Attaching an Effect - Fails at Compile Time

[Guest VulcanB2]

Hi,I'm trying to attach an effect to an object - it is simply a static light. Attaching specifically an effect causes the compile to fail.* I create an object (box)* I attach a pre-existign effect (fx_beacony.fx) to the object* I compile the model and it fails.Any ideas? I'm pretty sure I have done this in the past without a problem.Best regards,Vulcan.

[Guest Firestriker]

If you are using the AttachToolGmax.ms for FS2004, it only works for scenery object models and NOT for aircraft object models.Lou

[Guest VulcanB2]

Hi,Sorry - yes it is an aircraft.Is there any way I can attach an effect to the model, or is this done elsewhere (aircraft.cfg file?). I know it can be done, but how is evading me. :(Best regards,Vulcan.

[mgh 89]

It's done under [effects] and [smokesystem] in aircraft.cfg and is covered in the SDK.

[Guest Firestriker]

If you want to use an effect, then your beacon needs to be defined in the [Lights] section of the aircraft.cfg file.If you want to embed the light in the model itself you need to place a single three pointed poly at the location you want the light to appear. Name it something like lower_beacon and apply a material to it named LIGHT_BEACON and set the desired color via the diffuse color settings for the material. This polys pivot point will be used for the location of the light point.Many do not like the hardcoded style of light and think that the effect types of lights are better looking. Effect lights are more configerable in some ways. But I think the hard coded lights are more frame rate friendly and they don't have the (8) limit that effect lights have. It is a matter of personal preference, the particular situation and the end desired effect. Lou

[Guest VulcanB2]

Hi,I'm not sure if it has the same effect when done with an aircraft model (I'll try it), but I had been experimenting with scenery lighting, and tried the self-illuminating object option in GMax which looked rather interesting (not quite sure how useful it is though).I was particularly interested in using effect files for the lighting as I had become quite adept at creating these, and overall preferred the flexibility, if nothing else. I'd managed to create a custom strobe sequence for some scenery I was working on, and wanted to try and do a similar thing for aircraft, as certain aircraft have specific strobe patterns and would like to be able to re-create this in an aircraft model.Why can't MS just keep it simple? :-rollThanks for your help! :)Best regards,Vulcan.