RE: easyFly in AFPD, how to get converted model on the ground correctly
docdan, if Mike doesn't respond soon, pm me with your email, and I'll send it to you. But if you do - be sure and Post that you did so here, so I'll get the email notice about the posting.
Posted on: 6/3/2009 9:42 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8823752

AFPD and/or easyFly - matte or flat finish???
Please, does anyone know how to make the texture of a model in AFPD or easyFly to be flat, not-shiny, no reflections at all?? Or is it just not possible? In real life, an aircraft with camoflage paint would not be shiny, eh? But in AFPD they reflect like a well polished automobile. A good friend (Dieter!) suggested these settings, and they help, but it stil doesn't get the finish to completely flat: ambient 0.50 0.50 0.50 That helps some, but there is still a lot of shine on all panels.
Posted on: 5/20/2009 9:54 AM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8784280

RE: easyFly in AFPD, how to get converted model on the ground correctly
Mike, I just sent you a PM, thanks!! I think I shouldn't post my email address here, but gave it to you in the PM. Tim
Posted on: 5/18/2009 10:03 AM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8778563

RE: easyFly in AFPD, how to get converted model on the ground correctly
the answer Okay, once again I'm going to answer my own question, since I figured it out, in case it might help someone else down the road looking for the same answer. Pardon me for the long explanation, but the short thing I read before confused me, so I'd rather give too much info than not enough. The ONLY piece of info I had found on this subject was on Rodeo's website. But it wasn't at all clear to me. From Rodeo's website (http://www.rodeo.rc-sim.de/Default.htm): Get the aircraft properly to the ground: Positive X value moves object to the nose Positive Y value moves object to the left Positive Z value moves object upwards Leftwheel.R = vector( -0.160, 0.30, -0.320 ); Leftwheel.S = vector( -0.160, 0.30, -0.390 ); Leftwheel.Radius = 0.0700; Rightwheel.R = vector( -0.160, -0.30, -0.320 ); Rightwheel.S = vector( -0.160, -0.30, -0.390 ); Rightwheel.Radius = 0.0700; See formula for Z values: R - Radius = S Now, what confused me was the statement "Positive Z value moves object upwards". I was starting with some numbers like "-0.455". To me, if you ADD to a negative number, you get closer to -0-, right? Not in this case. In order to raise the model up, I simply had to add to each of the variables by the proper amount. And you MUST change all 3 of these variables properly, keeping in mind the formula stated above, or else the model crashes on the ground, before you even do anything, etc, etc. Note that I have put the critical numbers in BOLD to make them easy to see. Bad (in the ground) wheel DNS example: Leftwheel.R = vector( -0.158, 0.388, -0.0 ); Leftwheel.ww = 1.0; Leftwheel.M = 0.0; Leftwheel.Type = 3; Leftwheel.S = vector( -0.158, 0.388, -0.455 ); -0.435 Leftwheel.Radius = 0.100; Good (on the ground) wheel DNS example: Leftwheel.R = vector( -0.100, 1.04, -0.56 ); Leftwheel.ww = 1.0; Leftwheel.M = 0.0; Leftwheel.Type = 3; Leftwheel.S = vector( -0.100, 1.040, -1.246 ); Leftwheel.Radius = 0.5110; After I increased each variable correctly (the math doesn't look right to me as I review the above - but it worked!), the model was raised above the ground to sit on it's nice wheels, as intended. If you only knew how much time I spent figuring this out!! I'm sure there's an easier way to determine the proper setting, but at least I can accomplish this now thru trial and error, and maybe this information and example will help someone else. Aerofly Pro Deluxe easyFly convert converted FS9, FSX, Microsoft Fight Simulator dns file
Posted on: 5/17/2009 3:36 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8776563

easyFly in AFPD, how to get converted model on the ground correctly
I'm just learning, STRUGGLING I should say, to convert Microsoft Flight Simulator models into easyFly models, for use in AFPD. Apparently it's much simpler to convert them to easyFly than to true AFPD planes. I'm having some fantastic results with some models - I've got a few helicopters and planes that I haven't seen ANY AFPD or easyFly models for yet, some very unusual aircraft. If I can get this all worked out, I will upload any aircraft that don't have copyright restrictions and/or that I can get permission to Post. I have two major, major problems, and wonder if someone out there can help. After I convert a model, I find the closest equivalent model in terms of size and type, and borrow it's DNS file. Invariably, every model I do this with starts out half-submerged into the ground. And no amount of fiddling with the wheel variables seems to get it above the ground. I'm trying to use AOA to find the correct positions, but it seems like I get different numbers every which way I rotate things in AOA. Can anyone describe how to find the RIGHT settings for the wheels, please please??? I'll do one thing at a time here - if I can get any help with THIS problem, then I'll come back and ask about getting rotors & props spinning! Thanks for ANYONE's time!!
Posted on: 5/17/2009 12:37 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8776148

