Problem adding smoke

[flyer80]

I'm trying to add smoke to a B-52 model I have and it's giving me a huge headache. :) The Aircraft SDK (the one the details all the entries in the aircraft.cfg file) says that both the Engine.x and Smoke.x lines are the longitudnial, lateral, and vertical offset from the reference datum. One of these isn't correct. I copied the Engine.x lines and made them appropriate Smoke.x lines. I chose a thick red smoke so I could be sure of the position (I wanted the smoke to appear as close the the back of the engine as possible). I got the Buff in the air and slewed around so I could get a nice thick line (easy if you're going really slow). I was surprised when I saw a single red line coming from the center of the aircraft trailing backwards. I was more surprised when I slewed sideways and I was greeted with 4 trails coming from the fuselage. I can post a pic if anyone wants to see what I'm talking about.

Anyway, it's obvious that either the Engine or Smoke section is not in an X,Y,Z format. If the engines are correct then the smoke is Z,Y,X. One more problem. I've managed to adjust the numbers so I have the smoke in the proper place, at least as far as X and Y go. However the Z component doesn't seem to do anything. It doesn't matter if I make it 0, 10, or -100, the smoke always appears at the same "height".

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[kc10]

I've tried to adjust the Z component for similar smoke effects(vapor trail) with no success.

KC

[baddadnv]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-08-02 AT 01:48AM (EST)[/font][p]Eric,

Below: Smoke system for P-3 Orion, so this is just an example....

{SMOKESYSTEM}
smoke.0= 0.271, -41.052, -30.002, fx_smoke_rx_sm
smoke.1=-1.232, -43.801, -15.506, fx_smoke_rx_sm
smoke.2=-1.232, -43.801, 15.506, fx_smoke_rx_sm
smoke.3= 0.271, -41.052, 30.002, fx_smoke_rx_sm

The first set of #'s are Height (up and down) from CG of A/C.

The second set of #'s are Forward and rear (behind) the CG of A/C.

The third set of #'s are left to right of CG of A/C.

All #'s are in feet.....(1) 1/4 foot above CG. (2) minus 41 feet behind CG. (3) minus 30 feet left of CG.

The first set (height) IS VERY limited to range of adjustment?

If you need to, You can post the {engine} section of your B-52, and I can put you real close, then you can play with it from there.

Randy Burton

[flyer80]

Thanx for the responses guys. First of all, here is what I'm talking about in regards to the seemingly inline smoke trails. This is a pic of me slewing sideways with red smoke to show the individual trails:

http://min.midco.net/awacs80/smoke.jpg

Here are excerpts from the aircraft.cfg file. I created the smoke section by copying the engine lines:

Engine.0=-7.667, -62.833, -6.333
Engine.1=16.250, -33.917, -4.333
Engine.2=16.250, 33.917, -4.333
Engine.3=-7.667, 62.833, -6.333

smoke.0=-7.667, -62.833, -6.333, fx_redssmoke_red
smoke.1=16.250, -33.917, -4.333, fx_redssmoke_red
smoke.2=16.250, 33.917, -4.333, fx_redssmoke_red
smoke.3=-7.667, 62.833, -6.333, fx_redssmoke_red

The above smoke section is what created the above picture. Here is the "corrected" smoke section with a pic:

smoke.0=50,-23,62.833,fx_smoke_r
smoke.1=-100,-23,-62.833,fx_smoke_r
smoke.2=0,0,33.917,fx_smoke_r
smoke.3=0,0,-33.917,fx_smoke_r

http://min.midco.net/awacs80/smoke2.jpg

As you can see the smoke is lined up, but it's too high. It seems that no matter what I put for the Z component it stays where it is. You can see above that I have one smoke trail at +50, another at -100 (both for the left wing), and the other two at zero, and they're all at the same "height".

My main question is does the Engine and Smoke entries use a different coordinate system? As I said, in the AircraftContainerSDKFS2002.doc file it says for both the GeneralEngineData and SMOKESYSTEM sections that it's the "longitudinal, lateral, and vertical position". As you can see I've proven that it isn't so for the smoke section, but is it for the engines? The engine section is the only one that says the coordinates are in reference to the Reference Datum Position. I assumed it was also for the smoke section. I believe that the engine coordinates (their order) are correct. I tried advancing engines 1 and 2 to full and pulling 3 and 4 back to idle are there is some yaw movement.

So, in summary, unless I'm way off the mark, the Engine.x coorinates are X,Y,Z and the Smoke.x coordinates are Z,Y,X. Can anyone confirm this? Also, is there a way to get the Z component of the smoke section to actually do something?

Thanks for the help everyone. I appreciate it.

[baddadnv]

Hi Eric,

Try this, and post a pic.........We may have to try again! Fingers crossed.



smoke.0=-10.33, -7.667, -62.83,fx_smoke_r
smoke.1=-8.330, 16.250, -33.92,fx_smoke_r
smoke.2=-8.330, 16.250, 33.920,fx_smoke_r
smoke.3=-10.33, -7.667, 62.830,fx_smoke_r


Randy Burton

[flyer80]

OK, here's where we are now:

http://min.midco.net/awacs80/smoke3.jpg

The smoke is a little further forward, but doesn't seem to be "down" at all. That would probably be a good position for the engines since those coordinates seem to be in the center of the engine pods.

*Sigh* Any other ideas? :)

[baddadnv]

Ok, Lets lower the smoke 10 feet, move it backwards 15 feet.....


smoke.0=-20.33, -22.67, -62.83,fx_smoke_r
smoke.1=-18.33, 1.2500, -33.92,fx_smoke_r
smoke.2=-18.33, 1.2500, 33.920,fx_smoke_r
smoke.3=-20.33, -22.67, 62.830,fx_smoke_r

Try that...

Randy

[flyer80]

http://min.midco.net/awacs80/smoke4.jpg

That gets it closer to where I wanted it (i.e. lined up with the rear of the engine nacelles). But this illustrates my point exactly...even by lowering the coordinates 10 feet, the smoke trails didn't move at all visually (in the vertical plane anyway). Nothing I do seems to make them move up or down at all.

[baddadnv]

Eric,

The only other thing you could try, is to lower the actuale engine locations....BUT, now were messing with flight dynamics. Try 10 feet lower, if you want....see what happens.......I'm curios now! (LOL).....You can allways change it back.

Randy


Engine.0=-7.667, -62.833, -16.333
Engine.1=16.250, -33.917, -14.333
Engine.2=16.250, 33.917, -14.333
Engine.3=-7.667, 62.833, -66.333

[kc10]

Fly two feet higher

:7