3D Objects Set to show randomly?

[falcon409]

I posted this over on the FSDevelopers website and I've gotten no bites on it yet. Is anyone aware of a way to make 3d Objects show in a scenery only at specified times of the year?

 

[Dangerousdave26]

use

RandomAttach
      randomness="{value}"
      probability="0.5" /

As a sub element of AttachedObject

Acceptable Values

ALWAYS_DISPLAY

LOCATION_RANDOM

PURE_RANDOM

See the SDK Enviroment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/Compiling BGL

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Ed:

I posted a reply to your question on what IIUC is a "conditional display by date" rather than a "random display" in your FSDeveloper thread here:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?p=652302#post652302


It would also be interesting to see what ideas others here at SOH have on how to achieve conditional display of aircraft as scenery objects versus being rendered as AI traffic objects following a scheduled flight plan that is mostly one which results in a "parked" status.


Hope this helps ! :mixedsmi:

GaryGB

 

[Bjoern]

I think the solution for static AI is a parking spot which is disconnected from the texi network and using a very special parking code (e.g. STATIC01). Any aircraft using said parking code and having a normal touch'n'go flightplan should only sit at said spot because they can't taxi.
It was at least very similar to this. Maybe ask Google?

 

[falcon409]

Guess I should be specific. This does not relate to AI aircraft. This is for the Rhinebeck scenery that is coming on the heels of the Great Lakes release from GAS. Rhinebeck is open to the public basically from June to October. I'd like to be able to show the static (3d Objects) aircraft on the display line as they would normally be during those months. During the rest of the year, I assume, they would be hangared. Being able to show that as part of the scenery package is what I'm after.

 

[SkippyBing]

You should be able to set a visibility condition based on the date, for example if the following is used as the visibility tag for an object it should only appear in June.

(E:LOCAL MONTH OF YEAR, number) 6 == if{ 1 } els{ 0 }

To be more specific use LOCAL DAY OF YEAR

 

[falcon409]

You should be able to set a visibility condition based on the date, for example if the following is used as the visibility tag for an object it should only appear in June.

(E:LOCAL MONTH OF YEAR, number) 6 == if{ 1 } els{ 0 }

To be more specific use LOCAL DAY OF YEAR

Is that tag something that is done in the xml file, or does it have to be added as part of the model?

 

[roger-wilco-66]

use

RandomAttach
      randomness="{value}"
      probability="0.5" /

As a sub element of AttachedObject

Acceptable Values

ALWAYS_DISPLAY

LOCATION_RANDOM

PURE_RANDOM

See the SDK Enviroment Kit/BGL Compiler SDK/Compiling BGL

Interesting stuff, I never thought about that. I'll give this a try on one of my locations where I'm at right now.

Cheers, and thanks for sharing,
Mark

 

[SkippyBing]

Is that tag something that is done in the xml file, or does it have to be added as part of the model?

I don't normally model scenery, but assuming you're making things in gMax or whatever you can use the tools in the FSX SDK to tag the visibility states of things, e.g. making weapons or pilots appear and disappear. To make new visibility conditions you can add code to the modeldef.xml, I can't show you a full example because it messes with the forum formatting!

I'm not sure but you may be able to use Model Convertor X to tag things as well.

More succinctly, yes it is part of the model, however it may be possible to add it subsequently.

 

[Dangerousdave26]

I actually just tried that with a simple object I just created and it is not following the visibility tag.

It should work unless that type of visibility tag does not work on scenery.

 

[Bjoern]

Looks like you're out of luck, Ed.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=364153


I think the simplest solution would be offering a separate BGL for the airshow and have users switch between it and a default, "empty" airport by hand.

 

[Meshman]

Or if you know how to program in VB or VC, you can write a program to interface through SimConnect that will allow you to display the objects at any date, time, weather, etc.

No need to say Thanks for the helpful advice, but do remember that is not too far away, so you might want to ship presents early...

 

[Bjoern]

Or a simple batch script.


But then again: No spoon feeding for users!

 

[anthony31]

I don't normally model scenery, but assuming you're making things in gMax or whatever you can use the tools in the FSX SDK to tag the visibility states of things, e.g. making weapons or pilots appear and disappear. To make new visibility conditions you can add code to the modeldef.xml, I can't show you a full example because it messes with the forum formatting!

I'm not sure but you may be able to use Model Convertor X to tag things as well.

More succinctly, yes it is part of the model, however it may be possible to add it subsequently.

Unfortunately does not work with scenery models. All animations except ambient are stripped from scenery models when compiled. If it did work we would all be using wind direction to make nice FSX windsocks

The simconnect AI Objects and Waypoints working sample is a good place to start if you want to use a simconnect module to control scenery objects. Although you will have to look on fsdeveloper for the fix to get that working sample to actually work. This is actually a very FPS heavy way of doing it though particularly if you have a lot of scenery objects. Not to mention it uses resources even when not flying anywhere near the scenery.

I've used scenery complexity to make airshow scenery before. Set the normal airport objects to NORMAL and the airshow objects to EXTREMELY DENSE and then all the user needs to do is change the scenery complexity to show or hide the scenery. This and making a separate .bgl which the user can switch on or off are the two methods which have the least FPS impact.

 

[falcon409]

. . . . .I've used scenery complexity to make airshow scenery before. Set the normal airport objects to NORMAL and the airshow objects to EXTREMELY DENSE and then all the user needs to do is change the scenery complexity to show or hide the scenery. This and making a separate .bgl which the user can switch on or off are the two methods which have the least FPS impact.

I like that idea actually, however I would think that would also limit those who would be able to benefit from the higher setting. Anyone with a slower system or who is unable to run their sliders any higher than normal would lose the effect.

I guess we could do two startup flights; One for the time frame of June thru October and another for the remainder of the year where the aircraft would be hangared, rather than on display along the airfield. People could simply choose what "flight" to use.:salute:

 

[MCDesigns]

I like the separate BGL idea, quick and easy.