Weapons Placement

[PythonOne]

Could anyone explain to me how to find the exact x, y, z values of pylon positions of weapons. For example, lets say there was a new model, and you are trying to line up the weapons to the pylons by editing the meinit. Any help would be appreciated, because right now, I'm doing it the manual way, edit a little and see in game, and that takes wayy too long and its innaccurate.

[Highwayman-Ed]

I did this for the SIM-MOD A-10 with trial and error my friend, the same way that you are doing it :(

 

I understand your pain.

[PythonOne]

really? That's how everyone does it? Man....that sucks lol

 

So could you explain a bit on what each value means. Because I basically moved it by 1 and the weapon is far off the pylon. So I have to go by decimal which....isn't really fun.

[Grimes]

I've yet to test this, but you'd think that the a pylon will be in the same relative location once imported into lockon as it would be in 3dmax. The size of the aircraft should at least be at the same scale on all axis when you export from 3dmax to lockon. Therefore you should be able to find approximate locations for all pylons by taking a pylons location in 3dmax and multiplying by the factor of scale within lockon.

 

So in lamens terms...

Find x,y,z value of a pylon (preferably something off centerline)

Find exact location within 3dmax

Compare both x,y,z values to find any scaling differenes

Find the rest in 3dmax, convert to lockon, and test

 

Just a theory but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work....

[ViPer_svrd]

Missile's model XYZ (0,0,0) will concide to the pylon placement coordinates. So, in my opinion, a convenient decision is create an dummy object near the pylonwhere you want a missile's (0,0,0) to see and than copy-paste its coordinates into meinit.xml.

[Kuky]

Weapons coordiantes are in relation to the centre of 3D model of an aircraft, has nothing to do with coordinates of an aircraft in game on the map.

[Highwayman-Ed]

Here is a guide that I wrote over on the SIM-MOD site a while back for editing the meinit.xml.

 

At the bottom, you'll find the stuff to do with weapons placement.

 

The meinit.xml File

 

What is is:

 

The meinit file contains a list of objects, weapons, aircraft, and pylons and defines each item, and how they are used together.

 

The document is clearly structured and uses xml tags such as <Launcher> </Launcher> to define items

 

Settings Explaned:

 

The example below defines the MER-3 launcher uniquely, loaded with 3x Mk20 Rockeye bombs.

 

<Launcher CLSID="{B83CB620-5BBE-4BEA-910C-EB605A327EF9}" Name="MER-3*3 Rockeye Mk20" Picture="ROCKEYE" Weight="726" WorldID="2">

<Element ShapeName="MBD-3">

<Position X="0" Y="0" Z="0"></Position>

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.123" Z="0.160"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="3" Value="-0.6"></DrawArg>

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.123" Z="-0.160"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="3" Value="0.6"></DrawArg>

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.384" Z="0"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

</Element>

</Launcher>

 

The Launcher object

 

CLSID= Defines this object

 

Name= Defines the friendly name of this object, as it is seen from the payload editor

 

Picture= Defines the picture (dds) that will be displayed in the payload editor when the item is selected

 

Weight= Defines the weight of the item itself fully loaded with munitions in Kg

 

WorldID= Defines what type of object this item is. Beware, this item means different things in the meinit.xml depending upon which section it is in!

 

The list below relates to the weapons section

 

1 = Weapon with requirements (ie Targeting pods)

2 = Bomb Launcher

3 = Bomb

4 = Missile

5 = Missile Launcher

6 = Internal weapon(s)

7 = Fuel Tank

8 = Countermeasures Pod

9 = Targeting Pod

 

 

 

Elements are then used to define the actual models for placement into the simulation, which relate to this unique object

 

Element ShapeName= Defines the lom used for this object

 

Position: Defines the co-ordinates that the lom is placed at with regard to the weapon pylon on which it is attached (defined in the aircraft section of the meinit)

X = position defined on the longditudal axis of the pylon: + moves the object forward

 

Y = position defined on the vertical axis of the pylon: + moves the object up

 

Z = position defined on the horizontal axis of the pylon: + moves the object to the right (starboard) side

 

DrawArg Key= These arguments are defined within the original 3D model itself, but are not required.

1 =

2 =

3 = Used to define rotation around the longditudal axis (roll), usually from +60 (1) to - 60 (-1) degrees so that weapons mate correctly with launchers

 

The last remaining item of note with a launcher is the order in which Elements are listed. This will define in which order the munitions are released, fired, launched or dropped by the launcher if there is more than one. In the meinit, weapons are always released from the bottom of the list to the top.

 

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.123" Z="0.160"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="3" Value="-0.6"></DrawArg>

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.123" Z="-0.160"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="3" Value="0.6"></DrawArg>

</Element>

<Element ShapeName="ROCKEYE">

<Position X="0" Y="-0.384" Z="0"></Position>

<DrawArg Key="1" Value="1"></DrawArg>

<DrawArg Key="2" Value="1"></DrawArg>

</Element>

 

In the above example the Rockeye on the centre station will be released first (Z="0")

Followed by the weapon on the right as we are looking at the pictures above (Z="-0.160")

Followed by the weapon on the left (Z="0.160")

 

before anybody says it, I know that these are not Rockeyes in the pictures ;)

Edited August 2, 2008 by Highwayman-Ed

[SuperKungFu]

If it helps, you could save time by finding the exact weapons position manually for 1 pylon, and you can estimate the other pylon's located by ratio. So however much the new variable moved compared to the stock one, move the second pylon around the same variable. The Good thing is if you solved the pylon position on one side of the aircraft (ie. right wing), then the left side would be the same value or a different sign (like + or -)

[PythonOne]

Thanks you guys! This really helped! Cheers.