Idea Mercury and Gemini add-on improvements

[Columbia42]

It would be part of the animation sequence. Just define another ANIM_COMP section (check the spacecraft 3 manual on how to define a translation animation component.)

 

[Saturn V]

Oh, I know it's an animation sequence...but is it supposed to be part of the initial sequence or a seperate one?

You have to specify which animation sequence controls the parent/attachment point.

When I use the one that controls the up/down translation, the hook moves, but the astronaut does not when I attempt to translate backward after he's been raised.

When I define a seperate (new) animation sequence and specify that animation sequence as being the one that controls the parent/attachment point, the astronaut disappears, or is grossly out of position when I attach him in the first place.

Uh oh...my brain just turned to jello...!



IDK...here's the relevent part of the ini. Anybody able to tell me what I need to change to achieve the desired effect?

[PARENT_ATTACH_0]	;hook
NAME="recovery_hook"
POS=(2.28,-1.36,0.24)
DIR=(1,0,0)
ROT=(0,0,1)
LOOSE=0
RANGE=25

[ROBOTIC_ARM]
JOINT_0_NAME="hook_lower"
JOINT_0_SEQ=3
JOINT_0_RANGE=(0,1)
JOINT_0_NAME="hook_catch"
GRAP_SEQ=3
GRAP_ATTACH=0

[ANIM_SEQ_0]
; landing gear
KEY=G
DURATION=6.7

[ANIM_SEQ_1]
; Rotors
KEY=K
DURATION=0.22
REPEAT=1

[ANIM_SEQ_2]
; Rear Door
KEY=1
DURATION=6.7

[ANIM_SEQ_3]
; Hook and lines
KEY=2
DURATION=15

[ANIM_COMP_0]
; front gear 
SEQ=0
GROUPS=255,256,257,258,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353
RANGE=(0.1,0.9)
ROT_PNT=(0,-2.05,5.8)
ROT_AXIS=(1,0,0)
ANGLE=80

[ANIM_COMP_1]
; Main Rotor
SEQ=1
GROUPS=180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,3,4)
ROT_AXIS=(0,1,0)
ANGLE=360.

[ANIM_COMP_2]
; Rear Rotor
SEQ=1
GROUPS=190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(-1,1.52,-12.45)
ROT_AXIS=(1,0,0)
ANGLE=360.

[ANIM_COMP_3]
; Rear Door
SEQ=2
TYPE=TRANSLATE
GROUPS=427,428,429,430,436
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0,0)
SHIFT=(0,0,1.7)
ANGLE=0

[ANIM_COMP_4]
; Line
SEQ=3
GROUPS=259
RANGE=(0,1)
TYPE=SCALE
SCALE0=(1,1,1)
SCALE=(1,34.89,1)
REF=(0,0.73,0)

[ANIM_COMP_5]
; hook_lower
SEQ=3
TYPE=TRANSLATE
GROUPS=354
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0,0)
SHIFT=(0,-9.8,0)
ANGLE=0

[ANIM_COMP_6]
; hook_catch
SEQ=3
RANGE=(0,1)
TIP_1=(2.28,-1.36,0.24)
TIP_2=(2.28,-3.36,0.24)
TIP_3=(2.28,-1.36,-1.24)
PARENT=5

 

[Donamy]

You need to add another sequence for the translation, unless you want it all in one motion.

 

[Saturn V]

Thank you sir! :tiphat:

A little patience goes a long way. Finally got it once you pointed out which course of action to follow.

Just have to fine tune the attachment point on the astronaut so I don't "brain" him on the winch motor when he gets into the chopper! :lol:

---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:37 PM ----------

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Just flew the Gemini III recovery sequence from start to finish. Not simple or overly easy, but by no means impossible once you get the hang of it.

 

[Saturn V]

Been writing the scenarios for the Recovery addon & decided to "spruce up" the Gemini VIII recovery a little. Still won't be 100% historically accurate (no way to retieve the astronauts with the boat itself...height offset is too great), but here's the new Seahorse. Yes, I know there are no rotor blades on it yet! Just done as a test of the color, reflectivity, etc. Thought I'd share it...

 

[Saturn V]

Bleah......think I need to step back a day or two. Been working on the animations for the last 18 hours & can't get the main rotors to move (yes, the groups numbers are correctly specified in the ini, as are the rotation point & direction), but oddly, the tail rotors and both rotor heads move properly.

Taking a break for a few hours (come to think of it, I haven't eaten since dinner last night...talk about an obsession!), but if anybody's got an idea why these things wont move, let me know...

 

[liber]

Bleah......think I need to step back a day or two. Been working on the animations for the last 18 hours & can't get the main rotors to move (yes, the groups numbers are correctly specified in the ini, as are the rotation point & direction), but oddly, the tail rotors and both rotor heads move properly.

Taking a break for a few hours (come to think of it, I haven't eaten since dinner last night...talk about an obsession!), but if anybody's got an idea why these things wont move, let me know...

[ANIM_SEQ_0]
; rotor
KEY=0
DURATION=0.2
REPEAT=1

[ANIM_COMP_0]
; rotor
SEQ=0
GROUPS=2,5,8,10
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0,0)
ROT_AXIS=(0,1,0)
ANGLE=360

[ANIM_COMP_1]
; rear rotor
SEQ=0
GROUPS=3,6
RANGE=(0,1)
ROT_PNT=(0,0.544,-5.719)
ROT_AXIS=(1,0,0)
ANGLE=360.

If any help,working animation on mine helicopters...

