Problem with Nibbio's "Contrails" addon?

[RichNagel]

I was fiddling around with Nibbio's "Contrails" add-on (download here -> http://web.tiscalinet.it/jobim/cfs2/contrails.html ), and noticed that the effect doesn't seem to function with enemy AI aircraft when flying in Quick Combat mode.

When playing in Quick Combat mode, all of the aircraft for the AI on my team (friendlies) display the contrails effect, but the enemy's aircraft do not.

When playing an actual mission, all of the aircraft display the effect... friendlies and AI.

Any idea what would cause this? I was hoping for some lead-shooting practice (with visuals) in Quick Combat

[kelticheart]

I was fiddling around with Nibbio's "Contrails" add-on (download here -> http://web.tiscalinet.it/jobim/cfs2/contrails.html ), and noticed that the effect doesn't seem to function with enemy AI aircraft when flying in Quick Combat mode.

When playing in Quick Combat mode, all of the aircraft for the AI on my team (friendlies) display the contrails effect, but the enemy's aircraft do not.

When playing an actual mission, all of the aircraft display the effect... friendlies and AI.

Any idea what would cause this? I was hoping for some lead-shooting practice (with visuals) in Quick Combat.

Hi RichNagel,

I am probably asking a silly question, but: do your AI aircraft contain the effect entries in their dp's? As far as I remember, Nibbio's aircraft effects are all activated via dp.

The only way I know to have additional effects working in CFS2 airplanes is to add them to each dp. The only effects working exclusively in the user's aircraft are the gauge-controlled effects by Green Ghost, such as exhaust flames, seaplane wake and water spray and so on. Once the very same aircraft is spawned in CFS2 as an AI, they will not work anymore. This is very good, because fps heavy effects, like multiple exhaust flames, will not downgrade AI animation rate.

Another thing that switches off dp effects is changing payloads in Free Flight, through the popup top menu bar [Alt key] without exiting the flight session. As soon as the aircraft is spawned back with a different payload, addon dp effects aren't visible anymore. Obviously, this affects only the user's aircraft, since it's not possible changing AI payloads in flight.

As an example, I added jet exhaust smoke trailers to all of my Korean War jets. The smoke trailer is displayed in my CFS2 by AI planes both when I engage a QC and/or fly a mission.

KH

[RichNagel]

Thanks for the reply

All of the DPs are stock and unedited, except for adding the entries for the contrails. It's really weird, as they seem to work in missions, but not in QC for the AI enemies.

[Allen]

QC dosen't load weapons for AI aircraft even if they are added to the "Guns Only" loadout.

[RichNagel]

P.S. Attached are two images of the contrails effect in QC... the only contrails that I see are generated from my aircraft.

[Allen]

You need to post more info how now the effects are done. Are they done by DP [Extra.#]? Done by hacking the VC light to be the effect? Are they triggerd by a gauge?

[RichNagel]

The effect is added by adding two "[Extra.#]" entries to the aircraft's DP file:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[EXTRA.0]
location=6.00,0.27,0.55
effect=fx_contrail_grn

[EXTRA.1]
location=-6.00,0.27,0.55
effect=fx_contrail_red
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

...and here are the FX effect files:

fx_contrail_grn.fx
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=1.00

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Delay=0.30, 0.32
Bounce=0.00
No Interpolate=1
Rate=1.00, 1.01
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.01
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00

[Particle.0]
Lifetime=20.00, 20.00
Type=21
X Scale=1.40, 1.60
Y Scale=1.40, 1.60
Z Scale=0.00, 0.00
X Scale Rate=0.25, 0.30
Y Scale Rate=0.25, 0.30
Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Drag=-2.60, -1.79
Color Rate=0.10, 0.20
Fade In=0.01, 0.01
Fade Out=0.30, 0.30
Rotation=-20.00, 20.00
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=1
Texture=fx_smoke.bmp
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=0, 244, 0, 120
Color End=0, 249, 0, 255
Jitter Distance=1.00
Jitter Time=5.00
TempK=109.00
TempRate=0.01
uv1=0.00, 0.00
uv2=1.00, 1.00
X Scale Goal=1.00
Y Scale Goal=1.00
Z Scale Goal=0.00
Extrude Length=20.00
Extrude Pitch Max=15.00
Extrude Heading Max=15.00
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

fx_contrail_grn.fx
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[Library Effect]
Lifetime=5
Version=1.00

[Emitter.0]
Lifetime=0.00, 0.00
Delay=0.30, 0.32
Bounce=0.00
No Interpolate=1
Rate=1.00, 1.01
X Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Emitter Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Drag=0.00, 0.01
X Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Y Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
Z Particle Velocity=0.00, 0.00
X Offset=0.00, 0.00
Y Offset=0.00, 0.00
Z Offset=0.00, 0.00

[Particle.0]
Lifetime=20.00, 20.00
Type=21
X Scale=1.40, 1.60
Y Scale=1.40, 1.60
Z Scale=0.00, 0.00
X Scale Rate=0.25, 0.30
Y Scale Rate=0.25, 0.30
Z Scale Rate=0.00, 0.00
Drag=-2.60, -1.79
Color Rate=0.10, 0.20
Fade In=0.01, 0.01
Fade Out=0.30, 0.30
Rotation=-20.00, 20.00
Face=0, 0, 0

[ParticleAttributes.0]
Blend Mode=1
Texture=fx_smoke.bmp
Bounce=0.00
Color Start=244, 0, 0, 120
Color End=249, 0, 0, 255
Jitter Distance=1.00
Jitter Time=5.00
TempK=109.00
TempRate=0.01
uv1=0.00, 0.00
uv2=1.00, 1.00
X Scale Goal=1.00
Y Scale Goal=1.00
Z Scale Goal=0.00
Extrude Length=20.00
Extrude Pitch Max=15.00
Extrude Heading Max=15.00
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[bub]

Allen,
I figured I would try something. The Cougar is the only aircraft I have with contrails. I went into QC and the effect for the wingman is there. I changed aircraft to see if it would disappear, as you can see, its still there. Sorry, I can't explain it. Somehow it carries over.
Bob

[UncleTgt]

Rich & Allen are correct. Add any exhaust or contrail effect you like to the dp, it won't show on enemy a/c in QC (but will show on your own & your flight's A/C).

Now, create a QC style mission & load it - no problem, every a/c, both friendly & enemy flights, will show dp effects whenever they are present in that aircraft's dp file.

Go figure

[bub]

Thanks Unc. I guess that "explains" it.
Bob

[RichNagel]

Thanks for the confirmation, UncleTgt Yeah, definitely strange... chalk it up to yet another bug in CFS2.