LHD in action

[Golf-HotelDelta]

Just to show that Holger's AI floatplanes do work in FSX, I modified the LHD AFD file to change the runways' surface to concrete, added a parking spot and taxiways and a start point for a user aircraft:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2921/lhdet8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here is a user Sunderland sitting at the start point while Holger's Waco does a vfr circuit from taxi-out to taxi-in.

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/7250/38ev9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/277/39qo3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/5695/40yi3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6729/42ta8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9571/43iw6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/8690/44ur4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/36/46dc1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Note 1. I should have made the EAST runway have a left-hand circuit :o

Note 2. I used only the EAST/WEST runway as the AI engine always prefers the longest runway.

George

[jvile]

George

That's impressive

[glottis]

wonderful stuff George
thank you for showing us those great shots
very informative
Beautiful Sunderland BTW

Ray

[colin_d]

Hi George,

Your greater experience with the niceties of floatplane AI shows. It's an impressive display. I just don't know what I am doing wrong because my afcad is similar to yours except the parking spaces have a plumbing connection. Maybe I need to use different aircraft, I've tried the Beaver, a Wilga floatplae and a Kolb Firefly floatplane. The latter two worked fine in FS9, among others, but show the same behaviour as the Beaver in FSX, i.e. fly down to the runway and come to a grinding stop with much spark flying. Takeoffs just don't happen. I looked at the contact points but could discern no difference that I could understand between a floatplane and a wheeled aircraft. Perhaps a few pointers could help if you could spare a little time.

Colin

[Golf-HotelDelta]

Hi Colin,

This was my first effort at creating floatplane AI. All I did was download ai_float.zip from Avsim and read Holgar's instructions. He also provides example aircraft.cfgs and templates.

BTW, the plumbing method in FSX is a bit different than in FS9 but it is possible.

George

[colin_d]

Hi George,

Now you make me feel even more inadequate. However I'll download the .zip you mention to see what I can learn from that. And I considered myself a bit of an expert on the subject in FS9, I had many different types of floatplanes flying all over the place to many different locations. (I developed an almost uncontrolable urge to put them anywhere I could.

Colin

Edit: George I looked at the zip you mentioned and it is one that I used to install yet more floatplanes after I developed the ability in the first place. I'll have to try the aircraft he mentions, which I haven't tried yet, though I had no trouble with the ones I've used so far in FS9 but they simply won't work in FSX.

[Golf-HotelDelta]

A quick mod to use drive-thru parking:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9028/70ca9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7695/63iz2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3483/66zs0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2703/68gj4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

However, nothing I do will force a left-hand circuit from Rwy WestW :confused:

George

[colin_d]

Hi George,

I've been experimenting and at the moment my AI will land and taxi to their parking spots but still will not take off.
I've taken out the plumbing thinking that this might be causing the hold up but still no luck. Is there any chance you could send me the afcad you're using as it might be just a 'new airport' problem and the settings you use might throw some light on it.

Colin

[Golf-HotelDelta]

Hopefully I can attach them.

George

[colin_d]

Got them. Thanks George.

Colin

[HolgerSandmann]

Hello George,

very nice!

I actually have a question as well. One of the problems I'm having with porting FS9 floatplanes to FSX is that the FS9 method of triggering splash effects doesn't seem to work anymore. In FS9 I used a second set of control points, set as type float, to lightly scrape along the (invisible) concrete taxi/runway, which triggered my effects. The only way I could get any effects to show was by using time-delay tweaks keyed to initial or touch-down "bumping". However, I notice that your AI seem to show effects just like FS9. Would you mind posting the control point/effects section of your AI so that I can double-check against mine?

Cheers, Holger

[Golf-HotelDelta]

Hi Holgar,

I deserve no credit, it is straight from your example:

// Floatplane AI configuration files
// by Holger Sandmann, hsandman@sfu.ca
// FS9 Version, January 2004
//
// for Waco Classic Biplane for FS2002/2004
// by Lynn and Bill Lyons, windride@netexpress.net
//
// !!!Copyright remains with the original authors!!!


