Afterburner Effects

[Z-AZ1USN]

Interested in learning how and what the process is in adding afterburner
effects to jet fighters. I realize that there needs to be an effects folder
and some .fx files are created (don't know what is used to produce
.fx files) and then magically a call is made on those effects to
appear as needed. Are the afterburner effects triggered by
something in the panel file or what? Appreciate any "tutoring"
that is out there. Thanks.

:applause:

[hschuit]

Sir, I am not an expert but learned to tinker with burner effects by studying what others created. These are IMHO the basics for burner effects in FSX (FS2004 is another, more complicated story):

1) As you said, you need at least one .fx file in the effects folder which describes the graphics behaviour and which texture bitmap(s) to use. You can edit those files with a simple text editor but easiest is to copy an existing file.

2) You need an XML gauge which describes under which conditions the effect will be active. Most common are the ones that toggle the LOGO light (aka light.9) when the turbine engine afterburner variable becomes true. Attached is an example of an XML file which amongst other things contains this kind of coding.
Again, you can create/edit an .XML file with a simple text editor but easiest is to copy an existing gauge. Usually these .XML files are sitting inside a folder or inside a gauge .CAB file which you can open/extract with WinZip or WinRAR.

3) You need to add the XML gauge into your panel.cfg file, preferably in section [Vcockpit01]. For gauge named EffectController.xml which is included in CAB file named Effects.CAB (or folder named Effects) that would look like:

gaugexx=Effects!EffectController, 10,10,10,10

4) The effect has to be included in your aircraft.cfg file under the [lights] section. Using the LOGO lights example above with an .fx file named fx_burner.fx, it might look like this:

[lights]
light.XX = 9, -14.30, 0.00, 0.50, fx_burner

The first entry of the line defines which circuit, or switch, the light is connected to (9 = LOGO light). The next three entries are the position relative to datum reference point. The final entry is the special effect file name that is triggered.
Perhaps needless to mention: .cfg files can be edited with a simple text editor.

5) Finally, make sure your aircraft.cfg file [TurbineEngineData] section contains afterburner parameters, this is a typical FSX example:

[TurbineEngineData]
fuel_flow_gain=0.006
inlet_area=7.50
rated_N2_rpm=7460.0
static_thrust=11870.0
afterburner_throttle_threshold = 0.80 // burner kicks in @ 80% throttle
afterburner_available=1 // single stage burner
reverser_available=0.000
ThrustSpecificFuelConsumption = 0.80
AfterBurnThrustSpecificFuelConsumption = 1.95


Hope it helps you to get started,
Henk.

[Lateral-G]

Thanks for that Henk!

-G-

[Z-AZ1USN]

Thanks for the insight and info. I'm taking in this info like drinking from a fire hose but after I keep going over your info it should slowly sink in.

:icon_lol: