Adding aircraft carrier cable attachpoints

[JKAGary]

Folks,

I think I know the answer to this but I thought i'd ask the experts. Is it possible to add arrestor cable attachpoints to a model using MCX?

I have created an aircraft carrier model in sketchup, added a platform, added attachpt_runway_start, attachpt_runway_end, attachpt_runway_edge etc to get the meatball using MCX and all works fine in FSX.

However when I add attachpt_cable_1_1, 1_2 etc (by adding an empty object using attached object editor and manually placing) I find when I export the model the cables do not function and I get random object crashes in and around the cable zones (I have checked for rogue crashboxes)

I understand from GMax you would use the attach point tool to add an empty attach point with the right tag in, i.e. cable_1_1 and select an object to attach to <Attach to selected geometry>...I guess with MCX you can't(?) select an object within the model to apply the attachpoint to.

Just wanted to check if it was possible to manually add or not - to save many more hours in a vain attempt to get it to work.

Cheers
G

 

[PolyPusher]

I am also having a similar problem. I use FSDS V3.51 and then Dave's Tweak program after compile. Platforms etc work in the sim - so do light effects and others but the problem is the naming of the arrestor cables and CAT's
When compiled through the Tweak program (required to get textures and platforms etc) the compile throws a fit and states errors in the parts (duplicate names) so fails. This because the parts are called _1_1, _1_2 etc.
So what I thought I would try is call the attachpoints something unique for each and then compile - that worked. Then I thought I would just edit the attachpoint names in ModelConverterX V1.4 and then export again as a Mdl.
I think that this process is removing the existing platforms etc.

 

[arno]

Hi,

If the only requirement is the name of the attachpoints, then it should be possible to add them with modelconverterx. But I must say I don't have experience with the carrier attachpoints.

Existing platforms should be preserved when editing a model with modelconverterx.

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

Can you explain a little the process, couriously I've been interested on those devices for air carriers recently and I have a couple of carriers which not have cables and launchers, I have seen the attachpoints and the tags:start, end edge etc, I was looking for some kind of effect placement but as can be seen are only tags it's so?
I've seen your problem before, with airplanes crashing on the carrier deck, but not saw the answer, could be you have to add some kind of "no crash" tag to something.

 

[PolyPusher]

What modelling program do you use?
With Model Converter X you can select no-crash before exporting. In FSDS xTweak their is also an option to select this and also in FSDS itself.
The problem I have is that Tweak and FSDS will not accept the required attachpoints because of the names used by Microsoft for them.

 

[JKAGary]

Hi,

If the only requirement is the name of the attachpoints, then it should be possible to add them with modelconverterx. But I must say I don't have experience with the carrier attachpoints.

Existing platforms should be preserved when editing a model with modelconverterx.

Yeah its an odd one, the catapult attachpoints work fine without any problems. Using the attachpoint editor define an empty attachpoint with attachpoint names attachpt_Catapult_start_1, attachpt_Catapult_end_1 with appropriate co-ordinates and it works like a dream

The arrestor cable attachpoints (attachpt_cable_1_1, attachpt_cable_1_2 etc) using the same technique, I always get an object crash when taxying or landing on the deck near the cable zones, even with crash detection turned off.

I'm not saying there is a flaw in MCX, just possibly how i'm going about defining the cable zones.....just wondered if anyone else had similar issues

Cheers
Gary

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

Well I guess you have answered my question . what you said could be right, problably a runway zone must be defined, take a look to the Javier Nimitz carrier, how is laid out the system.
by the way you know if a catapult can be added to a Harrier carrier ? I have been thinking about this for a long time. I guess they not have arrestor cables

 

[SkippyBing]

You shouldn't need to define a runway zone, certainly I've made carriers without doing it. Doing it does add the deck lights and landing aids but they're really only appropriate for a Nimitz class ship as there's a limit to how small the layout will go.

