Nick Black's F-14 AI conversion project.

[hawk_sh]

From what I understand is that the wet FS9 F-14 models and FDE are finished for years but have never been published.
I remember several post by Mike about that. So no additional work on the models should be required.
My question was about these models. Would they be made available for FS9 users when the converted models will be available for FSX/P3D?

[DC1973]

From what I understand is that the wet FS9 F-14 models and FDE are finished for years but have never been published.
I remember several post by Mike about that. So no additional work on the models should be required.
My question was about these models. Would they be made available for FS9 users when the converted models will be available for FSX/P3D?

Ah sorry Hartwig, I only saw your user ID Hawk_sh and didn't realise it was you! That'll teach me to not read a post properly

Well, the wet model is with me as an FSDS source model. I can download the FS9 SDK and use Model Converter X to compile that model for FS9. The trouble is the coding; FS9 uses a different coding style. Technically it should work with any original code I can grab in an x.anim file and add to the FS9 modeldef file, but it's not a straight forward process if not all codes are visible. Perhaps some of the FS9 developers here might be willing to take that side of this project on as they might well have the right XML already in place?

[mikewmac]

Dean and Steve were both correct in that the only difference between the FS9 NBAI F-14 dry and wet models was Nick's addition of an animated catapult strop link and tail hook to the wet model.

While I was digging around on an old PC for the FS9 NBAI F-14 FSDS source files for Dean, I found a series of 2010 screenshots taken during testing of the wet NBAI F-14 taking off, flying a closed pattern and landing back on the USS Nimitz located just outside of San Francisco Bay.

Below are three of them showing first the deployed catapult strop link and then two showing the deployed tail hook:

[DC1973]

Wow, that does look amazing Mike!

[Victory103]

"200, Tomcat ball, 5.0" That's is beyond cool, add the SWS WIP of AI landing on a moving boat...

[DC1973]

Hi folks,

After much work, the F-14A is now working as a complete AI in FSX having been compiled as a native FSX model. All visibility features have been preserved or recreated from the original model. The airplane in the images is the "clean" model. Work will now continue to perfect the specular lighting and tweak a few minor issues before conversion to P3D native format and the addition of all other types in the F-14 package. It's been quite a learning curve but very enjoyable at the same time. I hope everyone likes the pictures and will enjoy the new models when they're released.

Changes;

Model: RIO seat position corrected, ejection handles added ( F-14A ). Re-animation of some undercarriage components.

Animations: Visibility XML recreated or freshly coded to all components that required it.

Textures: New textures for cockpit detail, specular applied to airframe for lighting effects, true glass reflections for canopy and pilot visors, HUD glass transparency and colour preserved.

[DC1973]

Additional picture of pilots and their visors plus cockpit textures.

[DC1973]

A quick update: all F-14 versions ( fleet defence, max intercept ) etc have now been upgraded to FSX mdl standard. The LODs for each aircraft are now down to 3, and frame rates are a huge improvement. I'm not sure how many aircraft are visible in this screenshot, but with AI Traffic settings at 100% there are far more F-14s on the Miramar ramp at once than there ever would have been in real life. Definitely over 150 AI in this shot, the widest I could manage. Frames were steady at around 20fps. This increases vastly with more realistic traffic settings at around 50 - 60%

[hschuit]

Interesting test, how many draw calls does the highest LOD have?

Henk.

[DC1973]

Interesting test, how many draw calls does the highest LOD have?

Henk.

According to MCX ( if I've read it right ) there are 83 draw-calls for the F-14 max LOD. These come from the single main texture ( 1.33MB ), plus a reflective and a specular, each of which are about 4kb.

With the original models in play and the same settings, I was down to about 12fps ( with a good rig and GTX1080 ).

[hschuit]

Thanks - this is a great test result, most of my conversion projects use draw calls in the 25 - 65 range so I should be safe and dry.

Henk.

[DC1973]

The conversion of Nick Black's F-14A to FSX native format is now complete! The airplanes also show up well in P3D but they will need their own conversion to account for afterburner effects, which is the next job on the list.

MAIW Miramar will also be updated so that the scenery shows up in P3D , which in its current form it does not.

[DC1973]

A quick shot from P3D v4 showing Tomcats on the ramp. Canopy reflections and other factors are driving the need for a P3D specific model.

[DC1973]

MAIW TOPGUN Miramar scenery now working in Prepar3D v4 - buildings activated and visible, tower sorted and fire station plus a couple of palm trees and fire trucks added

[navair65]

Looks fantastic. When will the MAIW TOPGUN Miramar scenery for FSX be available for download?

[DC1973]

Looks fantastic. When will the MAIW TOPGUN Miramar scenery for FSX be available for download?

The senior staff here are taking care of that as each conversion is received and tested - I'm sure they'll post here as soon as it's available for download.

[DC1973]

Just updating the thread to keep everyone in the loop. I haven't done much on the project as I launched my first FSX airplane project ( RF-61C Reporter ) last week and have also been busy with work.

The Tomcats are almost ready in P3D - I just have the animated afterburners to model in, which I'm figuring out at the moment ( the existing effects look great in FSX so nothing needed changing there ). I also have to convert the F5 and A4 aircraft, and make some minor improvements to the scenery to complete the package. I'm on holiday soon for a couple of weeks but I'm hoping to finish the work before I go. I'll post here with another update as soon as it's done

[DC1973]

Many thanks to John Young for allowing me to use the tower from his excellent MCAS Miramar scenery to upgrade the TopGun package Miramar. A few palms and a couple of stock FSX trucks added to give it a bit of life and the scenery for the package is now complete. The same tower has also been compiled in native P3D format so that it can likewise appear in that version of the package. Just the adversary jets to convert now.

[Greg]

Hi Dean,

Do I understand correctly that you're planning to make one large package containing the converted models for the F-14, F-5 and A-4 plus the converted retro Miramar scenery?

[gsnde]

I think we will separate the sceneries from the aircraft, Steve.

From mobile hence short