MSFS Scenery Lights

[superspud]

I think aircraft lights are their own separate fx of some sort, not that I know anything about making aircraft.

These lights have an entry inside the model gltfs so they're innate to the model.

I guess it is a pretty obscure area but it still boggles my mind that Blender can't create a pure light of this nature.

 

[=rk=]

Creating static SimObject's, especially animated ones, provide a wealth of controllability, through <Behaviors>, which allows access to simulation variables; thing like seasons, hangar doors, etc.

Static Objects are SimObjects that do not move from their origin position, but can still have complex behaviors and animations.

Static Objects

docs.flightsimulator.com

These lights have an entry inside the model gltfs so they're innate to the model.

Yes, well I've seen some of the work you do, so I know you are clever enough. There are numerous "empty" light sockets and fixtures throughout the default libraries and if that's not a good enough start, one can simply make one's own, attach the airplane light to it, export it as a Static Object and go from there. This also was an old trick from FSX/P3D to make the best ground vehicle headlights out of landing lights.

 

[neilb]

You can use the - `LuckySpurSaloon' obect as a light scource, white or yellow, I have used it in many of my buildings

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I think an orb would have to be an effect.

 

[superspud]

They are gltf entries named 'light', but they don't match the rather scant SDK documentation bits about light in 3ds Max. In that it looks basically similar to the Blender options.

I do have a 3ds Max installation but can't face learning another 3d program. I nearly died becoming useless at Blender.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

OK. A light orb that can be seen from an absurd distance:

1) Define a light preset.

2) Create a Light Row. Make the Spacing in the Properties greater than the distance of the row itself, to force a single object with orb.

Visible distance:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<FSData version="9.0">
    <Airport groupID="1" groupGenerated="FALSE" state="Wisconsin" city="Delavan" name="Lake Lawn" ident="C59" lat="42.63412501662970" lon="-88.60113054513930" alt="296.56999999999999" magvar="2.000000" trafficScalar="1.000000" airportTestRadius="10000.00000000000000" applyFlatten="FALSE" isOnTIN="FALSE">
        <Aprons/>
        <PaintedElements/>
        <ApronEdgeLights>
            <EdgeLights parentGroupID="1" preset="beacon" spacing="20.000000">
                <Vertex lat="42.62909177751050" lon="-88.60005007500637"/>
                <Vertex lat="42.62907638392132" lon="-88.60005004471853"/>
            </EdgeLights>
        </ApronEdgeLights>
        <LightPreset name="beacon" phase="0.000000" mesh="{E81AA2EE-E64E-4E2C-8913-0587412D7EDC}">
            <Light relativePosition="0.000000 2.200000 0.000000" direction="0.000000 0.000000 1.000000" direction2="0.000000 0.000000 1.000000" type="OMNIDIRECTIONAL" fade="NO_FADE" radius="10.000000" color="255 0 0" intensity="9000.000000" duration="0.000000" period="0.000000" phase="0.000000"/>
        </LightPreset>
    </Airport>
</FSData>

 

[superspud]

I can't use anything that requires an airport.

This is for a moving carrier a la the Asobo one.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I can't use anything that requires an airport.

This is for a moving carrier a la the Asobo one.

I'm pretty sure an effect is the solution for that, but I'm not crafty enough to figure out the process. The esd-modellib-eolib package has a campfire that is visible for quite a distance. But the SPB file can't be decompiled. It remains a mystery to me.

 

[superspud]

Returning to this again.

I've noticed the Miltech simulations carriers now have the right lights - sprite -esque and visible for miles.

These aren't airport dependent, they're seemingly innate to the model.

There are no effects folders and the full entry in the gltf is this with no mention of lights anywhere else in the simobject setup. -

"name":"LIGHT_WHITE_UNIDIREC_001"},{"translation":[10.750768661499024,21.51263427734375,-212.0560760498047],"rotation":[0.0,0.9999998807907105,0.0,-0.0006667812704108655],

So it is present in the model. However there's no mention of a day/night cycle which it does adhere to.

