Fortran

Thanks for responding guys, glad to know its not me going nutts. Also many thanks da12thMonkey that was exactly the kind of explanation I needed to get started with this! Thanks alot mate. Luckily I only really need this for the view-pilot pilot proxy for the plane im working on as the main LOD proxy can be any pilot anim really as you can't see far enough into the cockpit to see the hand positions are off...so hopefully I can use the original A1 model to pose it as you can't see the face anyway.

Hi Sakura, I am not %100 sure of the influence one attached object has on another in terms of inheritance but from testing this idea in this thread it became quite obvious quite fast that using the attachto command overrode any values that the vehicle being "attached" to the other vehicle had. I can't tell at this point whether the attached vehicle inherits anything from the vehicle its attached to or whether it rather just becomes nothing more than just a simple "model" with no configuration values while its connected. As a side note I now have this working quite nicely using the same invisible target method Kju linked me to in the mapfact pack. Albeit a little "different" to having just a single vehicle with irtarget=true, it kind of adds to the "stealth" aspect a little as the lock occasionally drops or stutters making it slightly harder to bring the plane down with G2A or A2A missiles while the doors or gear are open. Although now it is quite possible to do so when either of those two conditions are true. Might now go an extra step and also allow locking while the jet is in high ranges of pitch or bank, which apparently also increases the RCS. Anyway thanks again for the help guys, really appreciated.

Magic thanks Kju, will take a look and most likely utilize the same technique to create my own. Thanks again.

Ahh yeah, just gave it a test and it does indeed delete everything in the model itself but still utilizes the config so it is still targetable. Many thanks this will do for testing for now! ---------- Post added at 09:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 PM ---------- Ok well have just run some tests. Created an empty vehicle (just a simple white box for visual testing) with its irTarget setting set to true. Placed it in the editor and yes, its lockable. Tried attaching it to the F117A with attachto and it unfortunately inherits itself from the F117A and becomes un-lockable again. Attaching the F117A to the Target makes it lockable again, but then obviously the plane cannot move as its anchored to an unmoving object. Looks like I am going to have to go with spawning a laserTarget (or 2 maybe one for OpFor one for Civ ?) and attaching that instead. ---------- Post added at 09:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ---------- Ok well after further testing im stuck again. It is not possible to use the attachto command as the vehicle or lasertarget becomes un-lockable when doing so. This only leaves getPos / setPos which works and indeed the invisible target vehicle I created moves with the F117A, however as the invisible vehicle is "empty" ie. it has no pilot/driver, it is still not possible to lock it. I basically need to create an indistructible, invsible pilot to "sit" inside the invisible target vehicle before any Opfor will lock-on to the vehicle. Anybody have any ideas on how to create an invisible un-killable pilot ?

Ok thanks very much Inkompetent, will go with the separate attached vehicle approach I think. Thanks to both of you for your help with this, much appreciated. Edit: Just as a follow-up does anybody have an outlline for an "empty-vehicle" config that I could use? Or could I simply replicate the majority of a normal plane class and just create an empty or invisible p3d? Also how to prevent that new empty vehicle from showing up in the editor?

I think your right, because trying to track the gear itself usually results in a non-working script, however I have a secondary animation also using "gear" as an animationsource which animates the internal cockpit lever when the gears go up/down so I am using that in any scripts I need to track changes to the landinggear. I have this short script tracking changes to the landing gear and weapon bay doors which in-turn illuminates or turns off the relative eyebrow switch: _plane = _this select 0; while {(alive _plane)} do { _Bayphase = _plane animationPhase "WeaponBayDoorLeft"; _Gearphase = _plane animationPhase "GearIndicator"; //eyebrow _OnOff = isEngineOn _plane; if (_OnOff) then { if ((_Bayphase > 0.01) || (_Gearphase < 0.99)) then {_plane setobjecttexture [8,"\f117a_nighthawk\TESTTEXTURES\EYEBROW_RCS_ON.paa"]; } else { _plane setobjecttexture [8,"\f117a_nighthawk\TESTTEXTURES\EYEBROW_ALLOFF.paa"]; }; } else { _plane setobjecttexture [8,"\f117a_nighthawk\TESTTEXTURES\EYEBROW_ALLOFF.paa"]; }; sleep 0.5; }; So its all in-place, all I need to do is switch "on" the ability for the vehicle to be targeted when those are true. Do you think attaching a secondary vehicle with irTarget = true when those conditions are met is my only option for enabling it ? Alternatively, even simpler, I suppose I could just create and attach a laserTarget via script. Thanks for replying Kju.

