Effects Problem Solved?????

[ablitos]

For those who had problems with effects not showing up in scenery whe your starting point was approx 10km away i have a solution. I created a controller in conjunction with my effect and had no problems seeing my effect. This would explain why people who used the animhouse example with sdk said they only saw the smoke and no lights. The smoke in the scenery is used with a controller while the lights aren't. This is the controller i used for my obstruction light........


Version=1.00
Radius=200
Priority=0

[controller.0]
lifetime=0.0, 0.0
type=3
distance=35.00, 35.00
delay=0.20, 0.20
x offset=0.00, 0.00
y offset=0.00, 0.00
z offset=0.00, 0.00
effect.0=fx_windsockobslight, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 1.00

it appears the key for this working is the distance parameter. I'm still tinkering around with it(just too tired anymore tonight) but if anybody needs help...let me know and i'll try my best

Dave

 

[JeffS]

Intresting Dave !

I was / am experimenting with using FX files for small airstrip lights to get them viewable from varying distances.

As multiples of the FX file in the same location will produce a brighter effect, it gives me the idea of creating different named FX files for varying distances if the applicable FX will not display once your close enough for the next one to turn on.

Thisway one could have RWY edge lights that are Off in the Day and On at Dusk, Night and Dawn and not rely on the default type RWY lights that at time are to numerous.

Ill haveto investigate the FX Controller SDK more !

rgds Jeff

 

[ablitos]

Hey Jeff
sounds possible with the distance parameter.let me know how it comes along. Im going to fool around more with it when i get off work tonight

 

[Georg Aubele]

Sounds good - I'm not familiar with controller ... do I have to put it into the fx-file?

Seems that I have to build another fx-file ... can you explain it a bit more?

 

[ablitos]

a controller is like an effect itself......just able to spawn multiple effects at a given time in a location....so you will need your fx.file and create a controller, so you will have 2 different fx files....one being fx_yourfx and the other will be Cntrl_your fx.the one i posted above is the one used for the deicing effect. so all you have to do is copy the example above and on the bottom where it says fx_windsockobslight.....replace with your fx_filename. When you go to attach your effect...use Cntrl_yourfx to attach.

if you still need help just give me your fx or let me know which one your using if your using a stock fx and i'll create a controller for you when i get off work

Dave

 

[Georg Aubele]

Ok - let's make a receipe:

1. make a fx-file "fx_MyEffect.fx"
2. make an controller-file "crtl_MyEffect.fx" with

Version=1.00
Radius=200
Priority=0

[controller.0]
lifetime=0.0, 0.0
type=3
distance=35.00, 35.00
delay=0.20, 0.20
x offset=0.00, 0.00
y offset=0.00, 0.00
z offset=0.00, 0.00
effect.0=fx_MyEffect, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 1.00

3. Copy both into the effects-folder

4 align the controller-file with your object in GMAX
5. Compile and use it

right?

How do the "distance" and the "delay" of the controller effect my effect?

 

[Georg Aubele]

Ok - I found the parts of the SPECIAL_EFFECTS_SDK about the controller and now know, what delay and distance mean. I changed the source of the controller a bit and now alle the lights shine bright, when I arrive ... I mean BRIGHT ... REALLY B R I G H T ... TOO BRIGHT!!! It does show only a damn white circle instead of the smoth changing from white to black

Before the changes, the controller switched on the lights when I was nearer that 35 m (that's what the distance is for - I think the radius is there for the controller to know when to control the effects ). The nearer I got, the brighter the light went and passing the light pretty near meant a WHITE SPOT on the dark ground of my winterly airport at night ...
After playing around, I found, that the delay is for what it says and the last pair of parameters in the last line is also a delay min and delay max so I put them to "0".

With the source below, I get all my light to shine, but they are much too bright

The effect-file and the texture should be ok - they worked quite nice before the controller-file

My Controll file:

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=1.00
Radius=10000
Priority=0

[controller.0]
lifetime=0.0, 0.0
type=3
distance= 5000, 5000
delay=0.00, 0.00
x offset=0.00, 0.00
y offset=0.00, 0.00
z offset=0.00, 0.00
effect.0=fx_EDDB_spot, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

My effect file:

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=2.00
Display Name=Lamp Spot effect
Radius=1000
Priority=0

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

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.50, 0.50
Delay=0.00, 0.00
Bounce=0.00
Rate=1.00, 1.00
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=0.00, 0.00
Heading=0.00, 0.00

[Particle.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Type=19
X Scale=40.00, 40.00
Y Scale=40.00, 40.00
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, 1.00
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
Ground Normal=1
Shade=0
Static=1
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=2
Texture=fx_spot.bmp
TextureSize=512
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=100, 100, 100, 100
Color End=16, 16, 16, 128
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

 

[ablitos]

Hey George

Im still fooling around with..didnt get that far last night with it and going to work on it now...but im sure one of the parameters should correct it. I'll let you know if i come across anything new.

