AI aircraft conversion question

[Warrant]

Is there a simple tool to convert FSX aircraft (or FS9) to AI format?
Or is this mainy done manual?

 

[MCDesigns]

What exactly do you mean by "AI format"?

Basically any aircraft can be used for AI, but you want to use the ones that have less detail/ LODs and fewer texture sheets.

 

[Warrant]

What exactly do you mean by "AI format"?

Basically any aircraft can be used for AI, but you want to use the ones that have less detail/ LODs and fewer texture sheets.

Many aircraft have no entry regarding what type of aircraft they are, that it is an AI aircraft, adds AI to the title and what type of parking they require. Typical stuff you find in the aircraft.cfg entry. I wonder if this has to be added manually to each and every aircraft livery, or there is a simple conversion program that add's this stuff automatically and strips the aircraft from their panel (more or less a batch conversion). That way you can copy/paste the aircraft to a seperate folder as AI, without having conflicts of dual entry's.

 

[MCDesigns]

Hmm, I think I see what you are saying. What aircraft are you using? I haven't done much with FSX AI, but did alot with FS9 and was under the impression the basics are still the same and considering most AI are still FS9 specific figured it was the same.

 

[IanP]

The basics are, indeed, identical. The lack of FSX format AI files is not due to lack of need, however. They are very sorely needed indeed.
:help:

I was wondering what the effect was of just removing the VC from a copy of a model - does it just "not load it", or does it start looking for it, i.e. is it linked in any way from the main aircraft MDL file of an FSX format aircraft?

Ian P.

 

[Lionheart]

The basics are, indeed, identical. The lack of FSX format AI files is not due to lack of need, however. They are very sorely needed indeed.
:help:

I was wondering what the effect was of just removing the VC from a copy of a model - does it just "not load it", or does it start looking for it, i.e. is it linked in any way from the main aircraft MDL file of an FSX format aircraft?

Ian P.

Thats a good question Ian.

From what I have learned on the 'gauge' side of things, all are off until they are called upon, (activated, booted up, on the screen, switched on, etc). Thus, if you dont see it, it is usually offline. Thats why you would have issues with a bad gauge only in 2D panel mode, or VC mode.


Now, with VC's, if you are not in it, I dont think its 'online'. Thus if its an AI plane, the VC isnt on, so you arent seeing that part being created by the computer. (If you notice, scenery in VC mode will have to boot up when going from Spot plane to VC mode. Then again, in Spot Plane mode, again the scenery must be rebooted up when coming from VC mode, so I believe that in the FS engine/world, VC mode is a parallel running 'sim' world, a duplicate sim, which would make sense.

So.. With that in mind, I believe that in taking out the VC, it would make no difference for a AI plane, as only the exterior model is being used.. I dont think a memory draw/leak is created by a continuous search being carried out for the VC, since the VC isnt going to be used at all, (nor do I think it could be anyways through any programs, including flight instructor. You have to be 'in' the plane for that).



Bill

 

[Lionheart]

Warrant,

You can easily (well easy for me) create some AI planes that are specifically for AI.

You can...
* Make a seperate folder for the AI plane you will use, rename it, rename its Registry bits, so it is its own plane
* Create basic textures from its textures, such as DXT5 instead of DXT32bit, make them half size, such as 512 square instead of 1024 square.
* Take out the VC model, though I dont think its necessary as it will not be called upon anyways.
* Take out the panel folder so its not 'selectable' in the Aircraft Selection Center.


You then have a unique, efficient AI plane based on one you like, but will run fast in frame rates, (usually).

I do not know of a program though that would do all of that for you.



Bill



EDIT: I had done this for my Operation Valkyrie package. I created seperate AI planes with efficient textures. (I am a high rez FREAK so I had those in there, which with tons of AI can really cause a system to cough, so I created super efficient texture packs for the AI birds, then also burned models that had parts missing so the mesh was less sophisticated, to help them be more efficient in the sim). Worked well. But, you dont really want them selectable or visible, so you have to really put them in their own folders, or on the registry for that particular AI bird, assign it a panel that is fictious, so it will not see it and hopefully not show up in the Selection Center.