[fltsim.0]
title=AI Waco Classic YMF Amphibian


[contact_points]
point.0=4, 10.35, -4.25, -4.0, 5600, 0, 0.319, 25.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 2, 0.0, 0.0
point.1=4, 10.35, 4.25, -4.0, 5600, 0, 0.319, 25.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 3, 0.0, 0.0
point.2=4, -5.0, -4.25, -4.0, 5600, 0, 0.319, 0.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 2, 0.0, 0.0
point.3=4, -5.0, 4.25, -4.0, 5600, 0, 0.319, 0.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 3, 0.0, 0.0
point.4=1, 2.27, -5.25, -4.2, 5600, 1, 0.519, 25.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 2, 0.0, 0.0
point.5=1, 2.27, 5.25, -4.2, 5600, 2, 0.519, 25.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 3, 0.0, 0.0
point.6=1,-13.26, -5.25, -4.2, 5600, 0, 0.519, 0.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 2, 0.0, 0.0
point.7=1,-13.26, 5.25, -4.2, 5600, 0, 0.519, 0.0, 0.4, 2.2, 0.75, 0.0, 0.0, 3, 0.0, 0.0

[EFFECTS]
wake=fx_wake
water=fx_spray
dirt=fx_spray
concrete=fx_AI_floatplane_spray-and-wake
touchdown=fx_tchdwn_s, 1


Note. I did use concrete taxiways and runway.


George

[HolgerSandmann]

Hi George,

that was quick, thanks!

Looks familiar, indeed ;-) Looking at those lines I believe I just spotted a potential reason for my lack of success: it seems I reversed the contact point heights for Class 1 and 4 in our FSX DHC-2. Off to check this out...

Cheers, Holger

[Golf-HotelDelta]

I'm glad to have been able to help Holger. A Beaver would be just the job at Lake Hood ;)

George

[jvile]

Holger

Glad to see you paying all of us a visit. Plan on staying awhile and help out with all that knowledge you have from those days in years past that we hashed out behavior code over on the old site.

Also don't be bashful in what you see that can enhance ADE from a User prospective. The team has a lot of exciting things plan for the Pro version once some of the kinks are worked out of Home Version. George, Reggie, Graham, Norman and all the team members keep Jon busy coding day and night.

[Mace]

I'm observing this interesting thread.

Those screenshots are from a sim running SP2, no?

[Golf-HotelDelta]

Those screenshots are from a sim running SP2, no?

Yes they certainly were.

[jvile]

George

Add some Dock Library scenery Guids above the airport header so I don't have to swim to the bank after I park.

Nice work and it does look good :):)

[bertvk]

Thanks George and others:)
Very interesting thread!
Regards
Bert

[Tim_A]

Those screenshots are from a sim running SP2, no?

What makes you say that? I don't have SP2, and I'm curious to know what difference you're seeing...

[jvile]

Tim

I have SP1a on a XP2 and SP2 on Vista32 and there is no difference between these versions when looking at Lake Hood with all sliders 3/4 to max'ed position.

The water color is a slightly deeper blue (mid 2.x) on the SP2 but that could be the difference in the 25" sony monitors + video cards that are running on each computer.

There are airports that have been enhanced in SP2 but Lake Hood is not one of them.

Both FSX versions are running in DX9 mode. You gain some scenery enhancement (bloom, airport lighting) in DX10 mode but lose other standard features such as AI Plane textures, default plane wing lighting, progressive taxi, to name a few and is not worth DX10 yet for me.

[Tim_A]

OK, thanks Jim.

[Mace]

What makes you say that? I don't have SP2, and I'm curious to know what difference you're seeing...

Hi tim

What makes me say what? :) I was just asking if the shots were from SP2 or not. I wasn't sure...

(I actually asked in light of the differences in runways between SP1 and SP2. (no built-in flatten anymore). I am still a bit interested how this affected the water runways, if at all)

[Tim_A]

Not having SP2, I thought perhaps you'd seen something in the pic that was an SP2 feature, and so was curious. But in light of Jim's response, seems you were asking too. :)