Nice work, gave it a try today! It seems the rope is quite elastic, which causes it to stretch quite a lot when load weight grows. So rope would need slightly more stiffness (higher diameter helps). Maybe there are some additional attributes for the rope.
There is quite little info on the sling loads, and one reason is that Loft Dynamics base their heslo solution on the Aerofly FS engine.
Hello everyone,
I have been quite busy this year, but still want to see this project finished. I started on improving the quality of the cockpit instruments, as those are quite low resolution. So more focus will be on interior parts now.
The SDK of 12/2019 exposes Aircraft.NearestAirport (0x6b0fc8827e6289ea) as a tm_msg_data_type::String8 - the icao of the airport.
The same value is sent by AFS4 as id 0xa997b8cdd488c3c7 also as a tm_msg_data_type::String8. AFS4 sends the lon/lat of the airport as id 0xfb26c904a49032df of type tm_msg_data_type::Vector2d.
Thanks a lot for that info 
Hopefully the header file would be updated at some point.
Hi aenbacka, Peixsoft, qwrfvbnrj5hr:
Are you still having problems using the last published external DLL interface with AFS4 (from December 2019)?
What problems are you having? Maybe I can help.
Regards,
Karl
Hello,
My issue is that some messages (e.g., NearestAirport) does not seem to be received same way in Aerofly FS4 as in FS2. I have code relying on getting this info, and it is broken in the new version.
Please tell me its either a Bell 407 or 206..?
Good alternatives, I also have a project for msfs (as332l2 superpuma), which could be a candidate😀
I am working on a fixed-wing project now (Carbon Cub) to get into Aerofly FS4 development, a heli might be the next step:)
Display MoreHello,
I use Aerofly FS simulator software to build hardware simulator which recreate full forces on stick in different phase of fly.
For now, I use FS2 version which provide the SDK which allow me to read data ex. airspeed.
I would try to do the same with FS4 but unfortunately it does not work. My dll library try to connect with FS4 when plane start fly (and probably data start send) the erros occurs.
I tryed to find any help and information on Aerofly official forum but nobody could solve my problem.
I would like to ask you for help and information how can I read flying data (like altitude, airspeed, ...) using external dll library (like in FS2).
It seems some messages have changed in the new version, I also waiting for an updated version to port my current fs2 based plugin over.
I created a small excel spread sheet that I feed in two points along the axis (3 D co-ordinates from my modelling program) and it gives me the axis and pivot required by the TMD. Your welcome to use it but you do so entirely at your own risk. I used it for the Buffalo and Spitfire and it seems to work ok. I'm working with AC3D and yes it does take a bit of getting used to how the co-ordinates are laid out in that and AFS4... I still get mixed up some times. What I'm calling Z in the calculator is the nose to tail axis, X is the Wing tip to wing tip axis and Y is height up and down. That is how things operate in AC3D. You can easily change the labels in column C if it helps. The TMD co-ordinates X Y Z correspond with my AC3D Z X Y. I'm tired and sorry if I've confused everybody but my aim was to be helpful
KR Matt
Thank you very much, that looks like a very useful tool😀
At some point the question about how do you determine/calculate the axis of rotation (as a unit vector) and pivot point position, that seems to be needed in the tmd file graphics animation object definitions will come up. Well I don't know the answer. It may well be that 3DS Max can give you this information directly but who can pay for a $5K/seat license except maybe IPACS and Just Flight, certainly not an amatuer hobbyiest. As far as I know, neither Blender or AC3D can give you this information directly either. An additional complication for AC3D users is that the coordinate system (X,Y,Z axis directions for up, front, left) are different from the Aerofly FS aircraft X,Y,Z coordinate system alignment which means a coordinate transformation calculation must be performed on point and vector data that is transferred between AC3D model and the Aerofly FS tmd file.
Yes the axis and pivots will be needed for the animations. Jet-Pack (IPACS) do have some rotation matrix calculation tool which possible could be used to aid this process.