One random thought, how complicated is the mesh for the flight deck platform, not the visual model the actual hard deck that stops the aircraft falling into the sea. When I originally converted the Ark to FSX it had quite a complex mesh for the platform which caused a crash when you taxied to certain parts of the deck. I subsequently replaced it with a simplified mesh which seemed to sort things out.

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

Problably must be for landing lights aids (FLOLS?), I had observed a runway_start ; _end; and _edge encompassing the landing zone.

 

[arno]

Hi,

I haven't found the time yet to check if there is a problem with MCX on exporting those specific attachpoint names or not. I'll keep it on my todo list .

 

[JKAGary]

One random thought, how complicated is the mesh for the flight deck platform, not the visual model the actual hard deck that stops the aircraft falling into the sea. When I originally converted the Ark to FSX it had quite a complex mesh for the platform which caused a crash when you taxied to certain parts of the deck. I subsequently replaced it with a simplified mesh which seemed to sort things out.

I've compiled the model without the arrestor attachpoints and taxied around the deck to check for anomalies and didn't have any crashes, I then add the arrestor attachpoints, recompile and perform the same test and get a crash on deck in the arrestor area so it's definitely the arrestor. I've noticed the arrestor attachpoints are floating slightly above the deck so i've lowered to be in line with the deck platform and recompiled. I'll give that a try but not sure the height above the deck has got anything to do with it.

Tejal, you are right runway_start, _end and edge are for IFOLS. Here's an early screenshot of my model when I added _start, _end, _edge. (you can see that the meatball was a bit off but after some co-ordinate tinkering the IFOLS is fine)

Can you add an catapult to a harrier carrier?....yes. I did it for fun on my HMS Invincible model when I was playing around with adding attachpoints. Made for an interesting exit speed off the ski jump!!

Just add

attachpt_Catapult_start_1 and attachpt_Catapult_end_1 with appropriate co-ordinates.....though i'm not sure why you'd want to!!



ATB
Gary

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

I got the BPE, a ship for Harrier embarkment and helicopter platform the Juan Carlos I, so would be interesting to add those attachpoint, the ship had already these catapults indeed, but they was misplaced. I have seen landing those Harrier without the aid of arrestor cables. I guess that's so.

 

[arno]

Hi,

I just had a quick look at this issue. As far as I can see MCX does add the attachpoints with the right names, etc. On import of the object they are still there.

If I compare with the default carrier that should be enough I would say.

I don't have any other experience with carriers, so I am not sure if I can help further.

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

Well, here we go, success placing arrestor cables, after a long afternoon guessing why not worked, a wrong name in the attachpt name was the answer.
but I not get "Catapults" and IFOLS either. only God will know.
I keep crashing when landing if the crash detection is active, but no problem if I uncheck the crash detection, a little difference about your carrier.I see too that the landings are very unstables, the aircraft bounce from one side to the another, landing at 120 knots (a perfect landing I would say)
Edit: I want to ask why not work the rest of the attachpoints, all has been checked.

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

I got arrestor cables and IFOLS (making him Ai ship), but someone could say why the catapult not work , what could be the reason, as always it become something personal. I can't think on some reason.
I've removed the crash boxes, have placed two catapults, chaged his height, and his length,

 

[old_wombat]

Another solution?

Not sure how relevant this is, but if you simply want to get a working carrier (working catapult, arrestor cables, IFLOLS/meatball/etc) and don't really care how, the free package RCBCOP does all of that very nicely. Available for FS9 and FSX.


Steve from Mudgee.

 

[Tejal Bernardo]

Not relevant indeed, just for fun, but I've playing with this two days , well I am happy to say it's have been solved, sorry for the insistence but was very weird for me that this not worked, I found the solution accidentally here http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Catapult/Arrestor_Operations_%28FSXA%29
The distance from the origin of the model can't exceed 60 meters.
Sorry JKAGary, but as said before I can't figure out the problem where is or why you have the crashes with the crash detection unchecked.