lighted motorbike under truck

**gosd** · February 12th, 2013, 16:37

When in ETO era 4&5 in QC for several 9th USAAF aifields :
Balderton, Barkston Hearth,Boreham,Chalgrove,Chibolton,Folkingham,Gosf ield,Langar,Matching Green,Merryfield,Nort witham,Rainsbury,Rivenhall,Spanhoe,StanstedMountfi chet,Wilford and Withersfield,
there is a ligthed motorbike stuck under a truck.:isadizzy:

How can this be corrected?

**HouseHobbit** · February 12th, 2013, 19:06

Originally Posted by gosd

When in ETO era 4&5 in QC for several 9th USAAF aifields :
Balderton, Barkston Hearth,Boreham,Chalgrove,Chibolton,Folkingham,Gosf ield,Langar,Matching Green,Merryfield,Nort witham,Rainsbury,Rivenhall,Spanhoe,StanstedMountfi chet,Wilford and Withersfield,
there is a ligthed motorbike stuck under a truck.:isadizzy:

How can this be corrected?

WOW!! going to call you Eagle eyes from now on!
Yep, I found this too when the QC starts up to go to the Airbase..WOW!!
Surprised me..

**Led Zeppelin** · February 13th, 2013, 02:11

Yes, I corrected this but don't remember how. If I remember well, I simply removed the light effect from the motorbike.

**gosd** · February 13th, 2013, 03:05

I think there are two vehicles on the same position in the facity file used for these airfields in QC.
The question is: wat airfield facility file is used for these airfields in QC so we could have a look at it?

***Pat Pattle*** · February 13th, 2013, 03:18

Originally Posted by gosd

I think there are two vehicles on the same position in the facity file used for these airfields in QC.
The question is: wat airfield facility file is used for these airfields in QC so we could have a look at it?

Each airfield will have its own facility file, so it would be a matter of opening each one up and either removing the bike or moving it a couple of meters.
Or another, easier solution would be to delete the bike from the vehicles folder.

**gosd** · February 13th, 2013, 03:54

Cannot find the motorbike file in the vehicle folder. Could it be an anomaly built in the specific truck file?
And if so wich truck file should I look for6

**gosd** · February 13th, 2013, 05:26

Ok found it,the motorbike is under the 45_Flathead vehicle file.I reposition it from Position="-788.0 561.34" to Position="-793.8 561.34. Seem's OK.
only one small bug left: how do you shut down the spotlight. Tried reducing the intensity in the .xdp file with no success,

**flashgordon** · February 13th, 2013, 06:53

Sorry my error.

Used the Harley WLA, or 45_Flathead for these 9th USAAF facility files without noticing this was an add-on not included in standard ETO Vehicles. For those that have the motor-bike in their Vehicle folder (no longer available from SOH library as the vehicle category has been deleted) the first instance of 45_Flathead should be repositioned as GOSD suggests in the following Facility files:

ACC_USAAF-Balderton_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Barkston-Heath_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Boreham-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Boreham_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Chalgrove-1944_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Chalgrove-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Chalgrove_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Chilbolton-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Chilbolton_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Folkingham_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Gosfield-1944_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Gosfield_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Langar_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Matching-Green_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Merryfield_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-North-Witham_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Ramsbury_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Rivenhall-1944_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Rivenhall_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Spanhoe_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Stansted-Mountfitchet-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Stansted-Mountfitchet_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Welford_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Wethersfield-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_USAAF-Wethersfield_airbase.xml

Following the departure of some 9th AAF units to the continent the following bases using the same generic ACC airbase were transferred to RAF control:

ACC_Balderton-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_Gosfield-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_Langar-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_Merryfield-1945_airbase.xml
ACC_Rivenhall-1945_airbase.xml

I note I have left the Harley in for these bases although I have elsewhere substituted RAF a/c and vehicles. There are also errors in the 2 vehicles below the first insertion and these 3 should be replaced as follows:

<Unit Type="ACC_RAF_Thornycroft_truck" Position="-793.0 555.34" Angle="-104.00"/>
<Unit Type="ACC_tractor" Position="-788.0 561.34" Angle="-104.00"/>
<Unit Type="ACC_b_gastruck" Position="-798.58 535.24" Angle="-304.00"/>

In each of these files there is a second 45_Flathead which can be replaced by another vehicle if desired.

I got over the 45_Flathead lighting problem by removing the section between Gunstations so that this now reads

<GunStations>
</GunStations>

This seems to resolve the lighting problem on this model.

***Pat Pattle*** · February 13th, 2013, 09:25

Gordon! Where have you been hiding?

We've missed you!

**gosd** · February 13th, 2013, 14:30

Originally Posted by flashgordon

Sorry my error.

Used the Harley WLA, or 45_Flathead for these 9th USAAF facility files without noticing this was an add-on not included in standard ETO Vehicles. For those that have the motor-bike in their Vehicle folder (no longer available from SOH library as the vehicle category has been deleted) .

What a loss!

