modeling Arrestor cables on Carriers ?

Hiya, I am working on a Nimitz Carrier using GMAX1.2 and the Acceleration SDK - according to the SDK docs I need to add attachpt_cable_1_1 and attachpt_1_2 to define an arrestor cable.

there is an AI Carrier in the simobjects/boats folder that when made flyable can actually be trapped in multiplayer by other "aircraft" and I am attempting to duplicate that functionality. It will be an aircraft not scenery.

I have tried creating two spools either side of a cable and attached an empty attachpoint to each spool geometry - no joy

i have tried creating New, empty, attachpoints at each end of the cable geometry, on the top surfaces - no joy


any thoughts or guidance is appreciated..

Bruce

90 reads and no answers - I win the stump the experts prize!

I have read pauls blog on attachpoints i.e "you need to put letters together to make words"

Hi Bruce,

No, the problem is that you have asked a question about carrier related things. These questions are never answered, neither here nor in any other forum I know.

Only joking, but I could not resist. Actually my post regarding the carr2006 package is the only question I ever asked here with no reply at all.

And sorry, I have no answer to your question.

Hi Folks

You don't need to model the spools,
jusy create the appropriate attachpoints.

AFAIK -
The relevant info is in the SDK,
see the - "Notes on the Acceleration Expansion Pack SDK"
though missing a few bits,
which can be found here - Paul Lange's Blog - Launch Bars and Carriers

I'll see if I can rustle up a

Martin -
I'd mean't to follow up on your post,
but lost track of it.

AFAIK they were always that way.

The default rigs & some vessels' crashboxes
also intrude into their respective helideck areas.

HTH
ATB
Paul

Thank for your note, Paul.

Though I am pretty sure that I never had disabled the crash detection and I used the Carr2006 package quite some time.

But since I find more and more arguments for the Acceleration Pack (the last one being the car park scenery object) I have decided to no longer follow up on this one but go with the time

Right, hopefully this'll make sense! Making a working carrier is actually fairly simple (it has to be or I'd have given up). I had to read around the SDK a bit to figure it out, but once you're used to the style of writing it kind of makes sense!!
Firstly make sure you've got all the SDK installed in the right order, ie, RTM, SP1, Accel/SP2, otherwise it's all a bit pointless!
Next make your carrier, I had one I made earlier which is probably why I had the spare time to figure the rest of this out. You need to make a landing platform which'll be a copy of, or a mesh very similar to, the actual deck (the landing platform won't be visible so it looks very strange if you don't do this). Use the Attach Point tool to make it a Platform, I tend to use steel plate but feel free to experiment especially if you're making a wooden decked carrier.
I'll use the arrestor wires as an example, but the cats follow the same procedure.
Place a small object at each end of each wire, I used cubes initially, although you can probably get away with a single poly plane it doesn't really matter.
Then use the attach point tool to add an empty attach point with the right tag in, i.e. cable_1_1. Select the right object and then click <Attach to selected geometry>.



As far as I can tell because it was a late addition to the SDK the numbering gets messed up due to the auto increment thingy so you'll have to edit the details by hand. So select Edit>Object Properties and then the user defined tab.



In here make sure the code makes sense. I.e. it should say

FSXML = <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?> <FSMakeMdlData version="9.0"> <Attachpoint name="attachpt_cable_4_2"> </Attachpoint> </FSMakeMdlData>


A common mistake is it saying name="attachpt_attachpt_cable_4_2".

Numbering wires the first number is the wire (1 to 4) and the second is the end so 1 for one end, 2 for the other.

Catapults are essentially the same except it's attachpt_catapult_start_n and attachpt_catapult_end_n. Where n is the number of the catapult. For some reason I've only managed to get one catapult to work, I'm still working on it!

Next export your model and test it in FSX, bear in mind if you've spent as long on your model as I did your landings probably won't be that good to start with so it may just be that you're not catching the wires!

All the above was done in 3d studio, however as I understand it, it should work in gmax too.

Any questions I'll try and help, in the meantime I'll be trying to figure out why the compass disc in my Wyvern has disappeared...

AFAIK they were always that way.

The default rigs & some vessels' crashboxes
also intrude into their respective helideck areas.

Click to expand...

Just saw that bit. Somewhere deep in the FSX SDK it does say that defining a landing platform over rides the crash boxes in it's vicinity, I'm guessing you need to use the FSX SDK to make the model for it to work properly, and I'm not sure how big an area it overrides.

Yeah skippy!

here's the thing - "So select Edit>Object Properties and then the user defined tab."

I actually used used a dummy to attach to per one of your posts at sim-OH i believe

the object is named correctly in the item select window(attachpt_cable_1_1) , it's the object properties that contain the auto-increment doody; (attachpt_cable_1_1_53)

I think this is what's been holding me back

many thanks - and now to test... let you know how it goes

cheers mate

What is required

Just been reading these posts. I am planning to create my own Carrier. Must I have the FSX Acceleration SDK in order to attach e.g. catch points etc. Current I have FSX Deluxe SP2 (not Acceleration).

EagleIan,
I'm not 100% sure on that one. I created the FSX Ark using the SP2 SDK, however to test it I had to get Acceleration as it was the only way I could see to actually test if it worked as the commands for carrier ops aren't available in game without it! I don't think there's a difference in the SDK (certainly the model compiled without any errors) but unless you can find a way to activate the catapult commands etc. you still need acceleration to use the carrier.

They will only work if you have Acceleration installed. The fsx.exe runtime has added code to support those features.

Which means that while you can certainly create the cables and launch bar stuff, you won't be able to test it!

OK, thanks to both of you for the reply. Looks like I will be installing Acceleration. I cut my Navy milk teeth on Carriers and have many memories (quite a long time ago I should add!)
Thanks again

EagleIan said:

I cut my Navy milk teeth on Carriers and have many memories (quite a long time ago I should add!)
Thanks again

Click to expand...

and I wonder if the "off shore" memories are printable?

I am using GMAX and i need to know what the GUID for the arrestor cables?

Help me please.....

MoToCroSs986 said:

I am using GMAX and i need to know what the GUID for the arrestor cables?

Help me please.....

Click to expand...

There is no GUID... Arrestor cables aren't some separate model you can add to an existing model somehow. They are part of the original model.

What are you wanting to do?

I was wanting to use them on the runway at KNUW and CYYQ. When they are used for emergencys.

Are there any more info and source pics of their carrier deck from anyone who has a sucsessfull catapault? I got the arrestor wires to work on my carriers but cannot get the cats to work while testing with the accel f18

wiil nott delette

I am new for build aircraft carrier model via gmax, and when I follow the Catapult/Arrestor Operations SDK on this site to build carrier model, there is only one cataplut can work.

I checked code for attach points, be sure they are correct and in range of 50 meters from ship model center. the 2nd catapult just on the 1st`s left side, but 1st catapult works, the others can not works.

everyone can help me get them works?

and my project is a Kuznetsov class carrier, the cataplut point just fix aircraft to simulate a holdbar to gain max thrust and active blast shield rise when take off. the first cataplut works, other 2 can not works.

Thanks