FSDreamTeam forum
General Category => Unofficial F/A-18 Acceleration Pack board => Topic started by: GR27 on April 12, 2008, 07:12:53 pm
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I like to fly with the F-18 but it would be nice to have high-g vapor effects just like FS-KBT F-18E
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/kakuli/fa18effect.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/kakuli/db18.jpg)
Does any one know how to add this effects and what to add to the aircraft.cfg to have this effects correctly on the F-18?
Thank you.
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Its possible and can easily be accomplished if you have the effect and the gauge (that triggers it when lets say 5+ G's). You just need coords for it which I don't know how to get.
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Its possible and can easily be accomplished if you have the effect and the gauge (that triggers it when lets say 5+ G's). You just need coords for it which I don't know how to get.
Hi Razgriz
Having followed the posts regarding both the Sonic Boom Effect and now the High G Vapor Effect, I decided to have another play around, and have come up with the effect I think you’re after.
Instructions for adding the wing root vortex effect from the Team FS KBT FA18 to the FSX Acceleration F-18
1. First download the Team FS KBT FA18 (obviously).
2. Place the dfa18_fx.cab file from the download into the panel folder of the FSX F-18.
3. Open the FSX F-18 panel.cfg (use wordpad or notepad) and add the following to the Vcockpit01 section
gaugexx=dfa18_fx!augmentor_80,
gaugexx=dfa18_fx!wing_vapor,
Where XX is the next available gauge number
4. Open the FSX F-18 aircraft.cfg file and add the following to the lights section
light.X=9, -23.0, -1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2
light.X=9, -23.0, 1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2
light.X=8, -13.5, 0, 1.25, fx_vapor_fa18 // Wing Vapor
Again where X is the next available light number
That’s it
Except that the effect will only be triggered if the following conditions are met
1. The aircraft must be travelling at over 230Kts
2. You must be pulling 5G or more.
3. The temperature must be less than 12o C
I must admit that I’m not quite sure what the augmentor2 effect is but as the original calls for it I’ve included it here.
I’ll also admit that I actually don’t fly the F-18 all that often, but I do like to tinker…
Jim H
P.S
Apologies for the quality of the screenies, but I had turned down FSX for another project i'm working on...
Plus I'm rubbish at screenshots....
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Hi Razgriz
Apologies to all, but I forget to include the instructions for the actual visual effects
You will need the file fsxf18fx.zip (I got it from simviations web site, the same place as the full FS-KBT F-18E which you need for the cab file)
Unzip the file to a temporary location and place the contents of the effect folder into the effects folder of FSX.
Sorry about that.
Jim H
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WoW!! Jim
Remarkable :o
Tinker isn't the word(s) I would use
Create,,Work magic,,IMPRESS OTHERS,,etc,,,
Randy
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I knew this was possible and easy, and I made a Sonic Boom for the F/A-18 the 3rd day of Acceleration. Looking at this and actually seeing the high G's is AMAZING. Wow, very nice!
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/syb.cgi?section=military&file=fa-18e_sh.zip
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Hi
I hope the mod is working for you all, and thanks for the comments, I just though that if some of you want to adjust the effect for other aircraft, or indeed this one I should probably tell you the number to adjust, so here goes.
For any effect within FSX you will have a string in the aircraft config file like say
light.X=8, -13.5, 0, 1.25, fx_vapor_fa18 // Wing Vapor
The number –13.5 in the example moves the effect forwards and backwards along the aircraft – back + forwards.
The Number 0 moves the effect left or right of the centreline of the aircraft – left + right (in this case both vapor trials are part of the same effect so it stays on the centreline.
The number 1.25 moves the effect up or down relative to the centreline – down + up.
The numbers roughly equate to feet.
Hope it helps.
Jim H
P.S
Although I would like to take the credit for these effects they were produced by some extremely talented designers, who should get all the credit, I just played around with the numbers.
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I cannot seem to get mine to work. I'm not sure why.
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Hi Razgriz
Sorry to here your having probs, it’s got to be a minor hiccup.
Other than the amendments to the aircraft and the panel cfg files, the only files you need to add are these 5 effects files from the fsxf18fx.ZIP file
fx_augmentors.fx
fx_contrail_s_short.fx
fx_flame2_mid.fx
fx_smoke_eng_f18a.fx
fx_vapor_f18a.fx
Into the FSX effects folder
And the dfa18_fx.cab from the fa_f18e_sh.ZIP file in to your F-18 panel folder (do not unzip / unrar the contents in to the panel folder it must be the complete file)
Add to your F-18 Aircraft.cfg (Change the X entries to the next available number in that section for example if you F-18’s last light entry is 6 then the additions would be numbered as below)
[liGHTS]
light.7=9, -23.0, -1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2 // Root Vortex
light.8=9, -23.0, 1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2 // Root Vortex
light.9=8, -13.5, 0, 1.25, fx_vapor_fa18
Add to your F-18 Panel.cfg (same as above if your F-18’s last Vcockpit01 gauge entry is 13 then the numbers would be as below)
[Vcockpit01]
gauge14=dfa18_fx!augmentor_80,
gauge15=dfa18_fx!wing_vapor,
That should be it.
