Project Blue Streak F3(DLL)

Removed the
EMPTY_MASS=12000
FUEL_MASS=1
MAIN_THRUST=0
ISP=0
Click to expand...
and still get the exhaust texture, which is nice, and it dosen't take off. I'll try the propulsion bay as an attachment, and see if the texture dissapears as the ship focus switches?

N.
 
Making a base as an aiming point for F1, and get a peculiar problem.
This is the starting .cfg file:

BASE-V2.0
Name = Bullseye
Location = +124.00 -22.00
Size = 2000
BEGIN_OBJECTLIST
LPAD2
POS 0 0 0
SCALE 0 0 0
TEX Lpad02
NAV 132.35
END
END_OBJECTLIST
Click to expand...

I get a CTD with this. After some investigation, if I change the lattitude to +22 from -22, it works. The base is in the wrong place of course!

Anyone had this before?

N.
 
Plodding on with the mesh in gmax, and having some texture problems. This is the current state.
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/F1-1.jpg

The characteristic "Z" pattern on the kero tank looks ok from a distance, but up close it looses resolution.
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/F1_1.jpg

This is the .bmp in Paint.NET
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/BlueStreakZ.jpg

Is there some magic I can do in Paint.Net to increse the detail? I'm no artist, so it will have to simple...

All help appreciated

N.
 
Hi,
be aware that
1. Gmax doesn't render textures very well, it probably will look a bit better in Orbiter
2. When applied to vessels in Orbiter, adjacent pixels are blended (some blurring)

However, I think your problem is simply that the texture is too small (128x256) to show a diagonal line without some "step" artifacts. Really you need to remake the texture at 256x512 or larger (you could double the size of the existing texture but that won't increase the detail in the image)

Hope this helps.
Brian
 
To BrianJ, yes it does, I was looking for an easy option. Guess it won't happen!

I'll keep remakeing the texture, and see what occurs.

Many thanks, N.

---------- Post added 17-09-09 at 10:11 ---------- Previous post was 16-09-09 at 20:24 ----------

Been playing with Paint.NET and its looking better I think:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09091710-06-37BlueStreakF1.jpg

Took an hour to do that small part, good job I don't do it for a living...

N.
 
Getting confused with texture mapping and transparency, I thought it would be possible to make part of the texture transparent to give the "Z" pattern the correct look. Black&White, painted onto stainless steel.
This is the real thing.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/img018-1.jpg

Using Dxtbmp by MW Grapics http://fly.to/mwgfx/ to change the alpha channel.

I got this
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09091909-34-41BlueStreakF1.jpg

Not quite what I was expecting!

That was saved as a DDS 1 type.

I suppose the question is. Is it possible to make the Grey parts of this image
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/Dxtbmp.jpg
transparent, so the gmax material of the kerosine tank shows?

Many thanks, N.
 
Notebook said:
I suppose the question is. Is it possible to make the Grey parts of this image
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/Dxtbmp.jpg
transparent, so the gmax material of the kerosine tank shows?
Click to expand...
Nah, any parts of your texture that are transparent will make the mesh it is applied to transparent. You could make an identical mesh but slightly larger, so that it sits "outside" your kerosene tank, and apply a texture which is transparent apart from the "black-and-white Z" - but that's a really clunky way to do it.

Also, as you discovered, alpha-channel black = transparent, alpha-channel white = opaque.

Better to just match the colour in your texture to the colour of your material in Gmax. You can do that "by the numbers" by looking at the RGB values in the Gmax material editor, then use those values for the colour used to fill in the "grey" parts of your texture.


Notebook said:
That was saved as a DDS 1 type.
Click to expand...
You sure? I thought
DDS1 = no transparency
DDS3 = pixel either 100% transparency or 100% opaque
DDS5 = pixel graded transparency 0-100%

Cheers,
Brian
 
Thanks for that BrianJ, yes you are correct, I got confused with DD1 and 3...

