codckpit m3d's

[mongoose]

I note that a lot of aircraft have exactly the same virtual cockpit (and bombardiers and gunners for that matter), but they all have individual cockpit m3d's. Now I have tried to find what file calls for these m3d's with the idea to make one shared m3d, but I haven't been able to work that out. Any explanation from plane builders is welcome.

 

[MajorMagee]

That's how CFS3 was constructed. You can have unique cockpits for each individual aircraft, or you can copy the 3D model over and over again by simply renaming the file to match the rest of the aircraft naming convention. Since a 3D cockpit model is perhaps more difficult to produce than the external model it makes sense that they would try to make it easy by reducing the necessary workload to get the game published. Since each install has its own m3d file it makes it possible to reference individual cockpit textures for each plane even though the model is being reused. I've used this feature to do things like add personal photos on the dash panel for my "Ghost In The Machine" series.

 

[mongoose]

OK, just wondered as renaming 10's of cockpit m3ds as I am doing seemed less sensible than referring to a shared file as one does for gauges, etc.

 

[hairyspin]

A CFS3 model is built from one model file and the VC, navigator's station, gunner and bomb aimer positions are usually set off in sections in the model's hierarchy.

BigFatBomber
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cockpits
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cockpit_virtual0
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eyepoint0
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shell
seat
joystick...

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cockpit_virtual1
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eyepoint_1
well
bench
seat...

​

cockpit_virtual2
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eyepoint2
turret
seat
gunsight...

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LOD100
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fuselage_front
cockpit
canopy_framing
nosecone...
​

The cockpits section contains all the modelling for the VC, navigator's station, gunner etc and each contains at least one eyepoint to model a default viewpoint for each station.

Once this single Gmax model is compiled for CFS3, there will be a BigFatBomber.M3D for the external model (LOD100 etc) and a BigFatBomber_cockpit0.M3D for the VC, BigFatBomber_cockpit1.M3D for the navigator and BigFatBomber_cockpit2.M3D for a gunner; four CFS3 model files in all. You could swap in different VC or other station model files and rename them to match the stations you're replacing if you wish. You could end up with a gunner's station that doesn't work properly, though!