I've done a new Sea Hawk. Well, the model and the fdm aren't new, just
slightly modified, but I've incorporated some more animation stuff and tried
a different way of texturing it.
The animation additions are things I worked out for the YF23 (still can't get
it to fly again) - mostly u/c related stuff.
This actual aircraft (WV908) is in the Royal Navy Historical Flight and so is
kept unusally clean;) In the photographs I looked at, hardly any fuseage
panel lines were visible so I've not tried to include any. Instead of the
normal fuselage side views and wing plan textures I've just used fairly
high-res detail 'patches' for the markings, applied to 'carrier' objects.
This is much more like the way I'd do things if I was working on a picture in
my 3d software - there I'd apply multiple textures to an object, as required,
using scope and priority settings to get what I want. With .ac format models
you can only apply a single texture to an object - hence the need for the
carrier objects. These are sections of the underlying 'real' object that
have been moved out/away from from the original object surface so that they
cover them.
The pros are 1) the resolution of the details is much higher - have a close
look at the Ace of Diamonds art on the nose and on the bit that sticks out of
the front of the tail-fin (I don't know the proper name for this), and 2)
less texture space is needed.
The most obvious con is that there's more potential for z-buffer problems. I
notice that whilst on the ground (in chase view), there appears to be
z-buffer fighting for the texture patches but once the a/c has taken off and
has got to about 200ft or so, it clears up. I've no idea why this should
happen as I'm not changing any of the view settings.
There are a few things I still need to figure out in this respect - I think
there's an issue with graduated textures - they seem to get reduced to 16bpp
and show a lot of banding that's absent on the texture and the model appears
inverted from tower views, at least in 16bpp, but ok from the chase view, and
stuff like that.
I said that the model and fdm aren't new but they have been modified a bit.
I've only reduced the approach aoa in the fdm but the model, whilst basically
the same, has had quite a few changes to accomodate the new u/c and texture
patches. It also got into FG by a slightly different route - I found that
AC3D would support polys with > 3 sides and after looking at and comparing
.ac and .obj file formats (I can export from RS3D in .obj format) I wrote a C
prog to convert .obj format files into .ac format files. It's a nasty bit of
hackery that even uses a temporary workfile (LOL), and it will only work with
the simplest of .obj files (e.g. no vertice normal or texture info) but it
allows me to export the model geometry in .obj format, convert it, and load
it straight into AC3D without turning everything into triangles or flipping
face normals.
The funny thing is that objects that consist of just a single rectangle (e.g.
an aileron or flap surface) are not recognised by FG and they have to be
split into two triangles, and once the model's loaded up into FG I can see
from some of the rendering artifacts that it's all still reduced to triangles
prior to display anyway. Still, it saves me from having to do a lot of face
flipping.
Really, the texturing method is experimental and I hope I get some feed-back
on it regarding display and performance issues. Ultimately, I'd like to try
to reduce the texture size down from 512x512 to 256x256 - nearly half of the
current texture 'space' is unused.
Here's a 'beta' version of a YF23. The model is virtually finished - I think
I just need to split the wheel well and cockpit linings to clear up the
smoothing artifacts, and add a couple of other little details.
The texturing is rudimentary, all I've done is to map simple colour blocks to
everything. There's a definite problem with the rear cockpit canopy
transparency - anything viewed through it, except for the pilot stuff and the
rear canopy surround is invisible. The weird thing is that everything is ok
if you angle the view to look through the front canopy - this is easier to do
with the rear canopy open (parking brake). The front and rear canopy
glasses, and hud glass are the only transparent objects, and they're all at
the bottom of the hierarchy.
I'd found that if I placed objects below any transparent objects in the
hierarchy, they'd become invisible when viewed through the transparent object
- any objects above the transparent objects would be visible. This seems to
have worked for the front canopy and hud (the pilot and seat is visible from
the front view through both the front canopy and the hud glass) but not the
rear canopy.
