ELCO PTboat, pilotable, FREE

[familton]

Effects??

I'm getting some anomolies that i believe may be caused by the rather complex progression of skid points in the config file. If its ok with gizmo and the team, I invite you too instead of using default fsx wake and wave effects, to use the effects gizmo developed for the grumman goose.. they present no anomolies and look pretty darned good too.. But check with gizmo first.

View attachment 81491

My wake looks like your picture above (black). There are 4 effects included in the download, none of which are called out in the aircraft.cfg.

The aircraft.cfg calls out fx_wake_m and fx_spray_goose_redux neither of which are include in the download. The effects textures are not included either. Can we please get an update? Thanks, Bob.

 

[lazarus]

Top of page 2 there is an attachment effects.zip. inside is a folder with the missing effect textures. They go in your FSX/effects/textures folder. That should solve the problemo. Push back. Oops. I never use it, it was just in the 2D panel I borrowed from Hamas Riva speed boat. X it out, as it sounds like you do not have the gauge installed, hence the durp. I'm sure that if you want it, it can be found by searching AVSIM, or FS.com or simvee. The boat backs up fine on reverse thrust/props(F2F2F2F2...)

 

[Butcherbird17]

Hi Joe,

I didn't do anything with the mdl file; rather I achieved the result I posted above by manipulating the two texture files:

1) With PT_BOAT117.dds, replace the green with gray (or alternative color of choice)
2) In PT117_0.dds, you will see swatches of color, 32x32 pixels each, at the top. You need to change the green ones to gray (or other)
3) In addition, I changed the dark blue swatch to black - to get black windows

I don't have the files in front of me now, but that's the essence of it. Let us know how you get on, hey?

Peace,

cs

Thanks, that did the trick. Now to see if i can get a measure 32 paint on her.

Joe

 

[familton]

Top of page 2 there is an attachment effects.zip. inside is a folder with the missing effect textures. They go in your FSX/effects/textures folder. That should solve the problemo. Push back. Oops. I never use it, it was just in the 2D panel I borrowed from Hamas Riva speed boat. X it out, as it sounds like you do not have the gauge installed, hence the durp. I'm sure that if you want it, it can be found by searching AVSIM, or FS.com or simvee. The boat backs up fine on reverse thrust/props(F2F2F2F2...)

Hi. Thanks. The Effects fixed my black wake. The problem was, as I posted it, I DID have the gauge and it crashed FSX. When I remmed out the Pushback panel FSX does not crash. If anyone like myself has the ATN gauge in their Gauges folder your panel will crash FSX. For those users that do not have the ATN gauge in their Gauges folder, as most users won't have, FSX disregards the window05 and continues to load. I suggest if you put out any updates that you remove Window05 from the panel.cfg. While I am talking about gauges the fuel gauges don't read at all. They are right and left tank fuel quantity gauges and the aircraft.cfg says there is only one center tank. I have been searching for a center tank fuel quantity gauge that reads up to 3,000 gal with no success. My RPM gauges start out a 0 rpm and the longer the boat is active the rpm increases to well over 10,000 rpm as indicated by the tooltips, even with 0% throttle. The gauges max. out as the full scale value is 3,500 RPM.The rated max. RPM in the aircraft.cfg is 2,400 RPM. Has anyone else seen this? I don't understand how the indicated RPM's can be that high. Regards, Bob.

 

[CurlSnout]

Thanks, that did the trick. Now to see if i can get a measure 32 paint on her.

Joe

Nice! If you want the windshield to remain transparent (or nearly so), you need to import the original alpha channel back into PT117_0.dds after you've performed your color edits (which I neglected to do in the images I posted above). Here, I've pulled the alpha channel back in and changed the hull number.

 

[lazarus]

