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Thread: Learning AD2K

  1. #151
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    after i added the wheel to the strut,
    i noticed a little visual over lap,
    depending on the view angle.
    i'm sure a jump plane will solve the problem.
    while i'm at it, i might as well add the skirt.

    it's nearly midnight and the early AM
    wake up and no nap is catching up to me.
    i'm off to bed.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  2. #152
    Hello Smilo,
    Good night!
    Iīm busy starting to transfer JUMP GEAR + RANGE into the CubeFly...
    Get some beauty sleep!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  3. #153
    Hello, Smilo,
    Er... one thing is transferring instructions into the code, and quite a different matter is getting the correct line!
    Iīll get there in the end!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  4. #154
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    please, explain....
    what are you trying to accomplish?
    post a screenie or text.
    maybe, i can help.

    a picture's worth a thousand words.

    ps...the skirt is in place,
    the tire, strut and skirt are sequenced
    and the vector has been adjusted.
    all in all, i think it looks pretty good.

    oh yeah, the gear parts are not textured.
    i find it much easier to see bleeds
    by using contrasting colors for the parts.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  5. #155
    Hello Smilo,
    I put back the vector (easily this time) to the outside corner of the strut, and moved it in a bit so that now the tucked gear has the wheel flush with the fuselage again.
    Then I was looking for where on the Main Code Page to sift in the listing, comparing it the way the Ugly100 has it on each wing assembly.

    Ugly100 sequence:

    After deciding the Wingroot priority, Jump Gear calls Wing SA and, with Range 228,0 sets Gear-movement-arc, then calls a Jump Plane, which decides whether to call Wing SA again or Gear SA.

    CubeFly:
    The Wings are is inside the Main Code Page, so an equivalent place (thereīs no Wingroot) to insert Jump Plane + RANGE would be just before RTWNGALL, moving that label to the new instruction, and renaming the previous position that label had before to e.g. RTWNGILL, to be called by Jump Gear (this summoned RTWNGALL before).

    But, the model wonīt do anything new, and Iīm still trying to figure it out.
    I didnīt get much time to do so today, as every time I sat down, I was summoned to do different other things.
    I know I can do it if I have enough sit-down time!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  6. #156
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    as a personal preference, i disagree with the ugly order.
    ignore the wing root, it just gets in the way.
    save it for after the wing stuff gets done.

    first, do the gear movement...test it alone.
    then, join it to the wing using the jump plane...test it.
    if everything lines up properly, add the jump gear range.
    test it...does it work? adjust the range.
    the reason mine didn't work was,
    i had a return after the jump plane
    and before the gear jump range.
    live and learn.

    now, when all that is done,
    go ahead and add the karman jump plane.

    if there are still problems, either post a screenie
    or the 3DM in a zip and i'll have a look.

    i'm kinda busy myself, today.
    i guess i need to catch up
    on everything i ignored
    over the past few days.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  7. #157
    Hello Smilo,
    Thanks for the indications!

    OK, the Ugly100 sequence as a guideline is a bit different,
    and the Wing sequences are in separate Assemblies, but I
    was just looking for the principle, which should be the same.

    I wasnīt writing my own new sequence for the CubeFly yet.
    Iīd thought of a less ambitious task to start off with:
    Using your CubeFly Sequencing code, just to find the correct
    point to insert the Jump Plane + Range instruction.

    Iīm still trying to follow and understand the chain of instructions.

    OK, Iīll try my un-sequenced model (with just the Prop-sequencing
    working) and start to apply a gear sequence there, step by step.

