Stuart Buchanan wrote
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> The recent model-loading patch has made a big difference in
> making MP usable again around KSFO. However, there is
> obviously still an FPS cost in having a large number of MP
> aircraft in the immediate area, which makes flying there hard
> work, particularly with a taildragger like the very nice
> Stampe - I'm getting 15 fps rather than 45 fps.
>
> Ironically, this is particularly a problem for us CVS users,
> as we have all the aircraft in FG_DATA. Those with a basic
> installation will get a glider model for missing aircraft,
> which is much cheaper!
>
> So, I spent a little while last night creating AI models for
> some of the aircraft that I maintain (and in the process
> discovering how many of them have bit-rotted...).
>
> I think this is worthwhile as:
> 1) It will mean that for the next release, all MP users will
> be able to see all the other users, even if they don't have a
> specific aircraft installed.
> 2) A dedicated AI model is cheaper than a heavily LoD'd
> aircraft model.
> 3) For the majority of aircraft, once the initial model has
> been created, little changes that would be visible to another
> MP user, so keeping an AI model in sync with a main model is
> not too difficult.
>
> To create them I did the following:
> - Copied over the complete aircraft directory from
> $FG_DATA/Aircraft to $FG_DATA/AI/Aircraft
> - Removed any extraneous files/directories (-set.xml, FDM,
> Panels, sounds), typically just leaving a Model directory.
> - Use ImageMagick to convert any .rgb textures to png.
> - Use a text editor to replace all the ".rgb" references to ".png"
> - Hacked out all the cockpit, sub-models and irrelevant
> animations from the model .xml file.
>
> For the aircraft I have converted so far, this has resulted
> in a Model sub-directory, a single .ac file, a couple of .png
> textures and a model .xml file.
>
> This took less than 10 minutes per aircraft, including
> testing with two MP sessions on the same box. So far, on the
> simple aircraft I have created, this has been fool-proof.
>
> I think this is a worthwhile task, and something that will
> make life better in the longer term.
>
> I'd like to create more AI aircraft, but obviously this is
> something that might step on the toes of the aircraft
> maintainers. So, if you are an aircraft maintainer, and
> would be happy for me to create an AI version of your
> aircraft using the process above, please drop me a line on-list.
>
> Comments on whether this is a good idea are very welcome.
>
Unless you have actually generated different .ac file or textures from the
main model I would suggest that you use the ones in the main model files
like this:
<path>../../../../Aircraft/seahawk/Models/SeaHawk-FGA6-WV859.ac</path>
<texture-path>../../../../Aircraft/seahawk/Models</texture-path>
This would ensure that the main model and the AI model are kept in step.
And this reminds me, I have some AI models here of my ac which I don't
thinly I've uploaded yet
Vivian
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