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Author Topic: The effect of flares being fired up from the airfield in SAS Modact 5.3  (Read 1722 times)

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gunny0134

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my conclusion :

I realized that in 4.12.2m, SAS Modact 5.3, using the original Smoke 1~26 is the most stable !!

In fact, I've been suffering from a lot of the behind error messages of unknown cause, with Smoke 24, 25, 26 not working.

When I remove these two mods (Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5, vas_bird+smokes), all of those error messages disappear and show a clean appearance when I press shift+tab on FMB.

So now, I will give up on the four objects below for the case SAS Modact 5.3 only. If I see them in the mission, I will deactivate(//) them and do the mission.

    - Birds vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke22
    - SeaGulls vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke23
    - FIDO vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke20
    - SignalFlare vehicles.stationary.MarkerFlare$MarkerFlareUnit

That's all for my reporting. I hope this is a reference for 4.12.2m, SAS Modact 5.3 users.

Thank you.

PS : The behind error messages were a lot about the ships
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Frankiek

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The errors about the ships are very common as the different ship packs come with mother classes that mention all the ships in the pack so if you don't install them the game engine will look for them. However this error is not critical. The only solution to this error is either to install all the missing ships or to modify the mother class taking out the reference to ship classes that you don't need
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gunny0134

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Additional explanation :

When using only vas_bird+smokes mod ---> smoke 24, 25, 26 not working.....birds appear.
When using only Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 mod ---> smoke 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 not working.
When using vas_bird+smokes + Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 mod ---> smoke 24, 25, 26 not working......birds appear
When using Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 + vas_bird+smokes mod ---> smoke 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 not working.

This situation happened by just putting the mod in the #SAS folder without changing the STD (probably class conflict).

WxTech_Effects_v1.5_ALL-game-versions mod does not seem to be involved in this situation.

The situation that the SignalFlare is not to be fired up from the airfield on SAS Modact 5.3 is believed to be related to this class conflict.

So now, I will give up on the four objects (Birds, SeaGulls, FIDO, SignalFlare) for the case SAS Modact 5.3 only.

Thank you.
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Knochenlutscher

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Screenshot of your Mods Folder please

Quote
WxTech_Effects_v1.5_ALL-game-versions mod does not seem to be involved in this situation.

At this my alarm bells ring.
Do you want to assisst in Debugging your problem or backfire your own efforts?
Troubleshooting involves all parts. I never quote a Mod is bad or sth.
That is not our aim, but we want to track the issue, fix it.
That is a misconception by a lot of Users, sentimental clinging or simply knowing things themselves better.

Code: [Select]
When using only vas_bird+smokes mod ---> smoke 24, 25, 26 not working.....birds appear.
When using only Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 mod ---> smoke 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 not working.
When using vas_bird+smokes + Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 mod ---> smoke 24, 25, 26 not working......birds appear
When using Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5 + vas_bird+smokes mod ---> smoke 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 not working.

Have you tested these with or without WxTech mod?
Be more specific. Hiding stuff is backfiring your own efforts, it doesn't hurt me btw.
If you let out stuff, the above testing isn't correct and can be thrown into the bin.

Quote
This situation happened by just putting the mod in the #SAS folder without changing the STD (probably class conflict).

You do know such Mods need to be installed by more than just dropping?
It requires additional Lines in ini's.

Code: [Select]
Installation

Remove Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.0 (beta) mod - which stupidly enough resides in a folder called "TaxiLights" by default - and associated ini entries.

Place the "00_4_Realistic Airfield Lighting v1.5" folder from the download into your MODS/#SAS/#DBW/#UP folders respectively, depending on your install.

Add these lines to your technics.ini (of respective MODS/#SAS/#DBW/#UP folder):
In the // Smokes section add these lines

Smoke16:Mesh     3do/Arms/Null/mono.sim
Smoke16:Effect   3DO/Effects/Fireworks/FlareBlueStatic.eff
Smoke17:Mesh     3do/Arms/Null/mono.sim
Smoke17:Effect   3DO/Effects/Fireworks/FlareBlueLowViz.eff
Smoke18:Mesh     3do/Arms/Null/mono.sim
Smoke18:Effect   3DO/Effects/Fireworks/FlareRedLowViz.eff
Smoke19:Mesh     3do/Arms/Null/mono.sim
Smoke19:Effect   3DO/Effects/Fireworks/FlareGreenLowViz.eff
Smoke20:Mesh     3do/Arms/Null/mono.sim
Smoke20:Effect   Effects/Smokes/FIDO.eff

Add to these lines to your stationary.ini (of respective MODS/#SAS/#DBW/#UP folder):
In the [StationaryObjects] section add these lines

LightBlue         vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke16       0
TwyLightBlue      vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke17       0
TwyLightRed       vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke18       0
TwyLightGreen     vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke19       0
FIDO         vehicles.stationary.Smoke$Smoke20       0
SignalFlare       vehicles.stationary.MarkerFlare$MarkerFlareUnit 0

Quote
So now, I will give up on the four objects (Birds, SeaGulls, FIDO, SignalFlare) for the case SAS Modact 5.3 only.

