DC 3 DOORS OPEN

[hooterg]

My AI flights that use the Jan Visser DC-3 or one of its repaints have the doors open, by default I guess.  So I have a Four Star DC-3 at 9000 feet, cargo door open and dragging a pallet of cargo along.  Does anybody know if this can be fixed.  I know that if you're flying the model the doors close when the nav lights are turned on, but can't figure out if there's a way to get them closed in AI.

Hooter

[RollerBall]

Sorry hooter, that model isn't suitable for AI. It's an FSDS model so none of the retractable gear or other animated surfaces will work.

There's only one GMax DC3 that I know about and that's Lou Volland's, file n31eack2.zip.

It doesn't fly well initially as AI but I've done an AI fde (available on my website) and not only does it work beautifully it also looks a treat as it comes into land and touches down. I love it!



Roger

[emh8]

Roger,

Could you please provide a link to your website?

Erik

[hooterg]

Roger,

Thanks for the help.  Downloaded the N31eac_FS2K model and it flies well as an AI aircraft.

Now, about repaining.  I don't know what kind of model this is, but I can't find the bmp files to re-name the aircraft.  On others, I've been able to alter bmp's to get what I want.  This one is different as I cannot see any text (should be "Eagle Air Charter").  Any thoughts?

Hooter

[RollerBall]

Roger,

Could you please provide a link to your website?

Erik

Hi Erik,

You can go straight there by clicking on the 'signature' in my postings

Roger

[RollerBall]

I can't find the bmp files to re-name the aircraft

No need to rename any of the texture files, Hooter. Do that in the aircraft.cfg file. For example, the top section of one of my AIs using this plane looks like the following

[fltsim.0]
title=DC3 Dragon AI
sim=DC3_AI
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=
checklists=
atc_id_enable=1
atc_airline=China Dragon Air
atc_id=
atc_flight_number=
atc_heavy=0
ui_manufacturer=Douglas
ui_type=DC-3
ui_variation=China Dragon Air Charter Livery
description=Douglas DC-3 in fictional China Dragon Air Charter livery.

[General]
atc_type=Douglas
atc_model=DC3
performance=Length: 64 ft, 6 in.\nWing Span: 95 feet\nWeight: Empty\/Max: 19,300\/28,000 lbs.\nPower: 2 1200 hp P&W R1830 Twin Wasp\nCruise Speed: 145 knots, Max:187 knots\nService ceiling: 21,900 ft.\nRange: max payload\/fuel: 300\/1100 miles\nDeveloped from original design by: John Kelley CIS 73670,3107\nRedesign by: Lou Volland

The line in red is important as it defines the model for AI. You'll need a corresponding line in your aircraft.txt file as follows

AC#5256,150,"DC3 Dragon AI"

and you use AC#5256 in your flight plans

The bit in blue refers to your plane's air file (ie mine is DC3_AI.air)

Don't forget to include the lines shown in green in your cfg file otherwise you won't get the plane being recognised properly by ATC.

Hope this helps.

Roger

[hooterg]

I appreciate the help on re-naming.  Works like a charm.  However, what I was after was re-PAINTING, so I can change the livery.  (Made a typo in my post, sorry.)  On FSDS models I can go into the bitmaps in the texture folder for the aircraft and alter to suit.  But that doesn't seem to work on this model since I can't find hide nor hair of any text that results in "Eagle Air Charters" being on the side of the fuselage.  Same for the red paint stripe, which, for the new livery, should be blue.

Hooter

[RollerBall]

Ah Hooter - now you're getting into the realms of painting.

The files you need to alter are F1l_t.bmp, F1r_t.bmp up to and including F4l_t.bmp and F4r_t.bmp (8 files).

These are all DXT3 with alpha extended bmps so you will have to open them with DXTBMP.exe and save them as 24 bit bmps to work on them. You'll also have to use DXTBMP.exe to export their alpha channels and then create new alphas that match any changes you make to the artwork on the 8 files.

And don't forget the tailfin - you'll need to extract Taill_t.bmp and Tailr_t.bmp in the same way to change the Eagle motif.

Then after you've made your changes eg using PaintShopPro, you'll need to use DXTBmp to put everything back together again.

If you're not a reasonably experienced painter you could find this a wee bit daunting - esp if you also want to make changes to wing artwork and stuff (colour, reg no), that'll mean extracting almost all the texture XXX_t.bmp files.

Hope this helps!

Roger

[hooterg]

Roger,

You are a man of infinite patience and I thank you for your expert assistance.  Managed to get the re-painting done after I used the DXTBMP program.  I still have some fine tuning to do, but here's the result:



Now, only one more thing, if you please:  This is back to re-NAMING -- the ATC doesn't use the "Four Star" airline call sign in my AI flights and I can't figure out why.  Do I need to add the "Four Star" name to some list?  I've changed the cfg file per your instructions, I think.   ATC is getting the flight number okay, and if I choose the R option in the AI flight file, it gets the tail number right.

Once again, thanks for your help.

Hooter

[RollerBall]

Hi Hooter

Can't see your pic I'm afraid.

Remember that the URL must be bracketed by [img] identifiers
ie

{img}pic_url{/img}  but use square not curly brackets (had to use curly or YaBB can't show them)

Also the pic url must contain the EXACT identity of the uploaded image

[hooterg]

Sorry about the upload.  Trying again.



Will work on the "Four Star" a little later.  Thanks again.

Hooter

[hooterg]

My pic may have been too wide at 810 pixels.  This one is 778, so maybe it will work this time.

[RollerBall]

ha ha!

[hooterg]

Roger,

Just to finish the thread --

[hooterg]

Old nimble fingers strikes again.

As I was saying, I had inadvertently turned off the reflection enable option on the sim.  Not an alpha channel problem.

Also, got the call sign added per your instruction.  

Great experience.  Thanks.
Hooter