SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

How I can find good Tutorials for the making of VC ?

I have found one but it is for fs2002, and it don't work.
I already made a VC in gmax, but when I want to use it
in Fs2004, there's just nothing.
Sad

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 7:34 pm Post subject:

If your trying to make a VC and add it to an existing A/C, that you didn't make, you can't do it. You'd need the source file for the A/C and designers don't give them out.

And, just designing anything in gmax and dropping the file into FS2004 won't render the object operable without going through a fairly lengthy (atleast in explaination) process.

Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 11:12 pm Post subject:

Did you use MakeMDL to convert it for use in FS9? If you didn't, you might want to check out Microsoft's SDK on it because as Rick has mentioned, it's a lengthy process to go through it in a thread or email...

Exx

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 6:48 pm Post subject:

That is not the problem, I can use my PLANE in Fs9, but
I can't use the VC.

I've made my plane in gmax and i also made the VC for the
model in gmax in the same scene.In the gamepack for Fs2004
there is a ex. scene (Curtiss_Jenny.gmax).It has a VC.
I don't think that the problem is in gmax - I think that it is
perhaps in the Panel.cfg in the Panel folder. But i don't know. Question

Posted: Sun May 22, 2005 10:24 pm Post subject: When you say...

When you say you cant use the VC, do you mean that you can see the model/textures for the VC but no gauges? Or, do you mean that you cannot see the VC model/texture at all, like in aircraft without a VC?

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 12:58 pm Post subject:

Yes, like a plane without a VC.

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 3:10 pm Post subject:

Do you have the necessary bitmaps and mods done to the panel.cfg for the VC model? Essentially you need to do up another panel.cfg for the VC to work. So you should have the following folders:

<Panel>
<Panel.VC>

and also if you designed it this way...

<Model>
<Model.VC>

Appropriate entries in the aircraft.cfg model/panel sections must be entered to reflect those folders as well.

Exx

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:37 pm Post subject:

What entries I must write in that files?
Are they text files? (I don't know *.VC files)

Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 9:55 pm Post subject:

Well...first things first.

You did up a VC in GMAX and want to import it into FS right? So say you've taken all the steps to do that. Now you have a 'youraircraft.mdl' file with a VC incorporated into it.

Take that MDL file and put it in it's own folder along with the config file and name it <MyPlane.VC> Then go into your aircraft.cfg file and start up another Flightsim section (just as if you were installing a texture) and under the Model= parameter make it...

Model=VC

Same procedure for the Panel folder. Copy over your bitmaps for the panel and panel.cfg and put them in a folder called <Panel.VC>, (you have to create the folders I've mentioned). Then in your aircraft.cfg under the same flightsim section your panel section should read:

Panel=VC

That should work. If not, or if it's too confusing (which is understandable) read up on our Aircraft installation tutorial available in our tutorials section from the front page of the site to get the procedure down. You should read it anyways as a lot of it applies to you.

Shout back if ya get stuck.

Exx

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 1:08 am Post subject: Also...

Also, you should have the Software Developers Kits from MS, in them you will find some very important info. on what you are doing. Do you have your texture maps for the VC? Are they properly named (as I recall the VC textures have a $ in the name)and correctly called out by the (VCockpit01....VCockpit02....etc.) sections of the panel.cfg? The VC textures reside in the Textures folder of the aircraft. The .bmps that are in the panel folder are for the 2d panel view.

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 10:24 pm Post subject:

You mean, the Textures for the VC, (or the materials in gmax for the VC)
MUST have the same name like in the panel.cfg ?

For example:

[VCockpit01]
file=Panel_Decals_DC3_1.bmp
size_mm=512,512
pixel_size=512,512
texture=$Douglas_DC3
background_color=0,0,0

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 1:44 am Post subject: correctamundo

Correctamundo, the textures with the "$" in the name are for the VC. That is how FS knows they are not external textures.

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 8:24 am Post subject:

OK, are there any part names the VC parts must have ?
(exept the names for the controls and the gauges)

The Makemdl-doc from the Ms-Website describes only the
part names for the exterior parts and the controls.

Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 4:02 am Post subject:

I've put a tutorial on our site that might be useful to you. I've written it myself. It does not explain the complete workings of adding a VC, but might be worth adding to your portfolio of knowledge. It deals with the placement of VC gauges so you end up with only one or two VCockpit sections to optimise frame rates, and also deals with proper gauge background illumination. It's on our Tutorial page (surprise, surprise Surprised

)
I hope you might find it useful.
nick