 

[RCAF_Gunner]

* Make a seperate folder for the AI plane you will use, rename it, rename its Registry bits, so it is its own plane

Bill,

This is really good info. Many thanks. However, I'm not sure what you mean by "rename its Registry bits". Do you mean you have to do something with "regedit" or are you talking about the name of the aircraft in the .cfg file?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[kilo delta]

Don't worry,Rick....you wouldn't need to touch the system Registry. Bill means the aircraft cfg file.

 

[Warrant]

This thread is promising, all kinds of good knowledge here!

What i experienced so far:

I duplicated Piglets excellent PC-7 ( in a separate PC-7 RNLAF livery) and stripped it from it's panel and the personally added sound file. Edited the aircraft.cfg with role, parking type, separate callsign and added AI to the title. Then i generated a traffic.bgl for several Dutch and foreign airbases. I noticed i was unable to let the AI traffic be IFR (this might well be due to the deletion of the panel). So far it seems to work (testing it as we speak).

The Aerosoft F-16 AI models are also added to the Dutch landscape, in differen settings (singleton, two ship and four ship movements from and between the main operating bases in Holland). I used the ECM C version with one of the included Dutch liveries. It seems to work great as well, but i suffered a bit of framerate loss (not much).

Will continue to post when i find out/experience something new.

 

[Lionheart]

Bill,

This is really good info. Many thanks. However, I'm not sure what you mean by "rename its Registry bits". Do you mean you have to do something with "regedit" or are you talking about the name of the aircraft in the .cfg file?

Thanks,
Rick

Yep, Registry bits in 'bill talk' means the actual aircrafts section in the aircraft.cfg file. The exact aircraft section with the texture and panel and N-number and all that, you need to change all that if dropping into a new folder, or making one to have a fictious panel folder, such as 'panel=XXX', which wouldnt exist in your aircrafts folder, so it 'shouldnt' show up, (shouldnt.. it might because is has a 'call sign' for one).

Example;
[fltsim.0]
title=Kodiak Cargo Yellow
sim=Kodiak
model=Cargo
panel= <--- change from blank to XXX or something like that
sound=
texture=Yellow
kb_checklists=kodiak_check
kb_reference=kodiak_ref
atc_id=N208BC
atc_id_color=0xff000000
atc_parking_types=RAMP
ui_manufacturer=Quest Kodiak
ui_type="Cargo Plane"
ui_variation="Yellow Cargo Plane"



If going into another folder, then do the following changes;


[fltsim.0]
title=Kodiak Cargo Yellow <--- change
sim=Kodiak <--- change
model=Cargo
panel=
sound=
texture=Yellow <--- change actual textures if needed to low resolution textures (bitmaps or DDS files)
kb_checklists=kodiak_check
kb_reference=kodiak_ref
atc_id=N208BC
atc_id_color=0xff000000
atc_parking_types=RAMP
ui_manufacturer=Quest Kodiak
ui_type="Cargo Plane" <--- change to AI
ui_variation="Yellow Cargo Plane" <--- change to AI



Bill

 

[RCAF_Gunner]

Thanks Bill. Thought that's what you probably meant but I hadn't fooled around with AI since CFS3 days when it required a change to the air file.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[fsafranek]

Yep, Registry bits in 'bill talk' means the actual aircrafts section in the aircraft.cfg file. The exact aircraft section with the texture and panel and N-number and all that,

Bill

Sometimes called the "header" sections.
:ernae:

 

[IanP]

Were the conditions IFR, Warrant? You have to tell FS AI flights that their plan is IFR as oppose to VFR when you create them, but if you "sock in" an airport that only has VFR flights available at it, they should all start departing IFR instead. If it's an uncontrolled airport, they file IFR when airborne.

There's a flag near the start of each AI flightplan to say whether the plan is IFR or VFR, though. What are you using to crate your plans?

