AI Ferries - Dynamic Movement - Problem with "Extra" Static Ferry

[1st fltsimguy 293]

I am working on animating a series of ferries. I have successfully managed to compile a traffic file and have one ferry go back and forth between two terminals with a slight delay at each end of the route.

 

My problem is that for some reason a copy of the ferry model stays static at the start end (route) of the terminal, while another copy of the ferry moves back and forth between the terminals. I don not know why this is. There is no static object placed here. The boat is an AI object which I control with the Route, Boat and Plan associated with this object. Anyone know why there would be two objects showing with one animated and one static as I mentioned?

 

Here is the Plan file.

 

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,12:59:59,13:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,13:30:00,13:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,13:59:59,14:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,14:29:59,14:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,15:00:00,15:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,15:29:59,15:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,15:59:59,16:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,16:30:00,16:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,16:59:59,17:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,17:29:59,17:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,18:00:00,18:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,18:29:59,18:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,18:59:59,19:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,19:30:00,19:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,19:59:59,20:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,20:29:59,20:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,21:00:00,21:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,21:29:59,21:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,21:59:59,22:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,22:30:00,22:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,22:59:59,23:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,23:29:59,23:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,00:00:00,00:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,00:29:59,00:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

AC#1,BCFQCUM,10%,24Hr,00:59:59,01:06:43,5001,normal,ferry,01:30:00,01:36:43,5001,reverse,ferry

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Interesting problem. The boat traffic feature was completely new and perhaps there are issues. Have you tried a different schedule? Or a simpler plan, perhaps with only one leg in each plan?

 

Best regards.

Luis

[Dietmar 8]

Hi,

it seems we are working on a similar issue. I think, I have a solution for your phenomenon.

I tested this:

1: A ship moves from A to B, the route is exact 5 miles. I used a KML file from a Google path, and I am using aibtc02 to generate the bgl file.

2: My schedule ( plans* ) entries are this :

AC#1,C7500,5%,1Hr,00:00:00,00:10:30,7511,normal,ferry,02:04:00,00:14:30,7511,reverse,ferry

AC#1,C7500,5%,1Hr,00:00:00,00:10:30,7511,normal,ferry,02:04:00,00:14:30,7511,reverse,ferry

As you can see, both entries are identical. The schedule is, that within 1 Hr my ship #1 moves from A to B and at the same starting time ship #1 moves as well from B to A.

Both using the same route. On the middle of the route, one ship moves automatically around the other in order not to crash and continues to travel to his destination.

At the next full hour the process starts again. So, you have 2 ferries within one hour moving from A to B and at the same time from B to A .

No here is my problem. I am using the setup as described above. Everything works.So far so good. I am now performing the following test:

1: I am sitting with a aircraft on my ship #1 . Works OK. Now the ship stars moving, OK as well. My aircraft moves along with the ship. I turn on traffic explorer to watch my boat traffic.

2: Now I want to check out this: I am flying with my aircraft away from the ship#1 until it disappears from the display of the traffic explorer ( at about 80 miles distance the target disappears). Now I am doing a U turn with my aircraft in order to fly back exactly the course in order to see my ship again, because it is still moving or at least I see it in a SLEEP condition on position A and/or B .

However, traffic explorer does not display anything. Even if I move my aircraft exact on the starting point of A or B of my boats route. Where are my ships ???????????????

I expected, that the traffic scheduler in FSX shows me again my ships as soon as I am being close to it.

If you try the same thing, what is with your ferries ?? Do they show up again ?

A interesting thing is, If I am open on the FSX command bar the time setting menu and just close it , my ship shows up immediately in traffic explores and in the scenery as well.I just do not understand, why the FSX traffic scheduler does not show me again my scheduled ship ???.

Will it be show after the next 1 hour cycle ??? Does the traffic scheduler from that point on, doing a re-start of this boat traffic randomly only ??

Any idea are welcome.

Best

Dietmar

[LuisFelizTirado 33]

Hello Dietmar,

 

This feature was new to FS and may not work completely as one may expect. So, it is good to take this into account.

 

Best regards.

Luis

[GHD 17]

I have never had a problem when using AIBTC.

 

George

[Dietmar 8]

George,

so far yes, the tool works. I see my traffic, I see my ships, the ship starts correct at the defined time, all works OK. Take the sample from the AIBTC tool, compile it, copy it into the corresponding folder in FSX, start your FSX at the time as described in the AIBTC doc, start your FSX, locate the Norfok departure position, and yes , you wil see the carrier group. Wait a little while, and yes, the carrier starts moving and so the other ships. That is OK and not my problem.

