Thinking About Improvements…
While a debate rages over how to implement gunners in Target For Today, I had occasion to jump back into FG today. After having solved some file location issues a week ago, I quickly found I could successfully carry out my first baby step, by swapping out the gauges in the FG version of the A6M2 Zero with those from Targetware’s Zeke… and with little difficulty, once I figured it out. Excellent.
Before… amateurish gauge art
After… vast improvement
Then, I started asking questions about the spartan cockpits. I wondered if I could start with the already created FG “tub” and start to add more detail to it? A half hour and a trip to AC3D later, and the answer was a resounding “yes”. I added a few sections of bracing to the existing FG Zero. That’s just the start of a lot of gear, wiring, conduits and stuff… not to mention a pair of cowl machine guns, which I can’t believe they left out… whether they currently function or not.
Only problem with this might be the totally weird axis setup FG is currently using, and how Simon and Gerry at T4T are envisioning using a code snippet at the head of an aircraft’s file to create a proper alignment. I’ll have to see if I can use the native AC3D axis alignment and still be able to perhaps use some FG geometries and make it all work in a new mod. My goal is, for some planes where FG’s external models might do fine (with just a texture upgrade, of course) and my cockpits, why re-invent the wheel? Get permission for a few Frankensteins, give credit where credit’s due, and get through the planeset quicker; especially those old Target:Rabaul aircraft I had nothing to do with, but could still make use of in an expanded Hakko Ichiu planeset. The P-38, F6F Hellcat, TBF Avenger and a few others might be plane families where I can really make this go. I have yet to do any geometries at all for them, internal or external, but if I can save time and only have to do a cockpit, and a little bit of axis rotation, why not? I will have to at least open the models in AC3D, prepare some background graphics and make sure the dimensions are done properly. If they pass muster, not having to create them, or perhaps just using them as a starting point, will save SCADS of time.
Paul, the chief dev who’s responsible for bringing the combat elements to these ventures, seems to busy with Real Life™ at the moment… I sent him an email relative to the crew/gunner debate and he requested I file the comments/requests in a job ticket repository for the mean time. I sure hope he doesn’t get so sucked into his “real job” that he becomes a stumbling block. Really, his delivery of the combat possibilities (ballistics, collision code, damage modeling) and the server/mission GUI are critical. Without these all we have is this spotty-quality civilian flight sim… and that just won’t cut it.
I’d really like to be sure he can deliver before I truly jump in feet first with this mountain of work to get Hakko Ichiu going. I suppose I now know I can, at any time, begin the task of reorganizing and porting over the IJN, USN/MC, USAAF and RAAF gauges, and placing them into a shared instrument folder directory.