    This would imply I knew how to start one though... but Iīll see.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  8. #158
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    wonder of wonders...
    something unusual has happened.
    i, actually, slept through the night.
    to bed around eleven and awake at 06:30.
    i never sleep for longer than three or four hours.
    never, except last night.

    jump plane sequencing...where to start.
    divide your model into sections.
    say, tail, mid fuselage, nose/prop, wing.
    keep them separate.
    there are many advantages to separation,
    especially, when you get into more complex models.
    remember when i talked about loosing work?
    it will happen...be prepared for it.
    better to loose a section than the whole damn thing.
    not to mention, trying to keep track of all the codes
    and scrolling through a giant list can be daunting.

    okay, enough of the scare tactics.
    i think you get the point.

    say, for example, we want to work on the wing,
    but when we compile, we have the wing
    and everything else we've build floating around
    and blocking our view of the wing.
    say, we want to work on just the gear.
    same problem, only worse.

    open the model editor, see the SUBASSY,T list,
    click on the top entry, then the Ins key.
    you'll get a Instruction Code window.
    the default selection it Return.
    while you're here, notice, each entry
    has a letter in its title underlined.
    these are the keyboard shortcuts.
    also, OK is highlighted with a dotted line.
    yes, you can make your selections with the mouse,
    but, trust me here, when you do this hundreds of times,
    tapping a couple keys is much quicker.
    okay, so, we just want to insert a return.
    key Ins, Enter your done.
    a return is like throwing up a wall.
    nothing after it on the code list will be seen.
    but you want to look at the gear assembly, right?
    click on that Return, just to highlight it,
    key Ins, S (for Go Sub) Enter.
    see GOSUB highlighted with a ?
    that is a sub assembly call
    click on the ? and then click on the SUBASSY
    you want to see when the model is compiled.

    not so fast, turbo.
    did you try to compile and get an error message?
    let's say you selected the gear assembly.
    scroll down to the assemble you called with the GOSUB,
    double click to open it...look at all those TPOLYs.
    DO NOT BE TEMPTED to assign them to textures.
    that's a whole other can of worms
    we don't have time for...just yet. trust me.
    click on the first one to highlight it,
    key and hold Shift and click the last one.
    all should be highlighted.
    now key Ctrl and P. select shaded(S) OK(ENTER)
    they are now all GPOLYs.
    look at the list of parts.
    some have the first number 16, some 4, some 5
    this is the number of vertices in each part.
    click to highlight the top 16 GPOLY,
    Ins, C, Enter , click on the ? and select a color (preferably a bright one)
    do the same thing for the 4 group and the 5 group,
    each with a different color.
    now compile
    if you get another error message,
    look at the left side of the main model editor page.
    if you see a blue dot...there is an error.
    if you see untextured TPOLYs, just change them to GOPLYs
    you don't have to assign colors until you need to see them.

    okay, so much for the first lesson.
    apologies if it's convoluted.
    there are a lot of details to cover
    and i don't know how much you already know about.

    i'm going up for my morning coffee.
    let me know what you see in the sim.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  9. #159
    Hello Smilo,
    Thanks a lot for your detailed e-mail full of tips and tricks!

    In my two last e-mails I made the mistake of saying I wanted to insert a
    Jump Plane + Range instruction, when I really meant Jump Gear + Range instruction.

    I hadnīt been able to post anything because there wasnīt much to pinpoint or say.

    I tried in a few inconvenient points, just after the Jump Plane + Vector instruction
    that gives rise to the calls leading to the Gear Bank + Vector instructions for each Gear SA.

    Results were varied, none any good, although the gear did disappear when retracted,
    but wasnīt animated. One try hung AD2000 and the whole computer because Iīd called RGEAR instead of RWING from Jump Gear, and of course RGEAR from GEAR BANK straight after, causing an endless loop, probably. Another try hung the Sim, because Iīd stuck in Jump Gear right after the Jump Plane + Vector further above, messing up the conditional flow.

    Well, now Iīve just tried try a point before each of the the Gear Bank + Vector instructions, marked in red boxes in the code screenshot attached here. There are also 3 screenshots of the plane.
    This is the best so far: No bleed when retracted, but no animation, and THREE landing gears!!!
    Why is there no animation? The gears just appear and disappear?

    The next step will probably be starting my own Gear sequence, for which your detailed
    e-mail will come in very handy, unless some able and cunning manouever can get rid of the the center gear, and animate the other two...


