Glider Flight Mission II

VonBeerhofen · Post by **VonBeerhofen** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:17 am

The zero index is total black (RGB 00 00 00) Wudpecker. If you use something else some videocards may not interpret it as transparent (not all paintprograms will put these numbers in, one of mine used 01 01 01 by default as it only worked in 8 bits, that allready caused a problem, perhaps you should check with a hexeditor).
Another thing is that the cockpit has to be linked to some TRA known in the EXE if you want to use partial transparency.
There are several files you could borrow but not advised when you're not building a complete addon, so you can use planes which take this into account.
You MUST also use a stock filename for the plane, if you don't then the game will revert to palette info taken from the dayfade.pal in which case adding palette info to the PCX is useless (see groundobjects).
Then another problem may be that if you use the loadout slot it may not allow transparency at all but I can't really see this would be the case, especially since bombs do have transparent wings.
I think it's a palette problem but different hardware may react differently on the used palette.
I think using about 10 or 15 nodes for your towrope line shouldn't cause more problems then using a drawing, still it's curve won't be as in a drawing. I haven't used it much so I can't say how it will behave r/s wise.
I'm sure it's all a minor problem though, just needs the right solution and there are plenty to try.
Keep at it, I will have a look at the files to see if I can find anything wrong and let you know.

VBH

Knegel · Post by **Knegel** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:10 am

Hi Wudy,

you need to say what weapons.dat you wanna use, cause the changings influence all other plane loadouts using this droptank!!

For tests you can use any weapons.dat, but later you 1st need to say what planes use which loadout, to prevent problems.

The EAW file structure once again show its shortcommings here.

Greetings,

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:39 pm

HAVE POSTED SOME 3dz files on my gmail site

They include
---Shreck's "green" tranparency 3dz with C-47 "rope tail"
(Knegel's FM,
the ORD13.3dz rope tail and pic inside)
---My Full Test File with tools and TXT conversion

I know that's late for most folks. Will post by midnight or 1 a.m. GMT, or even earlier if I solve anything.

Download what you like.

www.gmail.com
User Name: Wudpecker
Password : Wudpecker

If you want to post any files of your own, send them to wudpecker@gmail.com. The title will show.

VON B---- Hmmm. Zero is Black? Have to use aircraft name in ORD.3dz?
Man, what a bummer! Shreck uses bright green for zero. I'm trying to use his pallette so we stay on the same page. It "sorta" works.
Col. Gibbon uses a gray for zero, and the usual pink and blue for tra file.

KNEGEL---Shreck asks if we can use a single "drop tank" instead of ORD14.3dz in your FM. We always get two C-47's dropping off.
Don't know if the P-51b model has a center tank point.

Let's try a "rocket rail" in Weapons.dat for the P-51b (glider). We can use it for the tow cable so it will disappear when the drop tank goes down.
Like the pics for my tow rope show, we want to use a center point at the top of the glider.
For the C-47, I guess making it a rocket that fits the rail will work, right?
Will that still make it a slow-flying C-47 after it is dropped?

ROTTEN--If you want to try changing the 6th byte in weapons.dat to a "4" (rises slightly), please give it a go. And make any other changes you think will work in the 3dz files I put up on gmail and we will try them out.

Col GIBBON-- Hope you will look at your Glider 3dz and see what we can do as well. Shreck's green transparency? Will it mess up the pallette as Von B. says? I do get some tranparencies on his glider.
Will post here a little later today--BEFORE MIDNIGHT GMT

VonBeerhofen · Post by **VonBeerhofen** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:15 am

Bugger Wudpecker,

not a very organised ZIP huh? Lol.
Post what you want to use, I mean the latest only even if the files aren't working properly, not 3DZ's which CTD ofcourse, we'll take it from there then. Just leave out all the test stuff, just the plane as you fly it now, latest TPC's and 3DZ's, no PCX's.
Just as how you want to load it into EAW.

VBH

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 6:25 pm

VB-------Have sent both the EAW main files and the OAW "S" (plane sets, not small "s" files) to you by email, VB--both addresses.

Have also posted them at my gmail site. See directions above to access the site.

Small set is the OAW "S" plane sets.
Large download is ALL files used in glider mod--from main EAW directory, minus CDF's and .exe files, of course.

VonBeerhofen · Post by **VonBeerhofen** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:34 pm

Hi Wudpecker,

I allready used what's there and as far as I can see in the text conversion of the OAW folder version, the end of file terminators at the end of each line are hughly unusual.
Each line should end with 0 45 255, being in sequence the terminator zero (possibly the transparency index), flat element colorcode and end of line terminator.
I suspect that not having the zero is causing your problems.
It will take a lot of time to correct this but I will give it a try.
BTW, I have no towrope showing on this model but I copied the line's exact position onto the TRA using the most detailed PCX.
Slightly enhanced window transparency too (they were set to total transparency)

VBH

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 8:47 pm

Very useful info, Roel. You are right. I did not add the "0" when putting in my hard point. But it should be there for the tow rope transparency, a piggyback to the top of the glider attachment.

Exactly which version did you check?

"S Gliders at Normandy" skin sets folder has my version with tow line from glider to C-47 top.

So does the "FULL" set of files from EAW main directory.

