aircraft propellers

[Starforce2]

The animation on the aircraft propellers are controled how? Is it scripted..or in the model (meaning can the rpm be set to zero like a propller or a ship can at a stop?)

I only ask because I was thinking of creating landed versions of the H8k, pete, and PBY (not sure if it's in the stock but if it is) just to have them in harbors and such. I would think one could acomplish this by seeing how the landed H6k is done? It'd look silly to have propellers always spinning though, but I suppose one could overlook such things..

[Ducimus]

There is a stock, landed HK6 i think. Just reverse engineer that one with S3D and you should be on your way.

edit:

If the landed HK6 has static props, and its a seperate model from the rest of it, you could always extract that, and import it into a cloned whatever aircraft, while removing the existing props on your clone.

[Starforce2]

I don't think I have the ability to import the models, if i did, probably not the expertize to give the thing "stopped" propellers.

[Ducimus]

The funny thing is, neither do i! :D

I love S3D, THAT much. So long as the model is detatchable, you can always take the dat it resides in, remove it from its parent/child relationship so its by itself, strip that file clean of ALL other data, import that dat into a new one, establish a new parent/child relathionship, and then position the model where ever you want it to go.

Texture wise, you might run into a problem. One ad hoc solution is to take the textures associated with the orginal object, resize them so their really small to take up less of a footprint/resources, and bring them along for the ride in their own dat file as well.

[peabody]

The animation on the aircraft propellers are controled how? Is it scripted..or in the model (meaning can the rpm be set to zero like a propller or a ship can at a stop?)

I only ask because I was thinking of creating landed versions of the H8k, pete, and PBY (not sure if it's in the stock but if it is) just to have them in harbors and such. I would think one could acomplish this by seeing how the landed H6k is done? It'd look silly to have propellers always spinning though, but I suppose one could overlook such things..

There are 8 planes in the game as 3D models in library/ship parts which are the ones you see on carriers and ships that carry float planes. The landed H6K is actually a "ship" as far as the game is concerned. That is why it can be on the water.

I would think to stop the propellers, you could just delete the animations. But if you set it down it should explode.

Peabody

[Starforce2]

but does that mean there is a difference in the model? Or is it the script that makes it a ship. I am sure the pete on the ship has a stopped propeller (though I guess if you wanted the pete to be on a taxi run, then despawna nd respawn as an airplane for a mission you'd need a spinner or it'd look rather dumb..lol)

[Ducimus]

Have you looked at the model's themselves in S3D? Look at the landed HK6, and then look at a normal HK6. You should see any difference in models where the propeller is concerned right away. Offhand, i don't think the propellers acutally move. If memory serves correctly, their just round disks with textures to give the appearance of movement, nothing more. However, that's just a casual, off the cuff observation, i never really looked into the props themselves.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Have you looked at the model's themselves in S3D? Look at the landed HK6, and then look at a normal HK6. You should see any difference in models where the propeller is concerned right away. Offhand, i don't think the propellers acutally move. If memory serves correctly, their just round disks with textures to give the appearance of movement, nothing more. However, that's just a casual, off the cuff observation, i never really looked into the props themselves.

FWIW, you are mostly right. They are rotating disks with a built-in/artist's blur. For the aircraft that can be scripted in-campaign... there is no 3D model of propellors with individual blades attached to spinners. (It's just a convincing pseudo-propellor that you see.)

I think the only exceptions to this is maybe the static aircraft parked on the decks of various carriers in SH3/SH4.. and static 3D models of catapult-launched aircraft on various other ships.

[peabody]

but does that mean there is a difference in the model? Or is it the script that makes it a ship. I am sure the pete on the ship has a stopped propeller (though I guess if you wanted the pete to be on a taxi run, then despawna nd respawn as an airplane for a mission you'd need a spinner or it'd look rather dumb..lol)

There is an H6K in the Air folder and one in the Sea folder, compare them, one is an airplane, one is a ship. One flies, one floats. The floater can't fly and the flyer can't float. In other words a plane can't take off or land.

And they are right, I just looked you can't stop the propeller by stopping the animation, I was incorrect, it is NOT separate blades like the Static planes.

Peabody

[Starforce2]

that sucks..I've seen the props move on the landed H6 in response to waves..so I was hoping it worked like a ship propeller. Althought, I am curious, could the same machanism that controls a ship propeller animation ever be be put on a plane? Even if the speed must be constant..

[skwasjer]

You can simply clone any existing air unit. Then, remove the animation controllers, and remove the controllers that make it an AI-plane (in .sim, something like unit_Airplane, don't remember exactly). Basically, all you need to end up with is the .DAT file, all the other files can be dropped as these are for AI-stuff, sounds etc. You can even strip of nodes for weapon payload etc. Lastly, you'll need to use a new propeller texture which is not blurred out, but there may already be one in game.

It is however advisable to reduce the number of polygons of the 3D-models for this purpose, but hey...

[Starforce2]

Has anyone ever had the oppertunity to suface near a landed H6k to see if it shoots back? They apparently have a max speed of 10 knotts (that I'd like to see..I think I'll do that when I make a mission just for kicks)

landed planes are unmanned and dont shoot back or move on thier own, hmmm :hmmm: come to think of it i never tried to have one take off but i doubt it could do that either

subs you place in missions also dont move or shoot back

[OrangeYoshi]

Has anyone ever had the oppertunity to suface near a landed H6k to see if it shoots back?

It doesn't. It just sits there. It can be fun to destroy it with the deck gun though.

