Flyable YF-19 for FS2002 (maybe 2004)

[Chronocidal]

Heheh.. I forgot how easy it is to make airplane textures compared to Star Trek stuff.. the exterior is done except for a few one colored textures, I'm working on interior details now, like the landing gear and cockpit.

Edited April 15, 2004 by Chronocidal

[RedMax1]

SWEET!

Looks great so far....

[Basara Nekki]

You think skinning starship meshes is hard? Try painting them. All those diferent slightly shaded panels will ruin your wrist.

[Tomato]

Just got Flight Sim 2002 and tried this plane out. Wow, I didn't think I would have so much fun just flying around . Of course I didn't know what I was doing but still very entertaining. I'm really looking forward to the finished version.

[Knight26]

How hard is it to put a new plane into flight simulator? What modelling format does it require? Do you just plug in a bunch of BS values for the performance figures or is it more like X-Plane where it performs an analysis of the design to some up with the figures? I'm just curious because I might be tempted to try and put some of my designs in just to be able to fly them around. I've only had moderate success in other programs, ok none to be truthful.

[Chronocidal]

Hmm.. Truth be told, I think FS2002 is actually PICKIER than X-Plane.. particularly in things like the .air file that each plane needs. In X-Plane, all the values are calculated automatically in the aircraft file, so it's pretty simple. In FS2002, the values are in no way connected to the model. You actually have to do all the wing area, weight distribution, thrust, engine weight, fuel load, etc. on your own, and enter them in the program's aircraft editor. The most annoying aspect of this is that the program doesn't calculate ANYTHING with the model. All the landing gear contact coordinates, as well as any place the plane may touch the ground (ie a wingtip, or nose, or whatever) have to be entered manually, or the game won't register a collision. Wrong data can result in a plane that bounces up in the air like a balloon before flipping over and crashing. And that's with the engines off. There are just so many values to calculate it's ridiculous, and sometimes the game will just refuse to make a plane fly, no matter what you do. The only way to really get something to fly is find a similar aircraft, and copy values from its files. This one started with data I found in a variety of planes, mainly some kind of sst, crossed with data from a Tomcat. I eventually tweaked all the values, but it's a VERY long and arduous process. I had a lot more success with X-Plane than I have had with FS2002.

As for making the actual planes, you need some type of 3d software, usually Gmax since it's free, and you need the Professional Edition of FS2002.. it has the plugins and programs to make the models for the games. That itself is a long process as well, since the actual formatting of the model for all the different types of animations is pretty complex (ie landing gear, control surfaces, etc.)

[Wesker99]

Wow, that's probably the coolest thing EVER.

I definatly need to get me-self a copy of Flight Simulator...

Great work from the pics I've seen so far.

[RedMax1]

(BumP)

[Boxer]

Downloaded and flew this plane around the west coast from inland. It took me about five seconds to get from Livermore/tracy to San Jose

When can the textured version come out

And where's the 22 and 11? Must have!!!

[RedMax1]

I second the call for an 11 and 21/22!

[Chronocidal]

*thinks to himself, "Darn, they're on to me.. must deny that 21/22 mesh exists...must keep secret..."*

Heheh.. Actually, there isn't a YF-21/22 mesh yet, but that's my next project, so don't worry. I've got the instructions all scanned in to make one.

This one's almost done, I'll probably finish the exterior model this weekend, then it's on to the virtual cockpit! Then, MAYBE a regular cockpit.. I dunno, I have no idea how to make a standard panel. I'll probably end up altering some stock panel to look almost like a 19 panel, but I haven't a clue how to make my own instruments, which is what this thing will need eventually.

Btw, the textures for the exterior model are done, I'm just working out the bugs in the program, and getting everything to work right.. I'm trying to find a way to make afterburner flames that move with the thrust vectoring, but it may be tricky...I'll put some screenies up later today.

[Boxer]

Much appreciated. I like buzzing big cities with this thing

Any chance we can see alternate skin types? Not on the priorety list, but....

Look forward to the YF-21.

As for virtual cockpits, flying in the 19's alread seems fine. I don't like using the cockpit panel as now because, well, yeah. I prefer virtual cockpits anyway.

And in reguard to the YF-21/VF-22: You know there are cockpit differences right? So this mesh, would it come with different cockpit parts or not?

[Chronocidal]

Your wish is granted.

[Chronocidal]

I've got several other skins planned too, just gotta get them done. This one was a really simple recolor of the basic skin, so I did it in about ten minutes. Also, as you may have guessed, the lens flare is added.. I figured I was due for a background change, and the stock FS sun looked pathetic.

