FSXA Question about Hierarchy

[Oldguy19]

Hi all;

I am trying, for first time, to do animation with MCX, and have enccountered a problem !
As a test;
1=i try to make a UFO fly around
2= i try to make UFO rotating.

My testing in MCX both objects work fine, but in FSX the rotation does not work but the flying work good.

I put my .BGL so someone could check wath i do wrong !

 

[tgibson]

I believe that Vector animation can only be movement, not rotation. For rotation I use Quaternium. Chosen from the drop down box when you create the animation.

 

[Oldguy19]

Hi Tom,

If you check the object "UFO-test-rotation" in MCX
In the hierarchy window, you will see that i do use the Quaternium and it work fine in MCX.
But i do not know why it does not work in FSX.

 

[tgibson]

There is no such part in the BGL file you posted , and all six parts use Vector animation. Your Quaternion animation was apparently lost.

 

[Oldguy19]

Bizarre !
In my Windows it shows Quaternium, and in MCX it does rotate.

 

[tgibson]

Hi,

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I didn't realize you had two separate objects in your BGL file.

The rotation object only has two keyframes, 0 and 200. To get rotation working well in FS, you will need at least 5 keyframes, 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200.

 

[Oldguy19]

First, Thank you Tom. Now it work OK.
I am a slow learner

Like you said it takes 5 Keyframes to rotate in FSX.
And i tried in P3D4 and it rotate with only 2 keyframes !

I have 2 more questions
1 = Where can i find the manuel / tutorial that explain how to use the Hierarchy ?

2 = i see that in Quaternium, it rotate only 180' is there a way to rotate 360' ?

 

[tgibson]

Hi,

Glad to help. Odd that they would act so differently.

I don't know of a tutorial specific to the Hierarchy Editor, but my FS2004 to FSX Conversion Tutorial has a lot of information on how to use it. Mostly in Part 2 and Part 3.

http://www.calclassic.com/convert_tutorial/index.html

To get a 360 degree rotation you will need to add 5 keyframes, and the RotZ values need to be:

0
90
-180
-90
0

for some odd reason.

To enter -90 (you will end up with 90), add a minus sign to the number in the Z: box and it will change it from 90 to -90.

Hope this helps,

 

[Oldguy19]

Thank Tom; your my

Now i can rotate 360' in all axes.

Like you say, it is wierd to have to put the minus sign in the related box (X-Y or Z).

Slowly but surely i'm getting there