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Best AI Contrail Temperature

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I am using Markus Brunner's AI Contrails program, and I want to see more contrails occur in FS9. The program asks for the "Maximum contrail temperature," and I wonder if anyone can tell me which "Maximum temperature" produces the most contrails. The range is from -1 through -30, and more... Thanks in advance for any suggestions...lee

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I am using Markus Brunner's AI Contrails program, and I want to see more contrails occur in FS9. The program asks for the "Maximum contrail temperature," and I wonder if anyone can tell me which "Maximum temperature" produces the most contrails. The range is from -1 through -30, and more... Thanks in advance for any suggestions...lee
As an example only, I have mine set at -40c. That will produce contrails at anywhere from 28,000 ft. up on the average, depending on air temp of course. I did have it set lower at one time but I found that in places like Fairbanks Alaska in the winter all of my planes were producing contrails on the ground, Fogged this whole place in! I don't know what number would actually produce contrails at the same altitudes as real world aircraft. I'm pretty sure there are more factors involved than temperature alone. Hopefully someone with more real world knowledge could offer some input on that, and that of course would be very much appreciated.Regards,Mel

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Increasing the time the contrail is displayed in the fx file will give longer trails that display longer so you see more contrails at any one time. Dave

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Increasing the time the contrail is displayed in the fx file will give longer trails that display longer so you see more contrails at any one time. Dave
How do you change the time? That is the one thing I want, is trails that streak all the way across the sky.Danny

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Read the effects SDK for a full explanation, but heres what I use. I'm no expert with fx files so if anybody wants to comment or tell me I'm wrong please do.In the effects folder of fs9 are 2 files - fx_contrail_l.fx and fx_contrail_s.fx (long and short?)In the _s file find the following lines.........[Particle.0]Lifetime=1.50, 1.50....................Change the numbers after Lifetime= to some higher figures - I have 80.0,80.0 (trailing decimal points not strictly needed)The numbers are minimum/maximum times for the contrails (in seconds I think) Not sure what maximum usable is but seems to be about 80 - 90 with no effect above this. Finally, in the aircraft.cfg file for each aircraft you want to show the effect you must add the following line under the [effects] section:contrail=fx_contrail_s.fx //parameter points to effect fileAs I say, I'm no expert but it works for me. Should work for the 'long' file as well or others (did have a 3d effect somewhere) Never tested for it, but this may impact fps.....Dave

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Read the effects SDK for a full explanation, but heres what I use. I'm no expert with fx files so if anybody wants to comment or tell me I'm wrong please do.In the effects folder of fs9 are 2 files - fx_contrail_l.fx and fx_contrail_s.fx (long and short?)In the _s file find the following lines.........[Particle.0]Lifetime=1.50, 1.50....................Change the numbers after Lifetime= to some higher figures - I have 80.0,80.0 (trailing decimal points not strictly needed)The numbers are minimum/maximum times for the contrails (in seconds I think) Not sure what maximum usable is but seems to be about 80 - 90 with no effect above this. Finally, in the aircraft.cfg file for each aircraft you want to show the effect you must add the following line under the [effects] section:contrail=fx_contrail_s.fx //parameter points to effect fileAs I say, I'm no expert but it works for me. Should work for the 'long' file as well or others (did have a 3d effect somewhere) Never tested for it, but this may impact fps.....Dave
Interesting, I will try this when I get home from work hopefully. Since virtually all aircraft use that effect file and I am not renaming any files, only modifying what is inside, what is the need for the change in the effects section of the aircraft.cfg?Thanks,Danny

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Don't forget that long lived fx such a sky full of long contrails looks really neat, there IS a cost in frame rates, as Danny did say.Best regards,Mel

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Thanks very much for all the suggestions. I've used settings of -27C (default), -30C, and, currently, -2C. Really, I don't get many contrails at all, with any of these settings. I've tried flying in winter and fall, at high altitudes, and spent a good deal of time searching the sky from various altitudes. The latter includes operating in airspace where the Tools/Explorer says 200+ aircraft are also in the area.I usually fly the jets, including F100s, the Boeings and Airbuses, and I checked to be sure the "Maximum contrail temperature= " line was been added by the AI Contrail program to each airplane.cfg file. Perhaps I'm expecting too much contrail activity, and not flying where the atmospheric conditions (albeit virtual) are conducive to contrail creation...Maybe I should move my operations to Fairbanks, as Mel suggests, and see if I can create my own IFR conditions!...Thanks, again...lee

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