Several exteriors in one GMax model

[Guest bookmark]

Maybe this is old hat, but I would like to share it anyway:I needed to create four variants of one aircraft model, with small differences in exterior model as well as the VC. Creating four separate GMax files meant that I had to update all four during the development phase. Instead I kept all parts in one model and used "visible_in_range" flags in makemdl.parts.xml so that loading a certain variant made certain object trees appear or disappear. I used atc_airline for this purpose, but you can use any of the atc strings in Aircraft.cfg (although atc_id is a bad idea since that can be changed by the user in the aircraft dialog). Example:SomeThings (A:ATC AIRLINE,string) 'AirlineOne' scmp 0 == if{ 1 } (A:ATC AIRLINE,string) 'AirlineTwo' scmp 0 == if{ 0 } 1 There are endless possibilities in this, you can make it as simple or complex as you want. /Thomas

[n4gix 4,947]

Nicely done, Thomas... as long as the variations aren't huge polygon gluttons... ;)As a variation of that technique, I no longer have to produce "no-VC" models either, since it's easy to allow the user to select the LOD via a Preflight Utility gauge.I note that more and more developers are beginning to take advantage of conditional visibility in their projects. It certainly makes life much easier! ;)

[Guest bookmark]

Thanks Bill,I have used conditional visibility a lot in my models, but realising that I could trigger it from Aircraft.cfg was a revelation. It just never occured to me. Could you expatiate re the Preflight Utility gauge? Selecting LOD? I don't quite follow. Cheers /Tom

[Guest Patrick_Waugh]

Why would it matter if the user could change aircraft's by chaning the N number? Seems that would be really cool.Patrick

[Guest bookmark]

Well, if I use a string condition to trigger an aircraft part or function it would really be disastrous if this string was arbitrary, right? It depends on the string being exactly this or that, so...Imagine the amount of email I would receive if one part of the aircraft was dependent on the one thing everybody could change at will... ;o)OTOH I get your point, Patrick. It would be cool to be able to customize the aircraft on load, and it is definitely possible by using conditional visibility in makemdl. Like in racing games etc. where you pick parts for your vehicle and trim it before starting the game. Everything is possible just using XML, never mind what the C++ jocks say... ;o)/tom

[n4gix 4,947]

>Thanks Bill,>>I have used conditional visibility a lot in my models, but>realising that I could trigger it from Aircraft.cfg was a>revelation. It just never occured to me. >>Could you expatiate re the Preflight Utility gauge? Selecting>LOD? I don't quite follow. LOD: Level of DetailAlthough "traditional" models use LOD to automatically switch a model's complexity based on viewing distance (all good AI a/c are built with four or more LODs), I'm using the term in a slightly different sense.For example, a popup gauge with options to "Show VC," "Show Cabin," "Show Passengers," etc. might be useful. All options of course set the state of an XML L:variable. The gauge may be coded in C or XML.It may also be used to control "eyecandy" such as wheel chocks, pitot covers, pilot's sunglasses, copilot, fuel truck, wing tanks, etc. The options are limitless.With a C gauge, one could also parse the aircraft.cfg file and show passengers based on weight: 170 lbs - male, 120 lbs - female, 90 lbs - child, etc.For Eaglesoft's SR20 and SR22 models, I coded an extremely complex parachute animation using C for the control gauge and XML for the model's animation and visibility conditions. ;)

[Guest bookmark]

OK, now I understand what you mean. I thought you meant selecting LODs in a model by means of a gauge. I use a simple logic for showing chocks and pitot covers, this is nothing new of course:parked (A:SIM ON GROUND,bool) (A:GENERAL ENG1 RPM,rpm) 10 < (A:GROUND VELOCITY,knots) 0.1 < and and and 1 Parsing the aircraft.cfg file in a C gauge is an idea, I have to start experimenting with that...

[Guest Patrick_Waugh]

Well, would be easy enough to program a "default" case in the situation the user tries to enter a non-sensical value into the string. The gauge just changes it.So, you could do some cool things and allow the user to select their aircraft by N number. They just get the default aircraft if they screw up.