I've sort of realised that adjusting the .dds file "downstream" of gmax dosen't affect the mesh material! It's took a while for that to sink in!

I guess gmax world is not the same as DirectX7 world? I came to your conculsion, and have been playing with the Grey in the gmax map. I think it'll stop at this:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09092015-20-46BlueStreakF1.jpg

thnkas, N.

---------- Post added at 19:25 ---------- Previous post was at 15:25 ----------

Finished the model, with the fairing and payload. Got it into orbit, bit of a cheat, it thinks its a DG.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09092019-16-25BlueStreakF1.jpg
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09092019-18-34BlueStreakF1.jpg

Next is to get it to work as a Spacecraft3/Multistage/Velcro type. Haven't investigated these so might try all.

N.

---------- Post added 21-09-09 at 10:16 ---------- Previous post was 20-09-09 at 19:25 ----------

Starting to fill in some values for a Specraft3 .ini file, and have a problem with the cross-section values.
F1 is a simple tube, 3.3m x 19m. This gives me 63m^2 for x and y values, and 8.6m^2 for the z axis.

ShipEdit gives more accurate values:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/ShipEdit.jpg

Not sure why the x and y values aren't the same?
Is ShipEdit affected by the orientation in gmax? Using it with Mindblasts max2msh, with the "rotate mesh -90 around the x axis" option active.

All help appreciated,N.
 
Hi there,
looking at the ShipEdit screenie, it looks like the F1 mesh longitudinal axis is along the Y-axis - if you want to use spacecraft3.dll or multistage2.dll, it should be along the Z-axis (pointy end points towards Z+ direction).

You'll need to rotate the mesh 90deg (or -90) around X-axis. (Maybe you shouldn't have used the "Rotate 90deg" option when exporting from Gmax?)

Check the results in Orbiter using the F4 "visual helpers" menu -> show vessel axes. The Z+ arrow should be pointing out the nose.

I would think the X-axis and Z-axis cross sections are different due to the "bulges" over the engines at the bottom.

Also, the origin(0,0,0) point of the mesh is right at the bottom of the engines - might be better to centre the mesh around the centre-of-mass.
ShipEdit shows the centre-of-mass 8.27m up the Y axis, so you could translate the mesh along Y axis by -8.27 (before doing any rotations).
Otherwise it can look strange when pitching or yawing.

Cheers,
Brian
 
Thanks BrianJ, I have got myself doubly confused with axes, so I've gone back to a straight convert in gmax, and rotating axes before export. I'll sort the mesh origin to centre of mesh as well, forgot about that!

Thought it was going well, it goes in the right direction now, but goes horizontal after landing after a lift-off, even thought the LAUNCH/LANDED_PT's are identical?

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/?action=view&current=F1_SC3.flv

How strange.

N.
 
From the spacecraft.dll manual:
If you want both launch and land to be the
same, just define LAND_PT1,2,3. The landing configuration is automatically selected after launch when a altitude of 100 meter is reached.


Try deleting the LAUNCH_PT entries.

P.S. If you're using spacecraft3.dll, don't forget to zero-out all the [Aerodynamics] section entries that you don't want (e.g. ailerons, rudder, flaps, etc) otherwise they will take default values.
 
Thanks again^2 BrianJ, done that, and its behaving itself again. That won't last...
 
Australian daylight saving?

The launch of F1 from Woomera, South Australia, is usually given as "some time after" 09:00 on June 5th 1964.

Just putting the correct time into the .scn file and using this:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/time-australia.htm

It looks like S.A. is GMT +8.5Hours(ACST)?

Just to confuse matters would any daylight saving havebeen used at that time? I know its Summer here, but Winter down under...

Thanks, N.

p.s. whats the deal with Eucla? Have they declared independence?
 
Notebook said:
The launch of F1 from Woomera, South Australia, is usually given as "some time after" 09:00 on June 5th 1964.