Start from scratch again, if you care
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gunny0134

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Yeah, I tested it with the case you're talking about and all the cases you didn't say.

The results were the same.

I say it again.

In SAS Modact 5.3 users, if someone see a SignalFlare shot up, please show me a screenshot of it.

Then it means I'm doing something wrong, so I'll study more about it.

And if you want a good result that's different from mine, try it yourself.

I will no longer proceed with my work on this.
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Knochenlutscher

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Whatever you want. It's your Tech Help.

Search someone else. We're obviously not a good pairing.

Best wishes
Tobias






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Wiseman : "Did you speak the exact words?" Ash : "Look, maybe I didn't say every single little tiny syllable, no. But basically I said them, yeah."

gunny0134

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Tested on my minimal #SAS backup ver.(4.12.2m, SAS Modact 5.3)

SAS Folder


stationary.ini


technics.ini


The result

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WxTech

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I've never tried using the signal flare object before. Just did for the first time, but for each firing I get groups of three errors as below, with no flare object being created. Could that be due to my having altered Rocket.class so as to induce random oscillations in the flight path, I wonder. Perhaps I'll have to see about working in some exclusion for RocketFlareBall.class...

Code: [Select]
[2024-05-14 18:31:21.906] dT:  896 CollideEnvXY.collideLine: com.maddox.il2.objects.weapons.RocketFlareBall@2d4 very big step moved actor - IGNORED !!!
[2024-05-14 18:32:11.565] dT: 1373 CollideEnvXY.collideLine: com.maddox.il2.objects.weapons.RocketFlareBall@2e4 very big step moved actor - IGNORED !!!
[2024-05-14 18:33:23.839] dT: 2101 CollideEnvXY.collideLine: com.maddox.il2.objects.weapons.RocketFlareBall@303 very big step moved actor - IGNORED !!!
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WxTech

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Instead of this simple visual effect being based on the rocket class, how about making it a basic static object or vehicle calling a simple visual effect when a defined condition is met? I've already created a new method in Explosions.class for the firing of a flare from destroyed ships. It can be utilized by any object desired. Below is my method as currently constructed. It could be expanded upon so as to have passed to it a variable that sets the color. For example:

  public static void Fire_Flare(Point3d point3d, int iColor)

Integer iColor could be set in the class calling this method as, say, 1 = white, 2 = red, 3 = green, etc...

The calling class could utilize code setting a 'danger' threshold when enemies are within a certain distance, when take-off is requested, etc.


My new method in my modded Explosions.class. The flare is a simple ballistic projectile, and has a smoke trail generated. The firing direction has a random departure from vertical, and there is a light source attached which illuminates the nearby surroundings (enabled when the Sun is below the horizon, but could be active all the time, if desired).

Incidentally, I've modded BallisticProjectile.class so that all ballistic projectiles make a splash/dust cloud upon contact with the water/ground (if not timed out before contact.) This causes them to also be immediately removed from the world, instead of remaining to fall under the surface until timed out.

Code: [Select]
    public static void Fire_Flare(Point3d point3d)
//NEW by WxTech; emergency flare fired from destroyed ships, with variable chance of occurrence by ship and explosion size
//called by BigshipGeneric.showExplode() and ShipGeneric.showExplode()
{
if (Config.isUSE_RENDER())
{
final Loc loc_1 = new Loc(point3d);
final Vector3d vf = new Vector3d();
double tim = TrueRandom.nextDouble(15.0, 45.0);  //time to wait after destruction; was 15, 45
new MsgAction(tim)
{
public void doAction(Object obj)
{
vf.set((double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(-0.3F, 0.3F), (double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(-0.3F, 0.3F), 1.0);
vf.normalize();
vf.scale((double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(65.0F, 75.0F));  //speed scale factor, to get m/s
float f_1 = 15F;  //live time in seconds
BallisticProjectile ballisticprojectile = new BallisticProjectile(loc_1.getPoint(), vf, f_1);
Eff3DActor eff3dactor = Eff3DActor.New(ballisticprojectile, null, null, 1.0F, "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_Red.eff", f_1);  //NEW effect
if (World.Sun().ToSun.z < 0.0F)
{
float scaleLight = MiscEffects.cvt(World.Sun().ToSun.z, -0.25F, 0.0F, 1.0F, 0.5F);
LightPointActor lightpointactor = new LightPointActor(new LightPointWorld(), new Point3d());
lightpointactor.light.setColor(1.0F, 0.1F, 0.0F);
lightpointactor.light.setEmit(1.0F * scaleLight, 30F * scaleLight);
eff3dactor.draw.lightMap().put("light", lightpointactor);
}
Eff3DActor.New(ballisticprojectile, null, null, 1.0F, "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Smoke.eff", f_1);   //NEW effect
}
};
}
}
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WxTech

