GTN 750 + default Cessna 172

[Bourrinopathe 137]

Hi!
I purchased the superb GTN 750 addon a few days ago and since then I've been trying to get it in the default Cessna 172 from Laminar Research for XP 11.10b5.
I also have the Reality Expansion Pack for the C172, but it's not compatible with the latest v11.10 yet.

As you may know, there was a compatibility mod for the C172 including two GTN 750 in the cockpit.
I managed to adapt it to XP 11.10b5 and decided it should be interesting to update the GTN 3D model and textures.
I heavily tweaked a base model (from a payware) and created my own textures and effects.
The result you can see on the pictures below is a new model with accurate dimensions for the GTN, with custom textures and UV map (1024x1024) including night lighting, a PBR screen surface with reflections and subtle "dirt", but I had to ditch the master selection button from the original mod as I'm not familiar with the animation and logics process for the interactive elements. The original buttons remain functional (knobs, DTO, home).

I just wish it would have been easier, as editing the cockpit interactive elements can be very tricky. Unfortunately, I can't afford the time to get into that level of details - so I kept the original layout with two GTN units.

The current result with the default 172 is fantastic, and I'm really grateful we have the opportunity to use such an in-depth GTN device in X-Plane.

Thanks to Reality XP and Jean-Luc!

Mille mercis pour cette superbe réalisation !

[RXP 2,335]

Hi and thank you for your kind words! This is looking great!

It there a way/chance you'd share the mod itself too?

PS: rien qu'en voyant le pseudo, j'étais sur que vous parliez français avant même de lire le message! trop drôle!

[Bourrinopathe 137]

(Comment ça, mon pseudo n’est pas discret ? ;) )

I'd love to share the mod with the community but the problem is all that started out of an urge to get the GTN in the virtual cockpit and at first I didn't intend to tweak anything but a few configuration files.

So, to create that model I used the base 3D model from the recently released PA-28 Arrow III from Just Flight I had just purchased. I modified it a lot, created my own UV map and textures and added a glass for the reflection.
I could ask Just Flight and show them how different my model and textures are - but I doubt it would be allowed to share the 3D model (even modified).
I'll link the mod (with instructions) in that thread if there's a solution.

[RXP 2,335]

1 hour ago, Bourrinopathe said:

So, to create that model I used the base 3D model from the recently released PA-28 Arrow III from Just Flight I had just purchased. I modified it a lot, created my own UV map and textures and added a glass for the reflection.

I wish XP would provide the means to make this kind of addition to the model possible via a 'referenced' file of some sort, that is having a file for the 3D model, and a secondary file for the GTN bezel, both being loaded as 'merged' thanks to a simple config file a user might edit in a text editor.

This way, we could ship a pre-made 3D model + textures, and this would just require a simple modification to add the 3D bezel to any model.

Mind you, maybe there is already a way to do this I'm not aware of, in which case, I'll be pleased to have a close look at!

[Bourrinopathe 137]

Yes, that would be fantastic, and allow a very welcome degree of customisation/modernisation for some cockpits.
Unfortunately, and from what I've seen, it's really not designed that way. If you can almost attach a 3D model rather easily in the .acf (visible cockpit) (still lacking rotations to orient the model), the cockpit interactive parts and click spots are tightly bound to the *_cockpit.ojb which requires 3D editing and dataref logic. And that last step (for the RXP GTN bezel and screen, for example) is far more tricky and requires much different skills and tools.
Now that I have a 3D model ready, I would also like to improve the Panthera from Aerobask as the cockpit is already fitted with a GTN750+650.

A proper (video + text) tutorial and an official plugin for a free editor like Blender would already be a nice step. The ages of the 2D cockpits are now gone (and that's what we can easily edit in X-Plane ;) ).

It would be fantastic if we could tailor our cockpit and instruments with offers from Garmin, Aspen Avionics or other options.

[Howiefly 10]

I too just purchased the Just Flight Arrow and the GTN 750 looks and works just great in the aircraft!

[Bourrinopathe 137]

The implementation in the Arrow is nice indeed. What I like is that the GTN model is displayed when you activate the plugin in the options.
I'm pretty sure JF uses a dataref to switch the 3D models (from the GNS to the GTN).
The upcoming Dornier DO 228 from Carenado also offers the GTN 750 compatibility with a 3D model and you can switch from the GNS to the GTN with a toggle switch in the cockpit. Probably also achieved with a dataref.
That means we should be able to implement it in other aircraft the same way, and just display and use the GTN without having to keep a separate aircraft version.

Unfortunately I don't know how those dataref functions work yet :(
And I'm also waiting for the new Reality Expansion Pack version for the 172 so the GTN can be used in that version too (with XP 11.10).
(the REP changes lines of code in the .obj files, so it has to be specifically compatible with the new 172 version, at least for some files)

[RXP 2,335]

1 hour ago, Bourrinopathe said:

Unfortunately I don't know how those dataref functions work yet :(

These are documented p13 of the RXP GTN User's Manual!

"RXP/radios/indicators/gtn_unit1" etc...

The documentation is missing the 3 new units added since v2.4.8: GTN 625, GTN 635 and GTN 725

[Bourrinopathe 137]

Thanks. I've read that part and I should have been more specific. Sorry ;)
What I meant is that I don't exactly know how to bind a dataref to an interactive part in the cockpit.
I know manipulator commands are bound to triangles, so when you click them you can trigger a command. Those triangles are part of the *_cockpit.obj but I don't know how to identify them and I couldn't manage to import and export an existing *_cockpit.obj with the latest Blender plugin. I'm suspecting it would require to use AC3D, or a trick I still haven't figured out.

So far, it's seems there's no easy way to add a GTN 3D model and interactive buttons in an existing aircraft.
I'd love to add that future G600 and other RXP wonders in existing cockpits though, so I'll probably keep digging ;)

[RXP 2,335]

5 hours ago, Bourrinopathe said:

So far, it's seems there's no easy way to add a GTN 3D model and interactive buttons in an existing aircraft.

This is one of the X-Plane limitation we'd very much like to find a workaround for!

[fsafranek 7]

I got all excited when I saw the thread title.  Has anyone done his with the FSX default C172?  There is a lot of available space on the right half of the panel.

By the way, the images showing your results look great.  It turned out well.

 

[RXP 2,335]

45 minutes ago, fsafranek said:

Has anyone done his with the FSX default C172? 

This is the X-Plane forum! For directions to the X-Plane C172 mod by Bluebell:

For FSX:

 

[fsafranek 7]

Thanks for the links.

[Bourrinopathe 137]

20 hours ago, fsafranek said:

By the way, the images showing your results look great.  It turned out well.

Thanks.
Here's the difference between the original mod and the current version (3D models):

(picture from a previous WiP version)

(the dimensions were based on a high resolution picture with limited optical distortion so it should be pretty accurate)
(there are still some simplifications to stay FPS-friendly (the textures take care of the rest of the illusion))

 

[ryanbatc 12,039]

Gorgeous!  I rarely fly the C172 but if I bought the JF Arrow you'd think it would be ok to share it?