Twin Otter AI/static model previews

[Guest jonpoint]

Dear All,The other side to the DHC-6 project is to improve AI with a new plane or two (the Dash-8 is the other one). After much mucking around, I got the model down to ~1300 polygons and 3 texture files. I replaced the UFO with it because the UFO has it's own sound and FU3 had no turboprop sounds. Besides, I'd rather have better AI than a bleedin UFO anytime ;) Only problem was spending 2 hours in FLED, editing parking spots to 'UFO'...At CVA. Look Ma, there's 2 of 'em! The AI is the 'Chinook' one.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60111.jpgThar she is!http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60112.jpgSomewhere near Ranger I spied this guy.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60113.jpgDarn these random waypoints, what's he doing?http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60114.jpgNow that's a bit too close :-eekhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/60115.jpgIf I can get the Chinook to use a different sound then I'll replace that (hence the 'Chinook' livery - it makes the callsign work!). The static model is almost identical with the exception of Seattle/Sanfran palettes in the textures.:-wave******************* Jonathan Point *******************

[Guest qvdg]

Jon, as always outstanding !Cheers, QvdG

[Christopher Low 5,341]

Nice work, Jon. I will have to add a few of those (and some Dash 8's) when the next version of the high detail AI pack is released.Chris Low.

[Guest jonpoint]

Chris,Yeah, I'm still testing right now (trying to get the lights working). BTW, sorry about the misinformation in the original post! The UFO doesn't appear in my FLED - it was the Starship I replaced ;) Last night I also replaced the Chinook AND one Ignited 767 (to get some flying around major airports). At one stage I had 5 going at once!Now, how do I get the UFO again? There's a trick but I've forgotten it! Also gotta work out how to map AI sound files...It's all fun :-wave******************* Jonathan Point *******************

[Guest Allan_D]

Jonathan Point.Excellent shots it looks like your playing Multiplayer in FU3 When you say to close? So long as you didn't hit that other plane you should be OK.This is what I'd call too close :-lolhttp://forums.avsim.com/user_files/60277.jpgAnd I love the Twin Otter and yours really looks great, that you for this great FU3 add. I'll have fun with this one,I hope you fixed the engine problems the Otter has so I don't have a problem with fire while flying ithttp://forums.avsim.com/user_files/60282.jpgJust kidding again, I really look forward to having your twin Otter in FU3, amazing work. Thank you againHave Fun :-newburnAllan and Puppyhttp://avsim.com/hangar/air/bfu/logo70.gif

[Guest jonpoint]

Allan,Thanks for the comments. I don't know what the other aircraft was (a DHC-6?) but your Dash-8 must be pretty solid - or did you install a gun into it (one of my mates has imported some of my stuff into JAS so he has the world's only GeeBeeR2 with twin 50-cals on it...)?I'm also a bit concerned about your engine fire - considering where the exhausts are (inverted flow engine) :-eek Alas, I've tried getting smoke etc working in FU3 to no avail. Question is, in MSFS02/04, do the fires spread? I had the wonderful opportunity to look at a 'real' sim recently and quizzed an engineer about the video projectors mounted outside the cockpit on each side. Apparently, they project real recorded images of wing/engine fires against the window. He gave me a static demo too, complete with deafening alarms, smoke and the cockpit temp escalating to 52 degrees C (125F) in about 5 seconds - veeerrry scary :-eek I was also surprised to learn about proper fuel-dumping procedures - did you know that in some aircraft, ANY fire precludes dumping fuel? In some cases, fuel may be dumped from the opposite wing only which results in severe unbalancing (you cannot pump fuel from the burning side). This explains why sometimes aircraft are sent to circle endlessly before landing - not much fun if you're on fire :-(In fact, the main purpose of dumping (according to a simulator supervising engineer) is simply to reduce the aircraft weight back a level acceptable for landing so it may land sooner. I thought it related to reducing the possibility of fire in the event of a crash but, again, according to the engineer, empty tanks are MORE likely to explode, whereas full tanks just burn. "Just burn?" :-eek The things we learn ;):-wave******************* Jonathan Point *******************

[Guest Allan_D]

