. There are no plans for this at present. It’s possible that in the future,
we will hold contests to find the best skins, and that PSD files will be uploaded for those aircraft.
Q: Will I be able to change the number of players on each side? In the editor, you can have battles of 40 bots on each side. Will the CDK let me
have this many players or will this module be cut? A: Conditions for battle are already set by us in mission settings on the server. With players, the
mission starts with all standard settings for training ground missions, and the 16x16 player limits will remain for the foreseeable future. This is
necessary mostly due to client performance issues – 40x40 bots of identical models is easier to run in the network infrastructure. If the situation
changes, we will inform you in advance.
Q: Will I be able to change the victory conditions? A: Yes, you have free rein to change the victory conditions. For example, you can set a
constant reduction of points for a selected team, cut their points entirely or partially when specified units are destroyed, and set them as the mission
objective. So yes, you can.
Q: What is the maximum number of units (bots) allowed in a mission?
A: There is no limit on units. The CDK testers created a mission with 14,000 units (infantry, tanks, and artillery). However, the number of objects
affects performance, so missions with 30,000 units would be virtually unplayable on the average PC.
Custom skins.
If the appearance of your favourite vehicle has started to bore you, and the in-game camouflages available for it aren’t quite what you want, the
best solution is to create a unique appearance for your vehicle with a user camouflage. You can always find interesting camouflages on the War
Thunder LIVE portal or create your own. User camouflage is set locally, i.e. only the player can see it. For others, your tank or aircraft will remain
in the same camouflage that was selected in the “Appearance” menu as the basis for the user camouflage.
Contents.
Setting user camouflage.
Select the ground vehicle or aircraft you want to update the camouflage on, open the “Appearance” menu or click on the button to create an
example camouflage.
After that, go to the folder where the War Thunder client is installed and do the following:
Go to the following path: War Thunder → UserSkins → *previously obtained folder name* (for example: template_ussr_t_10m). If you want to
set a camouflage from the War Thunder LIVE portal, just delete the entire contents of the folder, then download the unique camouflage you like
from live.warthunder.com and copy the contents of the archive to the folder. This will be 2-3 files in the DDS or TGA file formats and also
configuration file “name_of_the_vehicle.blk”. If you want to create your own camouflage, then start editing the simple graphical files in the TGA
format that are already in the folder. By default a texture will be created for ground vehicles which will be applied to all elements of the vehicle.
Return to the client and update the list of available camouflages by pressing the corresponding button.
If you did everything correctly, then the camouflage you loaded should be shown in the “User camouflages” list when you click it. Set the
camouflage.
Camouflage creation.
The creation of any camouflage begins with the creation of the example that was described above. Next, the example files are edited in any suitable
graphical editor as an ordinary image. The important thing here is to preserve the initial title, since this makes it far easier for less experienced users
to use the already finished camouflage. If you want to change the name of texture so don’t forget to change it in the configuration file
“name_of_the_vehicle.blk”.
Principles of creation.
When creating a camouflage scheme, authors are encouraged to adhere to the principles adopted in the game. Camouflages that do not comply
with these rules will not be used in preparing content for the War Thunder Market.
Selection of content for the market will not be included if the camouflage contains changes in the cockpit. Changing the texture of the engine flame
on aircraft is not desirable and in most cases will lead to a rejection when selecting content for the market. Damages and chips of paint on _dmg
textures should not at the borders of different sections of the DM model in the covering. The identification markings on aircraft of countries from
the fascist/Nazi bloc should not contain prohibited symbols. For Italian aircraft it is recommended to use downloadable harmonised markings:
(Click here to download the zip file). The markings indicating shot down aircraft as well as the personal emblems of the pilots should not contain
prohibited symbols. It is recommended to use the uniform image standards adopted in the game. For German aircraft it is recommended not to use
tail markings.
Aircraft camouflage.
Aircraft camouflages can not be rotated or scaled that’s why in the example you will find the arrangement of the elements of the structure.
The example consists of the following files:
vehicle_name.blk – a required file for defining the camouflage vehicle_name_с.tga – the camouflage itself vehicle_name_n.tga – camouflage
normals vehicle-name_с_dmg.tga – damage mask for alterations after taking damage vehicle-name_n_dmg.tga – damage mask normals.
The first two files are enough for the simplest camouflage, but then your camo will be swapped for the standard one created by the example when
you take even the smallest hit. So it’s worth stocking up on patience and creating some truly impressive work.
Camouflage ground equipment.
At the moment it is possible to create two types of camouflage for ground vehicles:
How to download user created skins war thunder.
Trophies with a user-created “Red Skies” camouflage.
40 new camouflages from content creators on the Live.WT portal arrive in the game with the user content support program.
Unlock a unique trophy simply by playing the game! Activate your camo coupons, or sell them on the Market to get Gaijin Coins (GJN)!
Contents in the “Red Skies” trophy:
Coupons for rare vehicles 18 camouflage coupons for ground vehicles 18 camouflage coupons for aircraft 2 camouflage coupons for vessels 2
camouflage coupon for helicopters Coupon for the “Red Skies” decal.
To unlock the trophy, you will need a new “Red Skies" key, which can be purchased on the Market for GJN.
How to get it?
The “Red Skies” trophy drops periodically (with a specific probability) in random battles in all modes (except for the cooperative PvE “Assault”
and “World War” modes).
The minimum requirements to earn a trophy will be to participate in a battle, in a vehicle of rank II or higher, while achieving a battle-activity of at
least 50%.
Playstation and Xbox users can purchase a trophy in the in-game shop and open it for Golden Eagles.
More about the Market and GJN.
The Market is a place where players can buy and sell various in-game items. Items are bought and sold using a special currency called Gaijin
Coins that allow you to gain access to most War Thunder premium content.
In other words, you can not only spend here, but also earn money! Now you can go to the Market directly from the game by selecting the
appropriate link in the menu.
Learn how to create your own custom camouflages and earn real money through our Partnership program!