Just putting the correct time into the .scn file and using this:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/time-australia.htm

It looks like S.A. is GMT +8.5Hours(ACST)?
Click to expand...
ACST is UTC+0930.

Notebook said:
Just to confuse matters would any daylight saving havebeen used at that time? I know its Summer here, but Winter down under...
Click to expand...
June would have been ACST. ACDT (UTC+1030) is used in summer.

Notebook said:
p.s. whats the deal with Eucla? Have they declared independence?
Click to expand...
No, it is just too far east for the West Australian time zone of AWST (UTC+0800) to be sensible. It is also too far west of Adelaide for ACST to be sensible too. So, they split the difference and ended up with CWT (UTC+0845). There is only a few towns in that area that use that time zone. Further north there are so few people around that clocks just don't matter any more ;)
 
As always Tb, thanks and...


N.
 
Decided to make F1 a Spacecraft3 type, and experimenting with payloads:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/Notebook_04/09100109-51-45BlueStreakF1.jpg

Its the Russian dolls .ini copied into the F1.ini file
This is the current F1.ini file
[TEXTURE_LIST]
TEX_1=Exhaust2
[PARTICLESTREAM_1]
NAME=DGContrail
SRCSIZE=8.0
SRCRATE=3
V0=150.0
SRCSPREAD=0.3
LIFETIME=3.5
GROWTHRATE=4
ATMSLOWDOWN=3.0
LTYPE=DIFFUSE
LEVELMAP=LVL_PSQRT
LMIN=0
LMAX=2
ATMSMAP=ATM_PLOG
AMIN=1e-4
AMAX=1
[PARTICLESTREAM_2]
NAME=DGMain
SRCSIZE=2.0
SRCRATE=10
V0=75
SRCSPREAD=0.1
LIFETIME=0.2
GROWTHRATE=8
ATMSLOWDOWN=1.0
LTYPE=DIFFUSE
LEVELMAP=LVL_SQRT
LMIN=0
LMAX=1
ATMSMAP=ATM_PLOG
AMIN=1e-5
AMAX=0.1


[CONFIG]
MESHNAME="BlueStreakF1"
SIZE=10
CAMERA=(0,1.467,6.782)
EMPTY_MASS=10900
FUEL_MASS=89260
MAIN_THRUST=1334000
ATTITUDE_THRUST=25000
ISP=2432; Altitude 2793
TRIM=0.05
PMI=(113, 113, 7.7)
CW_Z_POS=0.2
CW_Z_NEG=0.2
CW_X=2.
CW_Y=2.
CROSS_SECTION=(63, 63, 8.6)
COG=8.5
PITCH_MOMENT_SCALE=0.00005
BANK_MOMENT_SCALE=0.00005
ROT_DRAG=(0.10, 0.10, 0.04)
MAIN_TEX=Exhaust2
;MAIN_PSTREAM1=DGContrail
MAIN_PSTREAM2=DGMain
LAUNCH_PT1=(0,5,-18.2)
LAUNCH_PT2=(4,-2,-18.2)
LAUNCH_PT3=(-4,-2,-18.2)
LAND_PT1=(0,-2.57,9)
LAND_PT2=(-4,-2.57,-5)
LAND_PT3=(4,-2.57,-5)
FOCUS=0
[PAYLOAD_0]
MESHNAME=spacecraft\Doll_2;spacecraft\Doll_3;spacecraft\Doll_4;spacecraft\Doll_5;spacecraft\Doll_
6
NAME=Doll_2
OFF=(0,3,-20);(0,5,-20);(0,7,-20);(0,9,-20);(0,11,-20)
MASS=1200
MODULE=spacecraft\Spacecraft3
SPEED=(0,1,0)
ROT_SPEED=(0,0,0)