    Thank you for your time and effort!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Bestsofar1.jpg   Bestsofar2.jpg   Bestsofar3.jpg   M--Insert-JumpGear.jpg  
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; February 28th, 2017 at 09:34.

  10. #160
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    i hate to say this, but must,
    this is exactly what i was talking about
    in the last post.
    i see a main page, jam packed with calls.
    small wonder there is confusion.

    try this.. be forewarned, it's radical.
    close ad2k and save when prompted.
    i'm assuming your work directory
    is in the main ad2k folder.
    (mine is C:\AD2000.25)
    i made a desktop short cut for ease of access
    find your and open it and open your cubefly folder.
    copy and paste the cubefly (or whatever you've named it)3DM.
    restart ad2k and open the copy of cuberfly 3DM.
    click on File in the upper left corner
    and select Rename from the menu.
    change the name to RITEWING,
    make sure the master project box is checked and click OK.
    (how are we doing so far? still with me)
    before we forget, reduce ad2k to the task bar
    and open the cfs/aircraft/cubefly folder.
    locate the air file and copy and paste it.
    (it's probably named cubefly.air, right?)
    rename the copy, ritewing.air.
    without it, you will not be able to view
    the work you do in cfs.
    okay, close out folders cfs folders.
    restore ad2k to full size.
    just to make sure we're on track,
    compile the model, go to cfs freeflight
    and make sure there is an entry for Ritewing.
    it's important that the Ritewing model
    is in the select aircraft list.
    if it's not...STOP..we need to find out why.
    if it is, key Alt, A, A, press the arrow up key
    (the keyboard should have a small group
    of 4 arrows, left, right, up and down)
    to move one aircraft up the list and key Enter.
    okay, minimize cfs to the task bar.
    ad2k should still be maximized,
    if not, make it so.
    now for the really fun part...
    in the graphic editor,
    first, click on View and uncheck Show templates.
    (at this point, they're a distraction)
    select the canopy sub assembly.
    click the Priority chn button.
    now, click on the all button,
    then, the sel button.
    (this way, you'll only see what in the canopy assembly)
    are you ready for this?
    up on the menu bar, click on Sub Assy,
    click, Delete sub-assy.
    yes, you heard right.
    continue this procedure until all that's left
    is RWING, RAILERON (which is a useless piece of crap)
    and the RGEAR sub assemblies.
    now, go into the model editor (F9)
    and delete everything that doesn't relate
    to the right wing, right aileron or right gear.
    (gosubs, jump plane, returns...everything)
    now, you can see what needs to be seen
    to accomplish the task at hand.

    unfortunately, ad2k does not have a back button,
    which would be hand if you accidentally make a mistake
    and intentionally delete something you didn't want to.
    there are a couple solutions, but, that's for later.
    for now, just be careful.

    when you've finished the hack job,
    click the save icon, open the ad2k cubefly source file
    and copy/paste the ritewing 3DM
    right there in the file.

    that should keep you busy for a bit.
    i'm sorry, but i have errands to run.
    if you cant stand waiting,
    in model editor,
    see the RGEAR2 GEAR RBANK
    and the RGEAR1 TRANS/ROT instructions.
    these entries are the right gear animation calls.
    scrolling up, see the right wing to rgear2 jump plane.
    this instruction ties the two together.
    the jump gear range is added above the jump plane.
    be sure there is no return between the two.
    if it was me, i would insert a return at the top,
    then a gosub above that.
    click on the ? and select rgear2, then compile.
    go to cfs and have a look at it, does it work?

    the trick is not to get ahead of yourself
    until you understand what you've accomplished.
    one step at a time, buddy, one step at a time.

    okay, i'm off.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  11. #161

    I beg your Pardon!

    Hello Smilo,
    Thanks again... I beg your pardon, I didnīt know this was going to have such grave consequences...sorry to have insisted on my idea...In my defence, Iīd say I thought Iīd just try adding the Jump Gear thing to what there was.
    As it was only 4 more lines, I thought it wouldnīt hurt, but of course...Yes, I see your point.