Yeah... Look, I borrowed the panel folder from Hamas Riva mostly so I could get the GPS , Whiskey compass and radar in- the 3 primary gauges I use in a boat: other wise, I do not even use 2D panel. I womped the whole thing up in about an hour, there are bugs, you betcha, thats why its a test file. I doubt I'll do anything with the gauges, as the boat has a static VC, and things like fuel quantity, RPM and the like were down in the engine compartment with the Chief motorman, like as not.I'll look into a mini panel or somfing. The boats were good for 6 hours at full throttle with full tanks, up to a couple of days at cruise. If anyone stays in the cockpit for 6 hours,let alone 2or 3 days; I'll put working fuel gauges in. RPM... I listen to the engines and have a speed read out on the screen.Its just not really critical stuff for a boat. Remember, by making test files avalable this way, there is a cap on the size of what can be uploaded. OZX goose effect files, I'll have to talk to the OZX boys... I didn't even think about those, I thought every one had the OZX Goose in by now. If not ; Why not? Its brilliant.
So, changes in the panel and config-If one can open up a config file, your 90% of the way to modifiying the file as you like, please feel free to do so. Suggestions and bug reports duely noted; thank you all again for being guinea pigs; and such as are applicable to the upload version will be executed- Repaints, a couple different versions, effects /no effects models. I would not even worry about the panel. Once due dilligence is done, I'll toss it over the fence to Erwin and let him work his mojo on it. Right now, the missing bits have been identified, the boat seems to run well with Pams flight-er, steaming model,we know we can repaint it inasmuch as the color; and I am working up some weapons for it-Torpedos and DC's. I'm actually a bit overwhelmed at the response to this. Usually, beta files get downloaded, but no one ever reports back in, or rarely- which I take to mean it works more or less. Again, thank you all for your interest and feed back. Its being worked on Break/edit- the repaint looks great, thanks again for looking into that! Do let us know if a complex repaint is possible.

 

[CurlSnout]

....I'm actually a bit overwhelmed at the response to this....

Oy! I'm not even a "Boat Guy" (at least I didn't think I was), but I feel somehow compelled to keep playing with this little boat that you have shared with the rest of us. Thanks again.

Here she is: Sun down, running lights on, full speed ahead.

Hi-Ho,

cs

 

[warchild]

The gauges max. out as the full scale value is 3,500 RPM.The rated max. RPM in the aircraft.cfg is 2,400 RPM. Has anyone else seen this? I don't understand how the indicated RPM's can be that high. Regards, Bob.

Hi Bob.. I'm pulling this quote over from www.pt-boat.com.. it may help to clarify the confusion a bit about rpm..

"The Packard 4M 2500 engine powered most, if not all, of the US built PT Boats. The pre and early world war II engines developed some 1200 brake horse power, this had been increased to 1350 BHP and then by the end of the war 1500 BHP, therefore a late war Elco 80' PT had three engines producing a total of 4,500 brake horse power and could guzzle 5000 gallons of 100 octane aviation fuel in one night of operations. The cruising speed of the Packard was stated as 2400 rpm but note that the Elco "dashboard" tachometers show a top speed of 3000 rpm"

Now note.. Cruising speed is 2400 rpm. That'll get ya a few hundred miles.. Flank speed was up to 3000 rpm. Our boat goes a tiny bit faster to overcome the effects of being seen as a pontoon by fsx..
As for the rated max RPM in the config file. my bad.. i'm sorry.. it should be 3000 rpm..

 

[warchild]

Oy! I'm not even a "Boat Guy" (at least I didn't think I was), but I feel somehow compelled to keep playing with this little boat that you have shared with the rest of us. Thanks again.

Here she is: Sun down, running lights on, full speed ahead.

Hi-Ho,

cs

Gives you a whole new perspective on flight sim dont it?? also its a bit addicting ..
pam

 

[falcon409]

A very rudimentary 2D simply drawn over top the original:

 

[familton]

Hi Bob.. I'm pulling this quote over from www.pt-boat.com.. it may help to clarify the confusion a bit about rpm..

"The Packard 4M 2500 engine powered most, if not all, of the US built PT Boats. The pre and early world war II engines developed some 1200 brake horse power, this had been increased to 1350 BHP and then by the end of the war 1500 BHP, therefore a late war Elco 80' PT had three engines producing a total of 4,500 brake horse power and could guzzle 5000 gallons of 100 octane aviation fuel in one night of operations. The cruising speed of the Packard was stated as 2400 rpm but note that the Elco "dashboard" tachometers show a top speed of 3000 rpm"

Now note.. Cruising speed is 2400 rpm. That'll get ya a few hundred miles.. Flank speed was up to 3000 rpm. Our boat goes a tiny bit faster to overcome the effects of being seen as a pontoon by fsx..
As for the rated max RPM in the config file. my bad.. i'm sorry.. it should be 3000 rpm..

Thanks. If you put your mouse cursor over either RPM gauge the tooltips will show you the actual RPM. What I see is that after even idling at 0% throttle, for a while, the RPM gauge will max out and the tooltips say the RPM is way over 3,500 RPM. I have tried other RPM gauges and they all read RPM's well over 3,500. I don't know why this occurs. Do you see the same thing? Regards, Bob.

