Black Dart update

[Donamy]

Right now the reentry mesh is one textured group, with a alpha channel.

 

[Urwumpe]

Right now the reentry mesh is one textured group, with a alpha channel.

Yes, and it looks exactly like what I can use quickly. Making a "realistic" reentry plasma should be possible in runtime, but is the effort worth it? (Plasma flames in 256x256 with 256 colors was already simple and fast in DOS with a Pentium 100)

I think when we are bored with the Black Dart, I can still attempt rendering the reentry effects.

 

[Coolhand]

for a realistic re-entry effect you need to be able to dynamically control both colour and opacity, i'm not sure how you would achieve that in orbiter... I wonder if its possible to boost the RGB output of a texture in orbiter and 'animate' the intensity that way.

If it just needed to be on/off then scaling would work... would be a good way to do spotlight effects for example since those are either on or off. i wanted to add a glow to the inside of the engine bell and scram exhuast via a fading object.. but it wasn't possible.

 

[Donamy]

could we have sparks come of it, to mingle with the reentry trail ?

 

[Urwumpe]

could we have sparks come of it, to mingle with the reentry trail ?

Well, sparks might be a bit unrealistic as we have no ablative heat shield, what about plasma spheres?

 

[Donamy]

Like a glowing bubble to engulf the spacecraft ?

Another question: Can a screen such as the PIT be set up(with buttons) be animated to another position, like flipped around, and still function or is the locations of the switches lost ?

 

[Urwumpe]

Like a glowing bubble to engulf the spacecraft ?

I thought more about creating small pink glowing, slow moving spheres at calmer regions.

Another question: Can a screen such as the PIT be set up(with buttons) be animated to another position, like flipped around, and still function or is the locations of the switches lost ?

Have not tried this, but the API might allow changing the mouse reference planes during the simulation steps. The question is just, how much flexibility is needed.

 

[Donamy]

just button presses and for the screen to still work. I'm talking about a stowable control console for the rear seater. Also, are you back in business ?

 

[Urwumpe]

just button presses and for the screen to still work. I'm talking about a stowable control console for the rear seater. Also, are you back in business ?

Yes, I am. Already since yesterday, but have no new results to present.

 

[Donamy]

One thing I discovered, I missed a group in the Dart.ini. The gimbaling pistons don't move in the animation with the rest of the thruster. I believe it is group 4. I can send you some new meshes if you wish, including the reentry mesh.

 

[Urwumpe]

One thing I discovered, I missed a group in the Dart.ini. The gimbaling pistons don't move in the animation with the rest of the thruster. I believe it is group 4. I can send you some new meshes if you wish, including the reentry mesh.

Would be good. I also have still some trouble with the MFDs, which I can't find, what causes it. The mesh group numbers are correct.

 

[Donamy]

I think they are backward, I fixed them in the new mesh, but the PIT screen is messed up. Does it have to be a certain group number ?

 

[Urwumpe]

I think they are backward, I fixed them in the new mesh, but the PIT screen is messed up. Does it have to be a certain group number ?

No, but I have to correct the texture number of the DIT once I get the new meshes.

 

[Donamy]

Should I make you a dartVC.ini for the new animations in the VC mesh ?

 

[Urwumpe]

Should I make you a dartVC.ini for the new animations in the VC mesh ?

Would be nice, spares me the time to calculate the vectors myself.

Something else: Can you get me the vectors for animating the strut for nose wheel steering?

 

[Donamy]

Sorry, I just saw your addition to the post.

Vector for nose wheel sterring is:

0,0.259625,0.965709

 

[Balladeer]

Are there any updates on the Black Dart's progress?

 

[Urwumpe]

Are there any updates on the Black Dart's progress?

Only small stuff, I most program SSU currently in the little Orbiter time I have.

 

[Donamy]

Hopefully we can take it up again, after the 1.25 release and alittle rest.

 

[Urwumpe]

Hopefully we can take it up again, after the 1.25 release and alittle rest.

Well, I think I will finally finish the control loops then, the rocket racing test around KSC is already insane with manual TVC.