Jonathan.In the first pic that was the AI plane that survived, Not my picture by the way, one of the guys posted that one in the BFU forums. It works the same as FU3, The AI plane always keeps going. I,ve hit lots of them on the ground, FS I've flew into in the air a few times but I leave my crash detect off because I fly Multiplayer alot and crash detect will mess you up if another Pilot gets to close. Resets the game and it's kind of a hassle getting back connected.The second pic. No the fire doesn't spread but the smoke trail and other effects with it are fun to look at, So long as it's not for real.IT looks better on some planes then others, Any single engine Plane and it looks like the whole thing is on fire :-lolMy Sister was on a real flight many moons ago that was having problems with the landing gear, They circled for several hours dumping fuel and had foamed the runway, ready for emergency landing but the gear finally locked down. That would be enough to get my attention.I can't imagine a fire on board, I hope I never have to.Have Fun :-newburnAllan and Puppyhttp://avsim.com/hangar/air/bfu/logo70.gif

[Guest jonpoint]

Yeah, I'd love to make AI planes crash too }( The number of times they've hit me - sheesh!What I cannot figure out is, when on the taxiway, they stop and give way to you if you're in front. Problem is, when you are waiting for clearance, tower clears them on the first call (while you're still waiting for a reply) and they then run straight through you, of course destroying your plane and killing the passengers :-( I have taken to waiting in the F5 view, looking past my plane to make sure there's nobody about to ruin my day - I've had to evacuate the taxiway a few times :-eekClosest I've ever been to a fire in-flight was a defective food warmer in a 737. 30 minutes into the flight, warmer's on, heating our lunches. All of a sudden there's this "bleet, bleet, bleet..." from behind me (I was in the last row). A steward ran into the galley then backed out, holding a fire extinguisher! That did it - next thing you see about 30 people try to get out of their seats to get forward, amid calls from the crew to remain seated (heck, I was right next to the darn thing). Anyway, the fire extinguisher never got used, the smoke alarm was caused by a rogue piece of plastic wrapping on the underside of a heating tray :-rollNever even saw the smoke. 15 minutes later I was happily eating my lasagne (and drinking my 3rd can of beer :-eek ):-wave******************* Jonathan Point *******************

[Guest belairvideo]

Hi Jon.Not sure what a "static model" is, so I am hoping that you have actually built a simulator based on the Twin Otter?I am nearing completion of a full scale flight deck, and am using Lago's excellent software (32 meg!). The only problem is that to start engines, it is necessary to use the mouse as there are no hot keys (or are there?). This is most unsatisfactory as I cannot use keyboard keys that can be emulated in Hagstrom with connections to switches/buttons as required. Using a mouse to startup is truly naff!!I wondered if you know of any key combinations that might operate the start sequence in place of the mouse? It would seem that CTRL+E is not reliable for startup with this TWOTTER version!!!!!!Hope you can help.TONY GERARD. (U.K.)

[Guest effyouthree]

Tony,"Not sure what a "static model" is, so I am hoping that you have actually built a simulator based on the Twin Otter?"Well no, I DID build a Twin Otter for FU3 though - is that what you meant? It's going 'like hot cakes' in the library right now ;)These 'static' models are for placing around airfields (AI is nice but not ALL aircraft operate ALL the time at any airport so it's nice to have a few parked around the place). Also, they can be used as moving models in FLED which, close to airports, makes them more predictable - you can also get away from the standard 3 degree climb/fall rate of standard AI and avoid obstacles better.Now, not wishing to show my ignorance here, what's a 'Hagstrom', and how does a Lago package apply to FU3? I did have problems with the startup sequence and abandoned the standard engine controls (they were too small to see anyway). Rather than 'bodge' a 5-way starter switch (hardly appropriate for a turboprop), I left it to keyboard controls. A later version, based on the B400 may be able to have a 'formal' start method.It certainly IS possible to map keys/gamepad buttons to the engine startup/shutdown functions, if that is what is required. This is done using the 'joykeys.cfg' file.Regards,**************Jonathan Point**************"I'd rather be down here wishing I was up there than up there wishing I was down here"