    Separating the Main Code into sections like you said in your previous E-mail was my next plan.
    Thank you so much for fine-detailing the steps.

    That will be fun to follow! - As detailed as any professional tutorial, absolutely!
    I will go through all the instructions in both e-mails and do it. THEN, Iīll post another post!

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  12. #162
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    well, Stephan, i don't see it as grave consequences.
    i see it more as getting the basics down pat,
    before moving on the next phase.
    sorry if i scared you.

    while it's true, knowledge can be gained
    by studying and copying another's work,
    real, lasting knowledge comes from
    first hand experience...
    getting one's hands dirty, so to speak.

    please understand, i don't know
    all there is to know about ad2k.
    last week, clearly proved that.
    but, i am willing to explore the program with you
    and reveal any secrets i may have buried in this old brain.

    i am, by no stretch of the imagination,
    a master ad2k builder, but, i do have some experience.
    who knows, i might learn something.
    actually, i already have.

    so, if you want to play....let's go.
    i'm ready to rock and roll if you are.

    ps, i'm amazed that this thread
    has already had over 3,300 views.
    who are all the viewers?
    i thought cfs was dead.
    apparently, not...welcome
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  13. #163
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    hello Stephan, i'm unable to read
    the model editor you posted.
    the image is too small
    for tired old eyes.
    please zip the 3DM as it is
    and post it,
    so i can drop it into ad2k
    and have a close look at it.
    obviously, my radical methodology
    is too much to ask.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  14. #164
    Hello Smilo,
    Grave consequences was only an exaggeration, I thought you were a bit upset, but Iīm glad you arenīt!

    Actually, looking at the length of your Main Code Page for the initial version of the CubeFly, it is striking to
    see how effective it is - so I put in the externally retracting landing gear to make it completely bleed-free.
    I saved that one separately changing the name to "MCubFly2" ("M" for Smilo)!
    "MCubFly1" doesnīt exist, as itīs really the original bleed-riddled CubeFly.

    If recommended procedure, and it seems logical, is to split the plane up into more sub-assemblies
    for decent Jump Plane Sequencing, then what you have done on the CubeFly qualifies as a work of art.
    So I thought Iīd try and fix that in a quick way... well...

    Thanks for offering to look into that build file! The Build name is "MCubFly3".
    Iīll include the aircraft files too so you just have to select the working directories, not make them.

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  15. #165
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    it's not necessary to send more than the 3DM.
    as i said above, if i open, work on and compile
    a model of a different name, after compiling,
    it will be sent to the original cubefly aircraft folder directly.
    the model file and aircraft .cfg will have the new name.
    of course, it can not be viewed in cfs,
    until there is an .air file of the same name.
    my cfs cubefly folder has several .air files
    of several different names. easy peasy.
    no need to change the directories.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  16. #166
    Hello Smilo,
    A practical way for prototype testing! That way thereīs not much clutter.
    Iīve just e-mailed the zipped .3dm file to you, including the Main Code Page screenshot for easier reading.

    What happened to the Forum-Post-Text-Editor? I can no longer easily paste things in as before.
    It used to only put in extra spaces which I could easily delete, but now, with all the squares, tables and windows, Iīm getting my knickers into a twist. Obviously it has been done to make things easier, so I have to see how.

    You commented on the visits to the thread. Thatīs quite a lot, so it must be interesting - or fun - or funny - to follow!

