help with making an aircraft mod

[Joeh 1]

Ok so ive wanted to make mods for a while, but everytime i try and find guides/help, there not worded for total beginners, so far ive made a model of an aircraft, ive imported that into oxygen 2 and ive added geometry, fire geometry, and ground contact for the plane, but i have absolutely no idea how to make a config for it, to be honest, right now alls i want to do is get it into arma 3 in the first place so i can check that the geometry and fire geometry work, then get a config to make it fly later, can anybody help me with this? thanks, Joe.

[abs 2]

Here's a demo one that should work. It's based on my Constitution class starship, but that's a plane in the game so shouldn't be too different. I got rid of a bunch of stuff that I have, such as sound, but you can look in to other configs and get the game based stuff from there. You should find your plane in BLUFOR under My Airplanes.

#define true    1
#define false    0
#define private        0
#define protected        1
#define public        2
#define TEast        0
#define TWest        1
#define TGuerrila        2
#define TCivilian        3
#define TSideUnknown        4
#define TEnemy        5
#define TFriendly        6
#define TLogic        7
enum {
   DESTRUCTENGINE = 2,
   DESTRUCTDEFAULT = 6,
   DESTRUCTWRECK = 7,
   DESTRUCTTREE = 3,
   DESTRUCTTENT = 4,
   STABILIZEDINAXISX = 1,
   STABILIZEDINAXESXYZ = 4,
   STABILIZEDINAXISY = 2,
   STABILIZEDINAXESBOTH = 3,
   DESTRUCTNO = 0,
   STABILIZEDINAXESNONE = 0,
   DESTRUCTMAN = 5,
   DESTRUCTBUILDING = 1,
};
class CfgPatches {
   class MY_Vehicles {
       units[] = {"MY_FirstPlane"};
       weapons[] = {};
       requiredAddons[] = {};
       requiredVersion = 1.0;
   };
};
class CfgVehicleClasses {
   class MY_Airplanes {
       displayName = "My Airplanes";
   };
};
class CfgVehicles {
   class Plane{class UserActions{};};

   class MY_FirstPlane: Plane {
       vehicleClass = "MY_Airplanes";
       simulation = "airplane";
       _generalMacro = "Plane";
       attenuationEffectType = "HeliAttenuation";
       gearRetracting = 0;
       side = 1;
       displayName = "My First Airplane!";
       model = "\MY_Vehicles\MY_FirstPlane.p3d";
       picture = "\MY_Vehicles\Ico\My_PlaneIco_ca.paa";
       Icon = "\MY_Vehicles\map_ico\My_Plane_ca.paa";
       scope = 2;
       faction = "BLU_F";
       crew = "B_Soldier_F";
       transportSoldier = 7;
       DriverAction = "Chopperlight_L_Static_H";
       getInAction = "GetInLow";
       hasGunner = 1;
       cargoIsCoDriver[] = {1,0};
       cargoAction[] = {"Mi8_Cargo","Mi17_Cargo02"};
       fuelCapacity = 10000;
       maxSpeed = 1420;
       acceleration = 200;
       noseDownCoef = 0;    // how much goes nose down during turns
       landingSpeed = 0;
       nightVision = 1; //A3
       enableGPS = 1; //A3
       radarType = 4; //A3
       LockDetectionSystem = 8; //A3
       incomingMissileDetectionSystem = 16; //A3
       irScanRangeMax = 10000; //A3
       envelope[] = {0, 0.2, 1.2, 3, 5.1, 7, 7.3, 7, 6.3, 5.2, 3.8, 1.8, 0.5, 0};
       aileronSensitivity = 0.9;    // relative aileron sensitivity
       elevatorSensitivity = 0.9;    // relative elevator sensitivity
       vtol = 3;
   };
};

Let me know if you get any errors.

Abs

[Joeh 1]

Thanks for the help Abs, ok so i added the config and changed the model to myne 'Mosquito.p3d' in the config, then binarised the .ccp config into a .bin file, then i turned the whole thing into a .pbo (model and .bin), when i put it in game, i can spawn it, and i can access the inventory, but the plane isnt visible, i cant see anything, im not sure if its my model, i can see it in buldozer, heres a screenshot of my crappy model up to now in buldozer http://gyazo.com/2025b668e93e9a88b65d5a85d1a3269d, and heres a screenshot of my oxygen http://gyazo.com/6458ed2b810581dc3ecc78a4178c5b03, ive read that if you have too many vertex/faces that it can be invisible, but i dont think myne is, its pretty basic, so im not sure what ive done wrong, thanks for the help.

[TeTeT 1520]

Have you started arma3 with -showscripterrors parameters, so you can see if maybe some error in the config.cpp or model.cfg is preventing the plane from being displayed? Somewhat unrelated: If you haven't started texturing it, you could start out with procedural textures and apply plain colours: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Procedural_Textures

[abs 2]

...i added the config and changed the model to myne 'Mosquito.p3d' in the config....

Make sure your path is correct. Post your config here along with the folder structure, please.

Also, you might want to check the RPT file for errors.

Abs

[Joeh 1]

ok here is the config.cpp, and my folder structure is here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5527081/pbo.png, thanks for any help im a total beginner so i dont even know the structure of the folders, all help is greatly appreciated, also if my plane isnt textured will it still show in game as a plain white model?

