Autolite Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 That's the reason I asked you to post the smoke system section and the fx file name to make sure you are working with the correct file (and for the correct plane). The smoke system section I wanted to see is in the AIRCRAFT.CFG as mentioned earlier. Until I see that, there is little more I can do to help unfortunately. Read and follow my suggestions carefully and precisely. I have already told you where to start. And I certainly haven't recommended editing all those fx files you mentioned. Of course changing the values in those files made no difference. They are probably the wrong files!! You seem to be going off on your own unguided path now, making a VERY SIMPLE fix almost impossible. Okay, so looking in the AIRCRAFT.CFG file, I see this labeled as 'Smokesystem'. Is this the file that I need to modify or is it telling me to go to the file 'fx_smoke_w'??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwillmot Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Guess some people are stubborn and haven't yet learned that "smoking" is bad for you .... just say'n [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCChopper Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Okay, so looking in the AIRCRAFT.CFG file, I see this labeled as 'Smokesystem'. Is this the file that I need to modify or is it telling me to go to the file 'fx_smoke_w'??? [ATTACH=CONFIG]183130[/ATTACH] Finally what I needed to see. Ok now look in your effects folder and you will see a file named fx_smoke_w.fx This is what needs to be changed BUT... because it is likely used by another aircraft and the changes may not look so good with that I recommend making a copy of it and renaming it fx_smoke_w2. (basically the same as having a backup because the original is being left alone) Of course then in that second line of the smokesystem section you would need to change the text by simply adding the 2 at the end of fx_smoke_w. Now the smokesystem knows to look for that new file you just made. The file reference have to match exactly. Ok so now at this point you have created a new effects file so the original stays as it is. The smokesystem calls for the exact name of that new file right? (fx_smoke_w2). The only thing left to do is simply go into this new file and change those values found under these sections. (particleattributes.0 and particleattributes.1) Read above for my recommended starting values. They can easily be changed over and over until you are satisfied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autolite Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 Finally what I needed to see. Ok now look in your effects folder and you will see a file named fx_smoke_w.fx This is what needs to be changed BUT... because it is likely used by another aircraft and the changes may not look so good with that I recommend making a copy of it and renaming it fx_smoke_w2. (basically the same as having a backup because the original is being left alone) Of course then in that second line of the smokesystem section you would need to change the text by simply adding the 2 at the end of fx_smoke_w. Now the smokesystem knows to look for that new file you just made. The file reference have to match exactly. Ok so now at this point you have created a new effects file so the original stays as it is. The smokesystem calls for the exact name of that new file right? (fx_smoke_w2). The only thing left to do is simply go into this new file and change those values found under these sections. (particleattributes.0 and particleattributes.1) Read above for my recommended starting values. They can easily be changed over and over until you are satisfied. Okay, thanks RCChopper! Your patience is most appreciated. Actually BEFORE receiving your last post, I did in fact try modifying 'fx_smoke_w' but it made no difference. I think I understand now that the FS2004 'Effects' folder is an archive or a source folder for the whole program and the individual 'Aircraft.cfg' files points to any of required files as necessary in the FS2004 'Effects' folder. Am I understanding this correctly now? I'll try the changes again later this evening (IAW your instructions) and see how it goes. Thanks again very much... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzippy Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Go to the top of your screen and click on Notifications/Inbox. I sent you a PM. Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCChopper Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Okay, thanks RCChopper! Your patience is most appreciated. Actually BEFORE receiving your last post, I did in fact try modifying 'fx_smoke_w' but it made no difference. I think I understand now that the FS2004 'Effects' folder is an archive or a source folder for the whole program and the individual 'Aircraft.cfg' files points to any of required files as necessary in the FS2004 'Effects' folder. Am I understanding this correctly now? I'll try the changes again later this evening (IAW your instructions) and see how it goes. Thanks again very much... I think you have it understood now, yet I'm wondering why if you did modify the fx_smoke_w file it didn't make any change. There could be several reasons possibly something unique to that particular plane but easy enough to resolve. Any you are remembering the I key to turn the smoke on correct? The concept to smoke is really quite simple. The [smokesystem] entry in the aircraft.cfg simply adds the smoke feature to that plane. The first sets of numbers are the coordinates of where the smoke comes from the plane (engine exhaust location). For more than 1 engine there are of course multiple lines with different location for each engine. Then right after the coordinates is the name of the effects file it will look at to create the smoke. The effects file then creates all the features of the smoke. Color, density, length, reference to a bmp file to make the smoke particle how long it lasts before dissipating and so on. Once you grasp this basic concept you can modify or add smoke to any aircraft. Myself for example have 727's that, like the older ones did for real, belch a good amount of black smoke. You can use existing effects files as templates and just change the needed section. Like I recommended you do. If I had the Sabre I by now would have just sent you an effects file. But that is not helping you nearly as much as getting you to do this on your own because it really is simple (and fun). And judging from your original post about purple smoke, you are like me in that you want the smoke realistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autolite Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 I think you have it understood now, yet I'm wondering why if you did modify the fx_smoke_w file it didn't make any change. There could be several reasons possibly something unique to that particular plane but easy enough to resolve. Any you are remembering the I key to turn the smoke on correct? No, I forgot