Time for a bit more experimentation, methinks. That, or find TFM to R:)
I've finally got the u/c door/gear timing working, and I'm also pleased with
the suspension animation. I couldn't resist linking the pilot's head to the
rudder - it's not as though it does anything, except on the ground (where it
also operates the nose wheel steering.
It all still needs some tuning and finishing - I've modelled the front wing
flaps/slats/what-ever-they-ares and I've put some slats in the fdm, but I
haven't 'used' them yet. The suspension is still too spongey and it heels
over quite badly on take-off in cross-winds (shows off the independent main
suspension nicely though), and more work on the fdm is needed too.
support under /radios/.
The display now goes dark when the switch is turned off.
The switch position is now handled entirely within the XML -- the C++
code is generic, so that other DME receiver types can also be
modelled.
Here're some updates for some of the instruments, the TSR2 and the B52.
The instruments are just parameterised/non-specific versions of the engine
and fuel gauges. The old gauges will still be used by the a10s and the sea
hawks until I get them done.
There're a couple of tweaks to the tsr2 yasim config and amendments to the
model file to change the angle at which the airbrakes operate, correct the
direction that the nose gear retracts/extends and to rotate the main-gear
carts during retraction/extention. There're also new panels, using the new
instruments.
The b52 yasim config has some big changes due to finding some more info i.e.
wing incidence of 6 degrees, fuel capacities and aileron changes (removed
from G & H versions!). It's now based on an 'F' model and I've put some
comments in the yasim config about it. The b52-readme.txt includes a
suggested method on getting airborne;). I've included an amended model -
B52-F.3ds, which is the default in the new model file, and a couple of panels.
I'm quite pleased with the b52 - the take-offs resemble the photographs I've
seen and I think I've got reasonable values where I've had to guess at stuff,
but the results from the yasim solver look as through the model is
approaching the limits of acceptability for yasim. By this I mean that the
model is probably a bit dodgy, not that the yasim solver is limited.
OK -- thanks. I have now fixed up all the other XML files in the base
package that use "max" and "wrap". Those affected are all in
Aircraft/Instruments/. In these files I have also corrected the
indentation in some places, and corrected the frequency controls in
nav3.xml (which does not seem to be in use), and corrected a few obvious
hotspot position bugs. Where the radios used wrapping to toggle the
ident button between 0 and 1, I have changed this to use
"property-toggle" instead.
There's now another a10 variant - a ferry load configuration - no weapons but
3 x 600 us gal external tanks. This seems to be the heaviest confguration
for an a10. I also found a performance graph for the a10 in clean
configuration and it showed max speeds of 275 knots at 45000 ft and 398 knots
at 1200 ft. As things seem to get a bit squiffy above 35000 ft, in my
experience, I used the 1200 ft figure. This is pretty close the the figure
that Andy Ross found (380 knots at 0 ft) and I've also tried to incorporate
his mods into the new configs, with a better balanced wing/hstab settings.
After getting a good clean config, I added the extra masses/fuel
tanks/fueselages but didn't change any of the rest of the config, and it
still seems to work properly. The external tanks were done as fuel tank
entries, with corresponding fuselage entries, whereas I'm not sure how to
handle the 'weight' entries in yasim yet so the weapon load is still done
with an increased total mass and ballast entries.
There'll be some stuff in the archives that haven't changed i.e. the cl & wl
a10 and seahawk models, but until I get using cvs for my own bits and pieces
it was easier to do the whole directory. I hope this isn't a problem.
Finally, I've set up some panels, based on the c310 vfr and mini panels. The
vfr panels have a lot of additional instruments on them but impose quite a
high frame-rate hit on my system. The mini panels also have some additional
instruments but seem to work without noticable penalty here. I've set these
panels as the defaults for these aircraft but I'm not sure it's a good idea
to have the vfr panels by default due to the performance hit. Using them as
default will should give some feedback though;)
To go with the new panels are a number of rough and ready instruments I
hacked, mostly out of one of the rpm gauges, but I've adapted the throttle
quadrent (jet-throttle-quadrant) to funstion for throttle, flaps and reheat.