    OK, Smilo, Thanks again!
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  17. #167
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    what? there is something amiss
    with the forum text editor?...oh grand.
    sorry, i hadn't noticed.
    hopefully, one of the senior admins
    can straighten it out or at least explain.
    (how's that for passing the buck upstairs?)

    okay, are you ready for this?
    grab a cup of coffee, tea ,
    or any beverage of your choice,
    this might take a while.

    i received your email and the zip, thank you.
    i dropped the mcubefly3DM into the ad2k cubefly folder,
    fired up ad2k, clicked open and selected it,
    went directly to model editor (F9)
    and compiled (again, F9),
    then, minimized ad2k and opened cfs/aircraft/cubefly folder.
    as you know, this is the project destination folder.
    i copy/pasted the existing cubefly.air file
    to be reused in a few seconds.
    next, i opened the aircraft.cfg file
    and copied the title=MCUBEFLY3 and closed the cfg document.
    next, i right clicked that copy of cubefly.air file
    and pasted that new aircraft.cfg title, MCUBEFLY3.

    dang, what a convoluted explanation for an easy shortcut,
    the purpose of which is to quickly add a new ad2k project aircraft to cfs.

    okay, so, fire up cfs, select mcubefly3
    from the aircraft list
    and have a look at her.
    with the exception of a third gear
    protruding from the middle of the fuselage,
    she looks pretty good.
    so, what's up with that?
    any clues?
    well, yes, there are.
    which gear is the middle one, left or right?
    key, Alt, A, A and select the next aircraft on the list.
    what? why? because, if you try to compile ad2k
    with the project aircraft flying,
    you will get an error message.
    minimize cfs to the task bar
    and bring up ad2k and go to the model editor.
    at the very top of the main page,
    click to highlight the entry just below MASTER.
    key, Ins, then, Enter to add a Return call.
    this will, basically, block every instruction below it
    from showing in the next compiled model.

    (please, bare with me here)

    while the new Return is highlighted,
    key, Ins, S and Enter to add a new GOSUB call.
    click on the ? and carefully use the slider
    on the right side of the window to scroll down
    the list to RTWNGALL and click on it.
    go back to the top to make sure
    the gosub call is in fact RTWNGALL.
    compile.
    bring up, cfs, change aircraft back to mcubefly3
    and have a close look at the right wing and gear.
    how does it look? any bleeds?
    does the gear retract and extend properly?
    look at all angles top and bottom.
    change aircraft and bring up ad2k.
    double click on the RTWNGALL gosub call,
    scroll down and click on LTWNGALL,
    compile and go have a look in cfs again.
    (get use to this ad2k to cfs back and forth procedure.
    in a real, complex project, you will do it
    hundreds, if not thousands of times)
    okay, in cfs, what do you see?
    wtf is that? why is it there?
    how can it be fixed.

    i could tell you, but, i won't.
    if you want to build with ad2k,
    YOU, need to figure this out.
    what i will do is give you some clues.

    still in cfs, change aircraft.
    bring ad2k to front and scroll down
    to the left and right gear
    jump gear range, gear bank and trans/rot calls.
    look closely at the right sequence ,
    then look closely at the left.
    do you see a difference in the sequence?
    remember, the left gear is the one with the problem.
    make the correction, compile, have a look.

    when you're satisfied and all done,
    don't forget to delete the gosub and return
    we added at the top of this exercise.
    now, we're done
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  18. #168
    Hello Smilo,
    Thanks very much for your intervention, and it looks like it wasnīt bad as Iīd thought.
    ...but thatīs mainly because the entire sequencing was rather a good one to start of with!

    I like your style of explaining things - it makes an entertaining read for a start, and now Iīll
    follow it through and find whatīs at fault. BTW: A practical way of adding a new project!
    Keeps the level of clutter low!


    So, my hopes for a platform for the sequencing tutorial you had in mind i.e. "Jump Plane Sequence
    Refresher Turorial" will have a happy outcome.

    Instead of calling it CubeFly or CubFlY, do you have any predilections for a different name and colour
    schemes to make it more fitting? I must change some things on the textures, as the existing ones
    only serve to check position and spread.

    I will delve and return!