Convert AFP models to use in AFPD - THE trick!
I've had something of a breakthrough which I thought I'd share. I searched and couldn't find this information myself, just vague references like 'with a bit a tweaking AFP planes can be used in AFPD' - without giving a clue as to what that tweaking might be... Although 'some' models made for AFP worked okay in AFPD, others would fly okay, but the paint was absent, the model was just all white and not finished looking. I had read that the tmt files were really bmp's. I thrilled myself by combining the paint from an (AFPD) A10 glider with the jet-version of an (AFP) A10 Warthog, so I had a working A10, which I just plain wanted. I did that by borrowing the bmp from the glider files and renaming it as what the jet used. I next tried the tmt to bmp tool, which only opened 1 tmt file I tried it on but it looked terrible, I just kept getting some stupid error every other time I tried opening one, so that tool was worthless to me. Finally I had a thought - I opened, in Windows XP, Paint (Start, Run, type 'pbrush' and hit ENTER) and dragged a tmt file into it. Sure enough - there was the image! And when I saved it as a bmp instead, and deleted the original tmt file - I had a complete plane with the proper paint and everything! If you're going to hack models in AFPD, it likes bmp's much better than tmt's, I don't know why, and don't care, since Ifigured out this little trick! So I thought I'd share so maybe next time somebody searches for a way to convert some of the older AFP planes for use in AFPD, they might find this! Summary: if your model doesn't look right in AFPD, drag the model's tmt file(s) into XP's built in editor, Paint, save the file as a bmp instead, and delete the original tmt file(s). EDIT: as somebody else suggested to me, it seems to work just as well to simply rename the file from whatever.tmt to whatever.bmp - just change the extension to bmp. But NOT all tmt's are created equal! I've seen some tmt's, I think those created by Aerofly themselves, that cannot be dragged into Paint or any other graphics editing program, nor does renaming do any good. This trick only seems to work on models that individuals have created and uploaded. And now some search terms to help Google this in future: Aerofly to Aerofly Pro Deluxe convert conversion converted jet plane model heli helicopter paint AFP AFPD pattern tmt bmp
Posted on: 5/3/2009 4:19 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8715278

RE: Free AFP and AFPD models and sceneries!
Although the Docinsane site seems to be offline and not functioning like it once was - the files are still accessible. Try going to this site - he still has various movies and AFPD downloads available: http://www.docinsane.com/opendirs.html I particularly appreciated the Woudt scenery; there don't seem to be any collision points, but the perspective is correct and he has several takeoff points in it, which is better than the version I created for myself using a delfland panorama and the AFPD Import Wizard.
Posted on: 5/3/2009 12:48 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8736672

RE: Thumb image not showing up in Aircraft list
Let me answer my own Post? While troubleshooting the issue, I ended up with both a thumb.tmt AND a thumb.bmp in the directory, in both of the directories I was working with, before complaining about 15 missing thumbs. As soon as I got rid of the thumb.tmt in each directory, the problem was solved. I now have thumbs for all aircraft. I suspect that if both a tmt and a bmp are present, AFPD looks first at the tmt and ignores the bmp. This goes right along with my discovery that AFPD doesn't like many of the tmt files from models created for AFP. In most cases, merely changing the extension from tmt to bmp works fine. In my case, many of the thumbs provided with the model were so tiny and low-resolution that I made new ones with the screenprint tool (F11).
Posted on: 5/1/2009 6:10 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8732556

Thumb image not showing up in Aircraft list
Okay, I've moved onto my next issue. For 15 of my models, the Thumb image does not show up when browsing aircraft within AFPD. I have compared thumb bmp's between those that don't show up and those that do, and changing resolution, etc, making the non-functioning one match the one that works has made no difference, the thumbs for certain aircraft simply refuse to show up. I can always get a preview graphic to show up, even if I have to create one from a screenprint myself, but the thumb problem has me confused. Among the ones that DO show up, the size of the thumb ranges from 64x64 up to 256x256, so there doesn't seem to be ONE resolution that is the RIGHT one. Has anyone else experienced and hopefully solved this?
Posted on: 5/1/2009 12:08 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8731756

RE: easyFly models in AFPD - help?
Okay, I was looking at the models because of what I learned recently about making AFP models look right in AFPD. BUT - I just updated my video driver for my ATI Radeon X1600 - and BANG! Problem solved! Sorry everyone, for not looking at my own system first! Now I have a bunch of truly unusual and interesting heli's in my collection that I only found in easyFly models, and I'm so, so happy!
Posted on: 4/29/2009 8:34 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8727138