All the gauge faces were based on an existing ffgfs instrument texture, so
there's no problem with copyright there. All the other bits that I've done
may be distributed under the same conditions as fgfs.
The only real changes to the seahawk stuff were to add the panels, but I
found that Sea Hawks have three fuel tanks, with a 'saddle tank' over the
engine feeding fuel into the second/rear tank, so the yasim config's changed.
Here are some more updates, and bits and pieces.
The tsr2 is mostly a re-write, with more reasonable figures for the wing and
hstab. I've also tried to reduce the poly count on the model whilst adding
the airbrakes and canopies.
Finally, I've set up some panels, based on the c310 vfr and mini panels. The
vfr panels have a lot of additional instruments on them but impose quite a
high frame-rate hit on my system. The mini panels also have some additional
instruments but seem to work without noticable penalty here. I've set these
panels as the defaults for these aircraft but I'm not sure it's a good idea
to have the vfr panels by default due to the performance hit. Using them as
default will should give some feedback though;)
To go with the new panels are a number of rough and ready instruments I
hacked, mostly out of one of the rpm gauges, but I've adapted the throttle
quadrent (jet-throttle-quadrant) to funstion for throttle, flaps and reheat.
All the gauge faces were based on an existing ffgfs instrument texture, so
there's no problem with copyright there. All the other bits that I've done
may be distributed under the same conditions as fgfs.
[ In support of the TSR2, SeaHawk and A-10 ]
I've set up some panels, based on the c310 vfr and mini panels. The
vfr panels have a lot of additional instruments on them but impose quite a
high frame-rate hit on my system. The mini panels also have some additional
instruments but seem to work without noticable penalty here. I've set these
panels as the defaults for these aircraft but I'm not sure it's a good idea
to have the vfr panels by default due to the performance hit. Using them as
default will should give some feedback though;)
To go with the new panels are a number of rough and ready instruments I
hacked, mostly out of one of the rpm gauges, but I've adapted the throttle
quadrent (jet-throttle-quadrant) to funstion for throttle, flaps and reheat.
All the gauge faces were based on an existing ffgfs instrument texture, so
there's no problem with copyright there. All the other bits that I've done
may be distributed under the same conditions as fgfs.
The other stuff isn't really an update but something I did for a bit of a
laugh. The idea ocurred to me after animating the folding wings on the
seahawk and seeing that the aileron and flap axis still worked...
Here're a couple of updates. Well, one's an update - the tsr2 and this now
has reasonable wing and hstab values. The roll rate was very high and I
figured that as it was going to be a hack anyway, due to the all moving
tailplanes, I just made them very ineffective and linked them top the
tailplanes in the model file. I think I may have over factored them a bit
too much but it's interesting watch them in chase view. If the autopilot
roll-out-deg is dropped to about two it'll start oscillating, and from behind
it looks like it's paddling:)
you simply click with the left mouse button to advance to 'both';
after that, if you click again, the start engages until you let go of
the mouse button, at which point the knob snaps back to 'both'.
Here's a B52-H that I've done and it can be distributed under the same
conditions etc. as fgfs. It seems to fly ok but I'm sure it could do with a
bit of adjustment - perhaps Andy R. will have a look and give it a few tweaks.
It wouldn't need too much work to convert it to an -A model (different
engines, taller fin etc.) and then it could be teamed up with the X15 :)
I still can't get textures on the models but it occurred to me that if
someone could apply blank texture maps to the models I could then fill in the
blanks, as it were.
I also noticed that there don't appear to be models included for the F-104,
F-15 & F-16 and I think I could probably do some and animate them for fgfs if
they'd be useful.
Re the A10 - Andy said he'd had a look at it and made a few changes to fix a
few things that I'd done incorrectly and asked if I wanted to keep tinkering
with it or should he roll his changes into the fgfs cvs? I said to him that
I'd be happy to go with his changes as they'll be more realistic/accurate than
the stuff I've done.