I now got the Blender exporter to work properly with the Cub model, there was some material slot that caused the error. Small progress once again.
I would double check on what 3D CAD software you need in order to work on your group's Carbon Cub model. From what I can tell reading the threads, 3ds Max is what IPACS is or was using internally, but they can afford to pay the tens of thousands required for a multi-seat group license. Also, kai503 who seems to be the original source of your model said he is using 3DS Max as a commercial developer so it's not Maya. I believe both 3DS Max and Maya are all old time 3D CAD animation products from the 1990's that eventually got bought by Autodesk. As long as someone in your group is willing to let you use one of their licensed seats to work on the Carbon Cub project that's one thing, but if you have to pay $5K out of your own pocket then man, I would just create a new aircraft model from scratch using Blender.
Edit: Looking at the dr400.blender file from the AFFS4 Aircraft SDK, I don't see any blender animations defined, it is all done in the dr400.tmd file.
Well as it now seems clear that the animations are indeed defined in the tmd file, it will be no problem to do all the work in Blender, even though some stuff has been done in Maya (will just be imported into Blender together with the rest of the model which is already in Blender)😀
What documentation are you referring to? If its this https://www.aerofly.com/dokuwiki/doku.…craft:modelling then as far as I know everything on the aerofly wiki is for Aerofly FS2 and it has not been updated for FS 4. Jet-Pack (IPACS) would have to answer the plugin question, maybe IPACS has up-to-date 3ds Max, Maya, AC3D plugins in house that they would provide on request (most likely not unless they use that CAD program for in-house product).
Yes that is the docs I am referring to. Best would of course be to use Blender, I use that one with msfs as well. But the animation system is a little unclear, should animations be done in the 3d app or not?
You should check with Jet-Pack (IPACS) but my impression is that IPACS is only updating the Blender plugin going forwards, it's certainly the only one that they make available publicly on their developers website. Also maybe I am wrong, but I was looking into Aerofly FS's method of animating moving parts which I originally thought was done via their plugin in the 3D CAD program assuming it to be like hoow X-Plane's Blender plugin works. But it turns out that the X-Plane OBJ8 format which is generated by the it's plugin contains both the vertices data and the animation data. X-Plane's plugin does not use the native key frame animation system of Blender, it provides its one interface for this in the plugin. However, the Aerofly FS 4 blender plugin is just a straight vertices converter. My current understanding is that the aircraft tmd file is where you must manually write in the parts animation code that is tied to a specific graphic object is defined in the tgi file, so the 3D CAD program's native animation system is not used at all.
Some Examples from Kaniewski's Cub Special tmd file:
Code<[rotatingbodygraphics][Spinner][] <[uint32][PositionID][Fuselage.R]> <[uint32][OrientationID][Fuselage.Q]> <[string8][GeometryList][ Spinner ]> <[uint32][AngleID][Propeller.RotationAngle]> <[tmvector3d][Axis][ 1.0 0.0 0.0 ]> <[tmvector3d][Pivot][ 1.718 -0.0058 -0.3018 ]> > <[hingedbodygraphics][LeftElevator][] <[uint32][PositionID][HorizontalStabilizer.R]> <[uint32][OrientationID][HorizontalStabilizer.Q]> <[string8][GeometryList][ LeftElevator ]> <[uint32][InputID][Elevator.Output]> <[tmvector3d][Axis][ 0.0 -1.0 0.0 ]> <[tmvector3d][Pivot][ -4.4849 -1.5959 -0.0113 ]> > <[hingedbodygraphics][AirspeedIndicator][] <[uint32][PositionID][Fuselage.R]> <[uint32][OrientationID][Fuselage.Q]> <[string8][GeometryList][ AirspeedNeedle ]> <[tmvector3d][Axis][ 0.9947 0.0 -0.1028 ]> <[tmvector3d][Pivot][ 0.6099 0.1089 -0.1362 ]> <[string8][InputID][AirspeedIndicatorNeedle.Output]> > <[hingedbodygraphics][RPM][] <[uint32][PositionID][Fuselage.R]> <[uint32][OrientationID][Fuselage.Q]> <[string8][GeometryList][ RpmNeedle ]> <[string8][InputID][RotationSpeedNeedle.Output]> <[tmvector3d][Axis][ -0.9941 0.0 0.1083 ]> <[tmvector3d][Pivot][ 0.6127 0.2223 -0.1366 ]> >
Have to admit I am not so familiar yet with the tmd animation handling. Does this mean that all objects should just be created statically in Blender, and all animation stuff is in the tmd?
