AI Ships moving within 9Dragons VHHX area

[hjwalter 25]

Just a technical question.I downloaded and installed David "Opa" Marshall's ai_kt_hb.zip file but placed his traffic files in the main 9Dragons VHHX scenery folder instead of making a separate scenery and declaring it in the FS9 scenery library, as per his instructions. Why ? Because I have other addon sceneries with their own dedicated traffic files and these all work fine.Opa's ships also move around as they should, I even added a few and they certainly look great but a general technical question now keeps bugging me and I hope someone kan put me out of my misery.The FS9 AI engine seems to have no trouble with other traffic files located outside the standard one in the main FS9 scenery/world/scenery folder but what should be better for frame rates ? To merge ALL separate traffic files into the World/scenery folder, to leave them within their addon sceneries as I have done so far or to declare them separately in the scenery library as per Opa's instructions ? Can someone think of any other non frame rate related reason for (or not) merging ALL traffic files into the standard World/scenery folder ? The single reason for not doing this only seems to be related to it being "unhandy" when uninstalling or deleting such addon sceneries, but when those sceneries work fine ......Thanks for any reactions.Hans

[Opa 6]

Hope you don't5 mind if "Opa" attempts to answer your question.While creating the AI Shpping at Hong Kong Harbor project, I did indeed have the Afcads and the Traffic files in their usual default locations - Addon scenery / scenery and Scenery / World / scenery - as that is where the Afcad program and Traffic Tools program expected to find them.When I was finished, I moved them into the scenery entry which you properly activated in the library.This was done for the sole purpose of making it easier to remove the entire package if one wants to do so.FS appears the use the afcads and traffic files in other active locations with no frame rate orother issues.To my way of thinking, this approach helps keep the "usual" folders far less cluttered and nothing is left behind if you should decide to remove the enhancement.Keeping either in the "normal" location does make it easier to work on them - make additions or corrections etc. - as that is where the programs expect to find them. That is the only reason I can think of to keep either afcads or traffic files in those locations.I hope that explains my reasoning.

[tgibson 11]

Hi Dave,AFCAD will happily open any AFCAD file in any active scenery folder, so no need for the copy routine. It automatically saves it back into the folder where it was opened.And TTools can have its open/save preferences changed by using the File menu (two separate entries - User Specified choices).Hope this helps,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

[hjwalter 25]

Hi Dave,Your reasoning is perfectly valid and technically correct as is Tom's explanation, but the complex way that the FS9 AI engine works was the basis for me to wonder if AIs activated from the standard traffic file and at the same time from one or more other active traffic files, could have any adverse effects on e.g. frame rates and/or stuttering. My "performance freak" question should therefore definitely not be seen as being any form of critism on your much admired work but just as a general discussion question not specificaly aimed at your Hong Kong ships.At the moment I'm trying to figure out a way to test the different setups in my huge FS9 but because there are so many variables it's proving to be very difficult, if not impossible.Anyway Dave, it's guys like you who keep guys like me flying, so keep up the good work. All this technical jazz is just part of the fun.RegardsHans from behind the dykes in Holland.

[Opa 6]

You undoubtably will sooner or later see a drop in frame rates if there is a lot of AI craft active in the area you are flying. That would happen even if everything was in the "default" traffic file rather than in many smaller ones.How severe the frame rate drop is will depend upong a great many factors such as the capabilities of your computer and the complexity (or lack thereof) of the AI models.From my experience I see no correlation between having one large traffic file (as was the case in FS2002) and having many individual traffic files (one of the best improvements, in my opinion, that FS2004 has to offer).Personally I removed the large default traffic file and have many individual ones from PAI and World of AI etc.. That of course is an individual preference. If you have a large amount of traffic enabled you can experience what I am saying when you fly near very large airports such as Heathrow or JFK or Los Angles - just to name a few.I would not be overly concerned if you are able to achieve a reasonable balance between good frame rates and the amount of AI traffic you wish to see.

[Opa 6]

I am aware of that Tom - but sometimes I am a bit too lazy to fool with changing the default location etc.