Aircraft contact point information

[Capt. Winters]

Hi All,

I have a question around aircraft contact points in the Config file. I have worked out over time which numbers control height above ground for wheel placement and have worked out scrape points and landing gear closing and opening times etc.

but there's one set of numbers I'm having trouble defining. what numbers control the distance from center line for wheel touch positioning? in the attached pic you can see the touch points are much closer to the center of the plane then the actual wheels.

Below is the contact information for the plane in question, which numbers would I need to increase to move the touch points out to match the wheel position? Is there a definitive explanation of what each of the values do in the contact section of the config file available?

[contact_points]
max_number_of_points = 13
point.0 = 1, -18.1, 0, -3.5, 2800, 0, 0.96, 30, 0.5, 1.5, 0.9, 0, 0, 0, 141, 158
point.1 = 1, 2.3, -2.6, -8.16, 2400, 1, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 5, 6, 2, 141, 158
point.2 = 1, 2.3, 2.6, -8.16, 2400, 2, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 7, 8, 3, 141, 158
point.3 = 2, 15.117, 0, 0, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.4 = 2, 8, 0, -2.397, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.5 = 2, -5.148, 0, -2.397, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.6 = 2, -27.763, 0, 3.065, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.7 = 2, -1.443, -32.824, 2.986, 1000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5
point.8 = 2, -1.443, 32.824, 2.986, 1000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 6
point.9 = 2, 8.425, -7.8, -5.045, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.10 = 2, 8.425, 7.8, -5.045, 3000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4
point.11 = 2, -0.35, -11, -0.9, 1000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5
point.12 = 2, -0.35, 11, -0.9, 1000, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 6

any advice gratefully received.

regards Rob.

PS any guesses on the plane type in picture

 

[greycap.raf]

[contact_points]
max_number_of_points = 13
point.0 = 1, -18.1, 0, -3.5, 2800, 0, 0.96, 30, 0.5, 1.5, 0.9, 0, 0, 0, 141, 158
point.1 = 1, 2.3, -2.6, -8.16, 2400, 1, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 5, 6, 2, 141, 158
point.2 = 1, 2.3, 2.6, -8.16, 2400, 2, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 7, 8, 3, 141, 158

These ones, I'd say. The values are in feet if my memory is doing its job.

Yep, it's feet. Many stock CFS2 cfg files have explanations in them, these ones are from the stock A6M2. Everything carries over to CFS3 with perhaps the exception of the sound.

[contact_points]
//0 Class
//1 Longitudinal Position (feet)
//2 Lateral Position (feet)
//3 Vertical Position (feet)
//4 Impact Damage Threshold (Feet Per Minute)
//5 Brake Map (0=None, 1=Left, 2=Right)
//6 Wheel Radius (feet)
//7 Steer Angle (degrees)
//8 Static Compression (feet) (0 if rigid)
//9 Max/Static Compression Ratio
//10 Damping Ratio (0=Undamped, 1=Critically Damped)
//11 Extension Time (seconds)
//12 Retraction Time (seconds)
//13 Sound Type
//14 Airspeed limit for retraction (KIAS)
//15 Airspeed that gear gets damage at (KIAS)

point.0 = 1, -20.21, 0.00, -1.60, 3200, 0, 0.30,180.0, 0.40, 2.5, 0.80, 7.5, 5.00, 0, 0, 135
point.1 = 1, 1.41, -5.76, -6.55, 2200, 1, 1.05, 0.0, 0.50, 2.5, 0.83, 2.5, 4.00, 2, 0, 135
point.2 = 1, 1.41, 5.76, -6.55, 2200, 2, 1.05, 0.0, 0.50, 2.5, 0.83, 2.5, 8.25, 3, 0, 135
point.3 = 2, 0.00,-20.00, -1.25, 1200, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.0, 5
point.4 = 2, 0.00, 20.00, -1.25, 1200, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.0, 6
point.5 = 2, -20.25, 0.00, 1.00, 2400, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.0, 9
point.6 = 2, 2.41, 0.00, -2.08, 1200, 0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.00, 0.0, 0.0, 4

And that's a promising looking Fulmar!