Really nice work! This was going to be my next project, looks like I need to find an alternative choice. Very nice though, love the pilot HUD. Couldn't find how to activate the MFD map though...anybody else had that working ?

Thanks very much guys, will give this a go and report back. Thanks for the help.

I don't mind using the config approach, im just wondering if there is any negative side-effects to having one running for each and every plane class in terms of multiplayer for the sake of one new vehicle, especially when its only to light up 2 textures on a cockpit panel. Might see if I can get the script running I described in the other post first, if that doesn't suffice then I will go with the config changes for all plane classes. Do you mind sharing the line that is required to remove "Landing Auto Pilot" from the plane class in the config if I do decide to go with that method ? I can quite happily sit and write out all the configs and the new addaction for the scripted AP but how to remove one of the standard action menu items ? Thanks Kju, been a huge help with this mate.

Ah wow thats bad news. You mean I would have to replace the landing AP with a scripted "Action" version for every "plane" class if I removed it in the way you described ? Im surprised there is no way to remove it in the individual config for the actual aircraft, if its possible to remove flaps from the actionMenu there should (hopefully) be a way to remove autopilot ? If there is really no way without replacing all the plane classes with a scripted action I might try creating a scripted "monitor" for AP instead by checking if the plane is in motion or at altitude and there is no player key input perhaps. Anyway many thanks Kju, really appreciate your help.

Hi Kju, many thanks mate, had already had a look at this but just can't seem to find a way to remove the default landing auto pilot action from the planes action menu. Following in Rock's suggestion for removing the flaps command I have tried (in config.cpp); land = 0; landing = 0; autopilot = 0; landingautopilot = 0; and a whole host of others but nothing seems to remove it. If I can remove the landing AP from the action menu then I will most certainly use that method. Thanks for your help.

Lets hope it gets addressed in a patch. Until then it looks like a scripted solution is the only method, which is a shame as none of the ones I have tried thus far have been really accurate enough. Only one that comes close is UNN's suggestion of using the displayAddEventHandler and throttle keys.

Yeah your right just dusted off my A1 copy and tried it, rev counter doesn't actually move when the engine is powering up but it does respond to the throttle. Passes from 0 to 100% as you hold down the throttle and drops back to 0 as you release it.

Ah ok, will probably be looking for a scripted fix then in that case as I have a faint memory of the rpm needle in the A-10 only going from 0 to 100% even in ArmA1, thanks for the links UNN will get working on it again.

Have you seen it functioning correctly at any point on air classes ? I don't remember looking before I patched recently so I can't remember if it did or not. Just tried rotor but unfortunately the source is continually moving so its like watching a slotmachine lol even at very high max values . Will try some of your other suggestions, do you have any info (biki page) for the key input handler? Just had a look but came up short?

Ah ok thanks UNN, might just stick with RPM if it was broken in a patch rather than a full-time problem, hopefully it might get fixed. If not I will continue with the scripting route. Thanks for the assistance. Rotor/Props might be a good one, your right, thanks, will try that out.

Can anybody run through the principals for creating new animation RTM's for new objects for A2. I understand and can create vehicle animations as they are just rotations/translations etc and require no real "bones" as such, only points for the axis but creating "skinned" animations is a different story. I am currently working on a parachute model which I need 2 animations for, one for it to unfold and one to re-fold. After reading through pretty much everything I can find I get the concept, although creating them is tougher. From what I understand, if I wanted to get it working I would need to do the following: 1: Create bones for my model inside Max, skin them to the mesh with Skin or Physique then create the animation. 2: Export out the RTM using the Maxscript RTM tool (can't remember the name) 3: Export my 3ds model (as normal) without the animation data/bones/modifier 4: Set up the named selections in O2 and re-weight everything (3ds format doesnt export weights) 5: Use the animation RTM to animate However, aside from the fact im sure im missing something, how to create the named selections in Max to be the same as the ones you can setup in O2, for example in O2 you make a selection of verts/faces and create a named selection, how to do this in Max and assign a bone to only effect that named selection ? Also how to see the RTM working inside O2 ? I have the animation tab open but I cannot import RTM's and even if the RTM is inside the same folder and the model.cfg is setup with the skeleton/model name selections and the config is pointing to the RTM animations I still cant see them. As you can see I am pretty confused about the whole process. I have animated for games before with no problems, setting up skeleton/bone systems and skinning the mesh to the bones and exporting the anims but the process in ARMA/I/II has really lost me. If anybody could give a step by step of the process clearly to me for getting a new animation working, out of Max and into O2 I would really appreciate it.

