Military AI Works

Damn, that will teach me to read the forum earlier in the day.

me too Steve missed out there.

Steve and Ray,

No you haven't. I've just PM'd you both the links.

The feedback so far is that there really is only the need for a few minor text tweaks which are easy to do. If it stays like that, I'll have the packages out by next weekend.

John

cheer's John

With thanks to the volunteer testers, I think all is now done. I think I got off rather lightly with only a few small changes that I have now carried through, apart from one minor problem that I just can't replicate myself. One FSX tester reported that as he slewed away from the Vulcan, the nose wheel leg disappears momentarily in one of the distant LODs and then reappears in the next one. I asked two other FSX testers to see if they could also see the problem. One could and one couldn't. I then pulled each of the models apart and checked that the animation tags were present and the LOD assignments were correct. They were. I then squashed up the LODs to the top end so they can be clearly seen over a very short range, but I still can't see the problem. Finally I tried different screen resolutions but again no problem. I don't think I can take that any further and as it's only a minor point, I want to move on.

This morning I uploaded the files (separate ones for FS9 and FSX) to flightsim.com and they should be available to all, later today. The file names are:

JY_AI_Vulcans_FS9_1.zip
JY_AI_Vulcans_FSX_1.zip





While the testers were testing I managed to get the static scenery Vulcans done for FS9 and I'll have the FSX pack ready this weekend hopefully.

John

My apologies John.

I haven't even got round to installing the "test" files yet.

Don't you just hate real life?

Don't worry Stew. I'm just eager now to move on to a new project.

John

John, it looks absolutely stunning.

Every time you say you are moving onto another project, I have to resist the urge to act like a 5 year old and beg you to tell me what's next.

Another beauty John. I still remember seeing her here in the states as a child when it was on an airshow tour. Evil looking thing it is!

On the gear leg, check to make sure that part is textured. My graphics card will sometimes not show parts that do not have a texture assigned to them. But only from certain viewing angles. It's weird.

Good point about the texturing Mike. I did make life difficult for myself by allocating black as the Gmax part colour for the leg and then textured it with plain black on the sheet so it's difficult to see whether I'm looking at a Gmax colour or a texture. I won't do that again. I've just checked all the LODs though and all are properly textured. Really strange though.

I'll respond to the question about what's next in a new thread.

John

Hi John

That was a wonderful job and they look great in my sim. Looking forward to your next project.

To complete this project, after having had a request for them, I have just uploaded the UK Vulcan static object models/library to flightsim.com. These are the Vulcans that are exhibited around the UK at airfields or museums. The models can be placed in scenery either with ADE or with an "instant scenery-type" program. They are still 7_LOD models but only 2 draw calls each because all the animation is removed. The files should be available later today and are called:

JY_Vulcans_Static_FS9.zip and
JY_Vulcans_Static_FSX.zip



John

great idea John, and thanks

Just a question, did anyone ever manage to do a flightplan for the Black Buck missions containing the Vulcans and Victors. There is a nice freeware scenery of Ascension out at the moment which would fit nicely! I can totally understand the complexity but what an addition it would be!

A flightplan? Do you mean just for one Vulcan or do you mean the mission in its entirety?

The Vulcan flights would be good but not sure if they could meet up as scheduled with the refuelling Victors at specified times and locations. The more I write the more complex what I'm asking becomes and as I have no ability to produce flight-plans for AI anywhere near this degree of complexity I should really be quite and learn myself!

It would be a trial to do the whole package. For one thing they would all have to fly at the same speed and the number of waypoints you would have to create. You would need 12x Victors and 2x Vulcans and that doesn't include the additional 2x Victors and 1x Nimrod for the way back.
It would a phenomenal achievement if you could do it.

For someone with my limited abilities to those adding stunning scenery and AI packages here it would be more than phenomenal! I might just stick to flying around the world as I do and catching the odd Vulcan here and there! Saw one at Nellis the other week which was a surprise!

A very first attempt done this evening. Actually don't bother about the aircraft used.





Now should do adjustments to get at least a most southern encounter, at reversed levels of course. The main problem would be placing waypoints for the Victors exactly in the path of the Vulcan. A Herculean task anyway!