Effect Files

[monarols]

Just a couple of quikkies re the effect files on Daves 1-11's (and others)

I do realise that these aircraft are meant to be flown! but as I am a perfectionist, my AI aircraft have to look good as well, which they do :flying:

So on to my questions, if I may.

[SMOKESYSTEM]
Smoke.0=3.05, -30.10, -7.08, DM_1-11_SMOKE_R
Smoke.1=3.05, -30.10, 7.08, DM_1-11_SMOKE_L
Smoke.2=3.05, -30.10, -7.08, DM_1-11_SMOKE_R
Smoke.3=3.05, -30.10, 7.08, DM_1-11_SMOKE_L

[LIGHTS]
light.0=1, 1.6, 0, 8.63, fx_beaconh
light.1=1, 7.2, -1.1, -2.8, fx_beaconh
light.2=9, 37.5, 1.42, 4.4, fx_Vclight ,
light.3=9, 37.5, -1.42, 4.4, fx_vclight ,

Was just wondering why there is 4 smoke effects on a 2 engined aircraft, and as these superb models are used as AI (Have a good GPU/CPU combo, lol)is it possible to get them to smoke, as they did on takeoff?

I also notice that in the case of the 1-11-200 and others, that it has reg/green nav lights that come on at the completion of pushback but no navred/green light entries in the cfg file? I was hoping to make these light A LOT smaller, and if possible & remove the Halo effect as well, as I think it spoils the visual effect of the model.

Secondly, Can I assume that fx_beaconh is the top beacon and the same fx_beaconh is also the bottom beacon? Its just that I am trying to further some work done on AI sounds in FSX, and need to know what effects are active, if any, on pushback.

Finally, fx_vclight is for virtual cockpit light?

Cheers All, Chris

[DanKH]

To enhance the effect.
Yes.
They are built in the model.
Yes with another HALO.bmp (but the change is global).
Yes.
Yes.

[TSR2]

Hi Chris,

A few pointers.

Smoke effects:
In FSX, Ace's changed the coordinates for the placing of the smoke effect. In both sims the smoke effect coordinates are from the datum point of the aircraft.
In theory you should be able to swap (x and z coordinates?)
Here is an example from the DM's Comet....
Smoke.0=0.00, -8.333, -11.00, DM_COMET_SMOKE_R (in FS9) needs to be //Smoke.0= -8.333, -11.00, 0.00, DM_COMET_SMOKE_FSX_R in FSX
Further more, FSX's interpretation of the Datum point seems to be slightly adrift. The actual values in FSX need to be, //Smoke.0= -9.9, -13.0, 0.00, DM_COMET_SMOKE_FSX_R for the comet, and as you can see these are different from FS9.

Perhaps more irritating is that FS9 smoke effects in FSX look pants. I'd suggest reaing the FSX SDK as there is alot of good information there and a tool to allow you to create your own effects, but you'll need to be patient as it takes a huge amount of fiddling.

To get back to why there are multiple effects for each engine, this is because the effects are cumlitive and you can have one set of particles spining in one direction with 1 effect and the other direction in the second effect, hence the cumlative "effect" is realistic. In FSX there isn't a need to have multiple effects (although many still do) as multiple emeters can be added to the same effect file... again, read the SDK, its v good.

In may models, the lights are actually built into the model file and are therefore not defined in the effects section. The modeling of lights allows the modeler to create a much more realistic light than is possible using effects.

[monarols]

Hi Ben, and thanks for the explanations. I think having a look at the SDK is a sterling idea. I was reluctant to switch to FSX, but as I said in my OP, it gives more options with the sound for AI traffic, which, in my case, is desirable, not to mention other addons I'm testing that are tooled only for FSX.

The aircraft lights is an interesting one. Daves 1-11 510ED as an AI aircraft has a great display of lights, as compared to say the 400 series. The red/green nav lights *appear* a lot smaller and realistic.

Anyway time for a bit more of a read, and see if I can get these things smokin a bit, not enviromentally friendly

Thanks once again for the explanations.

Cheers Chris