• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

MSFS20 Flag waving in the wind direction

I just checked how it looks in the EDLP scenery. They also have a separate folder for each SimObject:

Code:
+ SimObjects
  +- Landmarks
  |  +- EDLP_Jetway_Type_A
  |  +- EDLP_Jetway_Type_B
  |  +- EDLP_Jetway_Type_C
  +- Misc
     +- EDLP_RWY_guard_fix
     +- EDLP_Windosck

I don't know how their package definition looks like, but I would assume that a separate asset group for each SimObject is the way to go.
 
I just had a look at another scenery, which uses another structure:
Code:
+- SimObjects
   +- Misc
      +- ICAO_SimObjects
         +- model.ICAO_Windsock
         +- model.ICAO_Antenna
         +- ...
         +- TEXTURE
         +- sim.cfg

The sim.cfg looks as follows:
Code:
[VERSION]
Major=1
Minor=0

[fltsim.0]
title=ICAO_Windsock
model=ICAO_Windsock
texture=

[fltsim.1]
title=ICAO_Antenna
model=ICAO_Antenna
texture=

...


[General]
category=StaticObject
DistanceToNotAnimate=2000
 
Different folder would be OK, but different group for each simobject is weird. I tried what they did in the sim.cfg and it didn't work...
 
I didn't try that on my own but saw that in another scenery. Can you show me how your configuration looks now (with the extended sim.cfg)? Then I can compare it to what I see in the scenery.
 
1605112800852.png


First sim.cfg
Code:
[VERSION]
Major=1
Minor=0

[fltsim.0]
title=CNC3_Flag_anim
model=
texture=

[General]
category=StaticObject

Second sim.cfg
Code:
[VERSION]
Major=1
Minor=0

[fltsim.0]
title=CNC3_Flag_Canada_anim
model=
texture=

[General]
category=StaticObject
A but ridiculous, but that's the only way I could make it work.
 
What was happening when you tried the version with a single sim.cfg and how was your directory structure looking in this case?
 
What was happening when you tried the version with a single sim.cfg and how was your directory structure looking in this case?
Nothing happened, object did not appear. I tried several thing, don't remember exactly now, but cfg was with [fltsim.1] line.
 
All right, then it is probably the best solution to have separate object groups. I'll have the problem soon as well, since I need to add a second SimObject to my scenery. I'll let you know if I can manage to put everything in one object group.
 
Ok I managed to make things happen, and it's almost awesome :P

But now I got an issue. I used the code posted by @Steffsim into my Weather Station. Well, it took me a while since it's a brand new workflow I gotta learn but I succesfully imported a simobject into the game.

WOW. It works like a charm (it ain't a rigged animation so I found no issues at all)

But now, when I get into the sim, placing I see it has a very weird behavior. Instead of rotating, it just wiggles.

Here's a small video showing my issue:



So the setup is a 360 Frames NLA track with a 360° rotation.

The XML is this (thanks again Steff)


XML:
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
    <ModelInfo guid="{75b1f5d1-1602-4a89-cfb9-f8f14dc56605}" version="1.1">
  
        <LODS>

            <LOD MinSize="0" ModelFile="Kavik_Weather_Station.gltf"/>

        </LODS>

        <Animation guid="ca712691-1ef7-458a-ad95-993b5d809982" length="360" name="Kavik_Rotation" type="Sim" typeParam="AutoPlay" typeParam2="kavik_rotation"/>
        <PartInfo>   
            <Name>kavik_rotation</Name>
            <AnimLength>360</AnimLength>
            <Animation>
                <Parameter>
                    <Code>(A:AMBIENT WIND VELOCITY, KNOTS)</Code>
                </Parameter>
            </Animation>
        </PartInfo>

    </ModelInfo>

Thanks for the useful infos! Another thing.

Does anybody know where to find all the " <Code>(A:AMBIENT WIND VELOCITY, KNOTS)</Code>" similar functions which can be used in the sim?

