F-14D Super Tomcat

[Yac 10]

Looks great. I dream of a campaign Microprose F14 style.

[VectorX96 1]

Sorry for the lack of updates and just posting on forums about the tomcat, but i've been really drowned in work because of school, and when i had downtime i was helping Feint with his refueling addon. However i still have alot to do mostly textures and shadow volume, shadows i might just remove and re-add in a later update its hard creating new volume for a completely different model. Here is a list of what i've done, some of it is old some new:

-Afterburner added and fitted

-Pilot controls gun

-Now one action to start sweep and swept animations

-Pilot can see Probe

-Airbrakes

-Added ladders and steps just for looks

-Added reflectors for night flights

new:

-GPS/INS system

-RWR added

-Bombcat version added(x4 GBU-12's, x2 AIM-9's, x1 AIM-7)

Here are some pics of the bombcat,

[[aps]gnat 28]

Look great !

[VectorX96 1]

Thanks Gnat

[VectorX96 1]

Hey guys i have a question, Does anyone know how to get the flame effect on the engines? For instance on the RKSL Eurofighter Typhoon how the burners at the back look or how the OFrP made all their jet's have that same burner effect after the engine is turned on. I just thought it would be a cool effect to have while flying.

[b00ce 160]

The RKSL's Typhoon engine flame effect is modeled on.

[VectorX96 1]

Thanks b00ce

[VectorX96 1]

Hey guys i have an update:

So far i've created a few other default textures, some of them still need to be fitted with the UV map to make them universal. I've also added engine flames to the burners (thanks to RKSL-Rock). Ive also made it to where mission makers can use the "this setObjectTexture" code in the editor to add their own user created texture. Shadow volume still hasnt been done, and the rio cockpit is going to be ugly until the update after this one, im more focused on the outside at the moment. Also the tomcat requires you to have a gunner/rio to make it real, your going to have to switch over to manual fire, and from there you can lock on. Jynx is helping me with the variable wing sweep script and when we finish that will be the update release. The pics are on the Armaholic forum if you want to see them getting tired of copying and pasting :D.

[rksl-rock 1300]

Ah bugger... Vector I completely forgot about your PM. Ill pick it up in the morning. :o

[VectorX96 1]

Haha it's ok i fixed it, i just have to add the afterburner flame then everything will work right.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Jynx is helping me with the variable wing sweep script and when we finish that will be the update release.

WHy a script Vector?

Is it just for the "park" feature or for everything?

I doubt many people uses scripts for wing sweeping any more.

[rksl-rock 1300]

Haha it's ok i fixed it, i just have to add the afterburner flame then everything will work right.

Ok. Sorry about that i've been very busy recently.

And as Gnat says there is no need to script the wing sweep you can do it all in the model.cfg unless you want to do somethig special. You can even set the wing sweep angles to trigger at different speeds quite easily.

[VectorX96 1]

Yeah thats what we mean, see if we use the model config like Ikar did by adding the "source=Speed" then other animations wont work. I noticed this when i first started making the tomcat because i used the same method, but then i tried to get it to fold manually and the model config setup prevented it from doing so. So removed that and just made it a user action, I want the player to be able to manually control the wings on the ground but when you hit a certain speed the Central Air Data Computer (CADC) kicks in and overrides and automatically sweeps wings in the air. Jynx is working on something that wont use the model.cfg all to much, but he's been stalled due to Rl problems. So when this change will be made is a little unknown.

[rksl-rock 1300]

Yeah thats what we mean, see if we use the model config like Ikar did by adding the "source=Speed" then other animations wont work.

Well I use this method on the Tornado, Su-24, MIGs and F-35s. All the animations work. I'd suggest that your skeleton is not setup properly if your anims aren't working properly.

I noticed this when i first started making the tomcat because i used the same method, but then i tried to get it to fold manually and the model config setup prevented it from doing so. So removed that and just made it a user action, I want the player to be able to manually control the wings on the ground but when you hit a certain speed the Central Air Data Computer (CADC) kicks in and overrides and automatically sweeps wings in the air. Jynx is working on something that wont use the model.cfg all to much, but he's been stalled due to Rl problems. So when this change will be made is a little unknown.