 

[Saturn V]

Thanks, 'preciate the tip. I'm pretty well aquainted with ini files and mine does indeed follow the same protocols as your example. For whatever reason, it's just not recognizing the main rotor blades (I've exported the file from the creation software at least 20 times and in as many different ways...optimized the resulting mesh every time I've done so too). Same thing. Believe me, I do try to work this stuff out on my own before I post here. I just think I've been too close to it for the last 48 hours. It's probably something obvious or a stupid oversight on my part (or a combination of the two). That's why I'm stepping away from it for a day or two. No sense beating a dead horse, eh? :tiphat:

 

[liber]

Don't know how many animation you have there,sometimes sc3 if not always need to write ini file for animation in order.

Something like this.

[AERODYNAMICS]
SPEEDBRAKE_ANIM=2
AILERON_RIGHT_ANIM=3
AILERON_LEFT_ANIM=4
ELEVATOR_ANIM=5
RUDDER_ANIM=6

Anim 2 etc no Anim 1 as you can see...animation below must be in order exp:

[ANIM_SEQ_2]
; air brake
KEY=4
DURATION=5

[ANIM_SEQ_3]
; right aileron
INIT_POS=0.5

[ANIM_SEQ_4]
; left aileron
INIT_POS=0.5

[ANIM_SEQ_5]
; elevator
INIT_POS=0.5

[ANIM_SEQ_6]
; rudder
INIT_POS=0.5

To test rotor delete all animation except rotor and than check does it work,because sometimes I get funny animation if is not in order.

 

[Urwumpe]

Wouldn't it now get easier to write a proper DLL for the helicopter recovery, than to hack something with SC3 and cross fingers to see if it works and that people will later be able to use it?

It might be just my personal impression, but I feel like you put a lot of energy into something, that would be a no-brainer in a module (if you have already learned the basics of C++ and Orbiter add-on programming of course. If you start by zero, this won't get easy.)

 

[Saturn V]

Just wondering...instead of having to hunt down individual groups in the mesh, if I use the "Join Solids" feature in anim8or, does the ini file have an issue with this? I vaguely seem to remember this being a "no-no," but if anyone knows for sure, it'd save me considerable time. Thanks...

 

[liber]

Just wondering...instead of having to hunt down individual groups in the mesh, if I use the "Join Solids" feature in anim8or, does the ini file have an issue with this? I vaguely seem to remember this being a "no-no," but if anyone knows for sure, it'd save me considerable time. Thanks...

Don't think so,join solid could have impact on texture,if you join two groups and each have it's own texture than map will be ruin.
Well put mesh here maybe someone figure out what's wrong.

 

[Saturn V]

Tried it just to see what would happen. Strangely, it works fine. :thumbup:

---------- Post added at 06:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:10 PM ----------

Unfortunately, you cant see the rotors churning, but she is flying!

BTW: That's the Mason in the background.

 

[80mileshigh]

Outstanding! I'm very happy to see this coming together.

 

[Saturn V]

Hey!!! How've you been?!!?

Yeah, it's been a looooooooong time in coming, hasn't it? Sadly, I've never learned to leave well enough alone though. Every time I start doing some work on this stuff, I find more I have to improve/fix/do over etc.

And yet I always feel it's been worth it...

I don't know how you did it, but the water, dye marker & floatation collar all still look spot on...what, 4 or 5 years after you did 'em. I'm so jealous!!! :lol:

BTW don't know if you downloaded the LC19 addon, but the ATDA finally made orbit!

 

[80mileshigh]

Hey!!! How've you been?!!?
BTW don't know if you downloaded the LC19 addon, but the ATDA finally made orbit!

I'm doing great, but very busy. I did download LC19 but haven't had a chance to try it. Meshing the ATDA seems like a lifetime ago.

I thought LC19 seemed to go under the radar at Orbit Hangar. Maybe it would be worth uploading a complete package for Orbiter 2010, labeled as Project Gemini, at the end of development?

Your 3D work is really impressive! What program are you using?

 

[Saturn V]

I'm doing great, but very busy.

Glad to hear it!

I thought LC19 seemed to go under the radar at Orbit Hangar. Maybe it would be worth uploading a complete package for Orbiter 2010, labeled as Project Gemini, at the end of development?

I'm thinking of doing just that. Well as one big addon for Project Gemini anyway.

Your 3D work is really impressive! What program are you using?

As I mentioned in another thread, I build models as well, so it's the same creative process at work, just a different set of tools. Believe it or not, still a lot of anim8or and some Sketchup as well. The drag with Sketchup is that the models are really poly heavy on conversion. Thankfully, most machines today can handle it.

Can't get anymore meaningful work done on it till this weekend, but take care!

 

[kerlix]

So will these add-ons (both Mercury and Gemini) be compatible with the latest version of Orbiter 2010? Sorry if the answer is already here. I'm just kinda short on time and was wondering about it. I was following Project Mercury X for a while but that seems to have slowed down in the recent past. Having both add-ons (with updates/improvements) would be amazing. Sadly, I have no programming experience and therefore are unable to contribute. I'll just have to patiently wait for this project to reach completion. And I'm sure it will be well worth it.

Keep up the great work guys. I can't wait to fly these birds.

 

[IronRain]

They both work in 2010 although there are some minor bugs. I suggest to take a look here: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=253575&highlight=Mercury+2010#post253575

:thumbup:

 

[Saturn V]

In looking at my latest work (the Seahorse chopper) compared to some of the prliminary work I'd done on the recovery addon, I've decided to go back and tweak some of the meshes so everything looks finished instead of half-baked (just another manifestation of my OCD?). Also, the model for the Douglas Rescuemaster that was dispatched from Okinawa (Gemini 8) is well underway. Ahh...why can't "good" ever be "good enough"? :lol: