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FSXA New way to make light splash.

jtanabodee

Resource contributor
Messages
3,921
Country
thailand
1- I created 7 Boxes with free dimensions (Whatever dimensions).
2- I moved the boxes to the place of lighting tower of my airport and hold them to altitude of 4m in Z Value (The height of lighting towers).
3- I created a plane that covers all of the boxes and applied to it FSXMaterial Dummy texture which is colored with pure black both of texture color and alpha channel.

4- I converted all of the 7 boxes and the cover plane to Editable Mesh.
5- I go to Aces Tool->Attach Point Tool, I checked Effect, No crash and Remove FS9 Attach? Then, I browsed for my Effect .FX in FSX->Effects folder, after that I wrote inside Effect Params the following:

DAY=0;NIGHT=1;DUSK=1;DAWN=1

6- I attached the effect to each box.
7- I exported all of the boxes and the cover plane to .X file and then converted it to .MDL using XToMdl.exe tool found in FSX SDK.
8- I imported the .MDL and put it through FSX earth curve correction, and then I corrected Lat and Lon and checked *Correct geometry and animations for curve of the earth and didn't check the second case, after that I clicked Correct Button.
9- I clicked on Export Scenery Button on MCX and saved it as type FSX BGL file (*.BGL).
10- I copied the BGL compiled into my scenery file, FX effect file to FSX->Effects folder and the texture of the effect to FSX->Effects->texture folder.


The letters in red are what I don't understand. What is the cover plane? That is why I asked you for the photo of the model.
It is like you are making numbers of light poles in the same file by using the same box that attach effect.
It is not what you supposed to do.
You need to make an individual light pole and effect box attach to that. Then export each light pole as x file then convert to mdl.
Then you need XML to place this light many times in your project.
How to do it in XML, you need to read SDK. MCX cannot do that.
You can add your mdl to the ADE file and place it from ADE.
 
Messages
144
Country
algeria
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah got it!!!!!!!
Thank you so much jtanabodee for your help, I managed to do Apron light flood or splash without problems with clouds, sky and autogen behind. ;)
I didn't use your method which is to create boxes and attach the effect to them (or whatever, I don't know your method since now) I discovered a new method without using 3ds Max or Gmax at all :eek: I used XML to place my light flood many times in my project. I used this code :
Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData
   version="9.0"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
   <SceneryObject
      lat="35.6213544309139"
      lon="-0.604427307844162"
      alt="10M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="156"
      imageComplexity="NORMAL">
      <Effect
         effectName="fx_DAOO_LightFlood.fx"
         effectParams="DAY=0;NIGHT=1"/>
   </SceneryObject>
And repeated <SceneryObject> and changed lat, lon each time until I placed 7 Light flood in the apron, good method, isn't it ? hope this helps who need to create Apron light flood for their projects ;)

However now having a new problem, which is: My apron lights splash or flood cannot be seen from a far distance, or to better understand, WHEN I'M FAR FROM MY APRON LIGHTS, I CANNOT SEE THEM AT ALL :banghead::banghead: Even I created a controller .FX and putted in effect .FX Radius=1000

My .FX effect settings is next:
Code:
[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=2.00
Display Name=fx_DAOO_LightFlood
Radius=1000
Priority=0

[Properties]
Spot=1
Tower=1
Map=1

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=1.00, 1.00
Delay=0.00, 0.00
Bounce=0.00
No Interpolate=1
Rate=0.5, 0.5
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Pitch=45.00, 45.00
Bank=0.00, 0.00
Heading=0.00, 0.00

[Particle.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Type=25
X Scale=7.50, 7.50
Y Scale=15.00, 15.00
Z Scale=0.00, 0.00
X Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Y Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
Color Rate=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Fade In=0.00, 0.00
Fade Out=0.00, 0.00
Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Static=1
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=2
Texture=DAOO_LightFlood.bmp
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=255, 255, 241, 64
Color End=255, 255, 241, 0
Jitter Distance=0.00
Jitter Time=0.00
uv1=0.00, 0.00
uv2=1.00, 1.00
X Scale Goal=0.00
Y Scale Goal=0.00
Z Scale Goal=0.00
Extrude Length=0.00
Extrude Pitch Max=0.00
Extrude Heading Max=0.00
  
[Emitter.1]
Lifetime=1.00, 1.00
Delay=0.00, 0.00
Bounce=0.00
No Interpolate=1
Rate=0.5, 0.5
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Y Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Z Rotation=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Pitch=0.00, 0.00
Bank=45.00, 45.00
Heading=90.00, 90.00

[Particle.1]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Type=25
X Scale=7.50, 7.50
Y Scale=15.00, 15.00
Z Scale=0.00, 0.00
X Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Y Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.00
Color Rate=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00
Fade In=0.00, 0.00
Fade Out=0.00, 0.00
Rotation=0.00, 0.00
Static=1
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.1]
Blend Mode=2
Texture=DAOO_LightFlood.bmp
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=255, 255, 241, 64
Color End=255, 255, 241, 0
Jitter Distance=0.00
Jitter Time=0.00
uv1=0.00, 0.00
uv2=1.00, 1.00
X Scale Goal=0.00
Y Scale Goal=0.00
Z Scale Goal=0.00
Extrude Length=0.00
Extrude Pitch Max=0.00
Extrude Heading Max=0.00

Now, the controller .FX:
Code:
[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=1.00
Radius=200
  
Priority=0
[controller.0]
lifetime=0.0, 0.0
type=3
distance=10000.00, 10000.00
delay=10000000.00, 10000000.00
x offset=0.00, 0.00
y offset=0.00, 0.00
z offset=0.00, 0.00
effect.0=fx_DAOO_LightFlood, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

Is there a way to fix this, I'm sure of it, because payware software like ORBX and FlyTampa have managed it.
Please help guys!