I've certainly no problem with anyone doing anything with any of the stuff
I've done, so long as it's an improvement :)
I've taken the liberty of attaching a .tar.gz file containing a .3ds model of
a BAC-TSR2, a yasim config file based on the correct figures (where I could
find them) and the -set.xml and model.xml files to fly it.
I'm primarily a 3d'er and originally did the TSR2 for a picture I'm working
on but when I got fgfs running (Debian Linux) I couldn't resist loading it in
and trying to get it to fly. The model was created in Realsoft3D and
exported as .3ds.
I've been able to tag the various sub-objects, to animate them but the export
process appears to 'flatten' any object hierarchy I set up and I'm guessing
this is necessary for sequential animations - I couldn't set up the correct
sequential rotations to properly bring the main u/c in. Also, in real life,
there are several other u/c doors that should open and close in sequence to
get the gear in and apparently the sequence was quite complex.
On the ground though, it is as shown (so I didn't need to model the extra
doors for my picture anyway;)
It could do with some airbrakes too, both for the model and for the fdm. As
with the extra u/c doors, I didn't need them for the picture and they haven't
been modelled.
As well as not being able to preserve object hierarchies when I export from
Realsoft3D's native object format to .3ds, I'm not able to preserve textures
or colour-mapping either, so the aircraft appears all white.
Hopefully, someone might like to add the extra doors and airbrakes, which
shouldn't be too difficult, and put some texturing on it - mostly white
anyway, for the prototypes, or a contemporary RAF scheme if someone wants to
pretend that it entered service.
The yasim fdm model, as said, cannot be regarded as accurate. However, while
it is based on the specs for the real aircraft, where I could find them, the
measurments are probably only accurate to about 1 metre. That's assuming I
was measuring the right things in the first place;) Other bits that I wasn't
sure about i.e. flaps, ailerons etc. have been hacked out of the a4 or the
747.
It could do with some 'refinment' by people who know what they're doing, but
it seems to fly about right, or rather, as I'd imagine:) (me want a
forward-looking ski-toe terrain avoidance radar:)
Anyway, I'm happy for the whole lot to be released under the same licence and
conditions as the rest of the fgfs stuff, either as a part of fgfs or by
anyone else who will also follow those same licence and condition terms.
I've also got a reasonable yasim b52 flying but no moveable bits on the model
yet, a vulcan with a similar simple 3d model using a grossly hacked c310
jbsim fdm (right numbers where I could find them but powered by a couple of
XLRs) and a Saunders-Roe SR45 Princess flying boat model and yasim fdm (can't
get it into the air with propellors but substituting equivilent jets (2.5x
factor) got it flying. I've started on a EE/BAC Lighting FMk6 model but I'll
probably be doing a Fairchild A-10 and an Antonov An-225 first.
I figure this is the best way I can contribute to the fgfs project, and l'd
like to be able to offer something.
Make the plane much sloppier at high alpha and/or with the flaps
extended. In slow flight, there's much more lateral instability now,
and adverse yaw is more obvious at the start of a turn using only
ailerons.
activated with the mouse, but they do respond to the following
properties:
/controls/lights/taxi
/controls/lights/landing
/controls/pitot-heat
/controls/lights/navigation
/controls/lights/beacon
/controls/lights/strobes
- yokes
- carb heat
- throttle
- mixture
- flap switch
- trim wheel
Moved the pilot seat back slightly.
Use LOD more aggressively, so that all the interior detail is skipped
when the viewer is distant.
the root PropertyNode element. For example,
--aircraft=c172
is now an alias for
--aircraft=c172r
which is an alias for
--aircraft=c172r-jsbsim
All JSBSim *-set.xml files have been renamed to include 'jsbsim'
explicitly in their names; the ones without 'jsbsim' are now aliases
to the default, whatever that may be.