**gosd** · February 13th, 2013, 15:15

Made the suggested mods;when I call-up ACC_Langar-1945_airbase in QC there is no animation. What is wrong?

***Pat Pattle*** · February 13th, 2013, 21:16

Daniel, there's no entry in the cutscenes.xml file for that airfield, it does have ACC_USAAF-Langar_airbase though.
This file controls which animation appears at the different airfields. There needs to be one entry for each belligerent (or just USA if thats all you ever fly)

It needs to look like this;

<ACC_Langar-1945_airbase>
<Cutscene FileName="a_pregame_1.xml"/>
</ACC_Langar-1945_airbase>

The pregame entry changes for the nationailty - a, b or g the number can be 1,2 or 3 which changes the animation type.

**flashgordon** · February 14th, 2013, 04:58

Dip in and out of forum when time allows.

Have RAF Bourn, Breighton & Elsham Wolds at various stages and have been trying GMAX to make some rather crude buildings as in the following shots.

**HouseHobbit** · February 14th, 2013, 08:10

Originally Posted by gosd

What a loss!

Nope not a loss, I have most all of the vehicles uploaded during the past 10 years..
From many sites, many now gone..
Saved and burnt on to CD's.
I am going into the massive number of CD's from the past and I will get some of this organized and uploaded to SOH as I have the time..
Starting with the original upload for the WLA harley for all..

This will take time needless to say..

Flash, that looks GREAT!!
Can't wait to give it all a go..

**gosd** · February 14th, 2013, 08:54

This is great

much rejoycing and beer... of course

.... against dehydratation from all the hard work!
This is what I tell my wife.

***Pat Pattle*** · February 14th, 2013, 08:55

Have RAF Bourn, Breighton & Elsham Wolds at various stages and have been trying GMAX to make some rather crude buildings as in the following shots.

Crude?? They look blooming good to me Gordon!

**Led Zeppelin** · February 14th, 2013, 11:28

I like those ACC airfields, they really imrove the immersion, it is a major '+' to take off from a such location.

***MajorMagee*** · February 14th, 2013, 14:21

We have one of those here in town.

Attachment 81057

**gecko** · February 14th, 2013, 20:48

I used to live about half an hour from there in Cedarville, spent many a happy hour wandering through that museum. Never gets old. Where you there for the Doolittle Anniversary a couple years ago. I got there just in time to see some 20 B-25s roar overhead at less than a thousand feet. It was the most impressive display of raw airpower I've ever seen!

**flashgordon** · February 15th, 2013, 04:20

Thanks for kind comments Clive. GMAX drives me crazy - fitting the texture ok to sides but ends of cylinders!!!

Hi Major
I think your tower is to Design 343/43 which replaced the earlier types I tried to model. The one in my pics with 3 windows across the front of the control room is to 12096/41 or Watch Office for Night Fighter Stations. This had reinforced concrete beams above the front and side control windows and an r/c beam upstand across the centre of the roof. It was built at a number of Bomber Command satellite stations including, it is believed, at RAF Breighton which I am modelling. The 2 window tower is type 13726/41 or Watch Office for OTU and Bomber Satellite Stations.

I have just finished the Watch Office 7345/41 with Observation Room 13079/41 and Nissen Crew Briefing Room which was extant @ RAF Bourn as per shot.

My next will be the 518/40 needed for RAF Elsham Wolds.

All towers types were being continuously modified. The 7345 started off single storey but then had the operations room added over which was again doubled in size at a later date. Windows started off large to the Control Room and Watch Office but then were reduced in size. This resulted in variations in appearance as the modifications were interpreted to suit.

I need to add damage boxes to these models. Anyone have a simple tutorial suitable for buildings?

***Frosty*** · February 15th, 2013, 07:49

Hey Gordon,

Do you wanna borrow my building textures? The doors and windows on your Nissen look awfully familiar anyway

. It saves you the trouble of painting your own textures AND has the additional benefit of reducing the number of textures loaded in-game.

Some time ago, I started using shared templates for buildings that are from the same 'family' and that differ only in window/door configuration or size. The T2 hangars, Nissen huts and some standardized temporary brick constructions are prime examples. I have been re-texturing some of my models to bring them up to this standard. Some of my templates have blank areas or contain copied parts. I intend to use these to add other details/building configurations when I come across them. From a single .dss I can now texture Nissen roofs ranging from 6 to 127 ft and dormer windows up to 9 bays long, see attached piccie below. The front and back elevations are on another .bmp (I used gmax multi-material to use two .bmp files to texture a single model. Eight fronts or backs fit on one texture sheet, so the possibilities are nearly endless, without adding an equal amount of textures).