If you still have a problem get back in touch, I’ll try to assist if I can.
Jim H
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Jim I figured out what the augmentor effect does it adds an orange -yellow glow to the afterburner fire
and if you reposition it properly (from the location -23 to a -53) like shown here,the effect of a hotter
afterburner and tail-feathers is achieved
light.7= 9, -53.0, -1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2
light.8= 9, -53.0, 1.65, -0.8, fx_augmentor2
Thanks for your tutoring ;)
Randy
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Hi Randy
Thanks for the information and tip, I take you have got the effect working OK.
Jim H
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Thank you Jim for your help, but there are no effects in fsxf18fx.ZIP only some text files and aircraft.cfg files, but there are 3 effects in fa18e_sh.zip:
fx_augmentor2.fx
fx_flame2_mid.fx
fx_vapor_fa18.fx
Is it OK to use them, will it work or i need all 5 effects files for this to work? And where can i get it?
Thank you.
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Hi GR27
Sorry my mistake you are correct the Zip file name is fa-18e_sh, but it should have 5 effects files in it.
fx_augmentors.fx
fx_contrail_s_short.fx
fx_flame2_mid.fx
fx_smoke_eng_f18a.fx
fx_vapor_f18a.fx
Anyway the 2 files we need are the one you have mentioned i.e.
fx_augmentor2.fx
fx_vapor_fa18.fx
I think that the other files are more to do with the engine effects, as Randy mentioned, so we may not even need the fx_agmentor1.fx file, I just put it in during testing the effect and didn’t removed it.
But to answer your question yes those are OK
Jim H
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Hi Randy
Thanks for the information and tip, I take you have got the effect working OK.
Jim H
Yes I got it to work perfect
Thank you so much for your help
Those little "Effects" really help make an already awesome sim even more incredible
8) ;D
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Hi GR27
Sorry my mistake you are correct the Zip file name is fa-18e_sh, but it should have 5 effects files in it.
fx_augmentors.fx
fx_contrail_s_short.fx
fx_flame2_mid.fx
fx_smoke_eng_f18a.fx
fx_vapor_f18a.fx
Anyway the 2 files we need are the one you have mentioned i.e.
fx_augmentor2.fx
fx_vapor_fa18.fx
I think that the other files are more to do with the engine effects, as Randy mentioned, so we may not even need the fx_agmentor1.fx file, I just put it in during testing the effect and didn’t removed it.
But to answer your question yes those are OK
Jim H
I did all the above but no go, i don't have the vapor effects, i put the CAB file in the panel file (i did not unzip / unrar it), i edit the aircraft.cfg and panel.cfg as you explain but no go, instead i have an "extra" after burner, when i use after burner the effect is shown also in front of the engines where the air comes inside, i probably did something wrong but i don't know what?
Thank you.
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Hi GR27
I don’t think you have done anything wrong.
After checking the effect again, it looks as though you have hit on a major problem with this effect that I hadn’t noticed during my tests.
The problem appears to be that the vortex effect is indeed conflicting with the afterburner effect, and although I’m still trying out other configurations, it seems that for the time being this mod could be a no go, unless I can actually change the gauge to take it’s trigger from some other source instead of the wing lights.
So sorry folks, I’ll keep trying but for the time being I would suggest that you remove the effect for now.
Jim H
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Thats exactly what happened with me, its like they put the engine in backwards and forwards :O
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What happend to me you have to turn on all lights (the L key) and the vapor stays on.I know on the super hornet that you got this from does it when you make ur 3-5 g turns.
Im working on it on my end also and if I get it i'll put it up in here
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Hi Jim, i've managed to add vapor effect to the F-18 with Alphasim Hawker Hunter, i add ALPHA_Hunter.cab file to the F-18 Panel and i add to the Panel.cfg this line:
gauge xx=ALPHA_Hunter!Hunter_Vapour_WING, (change xx to the next number on the list)
In [Vcockpit01]
And to the Aircraft.cfg i add this line this:
light.xx= 8, -13.5, 0, 1.25, fx_ALPHA_Hunter_vapour, //Wingroot (change xx to the next number on the list)
In [liGHTS]
As you can see i use the same numbers you use but it does not "seat" correctly on the F-18 as you can see in the picture
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/kakuli/f-18vapor.jpg)
The effect is too much far from the plane to the side of it, i don't know what numbers should i put, beside this it works correctly.