All the documentation in the wiki refers to the 3ds max plugin, there is not mention about the Blender plugin.
Isn't Autodesk Maya like a $5000/seat commercial software like 3DS Max? Man, I would just stick to using Blender unless you are thinking to become a payware aircraft model developer but I doubt you would make your investment back in sales. I too would be interested in hearing what @Jet-Pack has to say about this. I know at one time long ago both Laminar Research and IPACS used to have converter plugins for other 3D CAD programs but I think they eventually switched over to only supporting Blender. I am guessing because it is free and very full featured (actually more than you need probably for just flight simulator models), and in the case of X-Plane encourages hobbyists to try making their own airplanes for their favorite flight simulator. That was a very smart move on Laminar Research's part. That and having a GUI based aircraft file editor called Plane Maker is why X-Plane 11 has literally hundreds of freeware aircraft available for it including helicopters. In fact, from what I have read in the forums, if you just want to test out an idea for your own custom aircraft design, you don't even need a 3D CAD program with Plane Maker because it can create a very basic 3D aircraft shape which you can then fly in the X-Plane simulator.
Yes, Maya is commercial. I am using Blender but I have people helping out that uses Maya/3ds max. The exporter should work with 3ds max and Blender, so if we can get the models into one of those (including animations and rigging) it should be able to export to tgi. I tried to export the Carbon Cub model using the Blender plugin (using Blender 3.3 lts) but I got lots or error messages and exporting failed.
Question: Can a model that has been developed in Autodesk Maya (with rigging etc.) be exported to .tgi format, or is it necessary to go via some intermediate format?
The easiest way to get something to work is by copying it from another aircraft. A lot of messages were added for Aerofly FS 4 which could not be assigned in Aerofly FS 2.
We do have a 3D editor to visualize parts of the TMD. I can send you a copy, though the tool itself isn't documented. But I'm keeping it up to date because that's what we're working with as well.
Yes I have now tried to do some comparisons with e.g., the DR400, but for the throttle I have not spotted any differences. It would be great if you could send me the tool, very much appreciated😀
A tool that could be useful during modeling would be visualiser of the different tmd rigidbodies, so you could see them highlighted in the 3d modelling software (e.g. Blender).
Working with the TMD file requires quite some effort, especially as the information on the Aerofly does not seem to be completely up to date, or missing (some sections do not exist at all, for instance part of the engine section).
Also the porting instructions from Aerofly FS2 mentions that messages Controls.Starter etc should be renamed to Starter1.., however it is slightly unclear if this concerns all Controls messages (such as Controls.EngineStarter).
Also is there any more detailed debug output so you could see the different Inputs and Outputs in realtime during development, as that would be extremely helpful?
I am currently using Blender 3.3 LTS for modelling, but trying to export the model to .tgi gives me multiple error messages (using the Blender .tgi plugin). Should the exporter work with this version of Blender, or is 3ds max required?
When working on updating the tmd file of the Carbon Cub according to the instructions for porting aircraft from FS2 to FS4 (https://www.aerofly.com/developers/air…o-aerofly-fs-4/), I found some steps that seems to be slightly confusing in the instructions.
