Making a VC...?

[Techy111]

I have been wanting to make a VC for a certain Aircraft for a long time now....and was wondering...is it modelled into a certain aircraft from the developer or can it be added at a later date...?

What tools do i need to get started ?

And is it hard..?



Any help greatly Appreciated...

Tony

[Garry Russell]

It can be added seperately in FS.X unless the model block it but not in earlier versions

Yes..it's hard and hundreds of hours for a decent one

You make it in Gmax/Max or FSDS...same as an external model but in a different way.

Garry

[Nigel H-J]

Tony, agree with what Garry said, though you would find it much better to start practising VCs' on FS9 before getting to grips on FSX!!....
Nigel.

[nazca_steve]

Have to agree with the chaps on this Techy...making VCs is a lot of hard and often frustrating work. I admire some of the guys putting out eye-bleedingly good VCs these days - real works of art. I can't say how they handle frame-rate wise, but they certainly look good. The new Vulcan VC is a nice one.

Did you ever crack on with one, Tony, and what was it for?

[Garry Russell]

To make a VC you need to understand modelling, coding and how the systems work in real life.

I don't know how the various nav and cockpit systems work so even if I wanted to make a VC and understood coding I still couldn't make it properly as I wouldn't know what I was supposed to be doing.

I am one of those people that if I was to do it I would have to do it porperly or not at all.

Since modelling is getting so complex it would perhaps be better for team work, with a dedicated VC maker and that could perhaps save a year on a good model.

Sure I could make the interior bits and texture them but how to make it all work is a step too far for me especially as I would personally never use it

To make a VC like DM and Rick stop and really think it out.then when you realise just what must be involved, multiply it by ten and you will be on the road.

TBH I don't know how they do it...they must have a team of magical dedicated Elves or something.

Trouble with being exposed to pure genius is that they make it look easier than it really is.

[nazca_steve]

I have to agree with your comment on understanding how the systems work in real life, Garry. I won't pretend I understand even a third of it, but I will say that after attempting the Sea Hawk VC, I did improve my knowledge of these systems, and if nothing else really familiarised myself with the cockpit layout in detail, something perhaps I would not have done before. Hence I learned about gyro gunsights and push to talk buttons in throttle levers, courtesy of Peter Mac and others.

So, I would say, while it is daunting, if you've got the willpower, give it a try, Techy! Granted you might not produce something of DM or Rick P quality (I know I certainly didn't!) but at least you will learn how do it, and therefore will improve each time you build one. For me, it helps you to really get to know the aircraft you're working on. Being a massive Canberra fan, I've typically been interested in external, aesthetic looks, paintwork etc. But now as I approach the VC and go through the pilot's notes, it's a joy. You actually start to understand and appreciate the engineering behind the aircraft better, and also what all those fiddly knobs and buttons were all that time!

While I respect the attitude of 'do it right or not at all', it doesn't work for me. If striving for perfection means avoiding ever trying and learning a new skill, you'd never know what you were capable of.