I am sorry guys, but I'm getting good in 3D stuff, but still a code ignorant, since 1986 :D
 
your code rotates the aneometer to the direction where the wind is coming from, thats the reason why its wiggles. you need to create several 360° animations with different speeds and use the "AMIENT WIND VELOCITY" Value like at the windsock.
 
your code rotates the aneometer to the direction where the wind is coming from, thats the reason why its wiggles. you need to create several 360° animations with different speeds and use the "AMIENT WIND VELOCITY" Value like at the windsock.
Thanks Blackjack! Again, I am a code ignorant, I really can't get nothing about coding, has never been my vocation :D

I know it's a lot, and I won't put you any rush on it, but would you mind making an example of what you mean, xml wise?

I know I gotta make different animations with different speeds, so let's say 360 frames for <10 knots, 180 for about 20 knots and so on, that's something I will try until I found out...But i really can't get to understand the XML part :D

Sorry to ask ;)
 
Ok, so the issue is about solved.

Setting that up as a, basically, copy of the Windsock, worked out pretty nicely.

One thing I can't figure out tho is this one.

My animations are pretty fast. 05Kts is about 2 rotations over 360frames.
120kts is 12000 degrees over 360 frames.

Well, the anemometer doesn't start rotating until 10kts, and at 150 it is way too slow....for some realism it should be teared off the pole :D
What's weird though is that the animations ARE very fast in blender but I feel like something's wrong in the XML config.
I did change set the "speed" to 2 from 1 to check if that had any effect but it doesn't. it still won't move until 10 knots and at 150 gets really slow.


Here's another video I recorded as a proof for better understanding.



In Blender they come out pretty decently it seems, now though, I setted up the XML in different ways in the past hour to try if I could achieve a more realistic result, with no luck.

This is the last XML I've got

XML:
<?xml version="1.0" ?>



    <ModelInfo guid="{75b1f5d1-1602-4a89-cfb9-f8f14dc56605}" version="1.1">

        <LODS>

            <LOD ModelFile="Kavik_Weather_Station.gltf" minSize="0">

        </LOD>

        </LODS>
             
 
        <Animation guid="32c20fed-f6ff-4a03-81b2-9a241b265a5f" name="rotation_00" type="Standard"/>
             
        <Animation guid="ca712691-1ef7-458a-ad95-993b5d809982" name="rotation_05" type="Standard"/>
     
        <Animation guid="043bcb4b-1fce-4127-b9b4-8b38c93e3929" name="rotation_10" type="Standard"/>

        <Animation guid="d9dec03b-a790-4603-b355-ff1906d55211" name="rotation_20" type="Standard"/>

        <Animation guid="27e73ec2-ab0f-4845-b8a6-f360e3c8b037" name="rotation_40" type="Standard"/>

        <Animation guid="8acd7d0e-ecb4-48ad-aece-cdedc331b57c" name="rotation_80" type="Standard"/>

        <Animation guid="f07f195b-e4ee-496c-828c-4f4d331130b8" name="rotation_120" type="Standard"/>

        <AnimGraph>

            <DefaultState name="Anim"/>

            <BlendTreeState name="Anim">

                <Animations>
                    <Animation guid="32c20fed-f6ff-4a03-81b2-9a241b265a5f" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="0"/>

                    <Animation guid="ca712691-1ef7-458a-ad95-993b5d809982" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="5"/>

                    <Animation guid="043bcb4b-1fce-4127-b9b4-8b38c93e3929" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="10"/>

                    <Animation guid="d9dec03b-a790-4603-b355-ff1906d55211" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="20"/>

                    <Animation guid="27e73ec2-ab0f-4845-b8a6-f360e3c8b037" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="40"/>

                    <Animation guid="8acd7d0e-ecb4-48ad-aece-cdedc331b57c" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="80"/>

                    <Animation guid="f07f195b-e4ee-496c-828c-4f4d331130b8" loop="True" speed="2" threshold="120"/>

                </Animations>

                <Value>(A:AMBIENT WIND VELOCITY, KNOTS)</Value>

            </BlendTreeState>

        </AnimGraph>

    </ModelInfo>

Hope someone can wipe some dust off this subject :D
 
Last edited:
Hi,

here is a simple weatherstation. This was my teststation for edst.
It shows the wind direction and speed increases with the wind.
Not perfect, but maybe it can help you.

XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ModelInfo version="1.1" guid="{59120637-1646-457c-97b8-d2e993a35180}">

    <LODS>
        <LOD MinSize="0" ModelFile="steffsim_windsock.gltf"/>
    </LODS>

    <Animation name="edst_direction" guid="47444f75-b8fb-4203-ab11-0eef6eb00683" length="360" type="Sim" typeParam2="edst_direction" typeParam="AutoPlay"/>

    
    <Animation name="edst_00" guid="bc8f84a0-202d-439c-ba76-1a44cd76a7cc" type="Standard"/>
    <Animation name="edst_05" guid="10a4b29d-9ae8-4277-bad5-142be513d04b" type="Standard"/>
    <Animation name="edst_15" guid="11a8bd9d-02ef-4e13-8389-d9b9e53036c0" type="Standard"/>
    <Animation name="edst_25" guid="8d16258d-f160-4f48-9138-9bd92a0a5468" type="Standard"/>


    <PartInfo>
      <Name>edst_direction</Name>
      <AnimLength>360</AnimLength>
      <Animation>
        <Parameter>
          <Code>(A:AMBIENT WIND DIRECTION, Degrees)</Code>
        </Parameter>
      </Animation>
    </PartInfo>

    <AnimGraph>     
        <DefaultState name="edst_blend"/>       
        <BlendTreeState name="edst_blend">
          <Animations>
          <Animation guid="bc8f84a0-202d-439c-ba76-1a44cd76a7cc" loop ="True" speed="1" threshold="0"/>
          <Animation guid="10a4b29d-9ae8-4277-bad5-142be513d04b" loop ="True" speed="1" threshold="5"/>
          <Animation guid="11a8bd9d-02ef-4e13-8389-d9b9e53036c0" loop ="True" speed="1" threshold="15"/>
          <Animation guid="8d16258d-f160-4f48-9138-9bd92a0a5468" loop ="True" speed="1" threshold="25"/>
    
          </Animations>
          <Value>(A:AMBIENT WIND VELOCITY, KNOTS)</Value>
        </BlendTreeState>
     </AnimGraph>
</ModelInfo>


sc.jpg
 

Attachments

so, seeing you set the threshold the same way as the windsock, I suppose each animation triggers in between one value and the next. So 0>5 - First anim. 5>10, second anim and so on. Why tho, having me the same setup with just different values, it won't rotate before reaching sometimes 9 sometimes 13kts?

That's a weird thing, can't get the hold of it, there must be a logical reason why the code isn't behaving as expected:scratchch

BTW Thanks for the quick answer and both file and XML setup! I'll take a look in a little bit ;)
 
Just found this thread, because I am also in need of an animated flag that I can put into my small scenery.
Has anyone finally get it work and willing to share the model file(s)?
 
I am also trying to create a dynamic flag. I found the Flag_Ignite Simobject and located the folder in the main FS scenery assets:
..\Official\OneStore\asobo-simobjects-misc\SimObjects\Misc\Flag_Ignite

I tried to add it to my airport dev mode package as per the tutorials in this thread and replaced the flag in the texture but I can't see the flag in the list of objects to add.
 
Did you look for the flag in the "SimObjects" category? It will not appear in the usual scenery objects category. In any case, be aware that this flag only has one fixed animation, i.e., that doesn't depend on wind parameters.
 
Did you look for the flag in the "SimObjects" category? It will not appear in the usual scenery objects category. In any case, be aware that this flag only has one fixed animation, i.e., that doesn't depend on wind parameters.
Yes, the Flag_Ignite folder is the one I believe. The XML has the animation commands. But placing it inside the airport project structure as mentioned here, does not make it show in the list.

Also, there is a US Animated Flag in a BGL library so this one can't be customized and used separately
 
Did you generate new GUIDs for the XML file? Otherwise they may clash with the existing model from Asobo. Furthermore, I guess you need to rename everything in order to avoid name clashes. When doing so, you need to change the names inside the particular files as well.
 
some months ago I tried to use the Flag_Ignite
I got the folder from official \ onestore etc ..
and used like any simobjects
but I had to take it off
because even if you scale it, every restart returns to its original size. But it's too big.
(maybe all sim_objects do not keep the scale...??)

so i am trying to make the flag with blender
but if I use the cloth physical properties
in the simulator the flag is not animated.

does anyone know if it is possible to do it with physics properties or it can only be done with bones?

:)
 
Back
Top