Here are some new, simpler aircraft identifiers:
--aircraft=cub
--aircraft=747
--aircraft=sopwithCamel
--aircraft=c310-3d
and so on.
This system allows users to create new *-set.xml files by overriding
parts of existing ones rather than by cut-and-paste.
- makes instrument knobs turn at a realistic rate
- removes redundant <min> and <max> specifications*
- corrects the indentation to reflect nesting depth
- corrects some descriptive names
* E.g. if the gyro compass heading is 365, there's no point clamping the
value to 360 before drawing it. Just using the given value is more
likely to be right - or, if it's wrong, at least we won't hide the bug.
button) modes. Due to a typo in altimeter.xml, one direction of
adjustment with the left mouse button was giving fast changes.
Simple patch attached.
- Julian
implement them for the C172P 3D model. Look near the top of
preferences.xml for an example. The recognized properties are as
follow, with vanilla defaults in parentheses:
/sim/view/config/default-field-of-view-deg (30)
/sim/view/config/default-pitch-deg (0)
/sim/view/config/front-direction-deg (0)
/sim/view/config/front-left-direction-deg (45)
/sim/view/config/left-direction-deg (90)
/sim/view/config/back-left-direction-deg (135)
/sim/view/config/back-direction-deg (180)
/sim/view/config/back-right-direction-deg (225)
/sim/view/config/right-direction-deg (270)
/sim/view/config/front-right-direction-deg (315)
These are particularly useful for the view from inside a 3D aircraft
model.
twice the design size (character height) of the old one.
Advantages:
- displays . and : correctly with less space around, and digits
with more space around (using Andy's improvements to plib)
- small text becomes much more legible (-> clock, AP-altitude)
- the font contains pretty much every character that can be
displayed on a seven segment display, so it might be more
useful for future instruments.
the electrical system added so the night lighting works (hey
I do most of my flying at night).
I also added archive flags to some properties as per
c172-set.xml.
Reshaped interior to match photos, with covered luggage bin behind
second seat.
Added more triangles to the panel to round it out.
Moved viewpoint to match up better with seats.
suggestions from Cameron Moore. The pilot view position is now
further back, further to the left, and higher, giving better
visibility over the nose and out the left window for circuits and low
passes (i.e. to see the wind sock). The initial view angle is down
20%. Unfortunately, the default FOV is slightly wide-angle, and the
down view makes that noticeable.
It's a little funky to use right now because
the FRQ and timer buttons should be momentary action.
As it stands you need to do 2 clicks to send on/off.
If anybody can think of a workaround, we could use one.
For now the ADF and BFO buttons just toggle the
annunciators. For ANT mode, I just need to wire up the
ADF needle.
Two clicks on FRQ flip flops the selected and standby
freqs.
Two clicks of FLT/ET will change the standby display
to timer mode and another two will flip between
FLT and ET. If you click and the annunciator flashes
briefly but the display does not change, you need
to click FRQ -one time- to get the button in phase.
ET mode has a count down mode, this is where it really gets tricky.
On the real thing, you hold the SET/RST button for 2 seconds.
Here you must click one time, wait for the display to flash then
click one more time. Now you can set the time to count down.
Right clicking the dial will set minutes, middle click (I know,
I'll make it a keyboard modifier later) sets hours. As usual
the left side decreases and right side increases.
Once you have the desired time set, click the SET/RST button
twice in rapid succession. Two rapid clicks will reset the
elapsed timer when it's counting down, but also while you are
setting it (when display is flashing).
When the count down timer reaches zero, it starts counting up again.
It -should- flash for 15 seconds and set off a warning tone, but
for now it doesn't.
The unit is also equipped with an on/off/volume knob. Whne the
unit is powered down the timers are reset.
TODO:
Add labeling
Wire up ADF needle
Prettier face
except that it has a full screen panel with only the 9 'major' 3 inch
instruments plus four 2 inch engine monitoring instruments. This is intended
to go along with a hardware cockpit "someday."
