Engine Smoke and Particles

[tgep]

I'm trying to add engine smoke to a vessel I am making. I tried using Kev33's Particle module and followed the directions exactly. No love there. The vessel loaded up but no fuel nor ability to add fuel to the tanks. Sooooo,

Just how in the world can I add engine smoke to my ships in a vessel config without relying on the SC3 module ( which severly limits the number of ships in a scenario ) or writing a custom .dll module ( something I stink on ice at ) ?

Do I write it up in Kev's format and drop it in the Spacecraft folder with only the particle data or is there another way of writing it into a vessel config ?

I tried searching out the old M6 forum but it was running slower than mollases and I'm on me lunch break.

It isn't nessecary to have engine smoke but it just looks so dang CHEAP without it ya know ? The SmokeMFD adds a decent contrail but the engine smoke emminating from point 0,0,0 looks cheap to.

 

[computerex]

Without spacecraftx.dll or a custom dll, as of write now it's impossible to have any engine smoke. However I think now that you mention it, it does seem like a pretty useful thing, so I just might create a module when I get the time. Can't make any promises though.

 

[tgep]

That's what I was afraid of. I searched through the API GUIDE and API referance as well as the Orbiter users manual and there was no mention of it in vessel cinfigs. It's all straight foreward for building modules or modifying Vinka's SC thriugh the .ini file.

It would be great if we could use the ini parameters for the exhaust plume linked to a simple position point like Kev's Particle module did. Even if we have to write up a seperate confic just for engine smoke to put in a folder like Spotlights, MultiView, and Sonic Boom, it's still worthwhile because it's those little touches that really go a long way in making add ons enjoyable.

When you get around to it, I'll happily test it for you. At this point, I'm seriousely thinking of stopping work on this one particular project until such time as the engine smoke can be added because these ships ( a series of 10 or so at this point ) really deserves a full on treatment. I'm already Writing up the other needed files for Multi-view and Sonic boom. Having the engine smoke would put them over the top.

 

[computerex]

Well I was thinking of this sort of cfg format for each individual vessel class, like Multi-View or Spotlights:

StreamCount=1

Stream_1_Name=Engine
Stream_1_scrate=0.3
....................................

MainEngineStream=Engine
HoverEngineStream=Engine

I think this should work nicely..Because I won't have to deal with spacecraftx.dll's scenario specific design for this particular add-on.

 

[tgep]

EXCELLENT !:thumbup:

 

[sputnik]

Well, Velcro Rockets lets you build a .cfg file and, if the engine type is SRM, it'll produce smoke. But it'll also force other SRM-type behavior, like not being able to be shut down. Presumably this doesn't help you.

 

[tgep]

No, unfortunately not. It's still good to know though cause it'll come in handy when I build some JDAMs

 

[computerex]

Done, now gotta go back to reading the book, "The Hot Zone", along with reading "The Antigone" and writing a 10 1/2 page report on it...Not to mention the 25 math problems I have to do and a paper on nuclear fusion for chemistry. :shout:

http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?p=26508#post26508

 

[tgep]

Not only are you a SuperModerator, you're a Super add-on / plug in developer as well !

I just downloaded it and will probably have my project finished this weekend now.

You've done a great service to budding add-on makers around the world.