Heat Shimmer Effect

[Caleb]

Hi,

Does anyone have a guage to make the heatshimmer effect turn on and off when on the ground?? It says to use the smoke, but for a addon pack I need more than that. I'm not sure what the XML code would be for ground, any help is appriciated!!! I was trying to make one, but I cant seem to get it.

Thanks,
Caleb Lee
caleb@eaglesim.com

[JamesChams]

Mr. Caleb Lee,

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php?topic=2499.0

[Caleb]

Yeah, but I need a Guage to trigger that effect automatically.

[JamesChams]

Mr. Caleb Lee,

This effect uses the SMOKE driven method to trigger it; which mean you only need to add the statements into your aircraft.cfg file and substitute the .fx files into FSX's Effect folder to call the effect automatically.  Was that the confusion or were you trying to do something entirely different?

[Caleb]

 I think we may be a little confused... I mean a guage to trigger that effect if the aircraft is on the ground/ over 90% on afterburner, it will kick on that effect, so you dont have to... to make it more realistic.

[JamesChams]

Mr. Caleb Lee,

Yes, "we" would have to create one; it isn't too hard... Let me look into it and get back to you. 
(PS: "Vapor/shimmer effect" should actually appear when throttle is idle to 10% and shut off in excess of that or perhaps to 70-80% MIL Thrust).

Also, here is the configuration for CaptainSim's F/A-18D, should anyone want it, which Mr. "Voodoo" did not include in his readme.txt :

// Modified by James F. Chams @2010.
// =================================

[SMOKESYSTEM]
// smoke.0=-50.00, 0.0, 0.0, cs18_smoke
smoke.0 = -57.00, 0.00, 0.00,  voo_heat_shimmer_a6   // Heat Shimmer Effect
smoke.1 = -57.00, 0.00, 0.00,   voo_heat_shimmer_a6  // Heat Shimmer Effect

Thanks a bunch for the Effect, Mr. "Voodoo" and Enjoy!

[JamesChams]

Mr. Caleb Lee,

OK; I found a way to do it...
... Now all I need to do is...

======================

Mr. "Voodoo,"

May I have your permission to add/modify this effect to add it to a gauge for both CS' and FSDT's/MS' F/A-18's?

Pretty Please!

[Voodoo]

Absolutely, James!

I had just been about to post the following comments when you pipped me at the post, but, yes, please feel free to go ahead with your kind offer!

Hi Caleb,

I suppose technically speaking a heat shimmer effect should come on and stay on for all the time the engines are running. Having it manually operated on the "i" key allows it to be "put out of the way" under certain conditions (e.g. it you are desperate for a couple more FPS in a particular zone, or if you don't want it clouding your view in a "chase" view or such like).

However, if you could confirm what specific conditions you want it to be in the "on" state, Caleb, I'll put some XML code up here for you to use in a gauge.

@James
Thanks muchly   for working out the coordinates for the effect on the Captainsim F/A-18. If you will, I'll be more than happy to join these to the list I've posted on my wiki? Likewise for any other tried and tested aircraft you are willing to offer!! (request open to everyone)

[JamesChams]

Mr. "Voodoo,"

Absolutely, James!
I had just been about to post the following comments when you pipped me at the post, but, yes, please feel free to go ahead with your kind offer!
...
Thanks muchly   for working out the coordinates for the effect on the Captainsim F/A-18. If you will, I'll be more than happy to join these to the list I've posted on my wiki? Likewise for any other tried and tested aircraft you are willing to offer!! (request open to everyone)

Thank you very much, Sir!   ... and feel free to add those CS F/A-18D setting to your README (website downloads).
Also, already started writing the code for the gauge but, you are welcome to beat me to it.

[Caleb]

Thanks 100000% for all the help!! I didnt quite know the throttle precentages, and or how to make the guage.

Thanks a million,
Caleb Lee

[cart401]

Re the Smoke Shimmer Effect, I followed the directions but when I add the lines to the cfg. file it will not save it.  I tried everything I can think of so I'm requesting HELP Please. 

[JamesChams]

Mr. "cart401,"

If you are opening the file as a "READ-ONLY" document then it won't save.  Right-click on the file and select properities, then un-select read-only and click apply.  And try it again.

Good Luck!

[Orion]

cart401: If you're running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, by default FSX will be installed to the Program Files folder (or Program Files (x86) if you're running 64 bit), which Windows doesn't allow you to modify without administrator privileges.

To give yourself permissions to change stuff in the FSX folder, navigate to your root FSX folder -> Right click folder -> Properties -> Security tab -> Edit -> Add... -> type your Windows username -> OK -> select Allow checkbox for Full control -> OK or Apply.

[JamesChams]

Gents,

Well, I've written the code for the gauge ... however, something must be causing it not to work correctly, in my initial tests.  I'll try something else (and do a little more research) to insure that it functions as expected.

[Caleb]

Gents,

Well, I've written the code for the gauge ... however, something must be causing it not to work correctly, in my initial tests.  I'll try something else (and do a little more research) to insure that it functions as expected.

Very cool, good luck, any help needed?? What are the varibles so far?