If you are using my TEST File, the latest are F007 and F008.3dz

Shreck's green transparency version with C-47 long tail belongs in the PLANES AND SINGLE SETS page of OAW (small "s" skinfolder)

Sure appreciate your checking. Also did some R/S research. Check your Calling Shreck post at the Gen here.

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:42 pm

Ooops. Added your "0 45 255" to my hard points.

The Drop Tanks are back--with a vengeance.

Col. Gibbon · Post by **Col. Gibbon** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:18 am

Hi Guys.

I've been looking at the glider concept from scratch last night. The first thing I did was add two hardpoints to two of the front elements of the glider, and coded them 1 & 2 as they are for the left and right side wing tanks for the P51b slot.

I then took the middle distance model for the C47, and converted it into Ord14.3dz, and it renders completely OK, except for the props, which for some reason do not render properly at some angles.

I did a couple more tries at getting the the tra working in the drop tank slot, but the linking between the tex/tra effect does not seem to work in the ordinance slot I'm using.

I did get some nice flying sequence though, when they were attacked. One poor glider pilot had a real headache!

I'll try a few more things, once I've had a good look at the Mistel files, so I can remind myself how that worked.

Shreck · Post by **Shreck** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:31 am

Knegel · Post by **Knegel** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:43 am

Hi,

Wudpecker wrote:HAVE POSTED SOME 3dz files on my gmail site

KNEGEL---Shreck asks if we can use a single "drop tank" instead of ORD14.3dz in your FM. We always get two C-47's dropping off.
Don't know if the P-51b model has a center tank point.

Let's try a "rocket rail" in Weapons.dat for the P-51b (glider). We can use it for the tow cable so it will disappear when the drop tank goes down.
Like the pics for my tow rope show, we want to use a center point at the top of the glider.
For the C-47, I guess making it a rocket that fits the rail will work, right?
Will that still make it a slow-flying C-47 after it is dropped?

ROTTEN--If you want to try changing the 6th byte in weapons.dat to a "4" (rises slightly), please give it a go. And make any other changes you think will work in the 3dz files I put up on gmail and we will try them out.

The Waco glider only have one droptank, if you see two planes dropping your PC is probably to slow. Such things happen online very often. Althought there is only one droptank below the wing, we see it dropping 2-5 times in a row.

We can place the towing cable in a rocket slot, but you need to drop "by hand", cause its not linked to the "drop droptank" command.

I would say its best to use a droptank as well, so it will dissapear after "alt d".

Actually you dont need to care for this, simply paint the cable into any loadout 3dz and give it the right position, the FM adjustment we can do later.

What weapons.dat do you wanna use?? Is there a already existing planeset?? This plane need a special weapons and related loadout.dat, no other plane is allowed to use this special loadouts, therfor its important to know the other planes and their loadout, otherwise we "only" can make a temporary weapons.dat, for test purpose. If the tow cable is a extra 3dz, i need to adjust the loadout.dat and P51b.flt anyway.

Could you please offer only the C47 skin + tow cable + Waco skin as single D/L??

Greetings,

Knegel

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:10 pm

Whoopee, John!

You got the C-47's viewable from all angles. Thanks! Been a sticking point for me-- could only get them to view up to exact sideways view of glider.
Attached hard points to tow rope and tow rope to the apparatus on top of the glider.

But I didn't code them 1 and 2.
Do you mean"
E108= 2 3 175 255

should also be:
E109= 1 3 176 255

I know what this cost you in pain. My congrats.

KNEGEL--------
Hold off a bit on Weapons.dat. Rotten has sent me one, and I will test it and post results.
As for a single set, go to my www.gmail.com site and get:
WACO "S Gliders at Normandy" skin set2

You are right about the rocket rail being a problem with "drop tanks".
Will try something else.

As for a single C-47 showing, here's a screen shot of tank drop.
I don't know if Loadout.dat controls this, but something does.
What sets the C-47 "drop tank" flight model?

Col. Gibbon · Post by **Col. Gibbon** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:20 pm

Hi Wuddy.

I've gone one better this afternoon and added the left and right sides of the full model.

Now, I'm going to add the tail 3dz, and with luck two working props, with tra effect! I know I can do it, but I'd like to know how quickly do you run out of fuel and the fake engine stops, or my idea is going to look silly!

Wudpecker · Post by **Wudpecker** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:36 pm

Wonderful!

As for the fuel to reach "empty" after glider drop, it takes about 5 seconds. Then the "engine" quits.

Of course, the C-47 has already started to fall away. Knegel, I think, has a way to make them "fly".

For the sound, that's something I can change. I'll work on it so the C-47 is a distant rumble in flight (which will be a lot of rumble on take-off) and then fade---I hope. The .exe has its own way of stopping the engine sound.
The sound will go right along with the glider mod set. That way, it will only show up when the "Glider Pilot" mission is selected.

Col. Gibbon · Post by **Col. Gibbon** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:49 pm

Is there no way to make it instantaneous? I can only give the C47 working props when it's attached to the glider, because in reality they will be hard pointed props of the glider, using the tra effect from the tex/tra. The moment the gliders engine runs out of fuel, the props would disappear. The only alternative would be for the standard prop blades to rotate, without tra effect.