If you can't tell by these pics, the textures for two models are done.. I'll probably do at least two more shemes, maybe based on some of those optional decals sets you see all the time. I do have one particular custom scheme in mind... I won't say what it is yet though. The plane itself is done, all the parts work, animations are good, and the textures all have a slight bit of reflectivity to them, which looks incredible when the fuselage reflects the ground going by underneath. I'm just trying to figure out how to do a decent afterburner.. the one in that previous shot looks beautiful, but doesn't move with the feet. I also have to tweak a few textures to get the various lights and illuminated parts working right. But it's getting there.

Btw, if the plane looks too white below, it's because I made it that way on purpose... Personally I like the clean white better than the beige color in the anime. I'll probably do both versions though, it's a simple 10 minute job to alter the colors.

Edited April 22, 2004 by Chronocidal

[RedMax1]

WOW....Looks great so far. I can't wait to get my hands on it. I will have to post a screen shot of it in FS2004 which has a much better sun than FS2002 and includes lens flare.

Edited April 22, 2004 by RedMax1

[Grayson72]

Now all that's needed is something to shoot with and something to shoot at!

[Chronocidal]

Heheh.. Well, I tried putting this in Combat Sim 3 without much luck.. The plane works technically, but the game is STRICTLY a WWII sim, physics-wise and technology wise, so the plane is limited to about the performance level of a P-51. I don't know about other games though, LOMAC might be a good candidate, if it's mod-able. Of course what we really need is a dedicated combat flight/mech sim that can handle transformations, kind of like a combo of LOMAC and Mechwarrior.

[Gui]

Did you envisage the Unreal Engine? Unreal Tournament 2004 proposes the come back of the Assault gametype where one team attacks one location and the opposite team must defend it, then roles are inverted: one of the official maps, AS-Motherhip, is a space combat setting with fighters attacking a Skaarj alien ship. I know that a mod team has alreay begun to work on a Wing Commander-mod based on some of the features of this particular map: it may be possible for you to use a similar process to build your Macross Flight Simulator

[Boxer]

For now I just want to get my hands on flyable models of the 11, 19, 21/22.

Although a handy transformation button would be nice But not the landing gear button. I have a VF-1J that uses Gerwalk for landing gear. Not phun.

[Chronocidal]

LOL.. Oy, yeah.. one of the main things that motivated me to start some Macross stuff was that VF-1J.. I saw it and my brain went "BLECH"... it was just so ugly to begin with I never downloaded it. I'm planning on doing one of those too eventually, probably a set of all the models of VF-1 with about a dozen different texture sets.

[Boxer]

I don't fly it anymore really, just the YF-19 . One of the reasons i don't fly it (Other than the ugly 'take off in gerwalk mode') is because it has no cockpit. At least in the YF-19 you can see part of the nose.

Hmm...I need to try buzzing the whitehouse with the YF-19. I already sonic-boomed my hometown a few times, and probably broke all the glass in SF. Probably flipped out the guys on the carrier at SF bay.

[Aztek]

Hey Chrono, do you have that new paint available for download? If it is a big file, PM me for my email.

It's awesome bro .... frikkin beautiful.

[Chronocidal]

Heheh, technically, I could send it to you, but it wouldn't do you any good.. the version I put up for download wasn't even UV mapped yet, so the textures wouldn't work anyway. I'm pretty close to getting a textured version out though. Just tweaking the flight model to work a little better and less erratic. I'm going to see if I can get 3-4 paint schemes out for now, maybe more later.

[Marso]

Does anyone know if the YF-19 model will work in FS 98?

[Boxer]

Haven't tried it, but IMO 98 is so bad I think you might insult the YF-19 by putting it in. Nevertheless I haven't tried it (Got 98) mostly because I don't know if 98 can support modded aircraft. Generally the other FS have mods for them, but 98 doesn't.

[Nied]

Been busy lately so I wasn't able to try it till now.

Now I know how that plane killed so many people. It takes off like a rocket (made it to FL 100 in less than a minute), but trying to get it back on the ground is a bitch, especially since I can't get the flaps to deploy (I uninstalled FS2k2 a long time ago). You might want to work on the low speed handleing a bit, she'll stall at around 180kts which seems a bit high especially for an FSW plane (it's also why it's such a bitch to land, that and the twitchy throttle). I love the roll rate, multi-point rolls are increadibly eay once you get the hang of it, you just have to use small inputs. If you push the stick all the way to the stops she'll just keep rolling for a second or two after you've centered the stick.

I'd love to do some skins for this, I've had a couple of ideas for VF-19 schemes that I've never been able to do since I never had a good blank for it.

