SOH Team Project - Grumman Tracker, Trader, Tracer

[Milton Shupe]

Thank You, in all the time I have been flying FSX I have never encountered this before. I looks like MS forgot to put alphas in the VCRain*.bmps. I had dl,ed updated files long ago but because I never saw the problem so never replaced the MS original files. Since I fly in the liquid sunshine state, FL, you can imagine my surprise when the wind screen went blank while flying

Milton, In the comment above you say you have not textured the VC yet. Is that why the Glass in the VC is transarent but from the outside I can see the effects of the alpha channel darkening?

Dave

Dave, I seldom put glass on the inside of the cockpit unless it is an open cockpit type like the A26B or F7F-1. To me, the glass is a distraction, and moving reflections are terrible.

Using "VC Rain", glass inside (facing inward) is actually a requirement but with an opacity of zero.

For you real pilots, it is a fact of life but for us virtual pilots, only the outside glass smashes bugs, the inner surface is not required.

However, since I never fly even my own aircraft after the project, if you all want interior VC glass, I will put it in there. Just tell me whether or not you want reflections turned on, and how darkly you want it tinted.

[Sieggie]

I was not asking for glass, just trying to understand what I was seeing. I am still absorbing a lot of things about creating the textures and understanding how the alpha channel works. When you run out of other major things then look to the minor things

Thanks for the quick response.

Dave

[Sunny9850]

I will vote for no interior glass and definitely no on glass reflections for the inside out view....I passionately hate them. Almost as much as yokes that can't be removed but block half the panel in the VC.

Now if you can make the interior glass texture editable so that those who want the silly reflections can have them and those who don't can get rid of them that would of course be splendid.

Cheers
Stefan

[pfflyers]

Those interior relections wouldn't be so bad if they didn't swirl around so much.

In some planes they are overpowering enough to make me dizzy. I really can't see how some developers can look at them and not see a problem.

That said, when they are subtle enough I kind of like them.

[Milton Shupe]

Those interior relections wouldn't be so bad if they didn't swirl around so much.

In some planes they are overpowering enough to make me dizzy. I really can't see how some developers can look at them and not see a problem.

That said, when they are subtle enough I kind of like them.

You can build a nice subtle static reflection of the interior into the alpha channel. It's really just part of the texture, not a reflection at all.

[nigel richards]

... since I never fly even my own aircraft after the project, if you all want interior VC glass, I will put it in there. Just tell me whether or not you want reflections turned on, and how darkly you want it tinted.

Sir, do I understand correctly; that after the 'party' you wont be flying this masterpiece?
Or am I generally misinterpreting again (as usual)?
Or both?

Or neither?

[nigel richards]

Sir, do I understand correctly; that after the 'party' you wont be flying this masterpiece?
Or am I generally mixed up again?
Or both?

Or neither?

edit: What would it take to tempt you back into the cockpit of that magnificant Tigercat Sir?

How many thousand wild horses shall I muster and lasooe?

[Wing_Z]

You can build a nice subtle static reflection of the interior into the alpha channel. It's really just part of the texture, not a reflection at all.

I find it distracting when you switch from 2D to VC, and suddenly it feels like you are underwater in a sewage treatment works...
Subtle - very subtle, so you just notice it's there - is very nice to have, though.

Great window frames, BTW

[Astoroth]

Sir, do I understand correctly; that after the 'party' you wont be flying this masterpiece?
Or am I generally misinterpreting again (as usual)?
Or both?

Or neither?

Lol, I know exactly what he means. I dabble in scenery, and after spending hundreds of hours getting it "just right", I can't stand the sight of it any more, and rarely fly there. At least my flying club likes having new stuff, so I know someone is flying there, lol.

[Milton Shupe]

Sir, do I understand correctly; that after the 'party' you wont be flying this masterpiece?
Or am I generally misinterpreting again (as usual)?
Or both?

Or neither?

Yes ...

