What's the facility <OuterDistance> entry again?

[Frosty]

Does anyone remember what the "OuterDistance" entry at the top of a facility file (specifically the airfield facility files) does?

It is not the distance at which the AI start their approach turn. That is defined in the Runway Definition file by the 'Turn' entry.
The stock airfields have these OuterDistance entries:

airbase_dual_1 OuterDistance="6000"
airbase_dual_2 OuterDistance="8001"
airbase_dual_3 OuterDistance="9001"
airbase_single_1 OuterDistance="8001"
airbase_single_2 OuterDistance="8001"
airbase_single_3 OuterDistance="8001"
airbase_triple_1 OuterDistance="6001"
airbase_triple_2 OuterDistance="9001"
airbase_triple_3 OuterDistance="10001"

Thanks!

Frosty

[NachtPiloten]

it had to do with view, that is when the facility was visible either by eye or the tactical display.....

[mongoose]

That was what I was thinking so like to set my big fligerhorsts at 10001. maybe I could try more?

[NachtPiloten]

The reason I believe this to be true is that i make some searchlight facilities a while back and set the outer distance to 10k, so the lights did not become visible until I was about 10 km away. I experimented and even in the effects files you can set distance and I did this for the landing lights too.

[gecko]

It may also have to do with the radius you have to be inside for the facility to trigger spawns. Take a look at the "mission_target_facility_XXk" facilities.

[mongoose]

The reason I believe this to be true is that i make some searchlight facilities a while back and set the outer distance to 10k, so the lights did not become visible until I was about 10 km away. I experimented and even in the effects files you can set distance and I did this for the landing lights too.

That might be interesting with regards to having a separate facility just for the various lights to show at different distances if I can't work out a spawn facility for lights. In other words, taxi lights set at, say, <3001, Runway lights at say <= 5001 and approach lights at about 1-2K from the furthest beacon. I will also have to check the result of changing that figure for searchlights so bombers can't see them from too far away. It's a pity that, AFAIK, facilities are 'neutral' and will be triggered by friend and foe, as it seems that making facilities as spawn files is not reliable according to David.



@ gecko I wonder if these can be played with. I forget which SDK deals with facility settings and I seem to remember someone also wrote something on facility construction?

[NachtPiloten]

James,

If you want you can change the view range of the lights in the effects file. There is a parameter that controls how far the light is displayed. Max distance is the entry I think. So you could make a series of approach lights (or any light for that matter) using different max distances and this would get the display range to change. I am not sure why you want to do this as it is my airports the landing lights fade from view rather quickly and the approach lights are visible from about 4-5 km and then disappear.

[mongoose]

I'll check that Ted, as frankly it's been a while since I've actually test flown as I have been busy redoing Deelen and Venlo before moving on to other Fligerhorsten. I'm just wondering how to deal with the intruder problem!!

[Frosty]

Thanks guys,

Those two options (view and spawn distance) were in my mind too, so we'll have to experiment to see which one it is...