Dayou.
 

jtanabodee

Resource contributor
Messages
3,921
Country
thailand
Dayou, I think you need to read a lot and understand more in SDK. It is not relevant to the method of making light splash but it is the method of object placing which is well written in the sdk already. I think to keep the thread right to the topic. I would recommend you make a new thread to ask your problem. Please post your recent problem in Effect forum.
 
Messages
144
Country
algeria
OK Guys,!

Here is what I got in FSX by this new method which is to place only the effect .FX without attaching to boxes:D
The most important thing to fix all the problems with the null visibility of light when you're far from your own effect: is that your texture of the effect must be in .BMP 32-bit format and make sure you've generated mipmaps for the texture.
I used a good effect since I've used 2 emitters, The first one:
Pitch=45.00, 45.00
Bank=0.00, 0.00
Heading=0.00, 0.00
The second one:
Pitch=0.00, 0.00
Bank=45.00, 45.00
Heading=90.00, 90.00

I used XML placement and placed the effect 7 times on 1 XML and got this in FSX:
Night:
lpjHb6.jpg

Dusk:
4xgzzC.jpg

At the beginning, I thought that using multiple effects in one XML will impact FPS.
By the way, my XML source doesn't contain just the effects placement, it also contains Flood lights towers:D

The result:
-No problem with clouds behind.
-No FPS drop or impact.
-Good FPS during parking in the apron.

NOTE: If needed, I'll share you my XML and FX in order beginners people be able to create their individual apron light splash.
It's a new good method of creating light splash, isn't it? :rolleyes:

Thank so much guys who have helped me! :);):oops:
 
Messages
25
Country
italy
Is possible to have a full tutorial with the final conclusion of this article. Maybe with an example with a full lightramp to export and to try. Another question this will work under P3D 2.4 or they have changed something to avoid all this working correctly ?
 

jtanabodee

Resource contributor
Messages
3,921
Country
thailand
Light texture is not compatible to P3D v2.4 AFAIK. May be someone else will have more information about P3D v2.4 compatibility.

I think I will write down the tutorial for you when I have done all the things I intend to do.

Conclusion to this stage, the light texture is easy to use and model. The down side is: it has problem with clouds behind.
Effect is easy to use to but changing the effect text file is just experiment. I don't understand much about the effect. You need knowledge about how it works. The good thing is it has no problem with clouds.
 
Messages
25
Country
italy
Here the settings i've used with P3D v2.4 iv'e done a poly with a texture without alpha and this is how i've set the material.

apron10.jpg
 
Messages
783
Country
norway
Well, for P3D 2.5 I have now tried everything in this thread regarding apron splash, and still couldn't stop an effect from rotating to user, or get rid of the square border in fog, because it keept on being shown, not matter if I used NoFog or not.

So I went back to using Marcon's method. All black for the day texture, splash on black for the night texture. This gave a nice looking night, but horrible day, with those square borders from the light polygon. Then I finally set the Specular Colour to 16; 16; 16. Now I have a very nice night/dusk/dawn, where the borders almost cannot be seen. And at day, nothing to be seen. All this in very foggy conditions, at both close and far distances. It is something there at daytime, but you have to know about it and look hard for it to see it.

This is my best compromise so far. Finally I have gotten rid of the terrible square bloom in fog, and have a clean day texture.

PS(1):

I use One/One instead of One/ScrColor.

PS(2):

I had to throw away my ADE GP concrete polygons, as the light splash shows beneath them. But the light splash stays on top of the lines and markings. No big deal, as P3D will not support asm based stuff in the future anyway, so I may as well start using other methods now. For the time being, I have gone back to the FSX/P3D ugly concrete. I say ugly, because it can't be rotated.

16548190398_d06d3668c1_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
Messages
109
Country
ireland
has anyone else experienced flickering issues with the light beam effect? I seem to be getting intermittent flickering as i move the camera around. Pictures attached showing one working and another showing the problem
 

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jtanabodee

Resource contributor
Messages
3,921
Country
thailand
I think if the material of your model behind the light is default transparent, this can cause flickering. If you turn it to be default opaque, it might help.
However if you still need transparent material for the building, try increase Z alpha test and see if it helps.
 
Messages
130
Country
mexico
Hello

I want to clarify that I tried this P3D V2.5.1294

And I run everything without any problem

I have some screenshots
 

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jtanabodee

Resource contributor
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thailand
I think it is the one that we use in this thread. Source and Destination Blend= one.
Thanks for sharing that it works in P3Dv2.5.
By the way, nice screen shot!
 
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