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Simple red light

Messages
24
Country
poland
Hi,
I am sorry for my question but i couldn't find simple answer.
I created simple building with gmax and I would like to add simple red light on the roof. I have no idea about creating effects so here is my quesiton:
Is there any simple way to add some FSX default effect in gmax - way similar to chimney smoke?
I would like to have red light illuminating only at night.
 

hcornea

Resource contributor
Messages
2,388
Country
australia
It is fairly easy to add a light fx to your object, and very similar to chimney smoke.

What you most likely want is w=one of the vertical obstruction light fx which are part of the core.

I tend to look at them in the fx editor to make sure of which one I want.

Then:

Create a Box or similar
select it
Use the attachpoint tool to attach your chosen fx file to the object.

You may choose to add switches (for DAY, NIGHT etc)

Remember if adding switches that you will need two objects as you cannot apply DAY, NIGHT, DAWN and DISK all to a single object (FSX bug)
 
Messages
3,278
Country
spain
Yes, that is to place a light as an object. You can attach the effect directly too with MCX is very easy. or Gmax.
don't forget to set opacity to the material for the box as zero. this will make the box invisible.
 

hcornea

Resource contributor
Messages
2,388
Country
australia
The procedure above WAS in gMax.

A couple of notes .. using the attachpoint tool turns the geometry INTO the attachpoint. There is no need to change the material or opacity, as the geometry will not be compiled at all.

As an aside, the material opacity setting for FSX materials does not affect the final material compiled into the mdl file.
 
Messages
24
Country
poland
It is fairly easy to add a light fx to your object, and very similar to chimney smoke.

What you most likely want is w=one of the vertical obstruction light fx which are part of the core.

I tend to look at them in the fx editor to make sure of which one I want.

Then:

Create a Box or similar
select it
Use the attachpoint tool to attach your chosen fx file to the object.

You may choose to add switches (for DAY, NIGHT etc)

Remember if adding switches that you will need two objects as you cannot apply DAY, NIGHT, DAWN and DISK all to a single object (FSX bug)


Guys, I'm completly green with effects.
1. As i understand, i should create small box on the roof of my building and attach TO IT light effect. In FSX this box will be invisible. Am I correct?

2. What fx editor are you talking about? Where can I find it? Or mayby u know what is the name of simple red steady light effect?

3. Where exactly can I find DAY/NIGHT option? In gmax? I dont see it in gmax.

4. As i understood - If I want a light illuminating at night, dusk and dawn, I need to create 3 boxes in the same place on the roof?
 
Messages
3,278
Country
spain
just one box and two effects . one for day night tags, and the other for dusk, dawn. and as Hcornea say it's not needed to set opacity , it's something I have noticed, though the last sentence I didn't understand very well.could be because I had problems to get transparency in Gmax for those invisibles boxes.
 
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GHD

Messages
12,243
Country
england
You don't need any fancy models with attach points.

If you can find a good red effect, a few lines of xml can place it. This is the code using the default fx_navred.fx:

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<FSData
   version="9.0"
   xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
   xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="bglcomp.xsd">
   <SceneryObject
      lat="51.713211911"
      lon="-4.31085976"
      alt="10.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="0"
      imageComplexity="NORMAL">
      <Effect
         effectName="fx_navred.fx"
         effectParams="NIGHT=1; DAY=0"/>
   </SceneryObject>
   <SceneryObject
      lat="51.713211911"
      lon="-4.31085976"
      alt="10.0M"
      altitudeIsAgl="TRUE"
      pitch="0"
      bank="0"
      heading="0"
      imageComplexity="NORMAL">
      <Effect
         effectName="fx_navred.fx"
         effectParams="DAWN=1; DUSK=1"/>
   </SceneryObject>
</FSData>

 
Messages
24
Country
poland
Gentlemen!

I wrote clearly I'm completly green with creating/editing effects, including editing xml. I have no idea what are you talking about with xml editing. What file, what to edit etc. etc.
I just want to attach simple red light (illuminating at night, dusk and dawn) to my building using GMAX only - if it's only possible. With chimney smoke it was easy - I just attached smoke effect to my building. When i attach fx_navred there is no light in FSX.
 

hcornea

Resource contributor
Messages
2,388
Country
australia
You don't need any fancy models with attach points.

Except that the OP stated that he has already made a building. In this case it is far easier to attach the standard fx to the model already made.

You don't need to edit the fx. The fx editor is just for choosing an fx file by viewing it. The fx editor is in the FSX menu after installing the FSX SDK.

No matter, perhaps just attach the fx file that GHD suggested in the xml code, and put your model into the sim.

That should give you the idea.
 
