Jet Trucks At Night

SIGage · Post by **SIGage** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 6:27 am

Just had a thought. You can get very good looking flame jets using the truck lights. Unfortunately only at night or dusk or during fog.
Add one to the number of lights in the trk file (eg from 7 to

, then copy the information for light 0 and paste it after light 6.
---------------------------
Light 0 type
0
Light 0 body axis pos x,y,z (ft), bitmap radius (ft)
-2.394531,1.839062,9.468750,1.250000
Light 0 heading (rad), pitch (rad), heading spin speed (rad/sec)
0.000000,-0.174533,0.000000
Light 0 cone: length (ft), base radius (ft), rim radius (ft), texture name
75.000000,0.700000,11.000000,litefuzz.raw
Light 0 source: bitmap name
headlite.raw
Light 0 ms on, ms off (0 if light doesn't blink)
0,0
---------------------------
Change all references to 'Light 0' to 'Light 7'.
Create a flame coloured raw file (256X256) - easily done using traxx.
Change the body position for the light. X should be 0 if you have one centeral jet and Y and Z depend on your vehicle size.
Change the Heading, Pitch and Spin to 3.141593,0.000000,0.000000.
Change the Length, Base radius and Rim radius to 30.000000,0.700000,0.000000.
Change the texture to the name of your flame raw file.

It should now look like this:
---------------------------
Light 7 type
0
Light 7 body axis pos x,y,z (ft), bitmap radius (ft)
0.000000,2.648729,-9.468750,1.250000
Light 0 heading (rad), pitch (rad), heading spin speed (rad/sec)
3.141593,0.000000,0.000000
Light 7 cone: length (ft), base radius (ft), rim radius (ft), texture name
30.000000,0.700000,0.000000,litefuzz.raw
Light 7 source: bitmap name
headlite.raw
Light 7 ms on, ms off (0 if light doesn't blink)
0,0
---------------------------

Enjoy!
(Edit - all done Dogge)
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Wyld Stallyns Rule!

Edited by SIGage (01-03-2003)

Drive2Survive · Post by **Drive2Survive** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 1:27 pm

A good idea, but I think BigDOGGe already has that one sewn up.

<center><IMG SRC="http://mtm2.com/~d2s/dogge_jet.jpg" border=0></center>

He actually has several different coloured lights there that make use of the blink on/off values, so that the jet exhaust appears to flash through yellow, pink, orange...

Oh, BTW you CAN get lights during the day, if you press L to turn 'em on... you just won't have the beams...

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Please use the brake provided and not the vehicle in front of you.
- V8 Challenge online racing guidelines

Malibu350 · Post by **Malibu350** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 1:50 pm

Good info SIGage :o)... thanks for jotting it down

here's another visual so people can get the idea of what you're talking about

<IMG SRC="http://rhinoseros.com/~malibu350/trackshots/images/trucks/NASAExp1.jpg" border=0>

Edited by Malibu350 (28-02-2003)

ZOtm_BigDOGGe · Post by **ZOtm_BigDOGGe** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 10:44 am

I think he was taking it a step further, by replacing the headlight beams with custom painted versions resembling flames...The flame textures I used on my animated jet engines may do well for that.

I saw 3 problems in the suggestions though:

Change the Heading, Pitch and Spin to 180.000000,0.000000,6.000000.

1. HEADING: If you are doing this to point the light backwards, then set heading to 3.1415 (the heading is in radians, not degrees).

2. SPIN: if you spin the light, the "flame" beams will rotate about the truck with them. (the rotation axis is at a 90 degree right-angle to the face of the light, and is unchangable).

30.000000,6.000000,0.000000,litefuzz.raw

3. And I didn't make the "exhaust" spread out or come to a point. The flames and exhaust I see coming out of jet engines usually remains the same diameter or spreads or tapers slightly until it fades out, except for some rocket engines. (P.S....6.0000 is six feet diameter!...how big of a jet engine are you using?)

I have a few jet-vehicle pics at this link, and there's a link to a great jet-racer website there too (jetwebb.com)

Sounds like a very interesting project....let us know how your results come out.

---------------------------

Unfortunately only at night or dusk or during fog.

This is true....In daylight setting with the lights turned on, the beams (flames) will not be visible. only the light within the engine casing wil be seen under those conditions.

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- BigDOGGe's Boneyard ...The Best Custom Trucks in MTM2 -

Edited by ZOtm_BigDOGGe (28-02-2003)

ZOtm_BigDOGGe · Post by **ZOtm_BigDOGGe** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 4:55 am

I followed through with an experiment on the topic mentioned above by SIGage (flame textures in place of light-beam textures).

While building a new TURBOSHAFT powered truck, I added lights as exhaust as I did on my old trucks, but used the flame textures I had made for my animated trucks in place of the red tail-light beams (redfuzz.raw). This is what SIGage had suggested. I used a flickering flashing-light effect in place of light rotation though. I used 2 lights, each with it's own unique flame texture and flicker rate.

The effect is actually quite good (GREAT idea!) at dusk and night settings......not visible in daylight settings (as is with the real thing...only fuel-soaked afterburner-burns are visible in daylight..kerosene (jet-fuel) burns clear) .

----------------------------------------
<IMG SRC="http://mtm2.com/~bigdogge/temp_pics/hotstufftesttruck.JPG" border=0>

Hot Stuff Flame Test Truck
----------------------------------------

However.....