[EX_MAIN_0]
OFF=( 0, .8, 0 )
DIR=( 0, 0, -1 )
LENGTH=21
WIDTH=1
[EX_MAIN_1]
OFF=( 0, -.8, 0 )
DIR=( 0, 0, -1 )
LENGTH=21
WIDTH=1

[EX_MAIN_2]
OFF=( -1, .2, 0 )
DIR=( 0, 0, -1 )
LENGTH=9
WIDTH=.2
[EX_MAIN_3]
OFF=( -1, -.2, 0 )
DIR=( 0, 0, -1 )
LENGTH=9
WIDTH=.2
Click to expand...
Its attached all right, too well in fact! Pressing the "j" key dosen't jettison the payload.

I've gone through the Russian dolls .ini and .scn files, can't see what I've done wrong or left out.

All help appreciated.

N.
 
Just installed Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2, and set it up as the OrbiterWiki-Free Compiler Setup.

Seems to work on the ShuttlePB. Here's the output text.

1>------ Rebuild All started: Project: ShuttlePB, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>Build started 07/12/2009 22:13:05.
1>_PrepareForClean:
1> Deleting file ".\Debug\ShuttlePB.lastbuildstate".
1>_PrepareForBuild:
1> Creating ".\Debug\ShuttlePB.unsuccessfulbuild" because "AlwaysCreate" was specified.
1>ClCompile:
1> ShuttlePB.cpp
1>c:\users\public\orbitersdk\include\orbiterapi.h(109): warning C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union
1>c:\users\public\orbitersdk\include\orbiterapi.h(114): warning C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union
1>c:\users\public\orbitersdk\include\orbiterapi.h(119): warning C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union
1>c:\users\public\orbitersdk\samples\shuttlepb\shuttlepb.cpp(65): warning C4100: 'cfg' : unreferenced formal parameter
1>C:\Program Files\MSBuild\Microsoft.Cpp\v4.0\Microsoft.CppBuild.targets(935,5): warning MSB8012: TargetPath(C:\Users\Public\Orbitersdk\samples\ShuttlePB\.\Debug\ShuttlePB.dll) does not match the Linker's OutputFile property value (C:\Users\Public\Orbitersdk\samples\ShuttlePB\Debug\ShuttlePB.dll). This may cause your project to build incorrectly. To correct this, please make sure that $(OutDir), $(TargetName) and $(TargetExt) property values match the value specified in %(Link.OutputFile).
1>Link:
1> Creating library .\Debug\ShuttlePB.lib and object .\Debug\ShuttlePB.exp
1>LinkEmbedManifest:
1> Creating library .\Debug\ShuttlePB.lib and object .\Debug\ShuttlePB.exp
1> ShuttlePB.vcxproj -> C:\Users\Public\Orbitersdk\samples\ShuttlePB\.\Debug\ShuttlePB.dll
1>_AfterBuild:
1> Deleting file ".\Debug\ShuttlePB.unsuccessfulbuild".
1> Touching ".\Debug\ShuttlePB.lastbuildstate".
1>
1>Build succeeded.
1>
1>Time Elapsed 00:00:03.80
========== Rebuild All: 1 succeeded, 0 failed, 0 skipped ==========
Click to expand...

Quick questions , wondering what
warning C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union
and
warning C4100: 'cfg' : unreferenced formal parameter
are about?

Many thanks, N.
 
Notebook said:
warning C4201: nonstandard extension used : nameless struct/union
Click to expand...

That Orbiters API makes use of language patterns (likely the anonymous structures), that C++ does not "allow" in the current standard, but which are a relict from C.


Notebook said:
warning C4100: 'cfg' : unreferenced formal parameter
Click to expand...

The parameter cfg is defined in the definition of clbkSetClassCaps, but never used. Just the usual Visual Studio warning orgasm.
 
Quick answers, thanks Urwumpe.


Edit: 5/4/2010
Changed the thead title to Blue Streak F3(DLL), and switched back to Visual Studio 2008 Express.

N.
 
Last edited:
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