Animating Props in FSX

[Guest pecrowther]

Has everyone come up with a solution for animating props in FSX?I am using FSDS 3.5.1 to design an aircraft with a 3-bladed prop.For prop_spin, I can use a prop texture with no alpha channel. However, it throws a shadow on the ground.If I try substituting the default DC-3 prop texture (or any of the others), the prop has a jerky movement.I read about changing the prop rotation angle in modeldef.xml from 0.1592 to something else. However, when I look at the mdl files for the default aircraft (including the DC-3), they all appear to have used a prop rotation angle of 0.1592.I have tried inserting the default air files and changing the [prop] section of the aircraft.cfg file, with no improvement. So the problem must be with the model.Any thoughts?Thanks,Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Remember that you not only have to tage the prop part names correctly, but you also have to key frame the animation. As you don't specifify that you have added key frames, I am assuming you have not.My prop part(s) get key frames at 0,25,50,75,100 with 90 degree rotation of the part each time.Felix/FFDSPegasus Aviation Design

[Guest pecrowther]

Felix,I should have noted that I did key frame the animation for:prop0_stillprop0_slowprop0_blurredFor prop0_blurred.1, I did not add key frames, but attached it to prop0_blurred.I used the following key frames:000 - Z rotate = 000025 = Z rotate = 090050 = Z rotate = 180075 = Z rotate = 270100 = Z rotate = 000I colored prop0_spin and prop0_spin.1 with a color that I named "Prop" that has RGBA diffuse color values of 192/192/192/255 and ambient color values of 64/64/64/255. I colored prop0_slow and prop0_still with a regular color.I named the prop0_blurred texture prop_spin and the prop0_still and prop0_slow texture prop_still.On a three-bladed prop, does it make any difference that the vertical prop is pointed down at frame 0?If it weren't for the shadow, I would probably be happy with the prop texture that has no alpha channel.Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Try, for your prop0_blurred MATERIAL (color) make sure that the MATERIAL NAME starts with "prop_" FOr example, I use a material name prop_disc (128/128/128/64)Felix/FFDSPegasus Aviation Design

[Guest pecrowther]

Thanks.I was not able to get rid of the erratic line that appeared when using the DC-3 prop texture. (See attached) However, in looking at the texture, I notice that both the image and the alpha channel are asymmetric. So perhaps there is a lot of special texture mapping going on that I haven't been able to duplicate. Also, note that, even with the DC-3 texture, a shadow appears on the ground.I was able to get rid of the erratic line by using DXTbmp to create a texture with an alpha that is gray 32. I saved it as an 888-8 32bit texture with mipmaps. But it still shows a shadow on the ground.Phil

[Guest pecrowther]

Supplemental -I tried to get rid of the shadow by creating a completely transparent prop texture - but no luck.I see that the SDK discusses how to use the 3ds material editor and that, in the discussion on prop textures, there is a box for "No Shadow" that is checked.Is this an attribute that is built into the model (rather than the texture)? Is it something that we FSDS users have to/can insert into the intermediate files (as with normal maps and certain other attributes)?If so, does anyone know what the command lines are?Thanks,Phil

[Guest pecrowther]

For the record (in case any other FSDS users have the same question), I checked and my guess was correct.Dave Nunez has written a untility "FSDSxTweak" that allows FSDS users to modify FSDS files. One of the items that you can set is "NoShadow=1".Its too bad that this could not have been made an automatic part of the animation definition.Thanks Felix for responding to my initial questions. They helped focus my inquiries.Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Remember that FSDS was developed outside of the ACES "direct" so a lot of the developement to make FSDS FS-X compatible went into creating the model format compatible with the FS-X SDK compiler.On the other hand, I find it laudable that FSDS was made to export and create the x file and that Dave Nunez has the creativity and desire to add these eye candy tweaks to FSDS.Considering that the FSDSxTweak "Development and Support Baord" is hosted at the Feeflight Design Shop (FFDS) forums, I apoligize for not mentioning FSDSxTweak ! Felix/FFDSPegasus Aviation Design

[Guest pecrowther]

Felix,You've mentioned FSDSxTweak several times in other areas - I just didn't recognize that it would provide the solution here.I tried FSDSxTweak and it worked like a charm. The prop shadow is gone.Thanks again,Phil