I seem to be getting some lag on my system while the flame is visible...if I press "L" to deactivate the lights, the flame disappears and the lag goes away.

I'd like to know if anyone else has the lag-effect. I added the flame-effect to my HOTSTUFF jet-truck (new truck isn't finished yet), and made a special test-truck POD for people to try. Let me know what you think of the effect, and of any problems like lag, crashes, etc. It will be listed in the game as HOTSTUFF (FLAME TEST TRUCK). Set to DUSK (good) or NIGHT (better)...the flames seem to dim in PITCH BLACK.

If it works fine for you, then keep the truck if you want it. You can reuse the effect components too if so desired.

It was a great idea SIGage...wonder why I didn't think of it first? (heh heh). If the lag is only on my computer, then it may get more usage.(hint hint).
http://mtm2.com/~bigdogge/download/Flame-Test_Truck.zip (179k)

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- BigDOGGe's Boneyard ...The Best Custom Trucks in MTM2 -

Edited by ZOtm_BigDOGGe (30-03-2003)

Post by **Phineus** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 5:57 am

I get: "Bad texture size : jetfire1.RAW"

ZOtm_BigDOGGe · Post by **ZOtm_BigDOGGe** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 10:05 am

Now that's strange....the 2 flame textures are missing....

Even stranger.....I just created a new POD with tracked2, but haven't PODZIPPED it yet....no JETFIRE1 or JETFIRE2 files....too bizarre!
IF you want to try, place these in your ART folder and try it again, or try re-podding it again...it may work for you....

jetfire1.raw
jetfire1.act
jetfire2.raw
jetfire2.act
http://mtm2.com/~bigdogge/download/jetfire_files.zip

Either something is abuzz with the filenames, or TRACKD2 won't save all light textures (doubtful).

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- BigDOGGe's Boneyard ...The Best Custom Trucks in MTM2 -

Post by **Phineus** » Sun Mar 30, 2003 1:38 pm

> I seem to be getting some lag

- c98 at dusk
- no computer trucks
- start race in cockpit view
- turns lights off

Starting frame rate was 85fps. Hit V for chase near, the frame rate takes a slight dip as the truck comes into view, then settles back at 85. Now I turned on the lights and the frame rate dropped to high 20's and I got the day time backdrop effect. Ignoring the backdrop I took a lap around the track and saw the frame rate bottom out a 4 at a couple spots.

I can find no reason why any of this should be happening. I looked at the trk file and can suggest only two things. Both lights are in exactly the same location.

0.000000,1.618500,-7.850969,0.800000

Could that be a problem for rendering? It couldn't hurt to try something like this on 'one' of the lights. Tho I'm not optimistic, it might be worth a shot.

0.000000,1.618500,-7.860000,0.800000

Also, how did you determine the blink rates? Do you think playing with that might have an effect? Snakebit uses 300,700 with no discernable effect. Thinking more for a minute. 50ms is asking the game to make changes 20 times a second. Add that to an already detailed scene and that's quite a load.

Lastly. Triggering the day backdrop has never been as predictable as this. I haven't checked it's vert count (yet) but this is also the first time, that I'm aware of, a truck has triggered it.

Interesting stuff.

edit. tracked2 doesn't include textures. That's three issues on one truck. Pretty good shootin' there man.

edit 1. I slowed the blink rate down to compare with snake bite and the frame rate fluctuated from 80fps to 15fps whenever the textures were on. It throbbed quite regularly, lol. I also shortened the beam to 2 but with no significant difference. I turned the blinking off but the day time sky still appeared.

edit 2. http://mtm2.com/~bigdogge/trucks_pagejet/hotstuff_ani.jpg is 404

Edited by Phineus (31-03-2003)

ZOtm_BigDOGGe · Post by **ZOtm_BigDOGGe** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 2:37 am

...Strange how the framerates jump so much with the lights on or off....the first test truck had no headlights and still lagged.

As far as the high blink rate parameters, I figure it just alters the frame one time per screen-refresh, and any further requests for a "blink" of the light are ignored. I could reduce the rate, but I don't think it helps...

I encountered something similar with my UFO long ago. I had placed 4 colored-and-slow-blinking lights around the perimeter, with wide (150 dgree) but short beams. I received a lag effect similar to this flame one.
=====================================================================

-> I tried some configurations:

1. BLINKING RATE DEACTIVATED - HEADLITES INTACT
This had no effect on the lag - 75 fps lights off - 20 fps on

2. ONE NON-BLINKING FLAME - NO HEADLITES
The lag is gone...could be a clue.

3. ONE BLINKING FLAME - HEADLITES INTACT
Still see lag.....the single flame drops me from 75 fps to 44 fps

4. TWO BLINKING FLAMES - HEADLITES INTACT - REDUCED FLASHRATE
Altered the blinkrates from aprox. 43 to 243...no change (75 drops to 20 again).

It must be an artifact of the flashing effect, except experiment #1 argues with that.....too bad. The flickering transparent flame textures looked so good too.

--> I created my new truck for the EXPO with animated textures instead, and the performance is MUCH better....I'll leave it at that.....Pehaps a solution to the lag can be found later.

Thanx Phineus.

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- BigDOGGe's Boneyard ...The Best Custom Trucks in MTM2 -

Edited by ZOtm_BigDOGGe (31-03-2003)