Lights in FS2002: SCASM editing

[Guest]

Hi,It's been almost a year since the first time I used 3-dimensional approach lights with poles, taxiway lights/poles and runway end, side lights/poles. However, since that I haven't been able to figure out some of the problems I've had from the start. First I'd like to know if there is a way to edit the scasm code (objects made in FSDS) to make the lights (light.beacon.x) shine "longer" than they do now. Now they are visible some kilometres only, while I'd like them to have the same visibility as the lights on default FS2002 airports. Is that possible??? My next question is also regarding the same lights - is there any possibility to add such a coding in SCASM that makes an object's visibility dependent on viewing distance in FS2002, while it still also is depentant on daytime?Below is a picture of the approach light poles in question.

[arno 1]

As far as I know it is not easy to increase the visibility range of the lights. It seems something hard coded in the scenery engine, because it does not depend on the range you enter in the RefPoint. Maybe someone else has found a work around for this?And about the second question, yes if you add some code by hand you can have both a check on the distance and on the time of day. I don't think FSDS will let you do that (only one check), but when you add the second yourself in the SCASM code is it possible.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

I also have made my own custom approach lights at a few airports in the Norwegian airports scenery. I have not been able to have the lights to have the same, long range as the default FS2002 runway/approach lights. But by using the Light-command instead of Dot in SCASM, (I don't know what your light.beacon.x uses) my lights will have a range of approx. 6nm.An alternative to using day/night variable for app-lights is to use NAV1 frequency to turn them on and off. Example, tune in the ILS for the runway you are doing an approach to, the lights will lit up. Or you could make a IfVarRange/frequency range for the NAV1, so that the lights turn them selves on when you tune in any frequency between the lowest ILS-freq. at the airport (ie 108.70) and the VOR at the airport (ie 113.40). This way the lights will be lighted at an VOR approach as well.This I think is better than using the day/night command, because if the visibility goes really low in bad weather during daylight, your lights will still be turned off.

[Guest]

Kjell,The frequency thing sounds interesting, I might try that, because as you say, no ALS on foggy days is just like the default FS-ALS, not so realistic. As you can see from the pictures I've so far (in 4 sceneries during the last year) had the lights work in such a way, that during dusk and dawn only the low intensity red lights are on, and during night the high intensity white lights are on.You also mentioned the "light-option", or light-command. Yes, I know what you mean - and I also use that - otherwise the lights as normal "dots" would only be visible for a kilometer or so, now they are visible as you said, still several nautical miles. But not enough if you compare to the visibility of default approach lights.

[Guest]

At the same time I could ask if someone has managed to code a working, custom PAPI? Now it's a bit silly as I position my own custom PAPI-boxes behind the default PAPI light dots, and it takes a while to get it on the right spot so that it looks good during approach...

[arno 1]

I have one laying around somewhere, I'll dig it up when I am back behind my own PC (I am in Belgium now).Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

Hi!Try this one: http://flightsimmers.net/centro/zip/macros...s_down_load.htmI think they are working fine. and if you change some liones in the source code you can do a both side papi!BTW.: Is it possible to manage that the default runwa lighting could also be enabled during day via frequency. I have also tried to build my own lighting, but the range ist too small.Klaus

[arno 1]

>BTW.: Is it possible to manage that the default runwa >lighting could also be enabled during day via frequency. I >have also tried to build my own lighting, but the range ist >too small. I haven't tried this, but you might give the SCASM RunwayLight command a go. As far as I know the default light for the runway are automatically turned on and off with the time of day, but I am not sure if these do too (never tried it), so that might be a solution.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest]

I was more into searching for a part of code that makes light bulb PAPI, from the screenshot it looked like those ones you recommended were "bright coloured, flat polygons" only? Anyway thanks for the link, shall examine the text in the .API.