MidShip

End of June, BRL-CAD 7.8.0 for Windows, a valued 3D modeling tool, conducted by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory was finished and released for free download to the public. Actually, BRL-CAD has a development history of many years, but now also published in a brand new version for Windows platforms. The program not only is intended for 3D modeling and shading but also for ballistic impact and rcs analysis. The GUI is based on the popular, scriptable Tcl/Tk. For BRL-CAD also the source code can be downloaded. The manual comes in four pdf volumes. BRL-CAD is furnished with routines for file format conversions. BRL-CAD seems to be useful to prepare OFP and may be perhaps later ArmA models in combination with O2 or related tools, in respect, modeling and shading with BRL-CAD is advanced but close to 3D foundations. At least it's an interesting tool for serious models engineering. BRL-CAD 7.8.0, the source code and the manuals can be downloaded from http://brlcad.com/downloads/downloads.html or http://brlcad.org ARPA

Btw. Will movie clips be supported in briefing files or is it intended anyway ? May have been asked before but didn't get a search result on it.... Think it would encourage for more developed briefing editing.

As with OFP, don't forget some fog.

From Worldwind 1.4 there are passages.

AUDACITY is an advanced free audio editor which reads .wss by raw data import. Highly to recommend.

Chinese strategic leaders seem to have a special sort of wisdom. If they decide to do so, they are sure about that it will work.

Happy New Year - Setting sails for another 'five years ArmA' journey -

Good luck. Think you are from the wood of beeing once the boss of your own company. - Halt die Ohren steif -

In accordance with math, SetVectorUp works about all axis. But, one should consider, if SetVectorUp is applied, physics may change the set orientation again. With version 1.01 the objects didn't wake up after SetVectorUp and could levitate above ground or stay in other strange positions, causing some confusion. With 1.02, physics now applies at once. If one tilts the center of gravity from a barrel too far about for instance the x axis, it falls to the side. If one choose a small angle about x, it tilts back into it's normal, stable position. Therefore the effect in positioning the object by SetVectorUp sometimes only could be visible at the initial moment. Also, there should be more faster transformation methods, then the standard one from polar to cartesian.

The principle is, the terms x,z,y do represent three orthogonal vectors (axis) in 3D space. The ratio from the length of the x,z,y axis-vectors do yield another vector, determining azimut and elevation from an object. Here, x points to east, z points to north and y points upwards. For example, choose a barrel and apply: [1,0.001,0.001] the barrel points to east with no elevation [0.001,1,0.001] the barrel points to north with no elevation [0.001,0.001,1] the barrel points upwards [0.001,0.001,-1] the barrel points downwards [1,1,0.001] the barrel points to north-east (you see it's tangent behind it : ratio 1/1 is 45 deg) Do not use 0.0 but instead small values like 0.001 to prevent divide by zero errors. SetVectorUp is useful to let objects point in any spatial direction. For more stepping in, read chapter 3.3.4 of my wrp objects tutorial in the wrpedit wiki branch

Also, now with the advent of ArmA one should think about a common addon names scheme like for instance the known and popular AN- Code.

There is still only one ils and taxi-path system, so only one runway for automatic landings is usable.

Those, interested in stepping in to 3D game engines may consider Delta3D 1.3.0 (400MB), released by the Naval Postgraduate School Monterey. Delta3D focusses on combat scenario simulations and is available for free as open source. The latest, separately downloadable addon pack from Oct. 06, 2006 with vehicles, environments and units has about additional 800 MB. As common with game engines, C is mandatory. Nevertheless, Delta 3D also has a stand alone STAGE editor for placing and setting game nodes. Another stand alone tool is the terrain viewer. Included with Delta3D is a huge API manual. A lot of straight forward tutorials and the download link one finds on http://www.delta3d.org ARPA

Small drawback..., object ID's may change with world editing

Is it in the mind of a wiki, to support a robot.txt on the server side, furnishing the possibilty on getting current wiki offline versions (excluding download links) ?

