Smoke System Problem, HELP.

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,Well I have a problem with the smoke system. I am trying to get them to come off my wingtips as they are suppose to on my A330. When I try to raise them, they dont go higher than the flaps deployed. Has anyone else had this problem to? How can we fix this, because they really are suppose to be coming off the winglets.Regards,BWIA330

[Guest]

this is a bug in FS2k2 Unfortunateley .. The vertical offset position in the cfg just doesnt work :(the ONLY way I have found to fix this is to move the Aircraft MDl in GMAX (or FSDS I assume) so the z origin 0 (height) is where your smoke needs to come from

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,Thanks for the response. I will try that. I hope Microsoft can come up with a patch for this. It would be great to get the smoke effects off the winglets.Regards,BWIA330

[Guest InBetween]

There is hope afterall..users can edit the individual effects fileswith NOTEPAD. Each effect file has at least one if not more "emitter"section(s) within it; the "Y offset=X.XX, X.XX" is the vertical position from the aircraft cfg. "smoke.x" coordinates, usually inmeters. Just make a uniquely named copy of the effect for the AC inquestion, then change the "Y offset" values .There is a pair ofvalues; whatever offset you come up with, make these two valuesequal to it (this way it will not randomly vary), unless you want it to :D JR

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,Thanks. Even though I get confused when in that file. Can you copy and paste what I have to edit please.ThanksRegards,BWIA330

[Guest InBetween]

This is the typical contrail_s file adjusted for the S-3B Viking:I first copied it then renamed it appropriately for this aircraft,then made the changes noted:[Library Effect]Lifetime=5Version=1.00[Emitter.0]Lifetime=0.00, 0.00Delay=0.00, 0.00Bounce=0.00No Interpolate=1Rate=1.00, 1.00X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00Drag=0.00, 0.01X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00X Rotation=0.00, 0.00Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00X Offset=0.00, 0.00Y Offset=2.10, 2.10 80, 0.80shade=1Face=0, 0, 0[ParticleAttributes.0]Blend Mode=1Texture=fx_smoke.bmpBounce=0.00Color Start=244, 244, 247, 180Color End=249, 249, 249, 255Jitter Distance=1.00Jitter Time=5.00TempK=106.00TempRate=-0.05uv1=0.00, 0.00uv2=1.00, 1.00X Scale Goal=1.00Y Scale Goal=1.00Z Scale Goal=0.00Extrude Length= 10.00 <<<<<

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,thanks for all this. Well I tried it and still no luck. I renamed it to fx_contrail_s_A330.fxI went into the file and edited it just like how you said to make the contrail move upwards. I went into the aircraft cfg and made sure that the A330 is reading this fx file for the contrails. And now I still havent seen any movement upwards. Anything im doing wrong?Regards,BWIA330

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,I got the smokesystem to work now. But my only prob is to get it to line up exactly with the tip of the winglets because everytime I edit the fx file, I have to restart fs to see the changes. Got any ideas for an easier way?RegardsBWIA330

[Guest InBetween]

The offset in the FX file is from the aircraft "zero datum" height,most likley in meters. Find a known reference, such as a navigationlight coordinate from the LIGHTS section of the aircraft cfg; this info is in feet and decimals...then find the ht. of the winglet.If the winglet is say, 48 inches, then convert that to meters...take the vertical part of the nav light coordinate, convert to meters..add together to get initial FX vert offset. Once the vertical partis right then fine tune the horizontal using the aircraft cfg..JR

[Guest BWIA330]

Hey,Thank you very much for you help. Works beautifully now with the contrail coming off the top of the wingtip. I appreciate the time you took to explain it to me.RegardsBWIA330

[Guest]

I too have to restart FS to see the changes in an effects file. May I reiterate this question. I have tried an XML gauge for reloading the gauges and reloading the aircraft. Also changing to another aircraft and back again. Anyone know how to reload an effect more quickly.Also, anyone know how to use the effect section, that is,EFFECTSwake=fx_wakewater=fx_spraydirt=fx_tchdrtconcrete=fx_sparkstouchdown=fx_tchdwn_s, 1so that a custom fx file can be used with, say, wake, as my aircraft is not water bourne, and how to turn this on. I have used all available smoke and light switches for various custom fx files, and should like to add a couple more.Nick.

[Guest InBetween]

RE the editing of effect files: these seem to be loaded into the simonly once at startup, as they are independent of the aircraft cfg..While testing an effect, just exit the sim via the menu mid-flight;after editing and restarting FS, select "previous flt"..Another ploy I use is to have multiple copies of the effect; eachdiffering in name by only the last letter: each can be edited withdifferent but related trial-and-error values. During testing, theswap to different filenames is made on the fly in the aircraft cfg,thus trying several values in an effect file with only one startup..JR