If you are interested, there is only one thing I would like to ask: I'd like to keep the general look of the buildings consistent. So if you want to add things to my textures, please let me know. If we both start painting on the same blank area, we'll have a problem when both of our models/textures end up in the same CFS3 install (surely there will be an update to ETO v1.40 someday, even if it is a small one). If you want, I can always paint a particular window/door configuration for you myself. For your personal install and pleasure, you can do whatever you like, of course (yellow polka-dotted Hobbit purple, for instance

)

I have scanned all line drawings from the "British Airfield Architecture"-book and you can have these too. If you have the real-life dimensions, you can do a scale calculation. That's how I build them anyway, if I cannot find an actual blueprint of a structure. While my 3D-model's dimensions are therefore fairly accurate, the windows and doors on textures are often 'guestimated'. But hey, it's a flight sim!
BTW, I create the Nissens from a 48-sided cylinder, lengthwise cut in half for LOD100, then it is 36, 24, 12 and 3 for the lower ones. This way you can re-use UWV-coordinates and avoid seeing textures move on the model with different LODs kicking in. LOD_0 is untextured because the texture cannot be seen from that distance anyway. But I always make sure that the model's LOD_0 colour in gmax is the same as the general texture's colour, just to make sure. If you think of the A-20 model, you know what I mean: Not all LOD's are textured but the main parts are in the developer's gmax colours. A weird sight when you encounter one in-game and it switches from it's textured camo job to pink and bright green with different LODs!

I certainly am no game designer and had to learn gmax myself - so I could be doing things in the wrong or very roundabout way - but I texture cylinders one side at a time, meaning the length, then one end and then the other end. After you specify the polygons you are gonna texture, add a 'UWV-mapping' modifier before adding the 'Unwrap-UWV' modifier. Use the 'cylinder' entry for the length of your Nissen and 'planar' for the ends. With a simple Nissen, I end up with a stack like this (read bottom-to-top, as in gmax itself):

Unwrap-UWV (for adjusting the UWV coordinates)
UWV-mapping (for setting the UWV to 'cylindrical')
Edit (for selecting the polygons along the cylinder's length)
Unwrap-UWV (adjusting the UWV coordinates)
UWV-mapping (for setting the UWV to 'planar')
Edit (for selecting the other end polygons)
Unwrap-UWV (adjusting the UWV coordinates)
UWV-mapping (for setting the UWV to 'planar')
Edit (for selecting the end polygons)

There are of course payware programs that can do all the unwrapping for you and you only have to arrange the bits and pieces and paint them. I have one but don't use it very much. My buildings aren't complex models anyway. But it's a lot of work nonetheless.

I have a damagebox for you I got from Dave a long time ago. I think it is just a dummy named appropriately and sized to envelop the model as close as possible. Damageboxes need to be 4-sided, straight-angled and you cannot delete polys. So that's rectangles and cubes. To cover a Nissen you can use a couple of differently sized rectangles, stacked like a pyramid. The more boxes, the closer you can envelop the model but the more polys you add to it. I use three boxes for a Nissen.
However, you do not have to use multiple boxes to enclose a model: I have on occassion tilted/rotated a cube-shaped damagebox because this way I could fit a model with a single damagebox.
I can send you a complete gmax source file to study if you like: model, LODs, textures, damageboxes etc.

Oh, and I have the 343/43 covered. The model is done but the texture needs some adjusting (has been lying around for 2-3 years...:redf

;-)

Joost

Attachment 81094 Attachment 81095 Attachment 81097

***Pat Pattle*** · February 15th, 2013, 23:01

That's really very good Gordon, looks to me like you've tamed the gmax beast.

I have a load of unfinished buildings too, seeing yours has spurred me on to getting them done.

Damagebox - make a box or rectangle (has to be these shapes) and name it damagebox_nose/tail whatever. You can get a list of the naming conventions from the aircraft xdps. Right click on it, select properties and then tick 'see through' and fannies your Aunt.
As Joost says you can have more than one and size them to cover the model more closely than I have here.

**HouseHobbit** · February 16th, 2013, 11:04

WOW!! you all leave me amazed!!
I am so looking forward to all of this..
Many Thanks..
BRAVO!!

**flashgordon** · February 18th, 2013, 01:56

My apologies Joost

Should have made clear the provenance of the textures.

Still very much @ the learning stage with GMAX trying to keep mind focused on it's complexities so took the short cut when applying a temporary skin so as not to loose the flow as I have done with previous attempts. Once I am comfortable with modelling the wire frame aspect will re-visit the textures and see how best to proceed. Many thanks for helpful suggestions and tips.

Gordon

***Frosty*** · February 18th, 2013, 06:04

Originally Posted by flashgordon

My apologies Joost

Should have made clear the provenance of the textures.
...

Not necessary, Gordon!

I wasn't under the impression in any way that you were posing these as your own work. I just recognized my work

. Feel free to experiment with whatever of my stuff you find in ETO! And the offer of sharing some source files etc. still stands, of course.
BTW, there seems nothing wrong with your modelling skills: I did recognize the gymnasium without having to read the caption. If you have an interest in airfield modelling and should you come across a copy of “British Military Airfield Architecture: From Airships to the Jet Age” (1996), Paul Francis, Patrick Stephens Ltd, ISBN 185260462X for a reasonable price, I suggest buying it! Invaluable information...

;-)

Joost

Oh, and just for fun, I think this is the gymnasium you modelled. It seems to have a church extension: Attachment 81320