Dave

 

[ablitos]

I see what your saying about the lights being wacky...but i found a solution. It appears that when using the controller...it steps through the effects but seems when it cycles....it creates effects on top of each other...meaning if you have one effect in your controller, it will keep adding more effects instead of using that one effect continuesly........so all you have to do is edit the delay parameter in the controller to.....

Delay=1.00, 999999999.00

and should look like this......

[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=1.00
Radius=-1
Priority=0

[controller.0]
lifetime=0.0, 0.0
type=3
distance=100.00, 100.00
delay=1.00, 999999999.00
x offset=0.00, 0.00
y offset=0.00, 0.00
z offset=0.00, 0.00
effect.0=fx_windsockobslight, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

The delay parameters are measured in seconds. I have tried converting to minutes or hours but it isn't possible so the highest amount of time is 999999999 seconds(dont have enough brain cells right now to convert to minutes) but anything higher and you will get a warning message. The distance parameter still works fine, but once the time is up the effects will start to act up again.

Dave

 

[Scorpio9999]

Thanks Dave!

I raised this problem before. I'll play with your example.

I understood that problem is in different behavior of dynamic effect (smoke) and static effect (light).

 

[ablitos]

no prob

if i come across anything else or if anybod else knows a way around this i'll post any future findings

 

[Georg Aubele]

Delay=1.00, 999999999.00

As it is a two-value-parameter, shouldn't it be

Delay=999999999.00, 999999999.00

because of the ramdom value the FS chooses every seconds between the two values (according to the SDK document)?

EDIT: It works for me with "Delay=999999999.00, 999999999.00"

And I don't care about the 999999999 seconds after which the effect is enhanced - anyone, that is in my scenery for more than 999999999 seconds, deserves a brighter light!

 

[Georg Aubele]

Correction - doesn't work for me

When I start at the airport on the default runway, most are on, one was off.

When I start at a gate, no light is on

 

[ablitos]

ive noticed on mine that i put my distance parameter was set at...

distance=200.00, 200.00

my light didnt work so i changed it to....

distance=100.00, 100,00

i have no problem then. So it appears that you can't have i high number for distance or the effect wont show at all. And georg, i've noticed yours was set at 5000.00, try setting it at 100 and see if it appears.

Dave

 

[Georg Aubele]

But with that setting, the light just go on, when I'm nearer than 100m - they should be visible, when I'm much further away, therefore I set 5000 m ...


I will try some other things when I'm back at home:

1. Set the radius to a smaller value than the distance
2. Set the radius to -1

 

[Georg Aubele]

Ok - setting radius to 4999 while distance is 5000, 5000 I have no light at all

Setting radius to -1: No lights

But I had a new Idea:
How about setting TWO DIFFERENT values for distance? I tried 0, 5000 and almost every light was on! Unfortunately some of them switched on when I got near them, which sounds reasonable, becaus "0,5000" gives the range, in which the controller is allowed to switch them on

So I think I got to the roots of the problem:

The Distance-Setting!

I assume that the lights are out on the airport when you start there, because you don't "get" under the distance value - you just ARE. The Controller needs a dynamic "getting below distance" to act.


But I think there MUST be another solution than the Controller-File, because the smoke of the effecthouse of the SDK has no controller ...

 

[Scorpio9999]

Hi Georg, Dave!

So I made controller for my sceneries.
I put 1000 for distance and -1 for radius.
It is definitely works for remote airports (when you arrive to them).
The problem with airport where you start.
I cannot see effect in radius < 1000 meters from my aircraft.

I think need to play with 0.00, 1000.00 for distance.
Also I suspect that delay 999999999.00 will cause the problem.
In the morning lights will be enabled and will be visible during whole day and after. I calculated number of hours it is 277777.7775 which equal 31 years.

Let's put 300 for delay. It should force engine to check/refresh your effect each 5 minutes or even use lifetime instead of delay.

So we have to test and test it again.

 

[ablitos]

i changed my distance parameter to...

distance=100.00, 100.00

that seems to be working fine for me

 

[Georg Aubele]

@Scorpio: If you put a delay of 300, the lights will go brighter every five minutes ...

@ Dave: But your lights will only start to shine if you are 100m or less away - I don't think you want the lights to pop on, while taxiing over the airport

 

[Scorpio9999]

Hi guys!

I just don't want to see light at day time. We can play with duration in the effect itself not only in controller file.

100 meters is not enough for me as well. I don't know any light pole with visibility 100 meters and less.

On weekend I'll try to fix all issues. Just will try.