[JU_88]

This thread just reminded me that my first ever career kill in SH4 was a (flying) HK8 that I nailed with my crappy S-1s - not so crappy deck gun
I was well chuffed though :D

Sorry for going OT.

[Starforce2]

So you can indeed peg a plane with the deck gun rather than the AA? I've tried slow betty torpedo versions and H6 and H8 but figured either I just missed or certain ammo types are coded to only affect certain types of craft.

BTW, I noticed none of the equipment files seem to have guns (refering to the planes) like the ships do. *thinks realisticly armed B17* sooner or later someone will overcome the planes not shooting each other bit.

[Rockin Robbins]

And to think I've spent my whole playing career trying not to ever see a plane! I can't tell you whether they have propellers or jet engines. I don't know whether their outlines are correct or they are the correct type. I can't even testify that they aren't paper airplanes up there! I've only seen blips on radar.

But thanks to Ducimus, I can tell you they DO carry bombs.:har:

[Webster]

So you can indeed peg a plane with the deck gun rather than the AA?


yep, but its like taking a sniper shot, you have to figure in the angle of shell drop and it has to be a solid hit i believe.

i would never do it in the game but i was screwing around one day (ran out of AA ammo) and got a few lucky shots lol.

try the artillary training mission to have some fun one day

[JU_88]

yep, but its like taking a sniper shot, you have to figure in the angle of shell drop and it has to be a solid hit i believe.

i would never do it in the game but i was screwing around one day (ran out of AA ammo) and got a few lucky shots lol.

try the artillary training mission to have some fun one day

Yeah you need the luck of the Irish to hit the bugga even with AA guns!
So the odds of hitting one with Deck gun is pretty much on par with a Jackpot Lottery win.
:haha:

[OrangeYoshi]

I must be the only one here who likes to stay up and duke it out with planes early in the war. If they are brave enough to come back for a second (sometimes third if I wasn't set up right on the first pass), they will be going down.

When I see one coming, I go Full ahead flank and I turn perpendicular to their course. I do that so I can hit them with the flak gun coming and going and they have less to hit with their bombs. I just dropped another plane yesterday who dared to come around for a second pass, and I hit three others who decided to bug out after they were flaming.

[Webster]

I must be the only one here who likes to stay up and duke it out with planes early in the war. If they are brave enough to come back for a second (sometimes third if I wasn't set up right on the first pass), they will be going down.

When I see one coming, I go Full ahead flank and I turn perpendicular to their course. I do that so I can hit them with the flak gun coming and going and they have less to hit with their bombs. I just dropped another plane yesterday who dared to come around for a second pass, and I hit three others who decided to bug out after they were flaming.


nope, i too dont run with my tail between my legs when only one plane is there. i only dive if im already beat up with damage or if there are 2 or more planes about.

while avoiding detection in the first place is the best strategy, after being detected i often will take more damage by trying to sneak away and avoid them then i will just taking them out in the beginning to start with.

i keep telling people "if you learn how to shoot in the first place you dont need to fear them". but in reply usually i get the pat answer "its SOP to dive anytime planes are detected so i follow realism and bla bla bla lol


its EASY to shoot them down with AA if you take the time to learn how to aim at them. nobody is on target with any gun untill you practice with it, never practice and yes you will never hit anything with it.

but the deck gun for planes is for just being silly or if you are out of AA ammo and cant dive because its a lucky shot thing

[peabody]

but the deck gun for planes is for just being silly or if you are out of AA ammo and cant dive because its a lucky shot thing

I don't know if subs ever used them, but I know some of the BBs had dual purpose guns that would fire a 5 inch flak shell. But I never heard of them having AA shells for the deckgun on a sub, so they probably didn't use the deckgun for aircraft.

Peabody

[JU_88]

I must be the only one here who likes to stay up and duke it out with planes early in the war. If they are brave enough to come back for a second (sometimes third if I wasn't set up right on the first pass), they will be going down.

When I see one coming, I go Full ahead flank and I turn perpendicular to their course. I do that so I can hit them with the flak gun coming and going and they have less to hit with their bombs. I just dropped another plane yesterday who dared to come around for a second pass, and I hit three others who decided to bug out after they were flaming.

Me too, because I like pain, :D I've even duked it out with Corvette on the surface and won! - though for my crimes, the voyage home was like sailing on a giant toasted swiss cheese baguette (with a tasty center filling of dead german sailors) probably the only reason i didnt have a mutiny on my hands :oops:

[Starforce2]

I've gone after subchasers and even a minekesi or whatever it is (they suck) with the deck gun. One mission dropped me right next to in and a gunboat and as I am sinking the DD the gunboat drifts through the sight so I popped a few in him too (no guns on the back hehe) but I've never been able to bring down the floatplanes with any guns. I can damage them sure. I've had an H6 leavign 3 fire trails and the H8 is big enough but never seem to do much to it and often wind up reloading right as the dang thing practicly stalls across the bow of my ship lol. Maybe someone needs to fix the jap planes for stock...any jap plane on fire was a almost garenteed kill. Esp a zero or betty, kate ect.

[Webster]

I never heard of them having AA shells for the deckgun on a sub, so they probably didn't use the deckgun for aircraft.

Peabody

in sh3 they had em but it was really useless with a reload time of like 5 seconds the plane could stop and eat lunch while you reload lol. i believe that was close how it was in RL and they would have been fools to shoot AA with it.

for this disscussion we were talking purely about being silly with the game and nothing related to how it really should be ;)