Wow...just wow, no other words, it looks fantastic! Very realistic looking indeed! Great job.

lol thanks man, will be adding a BIG credit note for your toolbox in the release notes, has helped me an UNLIMITED amount getting this thing animated and running, would probably still be trying to hand-place mempoints right now without it lol. :)

Very nice indeed! Looks absolutely fantastic, can't wait for some new classy maps such as this one!

Thanks man, really appreciate it. Just a pointless update really, got some textures up and running so I thought I would take a screenie.

Fantastic stuff Mandoble, amazing bit of script work!

Thanks very much guys, really appreciate the comments and feedback. Couldn't agree more to be honest, it is possibly, without exception, one of the most impractical jets for ArmA or pretty much any game really. This is really just a personal indulgence for me and a test to see what can be done with the engine. On the other hand I am trying my best to make it as "useful" as possible for the game and hopefully, without straying too far outside the borders of reality, it can still be a fun and strong piece for the battlefield. But as I said, this is more about me personally wanting to create this particular jet rather than it being a sensible choice lol. Very much agree with your opinion though mate. Yes good call, it is definitely a little too abrupt, will be sure to slow it down and alter the timing slightly for the seals. Thanks for the input. Ah magic :) many thanks Rock!

Thank you very much guys, really appreciate the support. Another small update, finally got around to finishing up the model cfg for the outboard animations (no cockpit anims yet): The animations list is as follows: 1: Correctly functioning in and outboard elevons 2: Split rudder 3: Canopy with rotating seals and elevation drive pistons 4: Weaponbay doors / bombcradles rotate down into position. 5: Blow-in doors (ontop of the engine intakes) open at speeds lower than 250. 6: Fully functioning landing-gear 7: Front steer wheel when taxiing and roll wheels. 8: Chute hatch doors open when parachute deploys (and close when chute re-packs) Have most of the shadow LOD's done now and re-modelled the geometry LOD for a better flight dynamic simulation. There are a number of small errors I need to fix namely smoothing groups on the underside of the plane and some tiny things such as the cockpit glass edges need a different material (at the moment you can see through them), also the weaponbay doors are not %100 flush with the underside at the moment. Will move on to texturing (and getting the view-pilot cockpit unwrapped/named/mempoints) once I fix the smoothing problems. Have also now ported the weapon/FLIR/chutebrake systems into the config. Anyway here is a short video demonstrating the animations. Please ignore the pilot position/RTM at the moment, will have to create a new one for the F-117A so he sits correctly and holds the stick/throttle. Also just read the elevons on the real thing have a slightly larger rotational angle (60 degrees) currently mine are set to out:50/in:35 so will go back and fix that. Also if anybody knows of a way to remove "flaps" from the action menu I would appreciate it. The F-117A doesn't have any and although I don't mind the AI/autopilot using them I want to remove them for the player as there is no visual feedback on the model for this function. GleH11bN0tI

Have a small problem I can't figure out. I am just finishing up on the F-117A's animations and everything is done except for one final step. The weapons bay works as follows: 1: Doors open 2: Bomb Support Cradles come down and forward (rotation not translation) Now that is all working, but how on earth can I attach the bomb proxies so they animate with the cradles ie. so the bombs follow the cradles into position ? Is it possible in either model.cfg or config ? Or am I going to have to script it or attach them bombs then remove them when they are fired ? I notice the original USEC F117A has it working but without the model.cfg I can't see how its done and its not in the scripts. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.