Author Topic: Runway Lighting Project.  (Read 1365 times)

Offline Bogie603rd

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Runway Lighting Project.
« on: September 20, 2006, 09:03:53 AM »
Recently while clicking around Duh and I ran across a forum topic about runways. They wanted to know if it was possible to get lights onto runways for night-time flying. I said, "I can try to do this for my next Airport Map" and went ahead and asked Duh if he wanted to join the project. He accepted my invitation, and now I am extending that invitation to all you other 3-D designers for Aces High.

Here are the main issues between the formats being used to make this project come to life.

Duh uses AC3D and I use the 3-D Blender. Although they both can export using AC3D, they don't have the same features, so this might make things a bit complicated when sharing information with one another.

Here is what we are trying to accomplish:
1. Make a light housing
2. Make it a pure color that will look good at night time
3. Animate the color so it flashes through use of going from 100% alpha to 50% and back.
4. If possible, make the object so when it is detonated it illuminates and begins the light show.
5. Since the object would illuminate upon detonation, we would have to place all the individual light objects into one object which runs the stretch of the runway.
6. The object's animation would have to run so the lights dim in a "domino" affect. Where the front set dims first on it's way to 50% alpha, then the row behind it, and so and so forth.

Although it sounds difficult, it's much more fun knowing it will be used and appreciated. I have no objections that this runway object be put up for downloading in the future so all terrain designers may use this to make Free Multiplayer, SEA, or any other terrain for any type of arena.

Once again, anyone willing to give some of their time on helping to design and eventually build this 3-D object would be greatly appreciated.:aok
« Last Edit: September 20, 2006, 09:07:00 AM by Bogie603rd »
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Offline NHawk

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2006, 09:33:52 AM »
Bogie, if you don't already have it here's something that may help you.



The only thing missing are the red barrier lights at the end of the runway. And note that none of these lights flash. Unless you're planning on adding the guide slope strobes you see at commercial airports.
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Offline Easyscor

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2006, 10:21:52 AM »
BlauK and Raptor have done extensive work in this area.
Everything from single lights to rotating tower lights that move based on LOD.
Easy in-game again.
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Offline Dux

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2006, 11:36:27 AM »
If you skip the part where the lights are animated, you should have a fairly easy time of this. Real runway lights don't flash, anyway. The trick is in the material settings... you'll want to set the luminosity (glow) to high.

They didn't really use runway lights in WW2... made the bases too visible to the enemy... but they did use little "cans" filled with oil that they could light and line the runway with. If you could come up with something like that, I'm sure it would get some use in scenarios and such. :)
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Offline croduh

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2006, 04:07:47 PM »
First, Nhawk pic you posted doesn't work.;)

Would be nice to see how Blauk and Raptor did it, and yes i had in mind that it should be done using lods, becasue we can't make costume objects have animated textures.And since plane is constantly moving it could be done, but i am worried about the number of lods that would have to be used if you want light to be seeen from higher distance.
IIRC OE doesn't accept costume materials with edited settings, right?
I am checking trough different materials right now and am a bit confused.What materials did Blauk and Raptor use?Or did they just edit them(if that is possible).
Quote
Any materials other than the imported ones will be ignored


Before this i would Instead of merging materials.ac file (wich i couldn't find anywhere) just copy/paste the line from exported object into my new object in notepad (usually material 17)

I would really like to see how Blauk and Rpator did it
:)

Offline NHawk

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2006, 05:43:28 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by duh
First, Nhawk pic you posted doesn't work.;)
...
Huh? Shows on my screen.

Umm... I'm not sure on this, but the server the picture is on denies access on all ports from most addresses in Europe. That could be why it doesn't show for you.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2006, 05:46:55 AM by NHawk »
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Offline croduh

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2006, 05:51:40 AM »
it shows now ok

Offline Bogie603rd

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2006, 09:30:06 AM »
Okay, thanks for the criticism. I know the runway lights don't flash. But since this is not modern day I thought flashing lights would get people's attention saying, "Hey you fools! I'm over here waiting for your rubber to meet my pavement!"

Yet it does sound a little more simple making a single object that has an illuminated light inside. Duh is a little better on the creativity part. He would be the one to ask to make the oil can that would light up for scenarios.

I was always wondering how I could make the "VASI" lights work. I was thinking to myself that it would be quite an addition to help pilots who can't tell the difference between the distance of New York to London from San Francisco to Bejing.:rolleyes:

Yet with the recent bugs to where objects can be seen through other objects I have reason to believe the lights would just shine through the barrier giving false readings.

So the best thing in this situation would be to propably make single glowing lights that line the runways. Thanks for all the info and tips.
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Offline FalconSS

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« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2006, 02:14:58 PM »
He's the master builder who made runwaylights in AH1 I asked him if he would kindly share his secrets, So keep your eyes on the BB.
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Offline Bogie603rd

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2006, 10:26:49 AM »
That will and will not help. AH1 and AH2 are two different things. AH1 had more possibilities in terrain editing than AH2. NHawk used to make "seamless" tiles in AH1, but when HTC converted to AH2, he lost all his work. This is due to the fact that AH2 converted to a different structure of modeling. So even if the tips are usefull, they might have some difficulty being converted to AH2.
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Offline FalconSS

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been playing and building for almost 6 yrs, so check yourself!
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Offline Denholm

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #11 on: October 06, 2006, 10:02:33 AM »
Yes, I did, and i'm wrong. Any custom object made with an outside tool from Aces High can be used again in newer versions.
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Offline NHawk

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Quote
Originally posted by FalconSS
been playing and building for almost 6 yrs, so check yourself!
Falcon, I think he misunderstood. The tiles are still seamless, but the transitions mess with the old style tyles I use to make.

The transitions like this are no longer used...


And trust me, the change to 4 tiles per square mile completely ruined alot of the terrains I played with.
« Last Edit: October 06, 2006, 01:35:32 PM by NHawk »
Most of the people you meet in life are like slinkies. Pretty much useless, but still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
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Sometimes I think I have alzheimers. But then I forget about it and it's not a problem anymore.

Offline WTC

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2006, 01:23:41 PM »
Thats a bunch of BS im the one who posted if any map had lights on it

Offline NHawk

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Runway Lighting Project.
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2006, 01:37:19 PM »
WTC, what are you talking about?

I think the first post in this topic says he ran across a topic in another forum talking about lights. And that topic in another forum can be talked about all day long. This is the forum where it could actually get done. :)
« Last Edit: October 06, 2006, 01:41:15 PM by NHawk »
Most of the people you meet in life are like slinkies. Pretty much useless, but still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
-------------------------------
Sometimes I think I have alzheimers. But then I forget about it and it's not a problem anymore.