To understand my issue do this:

1. If you see the the carrier group, turn on Traffic Explorer, and you will see the boat/ship objects.

2. Go in FSX SLEW mode and move your aircraft so far away from your current position, until the display for your carrier group in Traffic Explorer disappears.

3. Now move, still in SLEW mode, your aircraft back to your previous location where your carrier group still should be. Watch the display on the Traffic Explorer. Does the carrier group show up again ??? Even if you wait a while to give FSX time to rebuilt the traffic. You will NOT see your carrier and the ships anymore !!! FSX will not re-initiate the boat traffic generated by the AIBTC tool.

4.Now go into the FSX Time and Date menu, do not change anything, click OK and BINGO, the carrier group will show up again in your Traffic Explorer.

 

That is the problem !

 

If you do exactly the same test, with boats traffic being generated by the regular way as described in the SDK, and not using the AIBTC tool, your boats traffic will always be re-initiated as soon as your position is back on the location, where your ships are.

 

I hope, I have explained the issue understandable. May be you can duplicate the situation as well, just by using the sample from the AIBTC .

 

Best

Dietmar

[meshman 109]

That is the problem !

 

If you do exactly the same test, with boats traffic being generated by the regular way as described in the SDK, and not using the AIBTC tool, your boats traffic will always be re-initiated as soon as your position is back on the location, where your ships are.

 

Seems solving the problem is simple, don't use AIBTC. Setup and compile as per the SDKs. Delete AIBTC from your HD. Problem solved!

[Dietmar 8]

_{The drawback with the SDK compile procedure is, you don't have control about the start time. FSX starts the move in auto mode, means random. If you want to see, for example, a carrier group ( 4 ships ) to start at the same time to move you cannot trigger that. But to me I it is better than using AIBTC where my traffic disappears.}

 

_Dietmar

[meshman 109]

_{...it is better than using AIBTC where my traffic disappears.}

 

Does the traffic disappear when the game is used in a normal manner of flying around? Or is the traffic disappearing when the game is used in a manner (slewing out and about) that might not be considered normal?

 

IIRC, Lamont Clark had source code in all his releases? If so, you could fire up Java and debug the program to work to your likings. I don't seem to recall any prior postings about this "problem" since AIBTC's release 5+ years ago.

[Dietmar 8]

Does the traffic disappear when the game is used in a normal manner of flying around?

 

Yes, as soon as the display in Traffic Explorer disappears, the ships will not be shown again. I try to generat e scenery with a moving carrier. I want to take off from the carrier, flying a mission and want to fly back to the carrier. As long as I am within aradius of about 80-90 miles and as long I as the carrier is displayed in TE I am OK.

However, as soon as the Traffic Explorer has lost the carrier, he never will be re-initiated by the traffic scheduler.

Again, this is different as if I am generating a boat traffic via the normal SDK compile procedure.

I think I have now a schedule ( not generated by AIBTC ) which starts my carrier move always at a certain time.

So, as far as I am concened, the problem is solved.

 

Dietmar

[Dietmar 8]

Hi Meshman,

sorry, I take back my statement, that the AIBTC tool is faulty. It is just difficult to deal with, and FSX reacts somehow strange. I did a lot more testing and I want to share my findings with you. I tested for example this:

 

If you define a 16 hours cycle within a 24 hours periode I can watch the traffic from A to B which takes the 16 hours.

If the cycle ends at 15:59 I still see the ships in traffic explorer, on my boat radar and in the scenery. As soon as the time moves to 16:00 hour the ships go to SLEEP until the next cycle starts at 00:00. So far so good. The trouble is, as soon as the cycle ends at 16:00 the SLEEP phase starts on location A again.The ships do not stay and SLEEP on the current location B . However, the traffic explorer still show the ships as beeing in SLEEP mode at location B, even the ships have been disappeard in the scenery at location B.

I would understand if location A and B are within a 20 miles radius to see the display in traffic explorer regardless if the ships are at location A or B. In my test A and B are about 400 miles apart, so traffic explorer does not show boat traffic on a distance of 400 miles.

Now, If I just do a Date/Time restart the display in traffic explorer is correct again, means no display anymore at location B , but after a SLEW move to location A the display show up again.

Another problem is, if you have lost the display in TE because of a large distance to your ships ( couple of 100 miles ) , in order to find them again, you must move your plane closer to 20 miles to the location where your ships currently are. Without a boat radar your chance is no good to find your ships again.

So, as a conclusion: Boats traffic is a critical thing to deel with !

 

Best

Dietmar