Changing aircraft types in terrain?

[ndicki]

I'm using the New Guinea terrain, but with modern flyables; I'd like to know how to set up a modern replacement for the WW2 aircraft types used in the scenery. I've tried adapting a flyable LOD model, but it "moles" - only the parts above the centre of gravity appear above ground. In other words, the C-130 is liveable with, but the Mirage looks ridiculous. I'm currently using the LOD 2 level, as anything higher wastes FPS. Any suggestions? The knowledge base does not (seem to) mention incorporating aircraft into the terrain.

[DWCAce]

I'm pretty sure that in order to do this, you'll need to make an 'era specific' install.

[ndicki]

I'm pretty sure that in order to do this, you'll need to make an 'era specific' install.

 

To all intents and purposes, it is; only the static aircraft are anachronistic.

 

I have replaced them, but the problem is moling. Even aircraft models which are released as statics, such as the Lightning F.6, mole when used directly as a terrain object.

[+gerwin]

To all intents and purposes, it is; only the static aircraft are anachronistic.

 

I have replaced them, but the problem is moling. Even aircraft models which are released as statics, such as the Lightning F.6, mole when used directly as a terrain object.

 

I did succesfully place the static C-130 Hercules from capun on an airfield, when I tried it some weeks ago. I noticed the C-130 sinking halfway into the ground when placed to far from the center of the airfield (but still on a paved area). Maybe you are having that same issue?

[Wrench]

Ok, lets go over this one more time....

 

(assuming NOT WoI, which places parked aircraft. The rest of the games will get theirs when the next patch comes out; even then the older terrains will need their airfield data ini rebuilt to the new standard.)

 

*note: I've not tested comprnt's parked statics, so can't speak to those. -- this is how I've done it with terrains*

 

1) you cannot use the stock aircraft lod for parked aircraft. Period. They have their 'world center' set too low.

2) you must use something that has been built for a static. Several are available, unfortunatley, not readily available to the General Public . They can be obtained by registering with the Dev A-Team, and D/L from Capuns site.

 

3) If you look in the NG terrain folder, you'll see the lods and bmps for the static aircraft.

 

Static aircraft, to aviod all kinds of ugliness, MUST be (pre-WoI) added to the terrain targets and types inis. If you'll look at any of the WW2 terrain's targets and types ini, you'll find their positions listed in targets, and the object themselves listed in the types.

 

If you want to remove the parked aircraft, do this to EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEIR ENTRIES IN THE TARGETS.INI:

 

NOTE: this is just an example,

Target[089].Type=//P40E

Target[089].Offset=540,-230

Target[089].Heading=270

Target[090].Type=//P40E

Target[090].Offset=540,-75

Target[090].Heading=270

Target[091].Type=//P40E

Target[091].Offset=540,75

 

You'll note the commented out P-40E's. I discovered this quite by accident, whilst working on the Libya update. The Game Engine will skip over those entries, and go on to the next. Or you can simply delete them (the "P-40E"), leaving it blank. If the entries are at the END of the target listing, the full entries can be deleted. If they, as some are, somewheres in the middle of the target list, you can switch them out for something innoccuious - maybe oildrum1.

 

Or you can rebuild the terrain targets and types inis to relfect modern usage, leaving out the parked aircraft. Like I did with the 'modern Darwin' rebuild.

 

Another issue you'll run into is 'misplacement'. When I was adding parked statics to SoCal, in particular some parked transports at one of the enemy bases, the offsets didn't match the placement of the aircraft statics. I believe this has to do with the airfield being 'turned' to historical headings. All the stock SF-ish runways are 0/180, so any object placement reflects this. This is easy to fix, by 'twisting the base around' to the stock heading, playing a mission, locating the offset, placing the object, playing another mission, then twisting the base back around to it's original heading.

 

It's a lot of work. So, that leaves several choices:

 

1) Live with the WW2 statics

2) delete them

3) wait for the patch, and rebuild the data inis

 

And there ya go! PIA, isn't it???

 

Wrench

kevin stein

[ndicki]

Cheers, Kevin - I'd assumed that that was the answer, but I wanted to be sure that one of the old hands didn't have a work-around.

 

I would assume that the A-Team are not that welcoming of newbies who have yet to make a contribution to the world of SF/WOX? I have no idea why they withdrew their material, and I'm not going to ask - at least, not in so many words.

[Wrench]

I would assume that the A-Team are not that welcoming of newbies who have yet to make a contribution to the world of SF/WOX? I have no idea why they withdrew their material, and I'm not going to ask - at least, not in so many words

 

Hell no, everyone is welcomed to join (well, with a couple of exceptions - people that I don't have a problem with --but it's a long, sorid story that has almost no bearing on the topic at hand). Suffice it say, there was some 'differences of opinion'. And we all (everyone involved in the mess) being the people we are, well, it ended as it did.

No further information is available from this terminal at this time

 

Just send Capun an email

 

capun1950 AT yahoo DOT com

 

and request to join.

 

Wrench

kevin stein

 

 

ps: to u know who - no comments on this one -- i will delete it. lets leave well enough alone.