 

[lazarus]

Nice! That 2D fits the bill just nicely. I'm just going to sit back now and let everyone run with it! When I get the rest of the package ready, can we pull all these bits together as a SOH group love project? I was originaly just going ahead on this out of purely selfish reasons- the best kind- wanted to try out Pams steaming FDE because of the way the deltasim boat looked in the water with her FDE's in. What a contrast in communities between here and say FS.com forums(whingeing and demands for other people to do stuff for you, threadlocking ect ect) Brings a tear to my eye
So, if all of this works out as hoped for, the end product should be a pilotable package of 3 ELCO boats, A Higgins boat, releaseable object weapons and effects , jumping up the time line, a OSA I missile boat, a 123 ft USCGS WPB cutter for CG76, and if I can figure out the dynamics for a Hydrofoil, a Pegasus PHM. Just like topsy, it kinda growed.

 

[familton]

A very rudimentary 2D simply drawn over top the original:

Looks great. I see that both RPM gauges are maxed out at 3,500 RPM and both fuel gauges are at 0. That's what I have found also. Put your mouse pointer over the RPM gauges you will see that the RPM's are way over 3,500 even at 0% throttle after a period of time. I don't understand why this is. Bob.

 

[warchild]

Thanks. If you put your mouse cursor over either RPM gauge the tooltips will show you the actual RPM. What I see is that after even idling at 0% throttle, for a while, the RPM gauge will max out and the tooltips say the RPM is way over 3,500 RPM. I have tried other RPM gauges and they all read RPM's well over 3,500. I don't know why this occurs. Do you see the same thing? Regards, Bob.

Yup, i do see it, only I see it in AFSD. I havent figured it out yet either.. its a piston engine, using a direct drive to the propeller. the rpm and propeller should bith be turning 3000 rpm but yeah, its quite a bit higher.. I'm looking deeper into it with two other fde's currently, and once i get it figured out, i'll be issuing an update for all three boats..

 

[strykerpsg]

Great looking works in progress to all involved. I just have a question though, aren't the boats riding a bit high on the water? It seems as though the weight properties might be a bit skewed or is that a byproduct of an FSXism? Just curious...

 

[warchild]

Great looking works in progress to all involved. I just have a question though, aren't the boats riding a bit high on the water? It seems as though the weight properties might be a bit skewed or is that a byproduct of an FSXism? Just curious...

Wellll, it IS a byproduct of fsx its true, but i'm taking advantage of it.. our boats actually ride a little low..

View attachment 81592

Notice this boats wake doesnt start till the chart house.. ours starts a little in front of that.. it could be that our stern is lower in the water, and that could be a contacts issue. Something for me to look at certainly..

 

[strykerpsg]

Wellll, it IS a byproduct of fsx its true, but i'm taking advantage of it.. our boats actually ride a little low..

View attachment 81592

Notice this boats wake doesnt start till the chart house.. ours starts a little in front of that.. it could be that our stern is lower in the water, and that could be a contacts issue. Something for me to look at certainly..

Pam, it's absolutely the fanatic attention to detail that I love about the simmers here. That attention to making it right, as lifelike as possible, that truly keeps me in awe of not only the tweaked fde's you've done, but the paints from Skyhawk, Jankees, zsoltquack and others as well. Not to mention the detail put into all the scenery, aircraft and effects. So, thank you all for making this hobby so enjoyable.

just saying....

 

[warchild]

Thanks stryker.. that does mean a lot to me..
On another off topic note. i just noticed the whip antenna on the lead boat in that pic. Damn that would look nice on my jeep :;lol:; I dont even have a radio but it would still look sharp..

Seriously though. Yeahh, its a sim.. how many of us first bought a so called simulator back in the nineties hoping to get anything that felt like flying the real thing?? its been year after year of letdowns and frustrations since then. Even flight simulator left a hollow pit where expectations and hopes died a rapid and painful death.. I figure i'm not alone. If it doesnt feel real, it doesnt feel real. You could download a copy of fighting falcon and get the same feeling.. And i know it'll never be truly real, but still, if i work hard enough, do a little better each time, maybe for someone else, it "will" be real, if only for a moment..

 

[dougal]

This is just SUCH a hoot! Thanks for a great addon!!

What are folk using for engine sounds?

 

[dougal]

Oh wow!

Found a sound set by Gary Jones for twin merlins. Think it was at Avsim.