RE: easyFly models in AFPD - help?
I applied the latest patch and it made no difference. Maybe since they both work for you, the problem is with MY system, I just don't understand why half of them work great and half don't. But thanks for your time Arthur! I believe it was YOUR how-to that I pointed to in another post about easyFly models in AFPD...
Posted on: 4/29/2009 7:33 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8726957

RE: easyFly models in AFPD - help?
Thanks, I'm on 1.9 something, I'll try the latest patch.
Posted on: 4/29/2009 4:54 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8726512

RE: easyFly models in AFPD - help?
Hi Arthur, thanks for answering. As a matter of fact, I have already written Dieter (to the email address listed in one of his readme's) because I noticed that he was the one that created two similar models that I'm talking about. The SM-S55 regular plane has grey areas and the right wing flickers constantly, while the SM-S55-V2 looks perfect. I asked if he might know the difference between how those two planes were created that would account for the graphic issues with the SM-S55. I'm sure the easyFly planes aren't "officially" supported, but there is [u]some[/u] support built into AFPD or they wouldn't work at all. One doesn't have to hack the program to get these working, but merely copy them into a certain place. I don't want to waste anyone's time, I was just hoping to find someone else who's discovered and solved the issue before, if there is a solution. The solution might be to simply not bother with the ones that don't look right? But that would be a shame...
Posted on: 4/29/2009 4:19 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8726435

RE: easyFly models in AFPD - help?
Thanks very much for the response. I don't mean to argue, but that can't be entirely true. AFPD itself pops up a notice at the beginning of a flight that acknowledges one is flying an easyFly model, and that some advanced features are disabled, such as stalling. If the models just plain weren't compatible at all, I don't see why the programmers would have the app notice it was an easyFly model and warn the user of issues one will encounter. As I mentioned, about half of the models I've been indexing for myself have been beautiful looking, so it has something to do with the way the models are created that determines how well they will look in AFPD. I was simply hoping to find out that difference, and perhaps modify the problem-models to look like they were designed. (ALL of the easyFly models handle completely differently than those created for AFPD - I'm only looking for a solution to the way they look.)
Posted on: 4/29/2009 9:27 AM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8725260

easyFly models in AFPD - help?
Does anyone know why some easyFly models look beautiful in AFPD, while others have grey areas and or striped areas where nice graphics should be? I was so thrilled the other day to learn of a new source for models, I found a few beautiful heli's that I haven't seen anywhere (for AFPD), but it's been just about 50/50, where half of them look fantastic, while the other half look weird. I learned recently that when AFP models didn't look good in AFPD, I could change the tmt files to bmp's, and then the models looked good. I'm hoping there's some similar trick for the weird easyFly models?
Posted on: 4/28/2009 10:53 PM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8724488

RE: MORE free models for AFPD!
Thanks Mike, I saw that and tried it, but had trouble getting it going. But - do any of you already-Easyfly savvy folks know how to fix the graphics on some Easyfly models in AFPD?? Some of them look awesomely beautiful and perfect, while others have white patches and/or stripes where the beautiful graphics should be. I was so happy when I figured out that exchanging tmt's for bmp's on AFP models resolved graphic issues in AFPD, but haven't been able to figure out what to do about the Easyfly models yet. Part of why I love the sim and the models is for the beautiful graphics - I hate having it spoiled by white patches and stripes!!
Posted on: 4/28/2009 9:13 AM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8722072

MORE free models for AFPD!
While looking for information about how to repaint existing AFPD models, I completely stumbled across something. It will probably be old news to seasoned AFPD users, but...maybe new to some people at least. Did you know that we can use Easyfly models in AFPD??? Now, there are some caveats; there are some advanced features that don't work when flying them (a notice pops up when you start flying telling you what), and the flight characteristics seem a bit more arcade-quality than true-sim feeling. BUT - when looking at the models on RC-Sim downloads, I quickly added and flew a half dozen heli models that I've never seen anywhere else, and they're totally, amazingly beautiful!!! I can't imagine why nobody has designed/ported some of them for AFPD! A few of them are full scale versions of familiar aircraft, which are always fun to fly, it's just so...different, flying something that big. A full sized Skycrane for crying out loud! The wonderful instructions I stumbled across are here: http://www.ipacs-sim.com/user-sites/faq_3.htm Note that within the new aircraft directory you may NOT create subdirectories for each model! You must dump all files into that directory (except for wav's which go into the sound directory). Luckily, the models each seem to use MUCH more specific names for each model's files than AFPD - I've got 14 models in there so far, and the only files I unzipped into it that had the same names were a couple of heli's that really did share the same engine (graphic), etc. AND - you will find these new models listed at the very [u]end[/u] of your existing list of aircraft, when looking for a model to fly in AFPD. Hope some other people have fun with this exciting (to me) discovery!
Posted on: 4/26/2009 11:33 AM by Author "Toolman12345" in the forum "Ikarus AeroFly Pro and Aerofly Pro Deluxe"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8716367