I tried to download a skin from the LFSworld, but the server outputs a message "Sorry, you can't view this skin. Only the owner can". But I have no other way to do this!

My internet connection is indirect, via HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies. LFS has to work via SOCKS5, which blocks http port to force everyone use HTTP proxy for these purposes. Both proxies are at the same IP, but unfortunately, I can't tell LFS, neither SocksCap to use http proxy to get skins online.

At least I want to get some skins from a particular replay. How to do this? Victor, maybe it makes sense to open http access to all skins? One can't reupload & overwrite somebody else's skin.

You have to be a S2 registered user (buy the license).

I Am!

@Anov
... what?

Quote from AndroidXP :

@Anov
http://members.chello.at/fam-j ... christian/s2liscensed.jpg... what?

I just woke up!

Same with me here (and others, too) As long as I know, you can`t.

Quote :

"Sorry, you can't view this skin. Only the owner can"

What the message says is what the message says.... so there is no way technically, it is made like that.

Any skin has a unique filename, so it is technically possible. If not so, then how are they obtained by LFS?

AFAIK LFS only downloads the low res 512² version. When you change the filename in LFSWorld you try to access the full res 1024² picture, which apparently is not allowed for anyone but the owner.

Technically it's possible yes, but they've built in software restrictions to prevent people from downloading the full res versions.

Another problem: if the preview script shows what others get online, then I don't like it, 'cause Photoshop or ACDSee can resize them much cleaner, and I'd better upload 512x512 than let this script spoil my skin.

Quote from detail :

Another problem: if the preview script shows what others get online, then I hate it, 'cause Photoshop or ACDSee can resize them much cleaner!

AFAIK, they are resized, compressed at like 80% or something (not sure), and sharpened a bit to try and help the crispness a tad. Image post-processing on the web is NOT as good as actual programs, but only has a slight difference really. I dunno if Vic is using GD, but ImageMagick is better, but also requires more CPU.

It compresses the 1024x1024 images to 400 kb, but this is not the key problem. I resized the image with Photoshop and compared it with the preview from the website. The first one is sharp, and the second one is blurred.

[edit: i'll check if the 512x512 copy is compressed at the LFSWorld ]

Actually, the view of skin in the viewer differs a bit from the in-game, even if I use full-sized textures.

The game has some wierd compression going on to I believe. I see some jagged edges even on a high quality 512 skin that don't come from LFSW. It was explained somewhere, either here or on RSC. I think it was Incognito who noticed his skins having unwanted 'blockiness' or wierd compression marks on it.

Quote from detail :

It compresses the 1024x1024 images to 400 kb...

If your skin is less than 400kb the file will not be compressed.

Quote from detail :

I tried to download a skin from the LFSworld, but the server outputs a message "Sorry, you can't view this skin. Only the owner can". But I have no other way to do this!
[...]
At least I want to get some skins from a particular replay. How to do this? Victor, maybe it makes sense to open http access to all skins? One can't reupload & overwrite somebody else's skin.

If you want the lo-res version (512x512) then you can either copy it from your skins_x folder into the skins folder (if it's one you've seen in a race alread) or, if you know the filename, enter it in the upload field in the "My online car-skins" in LFS Desktop, and then click "Upload skin". It will show you the skin in 512x512, and you can then download that image into your skins folder.

As fas as the hi-res version is concerned - I don't think that's available to anyone else but the submitter.

BUT, independent of resolution, keep in mind that some people may not *want* you to use their skins. So before you use someone else's skin online it may be a good idea to ask them first.

Kronzky: nice trick! But requires rename, upload, save, rename, upload, save, and so on.

Tweaker what I see is:
1) the Viewer showes any skin better, don't know why exactly

but
2) the online skin resizer @ LFSWorld adds noise and blur by resizing skins. So a photoshop-resized skin looks sharper and clearer than LFSWorld-resized, both in the Viewer and in LFS.

Quote from detail :

Kronzky: nice trick! But requires rename, upload, save, rename, upload, save, and so on.

Tweaker what I see is:
1) the Viewer showes any skin better, don't know why exactly

but
2) the online skin resizer @ LFSWorld adds noise and blur by resizing skins. So a photoshop-resized skin looks sharper and clearer than LFSWorld-resized, both in the Viewer and in LFS.

1) The viewer has less objects, a single coloured (flat) ground plane etc. This makes light reflect differently off the car than in-game. If you adjust the colour of the ground you will notice a big change in the way your skin looks. I'm not sure of any other differences in lighting but these few things I have mentioned seem to effect the skin's appearance. It is a good idea to try a new skin out in both the viewer and in LFS.

2) A good graphics or paint program is more likely to do a good job of compression than LFS World can. The result will be even worse if the original skin was over 400KB as additional compression may be used. For best results upload a 1024 x 1024 skin that is almost 400KB (385-390 should be safe).

Quote from Gunn :

1) The viewer has less objects, a single coloured (flat) ground plane etc. This makes light reflect differently off the car than in-game. If you adjust the colour of the ground you will notice a big change in the way your skin looks. I'm not sure of any other differences in lighting but these few things I have mentioned seem to effect the skin's appearance. It is a good idea to try a new skin out in both the viewer and in LFS.

It is just the environment/sky texture that differs iirc. However the viewer uses less 'shine' in the clear sky mode versus bright clear on track in the game. You have to use the dark cloudy theme in the viewer to make a skin look halfway decent in shine, resulting in low light

The car is always flat in the viewer as well, so light angles are not as dynamic as in-game. The colour of the ground absolutely effects the hue of the skin.