Disappearing/Re-appearing Afterburner Effects

Blackbird686

Blackbird686

SOH-CM-2025
I have been working on afterburner effects on some older Alphasim models and I was wondering what makes them disappear and re-appear when viewing and panning the model in the spot view. The Alphasim B-58 Hustler does this when using different afterburner effects. Is it the textures on the aircraft that cause the issue? I thought I had a really nice afterburner effect for the Hustler but when I go under and behind the model in the spot view, the 2 inboard engine's afterburner flames go above the wing, in effect disappearing from the engine exhausts. Any suggestions would be helpful at this point.

Thanks -- BB686
 
It's the same as the issue with A2A 3D landing lights when viewed from certain angles. Limitation of the sim I think, possibly partly due to parts hierarchy in the models themselves or something similar. It's possibly similar to glass disappearing behind wings etc. if the glass isn't the last parts in the model. As with the 3D lights, no cure known (it's been covered on A2A forum, may even be in the 3d lights documentation too?)

J
 
JDTinballs said:
It's the same as the issue with A2A 3D landing lights when viewed from certain angles. Limitation of the sim I think, possibly partly due to parts hierarchy in the models themselves or something similar. It's possibly similar to glass disappearing behind wings etc. if the glass isn't the last parts in the model. As with the 3D lights, no cure known (it's been covered on A2A forum, may even be in the 3d lights documentation too?)

J
Click to expand...

I have noticed it with the A2A 3D landing lights.
It only seems to appear with hard coded lights and a 'modelled', half translucent, cone shaped light beam.
The Shockwave lights can't penetrate that cone. They only become visible from an outside angle.
The only way around it is to have the mdl coding and cancel the textures out.
The same seems to be the case with the afterburners.

Stuart
 
Some afterburner effects don't have this problem, specifically older effects that are associated with some payware models. The ones I was using were from a newer former payware model, on an older one. The effects were spectacular and had they been visible all of the time, it would have really enhanced the plane in question, which is already a superb kit.
I also notice the "hiding" effects on some prop mods for older models. Sometimes the props will disappear behind the engine cowling.

Thanks for the replies, chaps.

BB686
 
BB,

Maybe this is a bit more understandable...
Here's a screenshot of 'modelled' landing light cone.
The cone is only visible in bad visibility, never in daylight, and the same applies to some 'modelled' afterburners.
It's always there, even if not visible.
It doesn't matter what fx file you attach, these original textures need to be deleted for the new ones to show properly.

.screenshot14.jpg

Stuart
 
Just thinking outside the box a little, effects have a centre point that is placed via ACM and/or cfg file. Within each effect file the separate components have co-ordinates that may offset them from that centre point. What if that centre point is set within the model file, would that affect things? If it does
could we adjust those, then adjust the offsets within the file for the components to compensate?

To find out, compare the placement point for those that work to those that cause problems. ACM would be more than helpful. If so, try moving the problematic ones backwards, ie. outside the exhaust cone (outside the model framework itself) , see if the problem still exists? If no, we can edit the effect file to move the components back rather than moving the effect source.
 
stuartcox said:
BB,

Maybe this is a bit more understandable...
Here's a screenshot of 'modelled' landing light cone.
The cone is only visible in bad visibility, never in daylight, and the same applies to some 'modelled' afterburners.
It's always there, even if not visible.
It doesn't matter what fx file you attach, these original textures need to be deleted for the new ones to show properly.

.View attachment 7562

Stuart
Click to expand...

Hey Stuart --

I don't think the afterburner effects for the Alphasim B-58 Hustler are modeled in, but I know what you are saying here. Depending on the view, the afterburner effects that I want to use only disappear and re-appear on the inboard engines (at certain angles of the spot plane view). The same effects on the 2 outboard engines are always visible, no matter how you pan the view of the jet in the spot. I wonder if maybe the textures on the model are causing this to happen to the effects?

I have a prop mod for the Hanvey/Barry Sea Fury FB-11 that will do the same thing whilst in the spot view, but only at certain angles. Head on and from behind... it's fine. Go figure. :dizzy:

Cheers -- BB686
 
I have a new afterburner effect for the Alphasim FS9 B-58 Hustler. The effect uses the afterburner from the Alphasim B-1B. Looks really nice. Anyone interested I'll send you the aircraft.cfg entries.

BB686
 
I have seen this problem. Funny thing is, that if you position all burner effect lights at the same position backwards from the aircraft they work. It's got something to do with positioning but I was never able to fully rectify this with animated effects only statis lights that shine and don't flicker etc. that's why my new Hustler has a revised burner set up using parts that glow in the jet pipe because the same issue affects the two forward two back engine configuration in FSX.
 
The Alphasim B-1B Lancer afterburner has the "glowing tube" effect which is what I wanted to have for the Alphasim B-58 Hustler. I couldn't create the 2 stage glow within the exhaust tube when the blue flame lights up just before the orange flame is visible behind the engine... with the effects I was working with. The B-1B's afterburner however seems to do this somewhat quickly when used on the B-58's engines and there is a nice bluish, burning, glowing effect within the exhaust tube as well as the hot orange flame effect coming out of the afterburner cones.

Here are the aircraft.cfg entries I'm using.

light.8 = 9, -9, -22.1, -2.2, fx_ALPHA_B1B_AB
light.9 = 9, 10, -12.5, -3.2, fx_ALPHA_B1B_AB
light.10 = 9, -9, 22.1, -2.2, fx_ALPHA_B1B_AB
light.11 = 9, 10, 12.5, -3.2, fx_ALPHA_B1B_AB

If you have the Alpha B-1B Lancer package then all you need is to comment and save the original afterburner effects in the lights section and plug these in. BTW, they DON'T disappear when panning around the jet in the spot plane view, like my last set did.
I've been flying the FS9 Alphasim B-58 for so long, I stick the landings blind folded... pull the bag over the windshield and let ATC talk me down. Even tho she's a bit tenured... still the best for FS9, IMO.

BB686
 
Glad I was able to "spiff up" the ol' gal just a bit. Now, on to the Alphasim F-101 Voodoo... "spooky little jet..." :encouragement:

BB686
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top