Triggering FX Functions

[Guest Heather 636]

G'Day Everyone.The DDG (Duck Design Group) as we have come to call ourselves, are on the final stages of our project.I have seen in the CFG file where certain FX are triggered by water landings, dirt, concrete, and light settings.Is there anyway to trigger an FX where it will only work when the engine is running? I REALLY hope so or this FX is going to look strange when the engine is shut down.Thanks!Heather

[badderjet 181]

I think maybe someone of FSD could help you. Or maybe Eric Marciano ("Rocky"). They have created aircraft which have effects running only under certain conditions. Is their cases it's high g load, mybe they can tell you how to convert it to an 'engine on effect'.Regards :-wavehttp://flightsimmers.net/airport/etti/signature_pro.jpg

[spokes2112 179]

Heather, You can use the "smoke" entry, or any of the unused nine light circuits to have an effect user/auto triggered by some event. To trigger the effect you can make a XML gauge that would use the parameters specified, I.E. engine over 750 RPM.. etc.. to turn on smoke or a light circuit to control the wanted effect. If you need assistance with this i would be glad to help. Regards,RomanProject 737-400

[badderjet 181]

Hey Heather.Tell me lights the Duck does NOT have. Well I'm still a beginner, but I'll try to make a gauge. Like Roman said, I'll try with a pseudo light.@Roman: When's the 737 panel comin'?http://flightsimmers.net/airport/etti/signature_pro.jpg

[badderjet 181]

Hello Heather!Good news: The gauge is finished. I just have to know when the effect should shut down. I tested it with my Cessna 172SP and it works fine. Above 100 RPM the strobes go on, below they go off, regardless whether the gauge is currently visible or not (well it isn't visible at all, but I mean if the panel is active). Just tell me the RPM and tell me the light you need or if I should use the smoke system. Then I'll recompile and send it to you.Since I am a beginner, that was also very good practise for me, now I know how to make these dynamic vapor trails :-smooch!Looking forward hearing from yaEtiennehttp://flightsimmers.net/airport/etti/signature_pro.jpg

[badderjet 181]

Bumpy BumpHeather are you Ok? ;-) Just being patient...

[PeterR 9]

Hi Etienne,Just saw this thread. I'm working on that FX for the Duck that Heather spoke of. It's fantastic news that you were able to make a gauge that triggers a light based on the engine rpms! That's exactly what we need.I'm not sure what rpms to use at the moment. Is it difficult to change? I may need to adjust it as we test it or find other info. Also, can your gauge trigger a specific light number or is it tied to a type of light? I haven't made gauges before so I'm in the dark about these kinds of details.Thanks!

[PeterR 9]

Hi Roman,Heather emailed me that you have a different kind of gauge in mind. I'm working on the FX for it so I was wondering how I link the gauge to the FX file.Thanks,

[Guest Heather 636]

Check your email Badderjet and RomanThanks guys!HeatherWon't be back to the puter for another hour or two, busy mowing the lawn and burning myself against hot mufflers.Cheers!Heather

[badderjet 181]

All right you all guys'n'gals, here's the news:I had just a look into the Panel SDK and I came to the following: I can trigger- the smoke system- the beacon lights- the strobe lights- the navigation light- the panel light (which also affects the VC lighting).Remember, the beacon light has NO default keyboard assignment, so you can assume that most pilots won't have changed it, also because you cannot do it within the FS keyboard assignment interface, hehehe. :-)So if the Duck has only strobes, no problem.If it has a beacon and no strobes, my suggestion is: Because beacon has no keyboard assignment => change it to a strobe. I just mean for the internal system, i. e. change the 'light type' number in the (lights) section of the aircraft.cfg to '2' (that's for strobes). So visually it will stay the beacon light while the pilot will be able to turn it on/off by pressing 'O' (Oscar) => more 'comfortable' for the pilot! :-)If the Duck doesn't have VC lighting, we could also use the VC effect 'slot'.But I personally prefer the beacon method because of the missing keyboard assignment. So there is a higher chance the pilot won't accidently switch the engine effect on or off (although it will return to its correct state immediately). I'm saying this because I actually do not know what the effect is doing. You know, I tried the gauge with a engine explosion effect and tied it to the strobes. I shut down the engine, effect went off. I pressed 'O' and for just a moment there was smoke coming out of the wing. And that's want I try to prevent.That might sound confusing. So all I need in clear is:Tell me exactly what lights the Duck has and if the smoke system is used or not. Heather, I got your mail, you said lights 6-9 (?) and two exhaust pipes. Yea but are the pipes using the smoke system?And about the RPM - it's just changing a number in the gauge source code, no problem!Thank you for your time - I know it's not easy with me... :-smoochhttp://flightsimmers.net/airport/etti/signature_pro.jpgEDITBTW - Oh well how many engines does the Duck have?

[PeterR 9]

I'm not sure if Heather wants to discuss this via email so I'll just say that we're currently using the beacon for this effect so that should be fine. Also, if we don't have enough light "slots", I believe I can just wrap all the effects into one although it'll take some doing to position them, then. I'm already having some orientation problems.

[Guest Heather 636]

Okay, let me try to clear up any confusion.Here's what I am curently using. I have two separate FX files that I am using, one by Peter, another by Jean Paul Turcot.Here is my current configuration, which works great except that they're tied to the Beacon rather than the engine running.[LIGHTS]//Types: 1-3=navigation, 5=strobe, 5=beacon light.0=3, -0.5, -19.55, 4.35, fx_navredlight.1=3, -0.5, 19.55, 4.35, fx_navgrelight.2=3, -20.80, 0.00, 1.2, fx_navwhilight.3=2, 0.20, -19.63, 4.35, fx_strobe320palight.4=2, 0.20, 19.63, 4.35, fx_strobe320palight.5=1, -17.7, 0.00, 6.5, fx_beaconb//Starboardlight.6=1, 3.2, 1.6, -2.5, FX_Turcotlight.7=1, 3.2, 1.6, -2.7, fx_Peter//Portlight.8=1, 3.4, -1.5, -2.5, FX_Turcotlight.9=1, 3.3, -1.5, -2.65, fx_Peter[sMOKESYSTEM]smoke.0= -20.00, +7.70, 0.00, fx_smoke_wWhat I want, are the effects to be controlled by the engine, off when engine is off, on when engine is on.Please.Heather

[badderjet 181]

Allright. I don't want to make any stress in here, believe me.Heather I'll need your eMail address, I have only Peter's.As I can see from the aircraft.cfg entry the effects are tied to the beacon that's good. So you'll have to add the following to your panel.cfg:gaugeXX=effect!effect_bcn, X_pos, Y_posOh dear, I hope this brings us a step further. Just try it and tell me how (if?) it works. Tested only under Windows XP so far.http://flightsimmers.net/airport/etti/signature_pro.jpg

[PeterR 9]

Got the file, Etienne. Gonna go try it. Thanks!

[Guest Heather 636]

Hello Etienne,I sent you my email address.I have been trying to get a gauge that Roman sent me to work, which, yes, the gauge works, shutting off/turning on [smoke Effect] in relation to RPM.However, I think we're going to have to go with leaving the effects controlled by light effects as in smoke, I cannot adjust the vertical coordinate.I would still like to see your gauge.email: pharoah42@eritter.netHope you all will forgive me for being a little slow in my responses today. I overdid it a little bit out in the heat today and haven't been feeling too hot.regards,Heather