Addon Ai not working

[KellyB]

Broad topic, I know.
I have placed the requisite files for MAIW's 101st AREFW in their proper places: Aircraft in the Aircraft folder and the Traffic_MAIW_Bangor.bgl in Scenery/World/Scenery folder.

Then, what i do is look at a flight plan from the traffic.txt file which I have decompiled for the purpose, and pick one to monitor. I then set the FS9 date and time to a few minutes before the departure time from KBGR and sit off the runway to watch. I also have AI Traffic Analyzer running and logging.
Nothng happens. No Maine kc135 does anything.
FS9 native ai is working.

Windows 7 home 64 bit; FS9.1; i5 3750; gtx 650; 4mb ram.


What should I look for to begin with?

[tgibson]

Are you using GMT to time your runway sightings? All times are GMT in flightplans.txt files.

[KellyB]

Are you using GMT to time your runway sightings? All times are GMT in flightplans.txt files.

I did try that, Tom. Does it care if I'm using system vs flight time in the settings??

[Desert Rat]

Check your FS9 AI setting is at or near 100%?

[KellyB]

Check your FS9 AI setting is at or near 100%?

I did that as well. No joy.

I think I'll start from square one and count off the steps.

Is there anything in win7 that would selectively block addon ai's?

[Lane Street]

Is there anything in win7 that would selectively block addon ai's?

Only if you have FS installed in the Program Files folder.

peace,
the Bean

[dhazelgrove]

You say that 'no KC-135 does anything', so I'm assuming that they are at least visible - even if they're not doing anything.
That's a start, at least.

Try looking at them in local time, and see if that makes a difference.

Are you using TTOOLS or AIFP?

Dave

[DaveB]

It's a long shot but did you install the Bangor scenery too? The readme says you have to remove any duplicate AFD's for KBGR from Addon Scenery/scenery then manually activate the MAIW Bangor from within the sim. It's possible that you need the MAIW Bangor scenery installed to see the aircraft working correctly:) The reason I ask is because you only mention the aircraft and traffic file;)

ATB
DaveB:)

[DaveB]

Ker-dink!!

I've just downloaded and tried this traffic pack. First, I used the included Bangor scenery. Loads of KC135's were visible and almost immediately, one pushed back and started taxiing for takeoff. I then deselected the Bangor scenery then went and had another look. Only a few KC135's visible this time and none of them moved (this using the default Bangor). So.. I reckon the default AFD isn't setup for this type or size of aircraft and you'll have to use the included scenery to get the best out of the traffic file.
Oh.. and after installing it, I now get a scenery.cfg error on startup for Glacier Bay.. that will be my next job:banghead:

ATB
DaveB:)

[KellyB]

Aha. I did use the installer, which found my C:/FS9 install nicely. I can see the difference between the native KBGR and the MAIW KBGR, but I'm not seeing any KC-135's.
I will do a scrubbing of the sceneries, and reinstall once again. Thought I had, but may very well have missed something.

I do not get a Glacier Bay error.


UPDATE: Ok, it's possible I'm an idiot, a topic for another time.
I reinstalled the file, and this time added all the folders from the Addon Scenery rather than just the IAP folder. Behold, there are five or six kc135's bearing the MAINE tail paint. when I adjust the date and time in the sim to correspond to the take off minus a few minutes, the planes disappear, and nothing happens. Odd: They can't all be out flying, can they? So where do they go when the time changes? I even reset my computer to a different time using Zulu time, and got more odd results in the sim.


Progress, but not there yet.

[DaveB]

No.. the Glacier Bay error is an odd one. Today was the first time I've flashed FS9 up since we went back to GMT here in the UK so it did a scenery rebuild on startup. I should, had I thought about it, closed FS9 down there and then and set about adding the 3 Maine scenery files but no.. I went blindly ahead thinking all would be well. What's stranger is that I can't see Glacier Bay in my scenery folders yet the entries are there in add/remove scenery:mixed-smiley-027:

One problem I've found with MAIW traffic files before (in both FS9 and those converted for FSX) is that they rely on all scenery for the airports listed being installed on your system. Some destination airfields are not default so you may not have them. This will cause aircraft to simply disappear:o Others will disappear in flight and never reach their destinations because there isn't parking for that type at the distant airfield. It's a veritable minefield!!