Astoroth has it correct. When you live, eat, and breathe it every day for 10-14 hours for months, going over every single poly and detail many times, chasing pictures for reference, rectifying differences in 3-views and pictures, wrestling with all the many aspects of all the files, their size, attributes, location, making it all come together but keeping things separate, ... yeah ... you get burned out on the aircraft and don't want to even see it again for quite a while. It's just the nature of the work for me. I used to love flying with friends online in MP; did for 2 years almost every night navigating the world, flying and loving IMC, rugged country, the mountain ranges of the world. Development work ruined my interest in only flying, Being creative is much more challenging and enjoyable once you've "mastered" the virtual flight.

Sad, but true ... cheers.

[nigel richards]

Lol, I know exactly what he means. I dabble in scenery, and after spending hundreds of hours getting it "just right", I can't stand the sight of it any more, and rarely fly there. At least my flying club likes having new stuff, so I know someone is flying there, lol.

Yeah, I know; the 'getting there' bit is all the fun for me too. Once finished, we're mentally building ourselves up for the next project, with the hope that we have somehow filled another gap in the system.

On the finished work, we know every little nook and cranny... been there 1,001 times.

No. I have a serious reason for Milton jumping back into the Tigercat. There's one heck of an issue with the siezed up port engine.
The starboard one has developed serious vibration problems too.

But enough of this for now, I'm getting seriously OT and OS. Just thought I'd mention the problem.

I didn't say a dickie bird.

[Milton Shupe]

I will vote for no interior glass and definitely no on glass reflections for the inside out view....I passionately hate them. Almost as much as yokes that can't be removed but block half the panel in the VC.

Now if you can make the interior glass texture editable so that those who want the silly reflections can have them and those who don't can get rid of them that would of course be splendid.

Cheers
Stefan

I will not add interior reflections. If warranted or requested, I will yet another layer of glass inside (non-reflective) that would allow painters to as a static type reflection.

Note that there are two sets of glass on the interior already, one for rain, one for no rain. That's just how the VC Rain works. Adding another capability would require a 3rd set of windows.

Those interior relections wouldn't be so bad if they didn't swirl around so much.

In some planes they are overpowering enough to make me dizzy. I really can't see how some developers can look at them and not see a problem.

That said, when they are subtle enough I kind of like them.

LOL I have seen that too ... no thanks!

I was not asking for glass, just trying to understand what I was seeing. I am still absorbing a lot of things about creating the textures and understanding how the alpha channel works. When you run out of other major things then look to the minor things

Thanks for the quick response.

Dave

No problem Dave. I appreciate your interest.

I find it distracting when you switch from 2D to VC, and suddenly it feels like you are underwater in a sewage treatment works...
Subtle - very subtle, so you just notice it's there - is very nice to have, though.

Great window frames, BTW

Points taken guys. Thanks

[stansdds]

Sir, do I understand correctly; that after the 'party' you wont be flying this masterpiece?
Or am I generally misinterpreting again (as usual)?
Or both?

Or neither?

I am beginning to understand Milton saying he will likely never fly it after it's finished. I'm helping with a project right now, an aircraft about which I am passionate. But, after countless reviews of the models, photographs, technical drawings and manuals, I'm starting to look at it as a job and once finished, I might not ever look at it again. Hopefully not, but after a while it does become mundane.

As to the progress of this project, once again the SOH team is putting together something that equals or exceeds payware quality. Bravo!

[nigel richards]

An exercise in futility and therefore absolutely of no possible interest to anyone...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw0MB...eature=related

[stansdds]

An exercise in futility and therefore absolutely of no possible interest to anyone...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw0MB...eature=related

[Daveroo]

in the past,,Mr Shupe has stated he doesnt "do" FSX because his PC wont handle it,or isnt up to par,,how ever you want to say it,,"we" as a colective group,have raised money for ickie,henry and others,,,,how about a donation drive to raise funds for Ted or someone to build a "good/powerfull" PC for Mr Shupe so he can develope in FS9 AND FXS formats simultaniusly?

mind you this would not be "charity" for mr shupe..but rather a gift for US to us by way of mr shupe through his developemnt skills...concidering the fact that his planes have been FREE to us all these years



just a thought

[Milton Shupe]

in the past,,Mr Shupe has stated he doesnt "do" FSX because his PC wont handle it,or isnt up to par,,how ever you want to say it,,"we" as a colective group,have raised money for ickie,henry and others,,,,how about a donation drive to raise funds for Ted or someone to build a "good/powerfull" PC for Mr Shupe so he can develope in FS9 AND FXS formats simultaniusly?

mind you this would not be "charity" for mr shupe..but rather a gift for US to us by way of mr shupe through his developemnt skills...concidering the fact that his planes have been FREE to us all these years



just a thought

Let's NOT do this. I do appreciate the thought but it is "dated".

