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animation of the pilot's head in FSDS

Cees Donker

Cees Donker

SOH-CM-2024
This is really for FS9, in which I want an animation of the pilot figure! I'm trying to get the head animated to look sideways ant then turn again to the other side. The program I use is FSDS. I'm using the 'Animate Timed' name for the part, I have set frames for different angles of the head and so on, but it won't move! Is there a checklist of any kind to get such a part succesfully animated?

Help is very much appreciated!

Cees
 
Hi Cees,

Not trying to throw a curve here, but something I've always wanted to see in pilots and passengers of aircraft, all aircraft! are just, well, random movements in general. Movements that don't appear to be a timed, repetitious nature. Something like this adapted in FSX (or any simulator) would add so much more realism.

I know what I'm thinking, would be a huge accomplishment. Not to mention, a huge amount of work to make it happen. But couldn't the figures be an added model that could be keyed to all aircraft in the sim? So maybe we virtual pilots had the ability to use (a visual me) the same pilot for any aircraft we choose to fly?
 
OleBoy said:
Hi Cees,

Not trying to throw a curve here, but something I've always wanted to see in pilots and passengers of aircraft, all aircraft! are just, well, random movements in general. Movements that don't appear to be a timed, repetitious nature. Something like this adapted in FSX (or any simulator) would add so much more realism.

I know what I'm thinking, would be a huge accomplishment. Not to mention, a huge amount of work to make it happen. But couldn't the figures be an added model that could be keyed to all aircraft in the sim? So maybe we virtual pilots had the ability to use (a visual me) the same pilot for any aircraft we choose to fly?
Click to expand...

Not for my first aircraft I think....................

Cees
 
My apology Cees. I was not implying my comments, at you. More of an "in general" thought towards anyone that may answer your question.
 
Gmax uses the Makemdl animated tag called Tick_18 (see the Makemdl SDK). It should work with FSDS.

It is a key framed animation, typically 0-1000 frames, but 500 would be okay.

Be sure you start and end the animation with the pilot's head in teh same position so it doesn't "snap back" at the end of the loop.

In the 1000 frames, you use as many Position keys as you need to move the head; there is no limit I am aware of.
 
Cees, my colleague Jean-Pierre as offered his method. Hope it helps


Bob
PAD



I use FSDS version 2.24, The version 3.5 is too stringent and I do not succeed in compiling !

111 I Design a "pilot head" with axes set as shown on attached JPG


http://www.premaircraft.com/pics/animated_head.jpg


222 When the part is positioned in the Cockpit, I browse the part in FSDS "aircraft keyframe animation"
and select and name it "animateTimed[12,100]_capt" for the captain head.

333 When on that selected part, In the FSDS menu, I click "ani" then "animate"
That puts me in keyframe "0*". Click "set Keyframe"

444 then I chose as many keyframes I want (10*, 50*....), using a rotation angle around "Y" and "X" axes for each keyframe.
Do not forget to save each key frame.
I use the "0*" for the neutral position (no rotation, pilot looking straight ahead)
and the "100*" key frame should return to neutral for continuity.
555 I save my work in FSDS "Save" and export the MDL in the FS aircraft/airplane files
using the FSDS "Create FS Object File" menu. I get a new MDL in my aircraft "model" file
666 After compiling as usual, the animation displays continuously in Fligh Simulator.

Call as required for more help....

Jean-Pierre
support(at)premaircraft.com
 
Thanks Bob! That will work in 2.24, which I also have, but in 3.5 you can use tick18 as tag for the head. The animation works great!

Cees
 
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