getting started on an add on

[upyr1]

As some of ya'll may remember I've wanted a high end F-4 Phantom II add on for Flanker-

and I know that supports 3rd party add ons-

so what all would it take to get Vietnam era add on going?

[Lange_666]

At least a lot more then the F-4 or it will be like the P-51 add-on you have now sitting in a totally misplaced era. Now the F-4 can get going fine in the current world but for it to fly around in a Vietnam era, you need a lot more like the Mig-17, Mig-19, Mig-21, F-100, A-7 etc... (list: http://www.farfromglory.com/aircraft.htm). Most of them don't exist for DCS World, not even as AI aircraft.

Lots of flights where made from carriers floating around in the South China Sea so you need carrier ops.

Then you need ground units from that era and last but not least...Vietnam terrain.

 

All in all, nice little job which will keep you going for quite a while...

[arteedecco]

FYI, you're not alone @upyr1

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=100681

[upyr1]

At least a lot more then the F-4 or it will be like the P-51 add-on you have now sitting in a totally misplaced era. Now the F-4 can get going fine in the current world but for it to fly around in a Vietnam era, you need a lot more like the Mig-17, Mig-19, Mig-21, F-100, A-7 etc... (list: http://www.farfromglory.com/aircraft.htm). Most of them don't exist for DCS World, not even as AI aircraft.

Lots of flights where made from carriers floating around in the South China Sea so you need carrier ops.

Then you need ground units from that era and last but not least...Vietnam terrain.

 

All in all, nice little job which will keep you going for quite a while...

 

I plan to do a Vietnam era add-on however as the Phantom is still in service with at least a couple of the nations in the game- the F-4 won't be out of place in the modern era.

I figure I'd start with a modernized F-4E or F-4F ICE then staring work on 2 or 3 Vietnam era phantoms (F-4D, F-4B and F-4E) and possibly the F-4G and adding the period AI craft and the Vietnam theater.

The main concerns I have right now are what tools has ED made available in the SDK and if there is anyone who would be interested in getting started in this "little" project.

I figure the Vietnam era would be great fodder for add-ons.

:pilotfly:

[Ells228]

In terms of tools in the SDK, what are you expecting?

 

You have to model and animate the F-4 in 3d Max or equivalent

You have to skin it in Photoshop or equivalent

You have to code it in Visual Studio, Dreamweaver, Notepad++ or equivalent

 

You then use the SDK to "integrate" your code into your module for the sim to recognise it. This is mainly for DLL integration at the moment.

 

You don't need the SDK to get your plane into the sim as long as you use an SFM and LUA scripting.

 

So in reality, the SDK plays a very small part of what you want to achieve unless you want to protect your code form others seeing it, then you need it to build your DLL's.

 

Good luck :D

[upyr1]

In terms of tools in the SDK, what are you expecting?

 

You have to model and animate the F-4 in 3d Max or equivalent

You have to skin it in Photoshop or equivalent

You have to code it in Visual Studio, Dreamweaver, Notepad++ or equivalent

 

You then use the SDK to "integrate" your code into your module for the sim to recognise it. This is mainly for DLL integration at the moment.

 

You don't need the SDK to get your plane into the sim as long as you use an SFM and LUA scripting.

 

So in reality, the SDK plays a very small part of what you want to achieve unless you want to protect your code form others seeing it, then you need it to build your DLL's.

 

Good luck :D

I'm not sure what is in the SDK- which is why I posted here as some tutorials and gurus might be able to help me get started.

[SkateZilla]

I personally haven't touched any SDK, most of the progress I've made on projects has been help from here and help from other team members.

 

Whether or not things get better if we are able to secure some type of 3rd Party Status I also dont know.

[upyr1]

I'm going to ask you where to start- and what tools do you recommend?

[Tango]

Start with the model and 3D Studio Max.

 

Best regards,

Tango.

[SkateZilla]

I'd Start with the EDM Model Tools Thread:

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=86205&highlight=Arg+Animations

 

Then Look at the PDFs regarding Mesh Setup,

 

And the List of Argument Animations and what they are used for:

http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=78185&d=1362757425

[RedBeard2]

LOL! I have a Phantom model I've been working on for this purpose, but I've had to set it aside and start work on a Dummies Guide to Adding a DCSW Aircraft Mod since I kept running into problems.

 

It seems to me that the model is a fraction of what is necessary to know and handle.

 

You have to build not only the 3D aircraft model, but a cockpit model as well. These appear to be used together and superimposed, though I haven't figured out how that works yet without bleed through from one to the other.

 

There's lots of texture materials, animations, sounds, collision models, damage models, avionics and aircraft systems modeling as well, and that's just for the SFM. The F-4 has some interesting flight characteristics with the wing tip dihedral, so an AFM would be desirable. Tuning the flight model may be problematic / guess work given the lack of flight test data (a few performance charts from the Dash-1) I have though. I'll try to get some ex-Phantom pilots I know to validate it as much as possible.

 

Another interesting gotcha is that it's a 2-seater, with the WSO managing the radar and other systems. That may require some compromises to make it work well single player and I really don't know how 2-player with separate front / rear cockpits would work. I'm hoping that a more or less unrealistic HOTAS mapping of function will solve the single player requirement, but that remains to be seen.

 

Anyway, once I get a basic understanding of each of these and get it written down, I'll get back to my original desire, an F-4 Mod that supports F-4E and F-4G, A-A, A-G, and Wild Weasel roles. If a use could be found for the RF-4C in DCSW, I'd add it too. It ought to keep me busy for the next 10 years. :-)

[upyr1]

In terms of tools in the SDK, what are you expecting?

 

You have to model and animate the F-4 in 3d Max or equivalent

You have to skin it in Photoshop or equivalent

You have to code it in Visual Studio, Dreamweaver, Notepad++ or equivalent

 

You then use the SDK to "integrate" your code into your module for the sim to recognise it. This is mainly for DLL integration at the moment.

 

You don't need the SDK to get your plane into the sim as long as you use an SFM and LUA scripting.

 

So in reality, the SDK plays a very small part of what you want to achieve unless you want to protect your code form others seeing it, then you need it to build your DLL's.

 

Good luck :D

I am looking for a how to get startedguide

[kazereal]

I am looking for a how to get startedguide

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=116901

 

That might be the "guide" you seek at the moment.

 

To learn how to do a 3D model in something like 3ds Max is way WAY out of reach of a simple guide like that.

 

If your experience is in coding there's some examples there as well about integrating to DCS.

If you can get someone else do the 3D model for you that might be another thing you could start learning about.

 

Even a simple aircraft can be a lot of work and study so don't expect too much at first.

 

Edit: this seems to be a good tutorial on the 3D mesh modeling part to get started (does not include animating things it seems):

Edited January 19, 2015 by kazereal