New Cockpit Lighting Technique

gecko

gecko

Charter Member
I've just stumbled across a new method of using the cockpit light to get individual parts to light up. It can be added to any aircraft we have using a hex editor and I think modelers could create to very impressive results if this were taken into consideration while they texture their model. I don't exactly know how the materials are set up in gmax, but the idea is to add a very intense specular shine to the part you want to light up in the color you want it to be in. All other parts should have flat black specular shine - i.e. none. I have done this with the gun sight reticles in these shots, giving them a full red specular shine. Shine was removed from all other parts.

The gauges show a second technique which works for luminescent parts like the gauge markings. They have no specular shine, but the white markings appear to glow green under the very dull pale green cockpit light. The color of the light was changed in the ViewUI.xml. Changing the LightColor value to LightColor="0 10 0". Note if you make this change you will need to delete the ViewUI.xml in the application data folder for the change to take effect. The reticle texture takes this same pale green light and displays is as a bright orange-red due to the intense red specular shine applied to it mixing with the orange color of the reticle texture. It works day and night.

Edit: just noticed it is quite hard to see the effect in these shots, it's much better in game, but there is enough you should be able to tell at least on the gunsight reticle.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot1191.jpg
    Screenshot1191.jpg
    8.2 KB · Views: 86
  • Screenshot5555.jpg
    Screenshot5555.jpg
    7.2 KB · Views: 75
gecko said:
I've just stumbled across a new method of using the cockpit light to get individual parts to light up. It can be added to any aircraft we have using a hex editor and I think modelers could create to very impressive results if this were taken into consideration while they texture their model. I don't exactly know how the materials are set up in gmax, but the idea is to add a very intense specular shine to the part you want to light up in the color you want it to be in. All other parts should have flat black specular shine - i.e. none. I have done this with the gun sight reticles in these shots, giving them a full red specular shine. Shine was removed from all other parts.

The gauges show a second technique which works for luminescent parts like the gauge markings. They have no specular shine, but the white markings appear to glow green under the very dull pale green cockpit light. The color of the light was changed in the ViewUI.xml. Changing the LightColor value to LightColor="0 10 0". Note if you make this change you will need to delete the ViewUI.xml in the application data folder for the change to take effect. The reticle texture takes this same pale green light and displays is as a bright orange-red due to the intense red specular shine applied to it mixing with the orange color of the reticle texture. It works day and night.

Edit: just noticed it is quite hard to see the effect in these shots, it's much better in game, but there is enough you should be able to tell at least on the gunsight reticle.
Click to expand...

Thats very interesting. I wounder if the same technique can be used in CFS2. Maybe it can be used for other model types.
 
I don't know. Assumedly if CFS2 has a cockpit light and supports specular effects then it would be possible. It would probably only work in virtual cockpit mode and not in the standard panel mode. But I don't know all that much about CFS2.
 
Is this better? It just doesn't show up well in the pictures. You've done this kind of editing before and can probably get it working. I'll try to attach a test package so everyone can give it a shot.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot2239.jpg
    Screenshot2239.jpg
    13.6 KB · Views: 175
Test Package

Here's a quick test package for those wishing to try it. I've applied the technique to the stock Mosquito Mk VI VC. Back up your existing mosquito_mkvi_cockpit0.m3d and viewui.xml and install these. Make sure you delete the app data folder's copy of the viewui.xml or your light will be far too bright and not the right color.
 

Attachments

  • vc light test.zip
    134.2 KB · Views: 21
Daniel that looks brilliant! Another nugget you've dug out for us :) I'll be trying that gauge tweak for sure.
 
Here's an example of what a modeler might be able to accomplish with various indicator lights for gauges. If all the lights of a given color, like green in this example, had their "light on" textures on the same texture sheet with nothing else on it, that texture sheet can have a green specular shine applied to it which will brightly illuminate the lights whenever the cockpit light is turned on. As far as I am aware there isn't a model that has indicator light textures mapped this way, so any attempt to do this with an existing model will inevitably mess up other parts of the VC (there's a reason I only showed the gear indicator gauge in this shot). But anybody currently working on a VC could set up their textures as described above and have indicator lights that work in the dark.
Screenshot2658.jpg
 
Here's an example of what a modeler might be able to accomplish with various indicator lights for gauges. If all the lights of a given color, like green in this example, had their "light on" textures on the same texture sheet with nothing else on it, that texture sheet can have a green specular shine applied to it which will brightly illuminate the lights whenever the cockpit light is turned on. As far as I am aware there isn't a model that has indicator light textures mapped this way, so any attempt to do this with an existing model will inevitably mess up other parts of the VC (there's a reason I only showed the gear indicator gauge in this shot). But anybody currently working on a VC could set up their textures as described above and have indicator lights that work in the dark.
Click to expand...

I'm currently working on the Hampden pit. For various reasons it uses it's own gauge texture sheet so when I get near completion I may will give this a go. The thought of glowing gauge markings is very tempting in a night bomber. :)
 
Pat Pattle said:
I'm currently working on the Hampden pit. For various reasons it uses it's own gauge texture sheet so when I get near completion I may will give this a go. The thought of glowing gauge markings is very tempting in a night bomber. :)
Click to expand...

Seconded, but also for night fighters!
 
Fortunately the glowing gauge markings require nothing out of the ordinary on the modeling end, and all our current planes can be modified to have them (I'll need a list James:wavey:). All that is needed is light/white markings on a dark gauge face. The effect is also a bit more satisfying when most of the rest of the cockpit textures are fairly dark. If you have any individual light bulbs you want working Clive, that's where it gets a bit different and they need their own texture.
 
You all got my Attention!!
With the TOW package I am working on, this could add another level of realism for this....
Looking forward to seeing this in operation and sorted out..
:applause: :applause: :applause:
 
gecko said:
Fortunately the glowing gauge markings require nothing out of the ordinary on the modeling end, and all our current planes can be modified to have them (I'll need a list James:wavey:). All that is needed is light/white markings on a dark gauge face. The effect is also a bit more satisfying when most of the rest of the cockpit textures are fairly dark. If you have any individual light bulbs you want working Clive, that's where it gets a bit different and they need their own texture.
Click to expand...

Chk yr email as not sure I have the correct one any more. PM if not recieved.
 
the idea is to add a very intense specular shine to the part you want to light up
Click to expand...

will this part then have a lot of shine if the sun hits it? maybe not a problem if you only fly from dusk til dawn.
 
It will, but it will just look like the indicator light is on any time the "light on" texture is displayed - stays fairly natural looking. It will have the same color and the same or somewhat less intensity as it does at night.
 
Been experimenting again, and found a few existing VCs where working indicator lights can be added. They are the Macchi C.200 and C.202 and the Reggiane Re.2005 (pictured below). These aircraft have the indicator lights modeled as untextured colored parts. All I did was add a specular shine to them of the same color and intensity and you can see the results below. I think this may be easier than the texture method I described earlier and it produces good results. Another interesting feature of the Re.2005 VC (the G.55 VC does it too) is that there are separate textures for the gauges and gunsight reticle for day and night use that automatically switch depending on when you are flying. I have no idea how they worked it out but it is very cool. It's a pity those guys don't model for CFS3 anymore. In the top left corner of the picture you can see the dull red night time reticle for the San Giorgio tipo C gunsight, which is much different from the bright yellow one you see in daylight.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot3850.jpg
    Screenshot3850.jpg
    9.7 KB · Views: 2
Who modeled

who are the designers of the 200/202? Can you send me the Re 2005 and the G55 or point me to where they are?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top