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  19. #169
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    thank you, i'm glad the explanation
    was taken as it was intended,
    a step by step, how to do it instruction.
    the point being, i don't know how much
    the reader knows or understands about ad2k,
    or, for that matter, combat flight simulator.
    with especially, ad2k, you are beginning to see,
    just how complex and repetitious it can be.
    it's too easy to get lost or confused, both,
    with all the drawings and the sequence coding.
    this is precisely why, i suggested the earlier hack job.
    the beauty of the program is individual,
    complex sections of the model can be
    easily added to the whole project later on.

    if you knew me, by that, i mean could walk into my life,
    you would find the above comment hilarious.
    reading it, you would think i am an organized,
    very orderly person, but, in reality,
    my life is a disorganized mess
    and that's putting it mildly.
    i won't go into detail, you'll have to trust me.

    about the tutorial...we are not done yet.
    we need to talk about seals
    and their importance to a bleed free model.
    i actually learned something last week,
    while fighting with the gear to wing fiasco.

    about colors...i've said this before,
    and hate to say it again.
    i believe the textures should be added
    after the sequencing is completed.
    i know you've spent a lot of time on it,
    so, i'm adverse to comment negatively.
    my reasoning is simple, one has a better view
    of individual parts that may bleed through each other,
    if each is a different GPOLY color.
    also, if a part need to be modified,
    it will be easier to locate if it's a different color.
    for example, early on, when i started looking
    at the cubefly (or should we call it, CUBEFYI.)
    i noticed a potential part bleeding in the tail.
    i changed it to a gpoly and made it red.
    have you noticed it, yet?

    okay, i need to go get some coffee.
    i'll look in a little later.

    oh, yeah, looking at your mcubefly3 last night,
    i learned something new.
    i wasn't aware that you could insert the jump gear range
    right after the other gear instructions.
    last weekend, i inserted it after the gear
    had been added to the wing jump plane.
    i like the way you did it much better.
    that way, all of the gear instructions are consolidated.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  20. #170
    Hello Smilo,
    OK, so Gosub SA Label + Return is how to isolate said SA.
    Nice! ...a flying wing in CFS!

    Well then..,, letīs see: Left wing has an additional, unlawful, non-TRANS/ROTted Gear.
    BINGO! Ha! Got the culprit! - Iīd forgotten a RETURN at the end of the Left Gear Bank + Vector Instruction!

    Thatīs cured the third gear syndrome. OK for a DC 10, but not for this!
    Fine, the MCubFly3!!!

    Next comes the un-animation...


    BTW: The idea of inserting the Jump Gear instruction after the other Gear instructions actually came from the Ugly100 tutorial. Yes, I remember your suggestion of doing away with textures until the model is structurally correct, as it facilitates seeing glitches. Will do!

    Many thanks for your guidance! Iīll check out some other things now.
    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp

  21. #171
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    i'm pleased that you found and corrected the problem.
    i must have done something right.

    about removing the textures and changing to simple colors,
    careful with that axe...nothing need to be removed.
    just open, say, the right gear sub assembly,
    left click the top entry to highlight,
    key and hold Shift and left click the last entry.
    all entries should be highlighted.
    key, Ctrl+P, select shaded and key Enter.
    (the short cut is key, Ctrl+P,S,Enter)
    all TPOLYs will now be GPOLYs.
    for the gear, i made the strut red,
    the tires dark gray and black,
    and the skirt, green on the inside
    and blue on the outside.
    but, that's just my choice.

    about the name, CUBEFYI.
    Cube For Your Information.
    i was just being a wise guy.
    i love multiple meanings.


    once again, thank you
    for the encouragement
    regarding my writing.
    at times, it may sound over simplified,
    almost to the point of demeaning.

    that, is, surely, not my intention.
    as you know, all too well,
    the ad2k tutorials lack some specifics
    and, at times, are mistaken.

    frankly, i don't know what readers
    may or may not know about the subject.
    i feel it best not to assume anything.
    it's easy enough to get off track,
    without getting bogus instructions.

    therefore, i've decided to write
    as much detail as possible.
    i mean no offense, if i'm writing
    Aircraft Designer 2000.25 for Dummies
    all i can say is, i wish there was such a document
    when i was working with the program.
    my learning process was trial and error.
    mostly error
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  22. #172
    Hello Smilo,
    OK, Iīve bypassed all the textures. It was quickly done!
    Interestingly enough, I hadnīt added a Shaded Colour instruction to the fuselage, and it became transparent seen from below, but not from anywhere else - so it only found a shaded colour instruction from somewhere else in time from a different viewing angle sequence. Anyway, I knew I hadnīt put it in, and now itīs fine.

