V-22 Osprey

[ricki429]

John Young - Sorry, I have only just seen your PM. I have sent you a message.

[John Young]

Thanks ricki429. You've told me that the rear cargo door in MGAI Airbus A332-MRTT/KC-30A Refueling Flight Model Version 5.3 by Michael MacIntyre opens 15 minutes before departure, but you didn't confirm that was in FSX.

I've tried to find the aircraft in the Download Hangar and on Avsim so that I can have a look at it, but I can't find it. Does anyone know where it is please?

John

[f4nutter]

http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=179742 this might be what your after John.

[mikewmac]

Thanks ricki429. You've told me that the rear cargo door in MGAI Airbus A332-MRTT/KC-30A Refueling Flight Model Version 5.3 by Michael MacIntyre opens 15 minutes before departure, but you didn't confirm that was in FSX.

I've tried to find the aircraft in the Download Hangar and on Avsim so that I can have a look at it, but I can't find it. Does anyone know where it is please?

John

Hi John,

I only did the AI FDE's for Mark Grigg's MGAI Airbus A332-MRTT/KC-30A models and to my knowledge they were designed and tested specifically for use in FS9 or at least that is all I ever tested them in.

[ricki429]

I run FSX and the A330 stays closed up until about 15/30 mins from departure and it's cargo door opens. Whether it was built for FS9 or FSX im not sure but it does that in FSX anyway...

[ricki429]

Just tested it out again on ZZ330 which is flight planned to depart Brize at 0900GMT and at exactly 0845GMT it's cargo door opened.

[Firebird]

So are we saying that if an mdl is compiled for FS9 but is used in FSX then the FS9 xml coding still works as it would do in FS9?

[John Young]

I found the A330 on Avsim and installed it with a flight plan at my FSX test airfield. You're quite right, the cargo doors do indeed open 15 minutes before departure, although the Nav lights only come on visibly at departure. This is an FS9-coded model of course.

Having verified that, I then tried an FS9-coded Osprey in FSX. The 15 minute Nav light trigger also worked.

I then tried an FSX-coded Osprey with a Nav light trigger on the doors. That didn't work.

I need to think about this a bit more and perhaps try a different key frame sequence on the FSX model. The good news appears to be that if users want all 4 parked versions of the Ospreys in FSX, they can probably use the FS9 models. I'll need to verify that with a few more tests though to confirm all the other FS9 animation works in FSX.

[Firebird]

Well, whilst it may not be a solution it does sound like progress.

[John Young]

I’ve re-tried the nav-light based triggers with an FSX native model again in FSX but they don’t work. Neither does the essential one that stops the rotor blades with the one blade upright, which is also needed. That doesn’t use the nav light trigger anyway.

So, if an FSX native code Osprey is wanted, it looks like we are stuck with just the one – engines up when parked.

However, I have confirmed that all the animation on the 4 FS9 models with different parked states works in FSX. Therefore the option remains for FSX users to use these models instead of a single FSX one. The FS9 models look good in FSX and there are no transparency issues with the glass or the props.

It also simplifies the packaging and set-up, because the same aircraft files and FDE can be used in each sim version. It will also save me about 30 hours work to complete all the FSX conversion.

There’s not a lot of purpose in making FSX native Ospreys if the airfields they are destined to go in are dominated by FS9 coded scenery and other FS9 MAIW AI aircraft. While an FSX native model is more efficient than an FS9 one used in FSX, the other FS9 elements will pull the frame rate performance down. I’ve just tested that with the Osprey airfields I'm using in FSX.

TEST - Frame rate performance above the runway threshold with maximum quality settings but no autogen and no clouds:

MILDENHALL

Scenery only (no AI): 14 fps
With 7 Ospreys: 14 fps
With 7 Ospreys and 12 C-130s/KC135s: 13 fps

MIRAMAR:

Scenery only (no AI): 63 fps
With 23 Ospreys: 23 fps
With 23 Ospreys and 92 Hornets/other: 12 fps

YUMA

Scenery only (no AI): 44 fps
With 7 Ospreys: 35 fps
With 7 Ospreys and 38 Harriers: 22 fps

NORTH ISLAND NAS SAN DIEGO

Scenery only (no AI): 16 fps
With 1 Osprey: 16 fps
I have no other AI at this airfield.

CONCLUSION

Mildenhall and North Island are going to be problematic whatever I do because the FS9 scenery is not suited to FSX.

The Miramar performance is largely unusable with 100% AI. However it can be improved to 22 fps (which is usable) if the traffic setting is reduced to 30%. That displays 16 Ospreys and 22 Hornets/other.

YUMA is good to go in an FS9 configuration.

I think I’m going to drop the design of an FSX-native Osprey model.

John

[swp53]

Hi John,
While I use both FS( and FSX on seperate PC's I would support your decision to just go with the FS9 model.
Regards,
Steve

[Firebird]

Your decision does seem to make perfect sense. Also the use of varying the traffic percentage. This way the users can adjust it to what they are comfortable with on their own system.

[John Young]

I think so. I've converted the first LOD of an FSX Osprey. I can always return to it if the use of the FS9 models in FSX brings up a problem we haven't seen yet.

John

[JNDVirtual]

Yeah, some of these Marine bases can be killer on FPS. It's why I tend to send many of 'em on deployments. lol

[Weescotty]

Interesting that FS9 aircraft in FSX still respond to the NAV light trigger 15 minutes before departure.

I wonder if its just (A:LIGHT NAV,bool) we can't use for FSX then?

Maybe either -
(A:LIGHT NAV ON,bool) - returns true if nav light is on.
or
(A:LIGHT ON STATES,mask) 1 == - returns true if nav light is on.
or
(A:LIGHT STATES,mask) 1 == - returns true if nav light is on.

where in the last two the mask for the nav light is 0x0001 = 1

[Reggie]

I've found that if I reduce the maximum number of aircraft per squadron to 10, I can keep my FPS at an acceptable rate. I hate to do it, but at large masterjet bases, it would be awful if I didn't. I just make sure the CAG and XO aircraft get selected in each squadron to make things interesting, anything past 10 aircraft are considered "deployed".

Same thing with AF, USMC, Army aircraft at their respective bases.

Maybe if I upgrade my graphics card to at GTX970, I could add some aircraft back.

Just my 2-cents worth.

Reggie

[John Young]

I'm inclined to think that we haven't found the right syntax too Kev. I don't have a lot of time before I go away on holiday for a week this weekend, but I'll see if I can have a play with those alternative triggers.

Just to be clear, do I need to do anything with the 0x0001 = 1 value? I assume not.

John

[Weescotty]

Couple of examples
If in animation block....

(A:LIGHT ON STATES,mask) 1 ==
if{ xxxx }
els{ yyyy }

Where xxxx = code or keyframe number when true (on)
Where yyyy = code or keyframe number when false (off)


In a visibility block....

(A:LIGHT ON STATES,mask) 1 ==
if{ 1 }
els{ 0 }

1 = visible when true
0 = invisible when false

[VulcanDriver]

FYI Mildenhall V-22 are using the callsign KNIFE

[John Young]

Yes indeed. It's already included in the package, courtesy of Brent.