For the Tornado wing sweep and flap control I use a monitoring script similar to the Typhoon warning system driven by some custom animated switches (like the afterburner) to manage the flaps and spoilers. The wing sweep angle is automatic via the speed values i set in the model.cfg. But the script monitors the wing and flap angle, spoilers and airbrakes etc and only animates the surfaces when needed. It even allows the wings to be "stowed" at standstill. It just takes a bit of work to set up but it works very well.

[VectorX96 1]

The anims were working its just that when i was in the ground and say i wanted to go in a hanger and in order to do so i would have to fold the wings. But the setup in the model config would only let the wings move at certain speeds making them not react to scrips, i believe it was related to the Min, Max values but one time i changed them my self and the wings flew off the plane so i left it be.

[[aps]gnat 28]

All possible without script that may or maynot cause other issues;

Speed:

0-40 : Wings full swept

41-200 : Wings full extended

201-400 : Wings swept 20

401-500 : Wings swept 30

501- : Wings full swept

The numbers are just made up, but you get the picture.

Not forcing you down the model.cfg road, just making it clear that it can all be done with multiple model.cfg entries.

..... example. Notice my Su33 undercarriage covers open AND closes again all in one trigger of source=gear

[VectorX96 1]

So what your saying is i would need to have about 5 entries in the model config with different names, like Sweep1,Sweep2 listing pretty much what you just did based on the source=speed?

[[aps]gnat 28]

Exactly

Its all about this bit;

minValue=0.00;

maxValue=1.00;

angle0="rad 00";

angle1="rad 30";

So you say start with one definition that Min is 0 and Max is say 4.9999 (meters per second)

Then define (wing) angle0 as like 50 and angle1 as 0

Then another definition: Min is 5 and Max is 39.9999 with angle0 at 0 and angle1 at 19.9999

Then another definition: Min is 40 and Max is 59.9999 with angle0 at 20 and angle1 at 29.9999

and so on .....

(angle are examples, not sure if 0 degrees is full swept or full open for you)

You can also simply leave "gaps" between the speed and the wing movement will change from constant movement to setpoint movement, like.

Definition: Min is 5 and Max is 5.1 with angle0 at 0 and angle1 at 19.9999

Then another definition: Min is 40 and Max is 40.1 with angle0 at 20 and angle1 at 29.9999

Then another definition: Min is 60 and Max is 60.1 with angle0 at 30 and angle1 at 39.9999

Opening the Min Max numbers a little will make the wing sweep a little smoother, but experiment with numbers.

Edited March 4, 2012 by [APS]Gnat

[VectorX96 1]

v1.2 Released on Armaholic, have at it.

[vengeance1 50]

Awesome VectorX96 this is just what we've been waiting for! Thanks!

[VectorX96 1]

Welcome,it's all in a day's work.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Congrats on the release. GJ

[VectorX96 1]

Thanks Gnat couldn't have done most of it without you!

[panther42 52]

Very nice VectorX96. I have a question or two for you.

I am making an AI Carrier Flight Operations script, and when I use your Tomcat, it stops on a dime at the first arrestor point, then darts off to the left. Ends up smoking like the engine blew... This only happens with your Tomcat, and Meatball's F-18. I'm quite sure you know way more than I do about modeling and the config, but what could possibly be doing this?

I have no other problems with any other aircraft doing this.

Is there a memory point built into your model for "tailhook". Reason I ask is that I can animate the tailhook up and down, but want to make sure when catching the aircraft with the arrestor via selectionPosition it is catching it at the correct point. With IkaR's F-14, I have to animate the tailhook with the word "crochet", which is French for hook. He or whoever made that must have been French. Trying to catch it with the selectionPosition "crochet" doesn't work though.

One other thing, I notice a script error while running this bird. It's internal to the afterburner or something...

Not at home right now, but can give you the exact error tomorrow.

Thanks for all your work.

Edited March 11, 2012 by panther42

[VectorX96 1]

The tomcat does have a point named "tailhook", im not truely sure why, but to tell you the truth during testing for the new version i did find it harder to get the hook to catch the ropes, might have to change the AOA in your script or something to where the point actually sides up with the cables. But i'll see if i can fix it and put it in the next update.