[Chronocidal]

Well, I'm working on blank skins currently, I'll distribute them with the plane in a separate folder. I've got two versions done, and I'm also working on making Max, Millia, Hikaru and Roy versions right now, sort of a "what if" set of paint schemes. The only downside to the skins is that they are all mirrored, so any text would be backwards.. it took some major tweaking just to get the 19 on the nacelles right, and it only worked because that part of the nacelle is pretty much symmetrical.

Actually, there is one more annoying thing.. the skins FS2002 uses aren't regular bitmaps.. they're DirectX formatted bitmaps, that contain alpha channels. Most programs can't open them, you need a special converter to edit and export them. It's free, but it isn't just as simple as pasting new textures into the folder and seeing a new paint scheme.

Btw, the low speed handling in 2002 is incredibly good, the flaps not working is what is making it stall so easily I'm pretty sure.. I need to research the 2004 flap configurations so they work in both. In 2002, I can get this thing down to about 75 knots with full flaps and brakes...you need a lot of power to stay in the air though. I've adjusted the handling a bit over the last couple of days, so the roll is easier to control now, but still very responsive.. but part of it has to do with the axis sensitivity settings in the configuration. Setting the aileron axis to a lower sensitivity and maybe a little more null zone helps the roll control quite a bit.

I'll keep the updates coming. I should have some alternate paint scheme shots up soon.

Edited April 24, 2004 by Chronocidal

[Wesker99]

/me looks at the pictures

8O

[Nied]

Well, I'm working on blank skins currently, I'll distribute them with the plane in a separate folder. I've got two versions done, and I'm also working on making Max, Millia, Hikaru and Roy versions right now, sort of a "what if" set of paint schemes. The only downside to the skins is that they are all mirrored, so any text would be backwards.. it took some major tweaking just to get the 19 on the nacelles right, and it only worked because that part of the nacelle is pretty much symmetrical.

Actually, there is one more annoying thing.. the skins FS2002 uses aren't regular bitmaps.. they're DirectX formatted bitmaps, that contain alpha channels. Most programs can't open them, you need a special converter to edit and export them. It's free, but it isn't just as simple as pasting new textures into the folder and seeing a new paint scheme.

Btw, the low speed handling in 2002 is incredibly good, the flaps not working is what is making it stall so easily I'm pretty sure.. I need to research the 2004 flap configurations so they work in both. In 2002, I can get this thing down to about 75 knots with full flaps and brakes...you need a lot of power to stay in the air though. I've adjusted the handling a bit over the last couple of days, so the roll is easier to control now, but still very responsive.. but part of it has to do with the axis sensitivity settings in the configuration. Setting the aileron axis to a lower sensitivity and maybe a little more null zone helps the roll control quite a bit.

I'll keep the updates coming. I should have some alternate paint scheme shots up soon.

What format are you using for the skins? DXT3, or one of the new high res ones (565 or 888-8 etc)? Too bad about the mirrored textures, that actually kills a lot of my ideas (most of them are pretty text heavy). As for the flaps issue you might try going here, it has a full guide to the guts of FS2004.

[Chronocidal]

Well, that isn't to say I can't make the textures UN mirrored, it just means that it'll just about double the amount of textures the game has to load. It probably wouldn't be that much of a system hit considering you're the only plane that you see most of the time... I'll see how much doubling up some textures adds, and get back to you. I'll just need to make two versions of some textures, one with the text forwards and one with it backwards for the opposite side. The fuselage is already fully wrapped around so that won't be a problem but the engines, wings, and tails are all mirrored directly across. I probably should also see about remapping the tails.. right now,both sides use the same texture, so it eliminates putting stuff on only the outside or inside. :S

Right now I'm using the DXT3 format for textures, I didn't know there was anything else.. if there is a better way to do it I'm all ears.

Anyway, I have 5 paint schemes almost completely done, I'll post pics a little later if I can.. gotta memorize more lines in Shakespeare before I do though.

[Nied]

New ones (they may only be for FS2k4) are 16-bit color 565, 555-1 and 444-4 I beileive those numbers refer to the actual size of the texture, and finnally there's the 32 bit 888-8 which of course looks the best. I think the SDK has better info.

[Chronocidal]

K, I looked at the other planes I've downloaded for reference, most of them use between 4-10 mb of textures... and they usually all run very well. I think I can probably double up the textures and it won't be a problem

Here's paint scheme #1, a variation on the Hikaru VF-1J.

[Chronocidal]

#2, and #3, guess who?

[Chronocidal]

and...

[Rodavan]

Those pic looks great - always liked the vf-19 !