I purchased a new computer from Ted and it is an awesome site to behold. :-)

Runs FSX without even breathing hard, maxed out. Thank you Ted

Not Building in FSX was a personal decision due the the difficulty, additional skills required for textures, and generally not interested in all the extra work, especially the mapping and textures side.

Thanks for the thoughts and kindness, but I love being right here.

[Sunny9850]

You can build a nice subtle static reflection of the interior into the alpha channel. It's really just part of the texture, not a reflection at all.

I think some of those that are really in your face simply use a blank reflective alpha channel which then relies on your systems particular version of the envbmp file to make the swirly motion.
That explains I think why a developer may not see them as an issue if he has a more subdued envbmp on his system.

Cheers
Stefan

[fliger747]

We used to call this Armistice Day, memorializing the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the war to end all wars. Both of my grandfarthers served in that war, one army, one USMC.

We went over a bit on this thread achieving the 1111 th response a bit before 11-11-11.

Thoughts to all who go in harms way past present and future.

T

[greybeardgil]

Yes ...

Astoroth has it correct. When you live, eat, and breathe it every day for 10-14 hours for months, going over every single poly and detail many times, chasing pictures for reference, rectifying differences in 3-views and pictures, wrestling with all the many aspects of all the files, their size, attributes, location, making it all come together but keeping things separate, ... yeah ... you get burned out on the aircraft and don't want to even see it again for quite a while. It's just the nature of the work for me. I used to love flying with friends online in MP; did for 2 years almost every night navigating the world, flying and loving IMC, rugged country, the mountain ranges of the world. Development work ruined my interest in only flying, Being creative is much more challenging and enjoyable once you've "mastered" the virtual flight.

Sad, but true ... cheers.

Yes I could not agree with you more Milton after 1 of our projects at GAS The model never sees my computer again..nor I it....Best Gil

[nigel richards]

We used to call this Armistice Day, memorializing the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the war to end all wars. Both of my grandfarthers served in that war, one army, one USMC.

We went over a bit on this thread achieving the 1111 th response a bit before 11-11-11.

Thoughts to all who go in harms way past present and future.

T

Yes Tom. Thanks for reminding us all Sir.

[foo_fighter]

Uhuuuuu!

There`s nothing more to say....perfection what it is!!!
What a team SOH !!!

Congrats and tons of thanks for these jewels!

PS.: I`m a lil afraid of asking this here, other then a PM...but anyways....Milton @ al, can you make this miracle out of nowhere with the most abandoned Hawkeyes and variations???
I believe a top work like this was never achieved....would you consider this?


cya!

[Maarten -]

We used to call this Armistice Day, memorializing the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the war to end all wars. Both of my grandfarthers served in that war, one army, one USMC.

We went over a bit on this thread achieving the 1111 th response a bit before 11-11-11.

Thoughts to all who go in harms way past present and future.

T

Indeed Tom. November 11 is a date never to forget and never to stop learning from.

[Daveroo]

Let's NOT do this. I do appreciate the thought but it is "dated".

I purchased a new computer from Ted and it is an awesome site to behold. :-)

Runs FSX without even breathing hard, maxed out. Thank you Ted

Not Building in FSX was a personal decision due the the difficulty, additional skills required for textures, and generally not interested in all the extra work, especially the mapping and textures side.

Thanks for the thoughts and kindness, but I love being right here.

oh..i see.....was just a thought.....wishfull thinking on the fsx part on me? lol

[tankerguy72]

Milton is there a way to texture the part where the blades attach to the spinner when they are spinning? Right now its light gray.

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