AI planes

[erikN]

Hi guys,

 

I've seen so many cool 3D models here and can't wait to see them in-game. But how will they be implented into to game?

 

Upcoming patches or what? From my experience it seems pretty hard to modify this game.

 

But it would be simply awesome if just half of the planes I've seen here became new AI aircraft :)

[britgliderpilot]

Hi guys,

 

I've seen so many cool 3D models here and can't wait to see them in-game. But how will they be implented into to game?

 

Upcoming patches or what? From my experience it seems pretty hard to modify this game.

 

But it would be simply awesome if just half of the planes I've seen here became new AI aircraft :)

 

If ED like the model (and it is a new version of an existing aircraft), then they'll have to take the 3dsMax model, animate it and add damage as they see fit (none of these models appear to have folding gear, flaps, control surfaces, canopies, hooks, rotating wheels), add textures . . . . . and only then can they convert it to a Lomac standard .cmd file.

 

Now it's possible that that file could be posted as a simple overwrite of the standard shape files - in which case it's a small, quick, and easy download. Perhaps not even in a patch . . . . a list to download on the ED site, perhaps a "improved 3d models" free download. Nobody's doing this for profit, after all.

 

However, it's more likely that new textures will be required - and each skin is a few MB in size.

I don't think any code will need to be changed . . . . fingers crossed, anyway.

The only possible problem is if the code needs to be told to look at a different section of the texture files - which if there is a significant enough change in the shape then that might be necessary.

 

 

For a new aircraft . . . . . the AI uses a generic FM, so if some details on performance are available (after all the above processing has been done by ED) then some code changes to add a new code slot (CLSID) and edits to the MeInit.xml would be required.

 

That would have to be a patch - so ED would be best advised to wait until they have a large collection of new flyables before introducing any. To do otherwise would create havoc with versions, missions, online play for each new flyable . . . . to say nothing of any other bug fixes they introduce with each little patch.

 

 

It's not quite as easy as some make out - look for new models to be introduced as an extra to already planned patches or addons.