Messages
24
Country
poland
Guys, I was following jdhaenens post 2 instruction (http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&...lDaDFtoGkDtVOA) and I failed :/
I created small box on my roof, converted to edit mesh, picked fx_navred, set parameters as described, attached effect to box.
In FSX i see this box and there is no light :(
What am I doing wrong?

btw. before exporting mdl i attached building with effect-boxes.
When I was trying to export building without attaching with boxes, there was an error with gmax and i couldnt export.
 

hcornea

Resource contributor
Messages
2,388
Country
australia
Sounds that the attachpoint has not been applied.

Try without any switches.

There are two options, one to attach to your geometry and one that makes a new attachpoint. I can't remember the exact wording.

What do you mean attached the building with fx boxes.

If you have attached the building mesh to the little box you made, then you have incorporated the box into your building, and removed the attachpoint. Do not do that.

A piece of geometry that holds the attachpoint needs to be its own object.

This explains why the box appears.

Attach the fx without parameters to get it working. Then you can finesse the details.
 
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Messages
24
Country
poland
Yupi!
I'v made new test box and now everthing works! I have the light :D
Parameters work too!
Seems something is wrong with my building. I will check it later.

Thank you very much guys!

But now I have one more problem ;)
This fx_navred is terribly small and invisible :( I'v found fx_navredH is a bit larger but it's still not enough as for warning light on the high building.
Is there any way to make it larger with some parameter or is there any larger default FSX effect? I couldn't find.
It should be some solution because I have some scenery which doesn't contain new custom effects and this scenery gives buildings with strong big red light.
Thanks in advance.
 
Messages
1,510
Country
unitedstates
I think the "obslight*.fx" ones are larger and brighter, there are 2(?) I believe, one flashes and the other one doesn't.

If you have ModelConverterX installed there should be an "FXEditor.exe" in your MCX folder, you can use that to preview and edit effects.

Congrats on your win BTW.

Jim
 
Messages
24
Country
poland
Thank you for reply.
I'v installed FSX Editor. Obslight2 is a bit larger indeed, but still too small. I'v found also g_floodred but from distance it doesn't look like warnign obstruction light (like on high chimney or radio antenna).
Is there any simple way to make light effect more visible from greater distance?
And btw. how can I recognize which effect is default stocked FSX fx?
 
Messages
3,278
Country
spain
Usually the fx from addons come with some name which could be to identify the fx. but it's hard to say sometime. about how edit fx , Fx editor from MCX, is for that pourpose but it's a hard matter , very Little information about this. when you are placing runway lights you can see are very dimmed it's hard to get them brighter.
 
Messages
1,510
Country
unitedstates
how can I recognize which effect is default stocked FSX fx?

I have a read-only backup of FSX that I made minutes after installing FSX+Accel which I just "dir-ed" to the attached .txt file. Should be safe to use anything from this list I believe.

For brighter (not necessarily larger) lights that can be seen from greater distances you could attach a BGL light rather than an effect. You make these with the FS2004 gmax gamepack, you capture the .asm source code from the gmax .mdl export, make some simple tweaks to the code and then re-compile it to .mdl with BGLC_9.exe. Then you compile them into an FS9 object library and attach them to your FSX models by their GUIDs. The day/night/dawn/dusk switching is accomplished in the tweaked .asm so no need to use parameters in the gmax attachment.

They have quirks too, I've noticed having them in an FSX scenery sometimes causes AI aircraft landing lights to switch on when they shouldn't be for example. Still better than an effect for something like runway lights IMHO as they can be seen from much greater distances. Do a search for "BGL light" or "light point library" and you should be able to either make some or download a library that's ready to use.

Jim
 

Attachments

  • effects.txt
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Messages
24
Country
poland
Thanks for the effects list file.
Well, it all sounds like very difficult procedure. I will try to read more about it.
 
Messages
1,510
Country
unitedstates
it all sounds like very difficult procedure

It's one of those things that takes you 3 days to figure out and 10 seconds to do :) .

Before you spend too much time researching bgl lights you'd probably better test them out first to see if you even like them. Here's a library with a red and a white light, drop the .bgl into an active scenery folder and attach them just as you did the effects except attach them as a library object and specify which is to be attached with the GUIDs below:

bgl_light_white: d726fd8c-d484-4717-0062-b96427a2ed55
bgl_light_red: 182054e4-e7d9-76a3-1bca-7d678a683eca

If you like them you can make your own in an assortment of colors, IIRC I even made some that flash at one time.

Jim
 
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Messages
24
Country
poland
It's one of those things that takes you 3 days to figure out and 10 seconds to do :) .
:D This is the essence!

Jim, your bgl lights are exactly what I need!
Will you hate me If i ask you for making 1 bgl more for me containing 2 lights - one red exactly the same plus one pulsing red?
I would be very grateful.

EDIT:
Here: http://www.simdesign.pl/downloads.php is free file with landmarks - VFR Poland 3D Landmarks v0.21
I need exactly same pulsing light as you can see on the highest chimney in east direction from EPPO.
 
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