Adding attach points?

[DragonflightDesign]

From the MCX manual:

"Replace effects by lights specifies if ModelConverterX should replace special effects by lights on import. If set to true ModelConverterX will make light and spotlight attach points when effects for them are found. When they are imported as lights or spot lights it is easier to modify their settings. This function only works if you use the default ModelConverterX special effect names in your object."

I couldn't find any information on the special effects names. What I would like to do is to attach an exhaust flames effect to the engines on my Boeing Model 314 - is this possible using MCX? There is a passage in 'The Long Way Home' where Ed Dover comments on the comforting appearance of the blue flames at night indicating that the Wright Cyclone engines were running well. The effect would start up as soon as the engines are running correctly (combustion = 1) but would not be visible during the day. I already have an fx file that does what I want that is driven by code, but of course the flame won't stay attached to the engine when the aircraft is doing anything but sitting still.

 

[arno]

Hi,

The piece of text that you quote from the manual is a setting that will replace effects by lights on import of a model. That is not related to placing them.

In the attached object editor you can add new attached effects to your model and you can select which effect you want. I don't know if you engine is animated in some form, then you probably need to make sure you drag the attached effect to the right node in the hierarchy editor.

 

[DragonflightDesign]

Thanks Arno. The only things animated on the engine are the prop and the access doors, so from what you say I should be okay.

 

[arno]

Yes, then I think you should be able to position it in the attached object editor correctly.

 

[tgibson]

My prop liners like the DC 6B have flame effects that only occur at higher throttle settings, if this helps.

 

[DragonflightDesign]

Thanks Tom. At least that proves it can be done successfully.

 

[tgibson]

They should be able to be ported over to the 314 with some adjustments of their positions and numbers.

 

[DragonflightDesign]

How did you figure out the attach point positions? I already have working smoke effects from those exhaust stacks, so I used those positions as a starting point but nothing showed up in the sim. I am assuming that no 'special' code is needed to run the effect. The code is a simple on/off that fires the effect every sim cycle and gives a good flicker effect:

        // Normal exhaust flames
        // If the engine is running (combustion == 1)
        if (e1_burn.var_value.n)
        {
            // Effect start flag is zero
            if(e1_normal_flame == 0)
            {
                // Turn the flame effect on
                setFX(true, fx_exhaust_flame_eng1_normal);
                // Set the effect flag to one
                e1_normal_flame = 1;
            }
            else
            {
                // Turn the flame effect off
                setFX(false, fx_exhaust_flame_eng1_normal);
                // Reset the effect flag
                e1_normal_flame = 0;
            }
        }
        else
        {
            // Engine is not running - stop the effect
            setFX(false, fx_exhaust_flame_eng1_normal);
            e1_normal_flame = 0;
        }

This works fine if the exhaust flame is not set as an attach point. I must have something wrong in the attach point data? In the absence of specfic info in the MCX help file (Arno really only mentions the Z-axis which is not the same as the Z-axis in the [SMOKE] section of the aircraft.cfg file), so I've (almost certainly incorrectly) assumed that the position setting in the attach point editor matches the aircraft.cfg file i.e. X = across the wings, Y = up and down and Z = nose to tail, all relative to the reference point. BTW, the 'setFX' function is just a wrapper for SMOKE_ON and SMOKE_OFF and fx_exhaust_flame_eng1_normal is a numeric variable that matches with the smoke number in the aircraft.cfg file.


[Later] Ahhhh. I think I know where I've gone wrong. Effect parameters. Maybe? Do I need to set time of day etc. if I'm driving it from code?

 

[tgibson]

I don’t know, my effects are set in the lights section of the aircraft.CFG file and the location is set by the location of the engines in the same file. Much more primitive. And I was assuming you were using an earlier SIM.

 

[DragonflightDesign]

Deleted response. I subsequently discovered that I was completely wrong.

 

[GaryGB]

Hello:

This is an interesting discussion; I believe as it occurs in MCX' forum, we need to know which FS version is the target of MCX' Fx output.

I have more than one FS version of the Boeing 314 Clipper, and would like to apply insights from this discussion to both MSFS and FS2Kx.


OP's use of 'visibility' code from MSFS' SDK inclines me to see the topic as targeting a MSFS version; if so, which one: 2020 or 2024 ?

Thanks in advance for your kind consideration in clarifying this topic further.


PS: Doesn't the Boeing 314 Clipper Wright Cyclone engines have animated Cowl Flaps ?

I have seen these on other legacy Radial engine aircraft in the past, but have not looked closely at this on the latest Boeing 314 yet.

GaryGB

 

[DragonflightDesign]

Hi Gary

I can't speak for the MSFS version(s) as my job with MSFS2020 was to produce and/or correct textures only.
The output version is MDL4.4 for P3D.
Yes, the P3D B-314 (and B314-A) both have animated cowl flaps.
There's no new P3D Boeing 314 release planned. I'm pretty much using the release code as a testbed to cross-check problems and for forward planning/testing on other projects.

-Dai