FSX Object Positioning

[art209]

I created a modern day tower for an airport rotating beacon placed with a .bgl from FSDS, then placed the FSX rotating beacon with a .bgl from XML, both with the exact same coordinates. When viewed at any distance from the north, south, east or west, the beacon is aligned exactly with the tower. However, the light does not appear aligned with the tower when viewed from the sw, se, nw or ne, which gets worse with distance. Pictures are attached representing each condition.

Is there something about the way FSX calculates the location of 3D objects that locates some differently when viewed at different angles? Best solution, if any?

Art

 

[GHD]

Do they both have the same origin in FSDS?

 

[arno]

Yes, is the origin in FSDS the centre of the mast with the light?

 

[art209]

Yes, is the origin in FSDS the centre of the mast with the light?

Yes, the FSDS origin is the center of the light tower. I have tried moving it around a little in FSDS until I realized that the light and tower appear perfectly aligned in the n-s and e-w view directions when the tower is on the origin.

As previously stated, the beacon is an FSX object placed with XML, and both have the same exact coordinates. They are also seen exactly aligned in the FSX top-down view.

If anyone is interested, I have attached the .bgl files for both, which can be viewed at KPCM.

Art

 

[GHD]

According to MCX, there are no objects in KPCM_BEACON_AP.bgl

 

[art209]

According to MCX, there are no objects in KPCM_BEACON_AP.bgl

That is true. See attached.

Art

 

[GHD]

I extracted the model and placed it in a library then placed the model and beacon at the same lat/long with the beacon at height 12.2m AGL.

I can see no displacement of the beacon at any viewpoint, however, I placed the model at zero AGL.

 

[art209]

I can see no displacement of the beacon at any viewpoint

Okay, now back away some distance to the sw, nw, se or ne and see if the beacon becomes offset from the tower center.

Art

 

[GHD]

How far should I back off? If I move much further SW the model won't be visible.

 

[art209]

I guess that I'm being told that I'm the only one experiencing the issue.

Art

 

[GHD]

I guess that I'm being told that I'm the only one experiencing the issue.

Art

Well a sample of one doesn't make for a good survey

Even when the beacon is rotating, I don't see an offset

 

[art209]

Well a sample of one doesn't make for a good survey

I notice that you have apparently extracted the tower model and placed it at a different location. You didn't attach the light to the tower did you? Or, maybe location makes a difference.

Art

 

[GHD]

I did place it in a different location. Here is the xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!-- Created by Scenery Design Engine (SDE) on 18/10/2009 -->
<FSData
   version="9.0"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
   <SceneryObject
      lat="54.9944867105104"
      lon="-1.4091571623151"
      alt="0.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="245.994873046875"
      imageComplexity="NORMAL">
      <LibraryObject
         name="{7539f9c0-351b-40b1-a035-9a381650a8a2}"
         scale="1.0"
         />
   </SceneryObject>
  <SceneryObject 
    lat="54.9944867105104"
    lon="-1.4091571623151"
    alt="12.2000"
    pitch="0"
    bank="0"
    heading="0"
    altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
    imageComplexity="NORMAL">
    <Beacon type="CIVILIAN" baseType="AIRPORT" />
  </SceneryObject>
</FSData>

 

[art209]

Okay, I'm still at the same location, but it appears that the problem I am experiencing is with the FSX beacon itself. An image is attached viewing the tower and light at dusk. I am seeing, when viewed at the angle where the physical beacon appears offset on the tower, that the light effect is centered on the tower, not on the beacon. If others do not see the same thing, I'm at a loss to understand the cause. Keep in mind that this is visible only at certain angles.

Art

 

[art209]

I did place it in a different location. Here is the xml:

I did it your way George at the same location and got the same result. I did it again at Blackpool, England and everything is okay. So, I guess it is location. I'll have to move to England.

I have seen XML in the forums per the following attachment. Any idea how to use this?


Art