    OK, this will uncover hidden bleeds. Of course! One tactic I use for unavoidable bleeds in AF99 is to texture the parts involved with the same colour.


    Cheers,

    Aleatorylamp
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails textureless.jpg  

  23. #173
    SOH Staff
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    Location
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    i'm curious about your "unavoidable bleeds" comment.

    look closely at the cubefyi.
    do you see any?
    let's get nit picky.

    as i've mentioned before,
    i'm not using a joystick,
    which in my case, eliminates the hat.
    i've also mentioned that i use slew mode
    for viewing a model's building progress.
    that said, the only slew key commands i care about
    are the Look ahead, ahead/right, right, back/right,
    back, back/left, left, ahead/left and Look down.
    all are set to the Shift + Number pad for easy access.

    the only movements i care about is Move up,
    Freeze all movement, Straight and level,
    and Bank left and right.

    basically, i go into free flight,
    go to exact location N0 E0 altitude +0
    why, you might ask?
    simple, there's nothing there
    to distract my view.
    of course, this is impossible without
    Bill Potvin's classlist.bgl modification.
    it makes landing on water possible.
    (it's great for piloting float planes,
    hubba's ships or ditching in the channel)
    i've attached a copy, if you're interested.

    okay, so, where was i?

    take the model to around 5000 feet
    and freeze all movement.
    of course, in spot view.
    slowly look around.
    then, bank left or right and let her roll.
    slowly look around for anything unusual.
    if i want to check out a particular spot,
    key, freeze all movement
    zoom in and out is also helpful.

    anyway, this technique works for me.
    it's simple, quick and, with a little practice, accurate.

    okay, go have a close look at cubefyi.
    see anything unusual?
    Attached Files Attached Files
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

  24. #174
    Hello Smilo,
    Well, in AF99 modelling there are sometimes unavoidable bleeds, the result of a trade-off between eliminating something you want or having it with unavoidable, momentary, transitory bleeds. Maybe for someone like Ivan, some of my unavoidable bleeds could be avoidable...

    Oh! and the whole point of mentioning this, was that one way of disguising these bleeds is using the same colour texture. Related to AD2000, textures can disguise bleeds which otherwise could be discovered more easily.


    OK then, thanks for your post! My way of inspecting a model is very similar. Fine, Iīll slew around and zoom in and out, to look at the model and see what I can find.

    Later: Well, I found a few glitches:
    1) Open strut tubing underneath: Iīd already done it on a version I lost by overwriting with another file... silly accident. Both lower strut ends: One was missing even from the desk and I mirrored and flip the opposite one, moving it into the other SA, and flipping it too. Then,
    2) the stabilizers were digging into the fuselage, and
    3) one elevator was invisible from above, and had to be copied and flipped too. Also,
    4) the aeroplane sat about 2 ft below the ground, but I knew that already and wasnīt bothering yet, but I fixed it.


    Letīs see if thereīs anything else...

    Cheers,
    Aleatorylamp
    Last edited by aleatorylamp; March 2nd, 2017 at 11:43.

  25. #175
    SOH Staff
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    State of Confusion..... -8GMT
    Posts
    3,775
    okay, good, you got the stabilizers.
    keep looking at the tail.
    there's a glaring one there.

    Look back, Look back/right, and Look back/left
    are the key commands,
    but, they seem counter intuitive.
    they are, actually, looking forward
    from the right, center and left rear.


    once you find them all,
    we'll talk about why
    they are happening
    and how to repair the issues.
    sometimes the magic works.
    sometimes it doesn't.

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