ddavid 149 Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 If any of you have the OrbX PNW scenery installed and would like to test a mission for me, I'd be most grateful. When OrbX released their PNW scenery, the default FSX Whiteout Mission became even more of a challenge due to terrain (mesh) changes and certain modifications made to the Cougar (WN10) airstrip scenery, resulting in an incompatibilty between the mission triggers and the airstrip location. One work-around was to Pause and Save the Mission just prior to WN10, exit from FSX and reset to default scenery (using FTX Central). Fire up FSX, with default scenery, reload the Saved Mission, land and take off from WN10, and Pause again, when airborn, and Save the Mission a second time. Then, exit FSX again, reset to OrbX PNW scenery, restart FSX and continue the Mission from the last Saved point. Whilst this procedure enables the Player to complete the Whiteout Mission, the result is not terribly satisfactory and introduces potential errors. For that reason I've modified the default Whiteout Mission so that you can complete it from start to finish using the PNW scenery without having to reset at the problemmatic WN10 point. Well, that's the theory, anyway! Although I've tested it myself, I'd be really pleased if one or more of you OrbX gurus could test the revised mission and see that it works with you too. Here's the Box link: https://app.box.com/s/goyfdp1v37yubpnno4m2 If you do try it out and have any suggestions or comments, then let me know. And Thanks! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Hey Dai, I will gladly give it a go. I have PNW and I really enjoy flying around that region, so it will be a pleasure. I will report back with my thoughts. It will be later this evening when I get on the pc, so I will probably let you know sometime tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. Cheers Brian Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Thanks, Bro' - you're a Star! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
rob16584 42 Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 I'll try to give it a go too Dai Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 Thanks, Rob. PNW's great and modding this mission was a useful introduction to the mesh and scenery changes made by OrbX. Currently looking at the San Juan mission - aircraft locked in by lots of boats at the mission start! I'll post some shots... Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 Didn't manage it last night Dai but will try tonight. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 26, 2013 Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thanks, Rob. PNW's great and modding this mission was a useful introduction to the mesh and scenery changes made by OrbX. Currently looking at the San Juan mission - aircraft locked in by lots of boats at the mission start! I'll post some shots... Cheers - Dai. Just guessing here. Re-locate the aircraft in a free flight and save it. Manually edit the flight(.FLT) file in the [simVars.0] section from the saved file to the mission file. You might also need to edit the [GPS_Engine] section under line "position=" too but again I am not sure about that. Testing will tell. Hope that helps. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Brett - Thanks for that. The tidy option would be to do as you say and edit the flt file to change the start position. But it's much more fun crashing through the flotilla of boats! The rest of the San Juan mission seems to work O.K. - bit boring after the Emergency misions, though! Still, it is a Beginner's mission. Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 26, 2013 Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 But it's much more fun crashing through the flotilla of boats! Haha, gang way VIP coming through.(Very Important Pilot) Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,013 Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 Hi Dai, Not managed to check out your mission yet. Apologies. I will try and have a go ASAP. Cheers Bro Brian Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Just downlaoded it. I will test as soon as I can. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Thanks, Richard. Please let me know if the following are O.K.: 1. Download/Install instructions, in 'readme', work for you, 2. Mission executes as mission and not Free Flight - indication of missing scenery, etc. 3. Touch-down at WN10 triggers "hit the brakes" type dialog, and 4. You get to pick up the pregnant lady and her partner (!!) If the mission works correctly, I'll post a heads up on the OrbX forum. Thanks again All! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Quick question. I followed instructions in the readme, but when i start fsx, the whiteout mission does not show in fsx. So i renamed whiteoutOrbX.xml to whiteout.xml and then when i start,fsx it shows in the missions. Is that correct? Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Good catch Richard. The readme states: 4. From the unzipped folder, copy the file called 'WhiteoutOrbX.xml' into the Whiteout mission folder. There should be a reference to renaming the file to, as you have stated above " whiteout.xml", so that it corresponds to the flight file section that calls for that file. Below is copy of the section of flight file for this whiteout mission: [ObjectFile]File=Whiteout A funny thing I noticed when looking into this is that the flight file for this mission does not have a reference to the [ResourcePath] which I always thought was necessary to point to the actual mission folder for save purposes. Guess I was wrong. It would normally look like this: [ResourcePath]Path=MISSIONS\Backcountry\Whiteout\ Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Thanks Both. You're right, Brett - the FLT file has to reference the correct mission xml. As I didn't make a new version of the FLT file, the [ObjectFile] refers to the original mission xml file 'Whitout.xml'. So, renaming the 'WhiteoutOrbX.xhl' file as 'Whiteout.xml' resolves this. In FSXME, I used the 'Save As' function to form WhiteoutOrbX.xml. I think FSXME changes the [ObjectFile] reference at this point. My own FLT file contains the new filename in this position, so I missed this error. So, either I include a new FLT file with the appropriate 'WhiteoutOrbX.xml' reference or the mission file should be the same as the default (Whiteout.xml) and leave out the 'OrbX' suffix (which I appended to the Whiteout name to denote OrbX scenery). What do you think?!? Having overcome that problem, does the mission execute for you, Richard? Hope so... Thanks for trying this out - I'm most grateful! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Well Dai, everything was fine up until landing at the first stop. I landed at 66WA, where I dropped off the fisherman. The co-pilot woman who does the talking told me to go back to rw 25 and once I am airborne she will get the ILS info. However, I cannot get the mission to advance past RW25. I even put on the mission pointer, which I do not usually do, and I see that I am right on the green pointer but I just cannot seem to get it to advance to my next objective. I flew this mission a long time ago when I first got FSX using default scenery and was able to complete it, but for the life of me, I could not get it to recognize that I was at the waypoint so I never got the next trigger. Is this some issue with the PNW scenery? Oh, one other thing I noticed is that at the start of the mission, when I am taxiing to the runway at KCZK, the RW marker which says '06', is right in the middle of the taxiway. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 There's a few ways to do it Dai. I have always felt that having someone rename a supplied new file is the best way to go. Having a new file with the default name can sometimes cause confusion when making the changes. Along with this I would have the user just rename the existing flight file instead of supplying a backup. When a backup file is included(it would need it's own readme to explain changing it back to default) then including the new file with the default name and having the user let it overwrite the default file is a good idea too. JMO Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 Well Dai, everything was fine up until landing at the first stop. I landed at 66WA, where I dropped off the fisherman. The co-pilot woman who does the talking told me to go back to rw 25 and once I am airborne she will get the ILS info. However, I cannot get the mission to advance past RW25. I even put on the mission pointer, which I do not usually do, and I see that I am right on the green pointer but I just cannot seem to get it to advance to my next objective. I flew this mission a long time ago when I first got FSX using default scenery and was able to complete it, but for the life of me, I could not get it to recognize that I was at the waypoint so I never got the next trigger. Is this some issue with the PNW scenery? Oh, one other thing I noticed is that at the start of the mission, when I am taxiing to the runway at KCZK, the RW marker which says '06', is right in the middle of the taxiway. This is where I got stuck. I see that the altitude is set at 30.000 in the world position section and also set at altitude is AGL=True.(see area rectangle Area_TroutLakeRwy25) The world position altitude should be 0.000, no? Or does the AGL set to true override the world position? I will open it up in the OPT and see if it shows anything. Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted July 29, 2013 Report Share Posted July 29, 2013 I was wondering if the altitude had anything to do with it as well. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks, Both - will examine the mission xml and re-upload. Comments much appreciated! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted July 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 O.K. - found the error in the Elevation parameter - Thanks for pointing this out! Revised mission can be found here: https://app.box.com/s/j80axovapw899uyt5kiu Sorry about that. I copied the POI Lat/Lan/Alev into the ProxTrigger without realising the Elevation was set to 30' - DOH!! If you're still happy to try the revised version, that'd be great - Thanks! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
brett 2,314 Posted July 30, 2013 Report Share Posted July 30, 2013 Still did not work for me. 1. POI's should be set at AltitudeIsAGL=True for ground use in most cases. The altitude in the WorldPosition section is for the height of the bottom of the mission pillar. It sometimes looks better if it is set off the ground a bit and you can also pass under it without it interfering the users view. Depends on what it's use is. I am looking at POI (POI_Trout_Rwy25) Looks good in the new xml you uploaded. 2. Area rectangles attached to triggers(proximity in this case) should be set to AGL=True with the WP section set at 0.000 or even a touch below ground level when the surface is uneven. I am looking at the area rectangle (Area_TroutLakeRwy25) attached to the proximity trigger (Area_TroutLakeRwy25) it shows the area the aircraft will enter to fire the next dialog as 30 feet above the ground due to it's WPosition. This altitude also accounts for the bottom of the rectangle. Altitude in this section should be 0.000 or even -1.000 and the height of the rectangle should be set at 20.000 or 21.000, or more. respectively. A quick glance shows some other POI's and AR's set incorrectly too. The AR for the cabin at trout lake shows AGL=False with nothing in the WP Alt line, not sure why that works. FSX drives me nuts and only testing reveals all. Love flying in this area with ORBX. I'm having trouble staying in the cockpit view. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Thanks, Brett and apologies for not having answered before. You're on the button with both POI and ProxTrig-RectArea's - works much better. Guess the beta testing is over, so Thanks to all that helped - appreciated! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 So, do you have an updated version for download? Same link as previous? Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 The link is: https://app.box.com/s/j80axovapw899uyt5kiu Hope it works for you and Thanks for reminding me to post the link! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
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