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I'm looking at making the new Fire_Flare() method more widely useable; let's call it future-proofing. Via method overloading I've added flare burn color, earliest delay time and latest delay time as variables to pass. The delay time is useful for such instances as a ship's destruction, where some interval of time would be expected to run before a crew member got to a flare pistol. Of course, if there's to be no delay, both variables would be made to equal zero.

In this implementation I would be using the same BallisticProjectile parameters for all flares, meaning the same limited range of firing velocity and hence height attained (about 700 feet) and live time (about 15 seconds).

Would it be worthwhile to have another passed variable for the live time, in case one wanted a flare to burn out before reaching the ground? As in, say

    Fire_Flare(Point3d point3d, int iColor, double dDelay, double dDelay2, float fLiveTime)

Are there any other colors to consider besides the five I've included? Blue? Magenta?

Is there a better way to code all this? ;)

The new approach in the works, awaiting to test:
Code: [Select]
public static void Fire_Flare(Point3d point3d, int iColor, double dDelay, double dDelay2)
//iColor sets the flare burn color; dDelay is the earliest delay time; dDelay2 is the longest delay time
{
if (Config.isUSE_RENDER())
{
final Loc loc_1 = new Loc(point3d);
final Vector3d vf = new Vector3d();
final String sColor;
if (iColor = 1)
sColor = "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_White.eff";
if (iColor = 2)
sColor = "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_Red.eff";
if (iColor = 3)
sColor = "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_Green.eff";
if (iColor = 4)
sColor = "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_Yellow.eff";
if (iColor = 5)
sColor = "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Burn_Orange.eff";
double tim = TrueRandom.nextDouble(dDelay, dDelay2);  //time to wait after invocation (15-45s for ship destruction)
new MsgAction(tim)
{
public void doAction(Object obj)
{
vf.set((double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(-0.3F, 0.3F), (double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(-0.3F, 0.3F), 1.0);
vf.normalize();
vf.scale((double) TrueRandom.nextFloat(65.0F, 75.0F));  //speed scale factor, to get m/s
float f_1 = 15F;  //live time in seconds
BallisticProjectile ballisticprojectile = new BallisticProjectile(loc_1.getPoint(), vf, f_1);
Eff3DActor eff3dactor = Eff3DActor.New(ballisticprojectile, null, null, 1.0F, sColor, f_1);  //NEW effect
if (World.Sun().ToSun.z < 0.0F)
{
float scaleLight = MiscEffects.cvt(World.Sun().ToSun.z, -0.25F, 0.0F, 1.0F, 0.5F);
LightPointActor lightpointactor = new LightPointActor(new LightPointWorld(), new Point3d());
lightpointactor.light.setColor(1.0F, 0.1F, 0.0F);
lightpointactor.light.setEmit(1.0F * scaleLight, 30F * scaleLight);
eff3dactor.draw.lightMap().put("light", lightpointactor);
}
Eff3DActor.New(ballisticprojectile, null, null, 1.0F, "3DO/Effects/Tracers/Piropatron/Flare_Smoke.eff", f_1);   //NEW effect
}
};
}
}
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gunny0134

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I'm looking at making the new Fire_Flare() method more widely useable...
This is good news !!

I've been thinking that it would be possible to express the effect in SAS Modact that I want with the effect 1.5 ~ 1.6 mod of WxTech alone without the need for the mediation of other effect mods.

Because all the necessary items are in his effect mod.

Now, I'm really grateful to hear that my mentor, WxTech, is looking into this even in the midst of his busy work.

I hope his effect mod alone will show the effect I want well in SAS Modact.

My personal opinion is that the five is enough for the color of the SignalFlare.

Thank you.

And the reason why I downgraded from 1.6 and use the effect 1.5 mod is because the Ship wake Trail effect doesn't show well. So both BAT and SAS Modact are using effect 1.5 mod.
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WxTech

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If an effect such as a ship wake is not as strongly apparent, it's usually just a matter of adjusting the opacity value in the .eff file. Or one could take the relevant file(s) from one pack and put them in the other.

It might be worthwhile to go back to v1.6 and tweak the file or files needing adjustment or do a swap. If you need details, provide me with specifics of what is desired to do.
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