 

[Warrant]

Were the conditions IFR, Warrant? You have to tell FS AI flights that their plan is IFR as oppose to VFR when you create them, but if you "sock in" an airport that only has VFR flights available at it, they should all start departing IFR instead. If it's an uncontrolled airport, they file IFR when airborne.

There's a flag near the start of each AI flightplan to say whether the plan is IFR or VFR, though. What are you using to crate your plans?

Hi Ian,

The flight pan having VFR airfields in them might be the problem now you say that. Have to look in to that.

I use the AI Flight Planner 1.5

 

[Lionheart]

Warrant,

If you have done FS9 FP's, and if you put them in FSX in the Scenery/World/scenery folder, they will conflict with the main stock FSX AI file, (closing it down I believe). But... If you install a new scenery folder for your new AI file in your Addon scenery folder (create a scenery folder in Addon Scenery), and place the new traffig Bagel file (BGL file) there, it will run properly, but you will need to activate the scenery (traffic Bagel) before it will show up.

Example: Place the BGL file in 'FSX/Addon Scenery/My new AI traffic folder/scenery


This makes it easier to make traffic (IMHO), so you could then use TTools (Traffic Tools) to compile them.


I did a little tutorial on how to just hand write Traffic strings. In case you didnt know, a traffic BGL is compiled from 3 TXT files; aircraft list, airports list, and FP strings. These are then compiled into a Bagel via the TT compiler. (Bagel, bill talk, BGL file).


Then, you can quickly make changes and tuning touches to the FP strings, recompile again, drop in the scenery folder, reboot FSX and recheck the traffic.



The tutorial is here; http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1197320359


But.. If you are doing good with the route you are going with your present program, then nevermind. :d



Bill

 

[IanP]

AI Flight Planner can create FSX AI files directly, Bill - that's what I've used.

Are you selecting the IFR option for the flightplans you are creating, Warrant? IIRC, it's a radio button near the top of the page, where the aircraft selection drop down is.

 

[Warrant]

Hi Bill and Ian ;

Thanks for your suggestions, advise and help so far. :ernae:
I've been using your tips already and i'm currently experimenting with them. I'm starting to crack this...i think :typing:

Currently i'm working on converting Michael Pearsons excellent repaints for Tomkiewicz's F-16 series (AI) in an entire series of RNLAF F-16AM & BM aircraft, with the different loadouts, correct roundels and (different/correct) tailnumbers.

Planning to generate AI traffic with these birds for western Europe, but also Afghanistan and CONUS. This includes the Spingfield, Ohio based 306 Sqn and the regular ferries from and to the US, Canada and o/c Afghanistan.

Once compiled and checked i'll ask permission from Pearson and Tomkiewicz to compile the entire pack (planes, paints & plans), for an eazy install and upload it to here.

 

[Warrant]

* Create basic textures from its textures, such as DXT5 instead of DXT32bit, make them half size, such as 512 square instead of 1024 square.

I try to find the right format to save the textures in. Im currently have Adobe Photoshop CS4 Stonehenge as editing program. I really don't know to what format and what setting I'm supposed to save the edited bitmaps (2mb in size). Right now in FSX, looking at the AI birds from a plane overhead or parked next to them the paints show but when zoomed in they turn black, and sometimes when really zoomed in (as in close) the start to show texture again. When converted to *.DDS format they are grey (possibly with texture, but when zoomed in they turn black and stay black.

Any suggestions?

Edit: it seems that converting the files to DXT5 with the SDK Image tool seems to work. The paints seem to hold without error, Gonna keep testing.

 

[Lionheart]

Yep.. I was going to say, the latest build of Image Tool from the FSX SDK will convert them to the proper DXT5 DDS format. Photoshop is only good for doing the actual resizing and paint editing.. Then format with ImageTool (or DXTBmp).

Image Tool auto-vertical-flips the art for you, as it should be in DDS. If it ever appears like a mess on your model, it needs flipping again.

Remember, flip vertical, not rotate 180 degrees...




Roger that Ian. I'll have to check out that program. I love simplification. Having a program that can do it all would be great.



Bill