MSFS24 Remove Before Flight - is it Physics?

[Christian Bahr]

Hello Aircraft Developers

Since MSFS24, there have been these animated "Remove Before Flight" flags. You can click them in character mode, and they disappear. This is used for realistic walkarounds with airliners, etc:

Image source: MSFS24 SDK

I've noticed that these "flags" are dynamic. That is, they react to wind speed and direction. Clearly, it's not a static animation.

I didn't find much about it in the SDK, except that it's a "special physics object". Quote from the SDK: "NOTE: Some of the images show a "Remove Before Flight" tag hanging from the various covers. This is a special physics object that is spawned by the simulation and does not need to be modeled. See "Remove Before Flight" Flags for more information."

It would of course be extremely interesting to know if anyone has already worked with it!
My question: How can the underlying physics be applied to one's own objects?

 

[EzRyder]

the "flag" itself is what they are talking about and the 'physics based animation' is just a formula that makes them sway in the wind

in your pic you would model the pitot cover and then 'attach' the flag with a comment in the flight_model.cfg
example from asobo c172
[OBJ_EA1_PitotFLAG.0]; Pitot cover left
position = -5.36, 2.5, -1.84 ; x, y, z position of the object in ft
size = 0.15, 1.4, 0
linked_behavior_index = 2
material_guid = E48F59B9-94E0-4CA2-B261-8E5FFFF3CB03

then some are controlled via xml code (to hide them and the cover) in the exterior.xml or in a separate 'walkaround' xml (usually found in the attachments folders)
no example with compiled behaviours (i dont have the da62 sample installed yet, should be in that)

with an on /off switch available in the flt files for different spawn situations
example apron.flt from the c172
[Covers]
Chock=On
Engine=On
Pitot=On
Static_Port=On

Covers, Chocks, And Pins

docs.flightsimulator.com

 

[Christian Bahr]

the "flag" itself is what they are talking about and the 'physics based animation' is just a formula that makes them sway in the wind

This is the technique I want to know about. How can I access this "formula" and create my own flag that also reacts to wind?
Attaching the flag as an object would be the second step.

For example, the MSFS24 Hot Air Balloon and the Banner that can be picked up by an aircraft. Various physical forces act on the balloon, and I believe atmospheric pressure is also simulated.
If this access to the internal flag physics were available, then several ideas could be implemented. Is it even possible to access it?

 

[EzRyder]

i 'think' most of this would be available but may be split up in a modular manner - not really sure tbh ive never deep dove into these
here is one i think, ive also found regular flags and the balloon browsing the VFS

but it may take some digging to find what your looking for (your probably talking about multiple diff physics formulas there)
and of course these are compiled so not much help
thats why i suggested the sample da62, it may have the uncompiled xml code which would be easier to find the actual template and formula from

for good measure

 

[Christian Bahr]

Okay, the "Remove Before Flight" flag seems to be a keyframe animation - much like my flags and windsocks. The animations of these wind objects are pre-rendered.

My hope was that my flags and windsocks could utilize MSFS24's "internal physics" - essentially, direct physics rather than just keyframe animation.
Well, that would have been too good to be true.

Thanks anyway for your help