about the 'I' key. I'm hoping to play around some more with the files again tonight. If I had the Sabre I by now would have just sent you an effects file. But that is not helping you nearly as much as getting you to do this on your own because it really is simple (and fun). And judging from your original post about purple smoke, you are like me in that you want the smoke realistic. Well, I just don't understand why the original fx file would produce 'purple' exhaust anyway. That doesn't make sense to me. No one else on this thread has mentioned seeing purple smoke from this model. I'm curious as to why it seems to be only me with this issue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzippy Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Well, I just don't understand why the original fx file would produce 'purple' exhaust anyway. That doesn't make sense to me. No one else on this thread has mentioned seeing purple smoke from this model. I'm curious as to why it seems to be only me with this issue... Possible corruption of one or more of those effects files. Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCChopper Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 No, I forgot about the 'I' key. I'm hoping to play around some more with the files again tonight. Well, I just don't understand why the original fx file would produce 'purple' exhaust anyway. That doesn't make sense to me. No one else on this thread has mentioned seeing purple smoke from this model. I'm curious as to why it seems to be only me with this issue... I'm glad I mentioned the I key. It's these basic simple things that get overlooked and cause a lot of chasing our tails. Why is yours producing purple smoke? I might be able to answer that if I could see the text from the effects file. It may also have something to do with the smoke effects from the afterburner mixing with it. 2 colors blended make a 3rd color right? And that afterburner is a different ballgame that uses xml and changes with power setting. But the reason I told you to put the // in front of lights 8, 9, and 10 in the light section is to disable that for now to keep this simple. DON'T FORGET TO DO THIS!! Nobody else has mentioned it but that doesn't mean they don't get the same. They may not even have that plane. But all that said, I can remember having a few planes that did have a bit of a purple hue rather than black or gray. I was not all that surprised to see your post really. Some monitors display colors differently too depending on settings and calibration. Now reread and carefully do the simple instructions I gave in post #28. And remember the I key and the // in the lights section. You may need to take an easier route. Wear dark sunglasses when you fly and the smoke will look black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autolite Posted October 10, 2015 Author Share Posted October 10, 2015 I'm glad I mentioned the I key. It's these basic simple things that get overlooked and cause a lot of chasing our tails. Well, what I've done now was again modify the 'fx_smoke_w' file in FS2004 'Effects' folder with the values that you had suggested earlier. On the first test flight, I selected the "I" key for 'Smoke On' but there was no difference (white plume/purple ting). With the "I" key deselected (Smoke Off) I am getting the same old purple smoke. Maybe I should try going back to the 'Section F8' forum and check out the archives to see if anyone else has dealt with this issue. Again, many thanks for all the help. At least I feel that I've started to learn something about fx files with everyone's input... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCChopper Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Well, what I've done now was again modify the 'fx_smoke_w' file in FS2004 'Effects' folder with the values that you had suggested earlier. And what about those // in the light section. Did you put those in? You haven't mentioned those. I'm not too confident the instructions I'm giving are being followed precisely, or at least you aren't telling me what effect each step has on the results. What you did tell me helps a bit but it's still incomplete. I give up, there's nothing more I can offer other than what I have already posted several times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autolite Posted October 10, 2015 Author Share Posted October 10, 2015 And what about those // in the light section. Did you put those in? You haven't mentioned those. Honestly, no. I didn't do anything in the light section. The 'Section F8' forum mentions disabling/enabling the smoke feature by using // in the light section so I know that you know what you are talking about. I just wasn't in the mood to mess around with it any more last night. Perhaps I'll have another look at it tonight, but I am also wondering if it might be easier to just to swap out the 'fx_smoke_w' file with another smoke effects file from a different aircraft. Would that not maybe work??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autolite Posted October 10, 2015 Author Share Posted October 10, 2015 Possible corruption of one or more of those effects files. That is possible I suppose. I'm thinking of trying some modifications to the light section as suggested by RCChopper or just swapping out the 'fx_smoke_w' file with something else. I might play around with it again perhaps later tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzippy Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 That is possible I suppose. I'm thinking of trying some modifications to the light section as suggested by RCChopper or just swapping out the 'fx_smoke_w' file with something else. I might play around with it again perhaps later tonight... Sent you another PM. Still thinking about a new flightsim only computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCChopper Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Honestly, no. I didn't do anything in the light section. The 'Section F8' forum mentions disabling/enabling the smoke feature by using // in the light section so I know that you know what you are talking about. I just wasn't in the mood to mess around with it any more last night. Perhaps I'll have another look at it tonight, but I am also wondering if it might be easier to just to swap out the 'fx_smoke_w' file with another smoke effects file from a different aircraft. Would that not maybe work??? "Mess around with it"? It takes 30 seconds to do that. If you are not willing to try my suggestions or find them too difficult which they aren't, we are really wasting time here. Sure you can try using another effects file. Are you comfortable editing the coordinates of where the smoke comes out of the plane? (many are multi-engines) Possibly changing the colors on that one? Editing the cfg to call up that effects file? I caution you on this approach. It is far more complicated than what you are struggling with right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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