Quick Update 10/1..."Swivel Head" is back!

[N2056]

I originally used "swivel head technology" on Pete, but that was using separate parts. This guy uses skinned animation, and it really works well in the sim :)

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7629/200910118244281.jpg

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/9130/2009101182345687.jpg

There is a trade off...the pilot is always in the plane. Skinned animations & visibility do not play well together :isadizzy:

[Lionheart]

Very nice Robert! Love the dual axis head aiming action. Pioneering!

:ernae:



Bill

[NoNewMessages]

Is his name Mr. Mustard Seed??

I have a few spare gray (not white!) hairs he can borrow, should he "relish" the thought! I'll have to ketchup with Mr. Mustard sometime, unless he's a real hot-dog! And I hope he doesn't get too chili up there.

LMK if he needs the spare hair, but he'll have to change his name to Mr. Gray Poupon!

I think it's time for...:sleep:

[MCDesigns]

Looking good Robert! I like the use of bones in FSX, makes for some interesting animations, but also for long nights trying to get it right, LOL.

[Mathias]

I


There is a trade off...the pilot is always in the plane. Skinned animations & visibility do not play well together :isadizzy:

Gee, when I tried some vis code on my skinned pilot it looked like a splatter flick. The head doing wild moves twenty feet above the plane, mind you the neck still attached to the body.:bump:

Nice work!

[N2056]

Gee, when I tried some vis code on my skinned pilot it looked like a splatter flick. The head doing wild moves twenty feet above the plane, mind you the neck still attached to the body.:bump:

Nice work!

Mathias, that is why I have to leave him in the plane all the time...I have yet to find a way to apply visibility to a skinned mesh without it suffering from the distortions you describe. I have a couple of ideas I will try over the weekend...I'll let you know how it goes!

[Jim Goldman]

Robert:

Might have an idea that might work.. give me a call tomorrow and let me experiment with XML codes.

Best

Jim

[X_eidos2]

I keep a text file titled "How Did I do that?" handy when working in FSX. I write things down when I figure out something special. From my notes I have

"Don't put any visibilty qualities on boned mesh - don't make any modifications to mesh after it has been linked to bones."

On the Texan I did figure out a trick for hiding the crew. I'm not sure it would work with your plane because it's so small. I made a small polygon box and linked the boned parts to it. I then made a custom animation for the little box where it puts the boned mesh inside the plane's fuselage to hide it. The key is assigning a proper animation to the little box that is linked to the desired visibility. My pilot was in 5 parts, 4 of them boned mesh. If you looked at my exterior model in wireframe mode at keyframe 0 you'd see body parts jammed into the engine compartment. At keyframe 1,
everything is in it's proper place.

[N2056]

Well John, I have to thank you in advance, as that is exactly what I am working on! :d

[X_eidos2]

Well, if you ever decide to have the guy blink his eyes, I have some notes on that too. :icon_lol:

Glad to help. I feel a bit responsible because I caused you some extra work by pointing out a problem with the first pilot figure. Looks to me like you've got a much better figure now. Probably a few hundred less polys as well.

[N2056]

Hey, in the end this is great as I have all the things I need to make the figures for the Thorp now.
You actually helped me more than you know, as this has been something I should have figured out a long time ago that has been somewhat of a roadblock.