End of June, BRL-CAD 7.8.0 for Windows, a valued 3D modeling tool, conducted by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory was finished and released for free download to the public. Actually, BRL-CAD has a development history of many years, but now also published in a brand new version for Windows platforms. The program not only is intended for 3D modeling and shading but also for ballistic impact and rcs analysis. The GUI is based on the popular, scriptable Tcl/Tk. For BRL-CAD also the source code can be downloaded. The manual comes in four pdf volumes. BRL-CAD is furnished with routines for file format conversions. BRL-CAD seems to be useful to prepare OFP and may be perhaps later ArmA models in combination with O2 or related tools, in respect, modeling and shading with BRL-CAD is advanced but close to 3D foundations. At least it's an interesting tool for serious models engineering. BRL-CAD 7.8.0, the source code and the manuals can be downloaded from http://brlcad.com/downloads/downloads.html or http://brlcad.org ARPA

Make it a fountain class by the named properties

@Edge - The resolution from thematic mapper material for high realistic surface texturing even is more than sufficient with ofp when postprocessed as said.

Surface textures from visible satellite imagery seem to be less useful. High realistic results should be obtained from thematic mapper material, postprocessed to ofp and wrp specs.

Maybe at the very end, Visitor looks to be more close to the real issues.

As RUKH mentioned, commanding a squad seems to be best done by voice commands. Player actions remain to be best done by keyboard or mouse , as usual. As still posted , on behalf of the microsoft speech SDK and a small editable plugin , OFP in the present state, still can command squads by voice commands. There is a minor limitation as some command numbers are organized dynamically by the OFP resource. If those are delivered by AA to the speech engine, one really commands as one speeks. As said, one still can it check out, which gives a quite other dimension in the speed and foregoing at CQB missions for instance.

Adjusting fog is a more driving issue then view distance, which normally can be kept fixed to about 2500 m. Each island should be furnished at least with 3/16 fog (also forecast not to drift into lag)

Producing OFP rtm files with Maya PLE, by my opinion, takes too much steps in respect, PLE is not very flexible in importing/exporting common formats (again, talking from PLE). Another way might be with DAZ Studio, which also is a free downloadable character animations software, having the capability to load and save ASCII animation files in standard IK formats. Further, one can import and export meshs in wavefront obj format. The way in producing OFP rtm animations by this is, first to have a template from any OFP unit mesh, furnished with bones, joints and face assignments. As far as OFP units do have all the same common segments or selections, this step has to be made only once for all rtm projects and can be released by someone as a sort of addon. This OFP unit then in DAZ Studio can be arranged easily by mouse to the desired animation or animation sequence and saved as ASCII file directly. Finally it requires just one conversion program, as teaCup and Brooks did for Maya, to convert the saved ASCII to rtm file structure. In practice, the user starts DAZ Studio, makes a ready animation and if finished, applies the conversion program. Maybe, using DAZ Studio for making rtm's might be faster, more intuitive and more useful for OFP projects then Maya PLE.

For a 100m cell size, in the world config put the two lines: landGrid = 100; setTerrainGrid = 100; One can confirm it by examining a runway texture, which becomes more narrow. One can fit the overall world size by the number of cell rows and columns. In principle that’s all, but… Note: a) It seems to work with 4WVR formats only b) Only x and z coordinates (easting, northing are scaled), y (height) remains unscaled. Therefore slopes become more deeper. c) Scaling takes place in multiples of 0.5 respectively 2 only (refer: comref 1.85). (50 , 25 , 12.5 etc for smaller worlds ; 50 , 100 , 200 etc for larger worlds). d) It seems there is a maximum world size in sqm. e) It’s logical that the world objects coordinates do not scale and must be rescaled by the factor, the terrain was scaled. It’s like an overlay from the larger world over the smaller world, both having their origin in the left bottom corner (Visitor shows it). Therefore, most objects are likely to be beyond the worlds boundaries if the objects coordinates are not rescaled. Also still existing objects can be burried under the surface as y is not scaled. f) Smaller worlds do suffer from more lag (Countermeasure: more fog). Larger worlds (100m / 200m) seem to have less lag.

Have made a rail net with WrpTool using also the trainbridge. The bogie does not follow the train engine over the bridge, keeps on ground (even under water) for coming up again on the other side of the bridge. Is this a principle feature or can it be fixed ? Also it looks, a slope from not more then 1 degree is sufficient for a train.