Can any 3DS Max users shed any light on this type of light being available to them? If it is then I might just take the plunge as this is driving me batty.

Since these lights are only on aircraft carriers that will be hijacking the Top Gun code, it must be dependent on that for the light too, but I can't find any entry anywhere linking the light to it.

 

[mamu]

Returning to this again.

I've noticed the Miltech simulations carriers now have the right lights - sprite -esque and visible for miles.

These aren't airport dependent, they're seemingly innate to the model.

There are no effects folders and the full entry in the gltf is this with no mention of lights anywhere else in the simobject setup. -

"name":"LIGHT_WHITE_UNIDIREC_001"},{"translation":[10.750768661499024,21.51263427734375,-212.0560760498047],"rotation":[0.0,0.9999998807907105,0.0,-0.0006667812704108655],

So it is present in the model. However there's no mention of a day/night cycle which it does adhere to.

Can any 3DS Max users shed any light on this type of light being available to them? If it is then I might just take the plunge as this is driving me batty.

Since these lights are only on aircraft carriers that will be hijacking the Top Gun code, it must be dependent on that for the light too, but I can't find any entry anywhere linking the light to it.

Yeah the Asobo Carrier is full of those nodes
LIGHT_WHITE_nnn
LIGHT_RED_nnn
LIGHT_WHITE_UNIDIREC_nnn
(Where nnn range from 001 to 0xx)

Seems legit that the "orb" spawns at those nodes, and that the spawning is node name based
But how? I have attached those nodes to scenery objects, no orbs
I have attached them to Simboject, no orbs
I have attached them to a Groundvehicle placed with Worldscript moving along a waypoints, no orbs

So where is the catch?

I'm gonna post the same at Devsupport
Hope they unveil the secret

 

[superspud]

At least Touching Cloud and Miltech Simulations know.

Since it's only them that seem to use these it must be a Top Gun only thing. The Asobo carrier has them too.

The light behaviour is strange. If you place the simobjects yourself sometimes the ship moves and the lights don't until they decide to catch up again.

Other times they don't appear at all and then suddenly materialise when you look from another angle. Which I guess means they are not regular lights.

 

[mamu]

At least Touching Cloud and Miltech Simulations know.

Since it's only them that seem to use these it must be a Top Gun only thing. The Asobo carrier has them too.

The light behaviour is strange. If you place the simobjects yourself sometimes the ship moves and the lights don't until they decide to catch up again.

Other times they don't appear at all and then suddenly materialise when you look from another angle. Which I guess means they are not regular lights.

Well they both have used them for the same exact stuff , Aircraft Carriers
Therefore my guess is that the lights/node recognition is somewhat hardcoded with a combination of

Simboject type Boat
HasPlatform=1
Placed with a Worldscript
With collidable with user true
With those runway reference point in the .cfg

 

[superspud]

I just tried it adding a node, or rather empty, on my own carrier with that set exact up.

It's not appearing even though the empty has the same name.

There must be something extra hiding somewhere. Or I haven't done it right.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

There's a LevelArt.spb file associated. It places objects on the carrier in the mission. Maybe it's in there...

 

[mamu]

There's a LevelArt.spb file associated. It places objects on the carrier in the mission. Maybe it's in there...

Nope, unfortunately
I have checked through the various mdl guid already,
The one with multiple entries are f18s, airplane dolly, poles and cones

(Btw that is a good example of how to make stuff, the Asobo Carrier infact is "empty" with all the "life" attached as separate models, providing a more light impact on the frames)

 

[Blomotom]

Hello,
Could you help me ?
In blender :
When i export only the light, i have no .bin file in export folder (and no visible object in msfs scenery editor).
When i create a mesh (visible or invisible) and a light, i have the .bin file (and the gltf and xml file) in export folder (object is visible in msfs scenery editor, but with NO LIGHT).
Thanks in advance.

My goal : create simple light in order to move it in my scenery or duplicate it like object.