#define true 1

#define false 0

#define private 0

#define protected 1

#define public 2

#define TEast 0

#define TWest 1

#define TGuerrila 2

#define TCivilian 3

#define TSideUnknown 4

#define TEnemy 5

#define TFriendly 6

#define TLogic 7

enum {

DESTRUCTENGINE = 2,

DESTRUCTDEFAULT = 6,

DESTRUCTWRECK = 7,

DESTRUCTTREE = 3,

DESTRUCTTENT = 4,

STABILIZEDINAXISX = 1,

STABILIZEDINAXESXYZ = 4,

STABILIZEDINAXISY = 2,

STABILIZEDINAXESBOTH = 3,

DESTRUCTNO = 0,

STABILIZEDINAXESNONE = 0,

DESTRUCTMAN = 5,

DESTRUCTBUILDING = 1,

};

class CfgPatches {

class MY_Vehicles {

units[] = {"MY_FirstPlane"};

weapons[] = {};

requiredAddons[] = {};

requiredVersion = 1.0;

};

};

class CfgVehicleClasses {

class MY_Airplanes {

displayName = "My Airplanes";

};

};

class CfgVehicles {

class Plane{class UserActions{};};

class MY_FirstPlane: Plane {

vehicleClass = "MY_Airplanes";

simulation = "airplane";

_generalMacro = "Plane";

attenuationEffectType = "HeliAttenuation";

gearRetracting = 0;

side = 1;

displayName = "My First Airplane!";

model = "\MY_Vehicles\Mosquito.p3d";

picture = "\MY_Vehicles\Ico\My_PlaneIco_ca.paa";

Icon = "\MY_Vehicles\map_ico\My_Plane_ca.paa";

scope = 2;

faction = "BLU_F";

crew = "B_Soldier_F";

transportSoldier = 7;

DriverAction = "Chopperlight_L_Static_H";

getInAction = "GetInLow";

hasGunner = 1;

cargoIsCoDriver[] = {1,0};

cargoAction[] = {"Mi8_Cargo","Mi17_Cargo02"};

fuelCapacity = 10000;

maxSpeed = 500;

acceleration = 20;

noseDownCoef = 5; // how much goes nose down during turns

landingSpeed = 180;

nightVision = 1; //A3

enableGPS = 1; //A3

radarType = 4; //A3

LockDetectionSystem = 8; //A3

incomingMissileDetectionSystem = 16; //A3

irScanRangeMax = 10000; //A3

envelope[] = {0, 0.2, 1.2, 3, 5.1, 7, 7.3, 7, 6.3, 5.2, 3.8, 1.8, 0.5, 0};

aileronSensitivity = 0.9; // relative aileron sensitivity

elevatorSensitivity = 0.9; // relative elevator sensitivity

vtol = 3;

};

};

[abs 2]

I've got a few minutes. Do me a favour and upload everything you have so I can take a look at it.

Abs

[Edit: Yes. No texture = plain (plane?) white model.]

[Joeh 1]

ok heres the link https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5527081/Mosquito.zip , i really appreciate this help by the way, thanks.

[abs 2]

Worked for me. http://i.imgur.com/9nXNMn6.jpg

Make sure that the files are in a folder called P:\MY_Vehicles\

Abs

[Joeh 1]

How do you make my mod into a pbo, ive used BINPbo to turn it into a pbo but my game freezes in game when i spawn it, and why exactly are you putting files in P:\MY_Vehicles\, you put anything in P:\ when you download other mods?

[abs 2]

Okay, it sounds like you don't have a P:\, so I'm going to assume that you are a 100% total new beginner. Here's a very simple breakdown...

First, follow this tutorial to install the tools properly: http://ohplz.ca/tuts/00/

Then, when you're done come back here and read the rest of what I have to write...

I'll wait...go ahead.

===============================================================

Welcome back. Okay, so now that you have the tools installed properly and have a P:\ you're ready to start making your addons. The P:\ is where you will develop all your addons.

1. Create a folder called MY_Vehicles

2. Add the config file and the p3d file there.

3. Use Addon Builder to pack your PBO.

4. Copy your new PBO file in to your Arma 3 Addons directory.

If you need help with any of these steps, don't hesitate to ask.

Abs

[Joeh 1]

Whey it works, thank you so so much, first step to making some mods is done, now i can actually start doing some stuff, thank you so much for the help, easily the best help ive had, i appreciate it a hell of a lot, thanks :D

[abs 2]

Glad I could help.

Dont enter the competition with what I just taught you. ;)

More importantly, don't give up. It's not easy to make addons, but just keep going at it taking baby steps and eventually you'll get there.

Abs

[Joeh 1]

haha im not planning on entering that competition, ive been wanting to make addons for ArmA for a long time mainly for aircraft, theres alot of aircraft that theres no mods for that i just want to fly, but everytime i've asked for help and specified im a beginner, there just too technical, ill message you back if i ever complete this plane, theres alot to do of course, again, thanks for the help :)

[chortles 263]

In addition to Abs' advice, you could also check out the Arma 2 sample models, which do include configs for the official Arma 2 aircraft.