I like to use TTools for FS9 though you can use AIFP to check airports too. AIFP is probably more user friendly in identifying missing airports for a given traffic file. It may be worth running the MAIW file through AIFP (if you have it) to identify any possible issues though TTools should give you similar info;)

ATB
DaveB:)

[KellyB]

Another AHA! I got MAIW kc135's flying at KBGR! Obviously, not adding all the folders was my silly error.
Now, I'm trying to add another ai airplane, CalClassics dc6b ai and get it flying out of their KLGA scenery. No luck yet. Using AI Flight Planner 2.2.19, and having a bit of trouble getting started with it.

Oh well, winter's here and I can't go sailing, so......

[Lane Street]

I can't see Glacier Bay in my scenery folders yet the entries are there in add/remove scenery

Look in ...\Flight Simulator 9\FSAddon

cheers,
Lane

[aeromed202]

Oh yeah, when I started digging to AI I learned a bunch. You have to make sure that all airports on a flight plan are one: there and two: there are enough properly sized and designated parking spots for what you have flying the route. Those have been the culprits many times over and what drove me to learn Afcads and ADE9. Got it sorted out yet?

BTW, I found this fellows site very helpful.. http://www.michaelstanton.net/ai/tutorial.htm

[KellyB]

@ Aeromed:
I did, as I said, get the MAIW Maine kc135's flying. I reinstalled everything after a thorough scrubbing of old files.

I will give Mike Stanton's tutorial a whirl tonite; looks absurdly straightforward. I'm having difficulties using AI Flight Planner; It keeps telling me that stuff hasn't been saved, but for the life of me, I can't see what. There are no red ###'s to tip me off, either. I'll also try a fresh look at that later.

Thanks to all who gave me tips. I will prevail.....I think.

[tgibson]

If you need any help getting the DC-6B flying, feel free to ask questions here. But you would get even faster service over at my CalClassic Discussion forum. :)

[DaveB]

Look in ...\Flight Simulator 9\FSAddon

cheers,
Lane

Lane.. I'd already checked that mate and the FSAddon folder is missing!! I have absolutely NO idea what the hell has happened:( Safest thing is to delete the areas from add/remove scenery and install it again.

Kelly.. glad you've got moving tankers at Bangor now:encouragement: Like you, I can't get on with AIFP either. I know it's supposed to be better in so many ways and it is but there's something I'm missing so I still make flightplans the 'bow and arrow' way.. compile using TTools then if I want to use it in FSX, I run it through AIFP to do the conversion. One day.. one day:adoration:

ATB
DaveB:)

[KellyB]

Lane.. I'd already checked that mate and the FSAddon folder is missing!! I have absolutely NO idea what the hell has happened:( Safest thing is to delete the areas from add/remove scenery and install it again.

Kelly.. glad you've got moving tankers at Bangor now:encouragement: Like you, I can't get on with AIFP either. I know it's supposed to be better in so many ways and it is but there's something I'm missing so I still make flightplans the 'bow and arrow' way.. compile using TTools then if I want to use it in FSX, I run it through AIFP to do the conversion. One day.. one day:adoration:

ATB
DaveB:)

Yup. I just compiled the txt files using TTools only, not inside AIFP, and got my CalClassics DC6B to take off from KLGA and be on its way to KBOS. AIFP looks good, but I believe it has some quirks I'm not seeing clearly. Bow and arrow it is.

[tgibson]

I don't use the internal compiling in AITM2 either, for the same reason - more reliable using TTools directly.

[KellyB]

Now, if only we could get the sounds to match! It's a puzzle (to me, at least) why one can't. It would appear that there is a way in FSX, but I haven't experimented with it yet.
With the DC6b, you can see the props spin up, so the sim knows it's revving up. Pity the code doesn't tell that to the sound engine, whatever and wherever that is.

But, it's great to see DC6's flying about my skies.

How does one go about creating ai aircraft, by the way? Google hasn't been very helpful.

[Blood_Hawk23]

in FS2002 I used Afcad. worked well.

All you need for your Maine Scenery is Brunswick. Then add Pease in NH. You could add bases in Mass as well. Love to see some screenshots once you get it working to your liking. I do miss the old bases.

[tgibson]

You create AI aircraft using the same programs used to create flyable aircraft - FSDS, GMAX, or 3DS Max. Typically the only change is to add Level of Detail (LOD) models that get simpler as you move further away, to improve frame rates.

[tgibson]

The only program that gave almost complete AI sounds in FS9 was FSHotSFX. It will NOT work using an OS later than XP. It is still sold, but there is no support except for reactivating your installs (to move to other machines, etc.).

I have worked a bit with the FSX system on a friend's machine - seems to work fine, if you can find decent sound files.