FlightGear Newsletter November 2009: Difference between revisions

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===Trains, Boats and Planes (Vivian Meazza)===
===Trains, Boats and Planes (Vivian Meazza)===
[[File:steam1.png|thumb|300px|Steam Train]]


As the song goes “but not for me”. But now they are for you in FlightGear. In a moment of madness on the IRC Channel I agreed to develop Ground Vehicles as an AI Class. It turned out that a few modifications to the AI Ship class would be a good jumping off point for the new class.  I started with trains, because I thought they would be big enough to see easily from an aircraft. A very simple train with just 1 carriage. These are relatively common on commuter routes in the UK. Jon Stockill knew just such a train, and was familiar with a suitable route in Wakefield. (Where’s Wakefield you might well ask – I had to – it’s near Leeds in Yorshire.)
As the song goes “but not for me”. But now they are for you in FlightGear. In a moment of madness on the IRC Channel I agreed to develop Ground Vehicles as an AI Class. It turned out that a few modifications to the AI Ship class would be a good jumping off point for the new class.  I started with trains, because I thought they would be big enough to see easily from an aircraft. A very simple train with just 1 carriage. These are relatively common on commuter routes in the UK. Jon Stockill knew just such a train, and was familiar with a suitable route in Wakefield. (Where’s Wakefield you might well ask – I had to – it’s near Leeds in Yorshire.)
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====Boats====
====Boats====


[[File:vinson.png|thumb|Vinson Carrier Group]]
[[File:vinson.png|thumb|300px|Vinson Carrier Group]]


So what about boats? It seemed like a good idea at the time to extend some of the ideas we developed for trains into the MP Carrier scenario. We had some models converted from Savage models lying around, so how about some escorts for USS Vinson. In any case Alexis Bory had a dormant plan for some low-poly aircraft models for the deck park, so it was a good time to revisit the Vinson scenario. First, we added some aircraft to the deck park. Then Alexis took and completely reworked the Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7) into something very nice indeed. I worked up a new class: AI Escort. This enables stationing of an escort by range and relative or true bearing. The escort can have patrol range for the station, and can carry out a random patrol of the assigned station.  
So what about boats? It seemed like a good idea at the time to extend some of the ideas we developed for trains into the MP Carrier scenario. We had some models converted from Savage models lying around, so how about some escorts for USS Vinson. In any case Alexis Bory had a dormant plan for some low-poly aircraft models for the deck park, so it was a good time to revisit the Vinson scenario. First, we added some aircraft to the deck park. Then Alexis took and completely reworked the Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7) into something very nice indeed. I worked up a new class: AI Escort. This enables stationing of an escort by range and relative or true bearing. The escort can have patrol range for the station, and can carry out a random patrol of the assigned station.  
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====What next?====
====What next?====
[[File:Container-port-dusk.jpg|thumb|300px|Container Port at dusk]]


What else, where next?
What else, where next?