I know it is not as good looking as the Team FS KBT FA18 effect but there effect works only when reaching 10 G' and more, so for i will now settle with the "lighter" vapor effect from Alphasim, i hope you can help me with the numbers so the vapor effect will get closer to plane as they should.
Thank you.
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I think it's very cool that at least a couple of independent outfits have created vortex effects for the leading edge extensions [as in image 1], but I haven't found anyone who has created the low-pressure condensation effects over the wings on high-g turns [as in image 2]. I think I'm going to have a go at creating that from scratch, and if I can make something presentable I'll share it on the board.
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VooDoo VooDoo you're the man, if you can't do it no one can...
I am sure you are going to make something "presentable", go for it.
Thank you.
;)
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I have so much time on my hands I would love to make it. Can someone tell me how to make effect files?
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I would say your first place to start reading is the SDK (Software Developers Kit). You will probably already have this installed if you bought the FSX Deluxe Edition. It will give you loads of reference information as well as tell you how to install some of the tools that came with FSX, one of which is the handy FX Tool.
It's a bit heavy going but don't give up - read up a bit and experiment with copies (don't knacker your originals) of your .fx files to get a feel for how it all hangs together. I'm no expert and some of it remains very confusing to me...even after a long time tinkering.
A useful online forum is www.fsdeveloper.com , to see how others are tackling various effects issues. But you may find other sites via the Developers pages on the FSX Homepage www.fsinsider.com too.
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I'll go for it but at 7 Eastern its movie night so I may not have long :)
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No breakthroughs? I'll see what I can do.
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Well, I've got the first incarnation of the effect mostly the way there. Having trouble orienting it the way I want, but I should be able to sus that out eventually.
The other problem is getting it attached to the model. Just learning all this as I go along, but effects generally seem to start life off as Scenery effects. You want to attach them to a model, the conventional way seems to be to create attach points in the original gmax or 3ds model and attach your effects to those. At this time, we don't seem to have any aircraft MDL editors or exporters to try out that path. Soooo...I am tinkering with existing aircraft lights contact points (although I've really run out of those, what with the Sonic Boom effect and all), so next I'm going to have a tinker with smoke attach points and see what comes out of that.
Then I'm gonna have to learn how to do the XML to control it. LOL ::)
So, maybe something eventually but not for a while yet. And knowing me, the first version of it will not be one that I consider good enough, so probably a second re-worked version is more likely to be the one that sees light of day. And hey, if it's not great, it doesn't matter...I'm having a lot of fun with the learning process. :D
Let us know how you get on though, Raz.
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It might pay to check at what speeds certain effects happen as depending on the vapour if its coming off the wing tips indicates a different speed to when the vapour is coming off the LEX. You can use this in dogfighting to determine roughly what speed the bandit is flying as hes turning. I'm not sure what the specs are for the F/A-18A.
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That's a good point, Subs.
Anybody know what the real conditions are to produce over-wing condensation?
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Don't know but it worked! It was ahead of the aircraft by about two and a half feet. Now lets just move it back and soo perfect.
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That's a good point, Subs.
Anybody know what the real conditions are to produce over-wing condensation?
Heres one effect not related to g
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prandtl-Glauert_singularity
The LEX and wing is probably high g at high speed eg probably 400kts + and I think the wingtip effect is at lower speeds but the difficult part is the numbers required since its an effect that is influenced by altitude and humidity. I haven't found any solid info on the internet as to what the actual numbers are you might have to talk to an F/A-18 pilot.
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I'm getting a little bit confused :-\ can someone send me the aircraft.cfg with the vapours, and some instructions what else I need to do?
I'm not so good at changing aricraft.cfg's ;D you can send it here: tomcats.elias@gmail.com
Thank you very much, Elias"bullseye"Evers
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Hi Razgriz
Apologies to all, but I forget to include the instructions for the actual visual effects
You will need the file fsxf18fx.zip (I got it from simviations web site, the same place as the full FS-KBT F-18E which you need for the cab file)
Unzip the file to a temporary location and place the contents of the effect folder into the effects folder of FSX.
Sorry about that.
Jim H
I can't find any "effect folder" in fsxf18fx.zip
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Ok guys, Ive done everything possible, i still cant figure it out if you can get it please send it to my email : caleb@fsxrnlafdemoteam.com Thanks! And try to include the panel .cfg and the aircraft.cfg
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This overall is glitchy and I would not recommend using it.