• 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.

Increasing effect visibility distance

pierrot

pierrot

Messages
108
Country
france
Hi all, a new problem I encounter.
It's about effect visibility, but also attaching it to MDL.
I found stg in the wiki... but stay confused by "the resolution".
Could someone please elaborate on this?

Effects spawn problem
This is a common question, and one that is easily answered. This is the same method employed in the FS aircraft beacons that are included with Flight Simulator 9. The problem is that the further away from the effect, the effect size decreases and because of the alpha, you loose pixel resolution fast.

The resolution
Create a set of effects, each getting brighter and brighter. Then, create a bunch of LOD models (with these different effects) and make them grow as the LODs get smaller.

OK so the effect I've created can't be seen from a (far too small) distance. In fact it's a LOD100 MDL with a light effect attached to it, with MCX.

I understand I could make brighter effects. And associate them with different LODs of my model.
But if I try doing that in MCX, it doesn't work: if I create a LOD40 avatar of my model and associate an effect to it, it will replace the effect attached to LOD100. So, one MDL, many LODs, but only one effect attached whatever the LOD.

So how to do what is "easily answered" in the wiki but obscure to me? Could someone help?
 
Hi,

The way I understand that sentence from the wiki the problem they address is that the effect is less visible, not that it disappears at all. They suggest to have an effect which is brighter shown from further away. So the different LODs indeed should replace each other.
 
Indeed Arno, we understand the same. The big question is "how to make an effect looking brighter the further away"! ;)
And I don't understand what they say about LODs. Which LODs? I can of course add LODs to y MDL but then what about the effect attached? It will remain the same since I don't know how/is it even possible to attach an effect per LOD in a single MDL.
Or are they LODs in an effect!?!
I'm lost, I must say... :)
 
The procedure would be to make a low LOD model with a bright effect attached, an intermediary LOD model with a medium brightness effect and a high LOD model with a dim effect; then use the LOD editor to add the medium LOD model and low LOD model to to the high LOD model.
I actually used a similar procedure to compensate for "the other side" of the issue. I had created a fire retardant foam spray and the problem was that while in tower view, the effect was visible but not the model emitting it. I simply added a lower LOD model to solve the distance issue. It is noteworthy that the effect was visible beyond the normal LOD ranges, which implies the trick of using different effects for various LODs of the same model may not work as intended.
 
True. But as long as the effects get bigger with distance, hopefully the smaller effects would be swamped out.
 
But you would want the exact opposite "effect" (wonder why they call them that); as you approach the model, you would want the dimmer effect to obscure or trump the brighter effect...and in my modeling, the only time I ever had a pixel resolution issue was when I tried to create a flashing "follow me" sign using sub models to represent the words that became almost invisible from the distance of the following cockpit. I believe that FSX adequately adjusts effect resolution as a function of distance, does FS9 not, or the OP have an example of an effect that does not resolve properly for distance?
 
Thank you all, with your help many new perspectives open to my novice eyes. ;)

I never had figured that one could attach models to a model (oh stupid me, it's in the roll-down list of MCX!) and I just quickly tried.
Doesn't work like I would, but it's a matter of learning by trial and error.

But it seems to be far more easy to understandi than tweaking translucid light-emitting textures (I'm getting mas at finding the right settings to apply to a texture for my light beam to mimic my "realistic" lighthouse). :)
 
For a light house effect I would use one of the three default airport beacon effects. One could easily change the green beam to white, which should be adequate and you could also experiment with other adjustments to get a specific frequency of rotation or other unique characteristics.
 
Thanks Rick but beacon effects as they are in the sim are not convenient for many reasons (tweaking too complex and impossibility to model sectorized lights, occultations etc.).

For this reason I use rotating models which are far more (easily) customizable to nearly whatever one could need.
Except for this: I can't find a way to tell the secenery engine "this object must be displayed at dusk, night and dawn but not during daytime". This is possible for effects, but I do not know how to do the same with objects.

For instance, a lighthouse group of 3 flashes is made of 3 "solid beams" rotating around the lantern, and these beams are painted with a convenient bitmap which is additive (all time long or night only).

The problem is that during daytime these beams are still displayed, nearly translucid but not completely: I always have these beams slightly visible and that sucks.

If someone could explain how to add/remove MDLs along with day time, that would be great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top