 

[smoky942]

point.0 = 1, -18.1, 0, -3.5, 2800, 0, 0.96, 30, 0.5, 1.5, 0.9, 0, 0, 0, 141, 158
point.1 = 1, 2.3, -2.6, -8.16, 2400, 1, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 5, 6, 2, 141, 158
point.2 = 1, 2.3, 2.6, -8.16, 2400, 2, 2.27, 0, 0.5, 2.5, 0.8, 7, 8, 3, 141, 158

First number is forward/back, second is left/right third is up/down, so you need to increase the -2.6 and 2.6 in points 1 and 2


/Russell.

 

[Capt. Winters]

Thanks Guys for the help.

Spot on Daniel, one Fulmar.

thanks again, regards Rob.

 

[hairyspin]

... I have worked out over time which numbers control height above ground for wheel placement and have worked out scrape points and landing gear ...

Rob, these numbers are explained in the sdk document on the Aircraft Container System. It's been a lonnggggg time since I installed the sdk but one thing I did then was print out the SDK documents (did the same for FSX too...). The ring binder with these printed references is always to hand. Just sayin'.

 

[Capt. Winters]

Thanks Tom, I have the container doc now.

regards Rob.

 

[gosd]

And that's a promising looking Fulmar![/QUOTE]

Any idea for the release date?

 

[gecko]

Looks like a late model Fulmar NF.Mk.II! Very nice.

To all of the above, I would add that more contact points are better than less. I added one at each protruding point to a Spitfire and got a much more realistic belly landing experience. I placed nav light effects at each of these points in the xdp to locate them precisely, and then converted the location values from meters to feet to use in the cfg.

 

[Capt. Winters]

Hi All,

Thanks for the information (Daniel your trick was a beauty), I have now got all the contact points working fine for the Fulmar. But I still have one problem.

When belly landing I can not get the bent prop animation to kick in.

In the attached pictures you can see the model in the model viewer showing the bent prop. Steve is positive he has it set up correctly in gmax.

then theres a picture showing the navigation light effects for each scrape point, you can see the one at the base of the prop.

then theres a picture showing the plane being belly landed, you can see the scrape effect originating from the prop (red circled) and a scrape effect from the wing tip. theres also the belly scrape effect in play but its mixed in the with the prop one in this shot.

this is the contact point information that I have in the config file at present. I got creative and added in dummy lines so I could see what each value meant going across the page and I labelled each scrape point at the end, I was getting confused looking at the normal format.

static_pitch= 10.000
static_cg_height= 7.133
tailwheel_lock =1
gear_system_type=1

// class long Lat virtical impact Bke wheel steer stat maxcomp damp ext retrac sound A-spd damge
// type pos-z pos-x pos-y Damage map radius angla comp stat comp ratio time time type limit gear
// 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 (sorry the page format wont let me save the extra spaces that make this look correct in the actual config file, I added a screen shot of the config so you can see the layout)

point.0= 1, -22.80, 0.000, -2.270, 3099, 0, 0.961, 30.00, 0.499, 1.505, 0.498, 0.000, 0.000, 0, 140.8, 0.000//centre gear

point.1= 1, 2.300, -6.890, -8.159, 2802, 1, 2.270, 0.000, 0.699, 2.505, 0.800, 5.000, 6.000, 2, 140.8, 158.2//left main gear

point.2= 1, 2.300, 6.890, -8.159, 2802, 2, 2.270, 0.000, 0.699, 2.505, 0.800, 7.000, 8.000, 3, 140.8, 158.2//right main gear

point.3= 2, 10.76, 0.000, -5.660, 700, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 4//scrape prop

point.4= 2, 9.330, 0.000, -1.660, 3000, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 4//scrape nose

point.5= 2, 3.330, 0.000, -3.660, 2999, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 4//scrape air intake

point.6= 2, -4.660, 0.000, -2.660, 2999, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 4//scrape belly

point.7= 2, -25.500, 0.000, 0.048, 2001, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 4//scrape rear fuse

point.8= 2, -0.950, -23.66, -0.333, 801, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 5//scrape L-wing tip

point.9= 2, -0.950, 23.66, -0.333, 801, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 6//scrape R-wing tip

point.10= 2, -24.333, 0.000, 6.833, 699, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 9//scrape tail fin top

point.11= 2, -22.166, -7.926, 1.080, 1001, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 5//scrape left hor stab

point.12= 2, -22.166, 7.926, 1.080, 1001, 0, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 6//scrape right hor stab

Is there something I have missed in the airfile maybe? some trigger value that needs to be set to 1 or 0?

this bent prop issue is all that's stopping the release of a very nice Fulmar package MkI's and II's any help very much appreciated.

regards Rob.