Virgin Lights

[Mac_Paint 35]

David Kohl got me thinking about the PMDG implementation of night lighting and I thought I'd dig into things a bit. Guess what? I've partially figured out how this works in Fly!II! You need to add several lines to the lod file as follows: ---- night-time models ---- ---- begin models ---- ---- model entry ---- comp VirginAtlantic7473HM5.acm 200 ---- model entry ---- nitA VirginAtlantic7473HM5.acm 200 ---- model entry ---- nitB VirginAtlantic7473HM6.acm 200 ---- model entry ---- nitC VirginAtlantic7473HM7.acm 200 ---- model entry ---- nitD VirginAtlantic7473HM8.acm 200 ---- model entry ---- comp VirginAtlantic7473HM5.acm 25 ---- model entry ---- comp VirginAtlantic7473HM5.acm 7 ---- end models ----This is added between the exsisting --- end model ---line and --- End of File --- Line.The .acm references new acm files that you add to the MODELS folder which reference new tif files that contain the night model files. You then create the night model tif files which model the various night light effects. I've got the cabin lights to work but I'm still figuring out how to enable the landing and rudder lights. Here's the cabin light screenshot. I'll post the complete file later this weekend and you can play around to see if you can figure out how to do the rest of the lights. Gotta go now, the wife is starting to scowl at me :-eek Pete

[Mac_Paint 35]

So far only the first compVirginAtlantic7473HM5.acmreference in the new lod file is called. I haven't figured out where this is called from and until I do, the remaining night tif files are not used. :-( Pete

[Guest Fly II Pilot]

Pete,Here's a thread in the Beta forum, which I copied to my personal webspace, that will shed some light on this matter. The tough part is that a .DLL will be needed so we'll need the help of a programmer.You can find it here:http://members.cox.net/aamigorena/nightLightingUsage.htmHope this helps and that I'm not breaking any rules by doing this...Alejandro AmigorenaCheshire, CTFly! II Beta Team MemberAthlon XP 1800ABIT KR7A-RAID768Mb RAMMSI GeForce4 Ti4600 8xAGP 128MBSB Audigy GamerCH Flight Yoke USBCH Pro Pedals USB

[Guest]

Hi PeteInteresting!Just how do you specify night effects in the TIF file associated with the ACM?ThanksJean

[Mac_Paint 35]

Jean,I was hurried last night so forgive the murky explanation. Here's a slightly more detailed procedure.Duplicate your daytime tif file and give it a unique name. In the example of the VirginAtlantic7473HM I appended a series of numbers, 5 - 8, to distinguish the various tifs. The first night tif is with cabin lights and is named VirginAtlantic7473HM5. You have to convert this copied tif into a night version. What I do is convert the tif image mode from Indexed to RGB then make a copy of the background. Paste this and now you've got two layers. Fill this new layer with black and change the opacity to 80%. This will provide you with the darkened airplane. Next is to add the lights on this tif making sure that the lights are located in the top layer. You should have three layers, top is the cabin lights, middle is the dark airplane frame and the bottom is the background image. Flatten the layers and save making sure to reconvert back to Indexed mode. Place this tif into the Art folder. In the Models folder duplicate the VirginAtlantic7473HM.acm file and rename it VirginAtlantic7473HM5.acm. Open this new acm file and search and replace every instance of VirginAtlantic7473HM with VirginAtlantic7473HM5. Save the changes. Open the VirginAtlantic7473HM.LOD file and make the changes as outlined. Make sure the first reference in the Night Models section is named VirginAtlantic7473HM5 or the night texture will not show. Pod up the file and fire up Fly!II and view your modified file. It will take a bit of work to get the landing lights that reflect off the fuse to look right, but the rudder lights should be simple. As Alex has just listed, it'll take a DLL to get the lights to trigger correctly. Hopfully this will at least get the ball rolling on updating all of the current and future aircraft with night llights. Barring finding someone to write the DLL, I could make the night tif with the rudder and landing lights enabled, but that would mean they would be on the entire time the sim is in night mode.Hope this helps,Pete

[Guest]

Thanks a lot PeteI will give it a try on my current model.RegardsJean