Post by mick on Dec 28, 2005 3:43:37 GMT -5
Not to be confused with the AI Traffic Kit released earlier.
I'm starting a new thread for this project because earlier posts were scattered among three different threads related to ORA but not dedicated to this project and I can't keep track of them anymore!
Lest anyone think I forgot, I still have a complete AI package in the works, including the planes. It will be a simple drag-&-drop installation that requires no knowledge of AI traffic and no AI-related software.
The traffic files have been written and compiled. We've been promised some specially-made low-poly version of some of the planes, and there are some custom repaints in the works to put some of the planes in actual ORA liveries. I think it's worth waiting an additional week or two so these items can be included. ;D
All the types included are actually present in the ORA collection, though two of them aren't the same variant. The Bird has a different engine with noticably fewer cylinders than the ORA example. The only significant discrepancy is the Caudron. Both of ORA's Caudrons are single engined G.IIIs, but I just couldn't resist including Stuart's big honkin' twin-engined G.IV, especially since he's offered an AI model and it's being repainted in the colors of one of ORA's G.IIIs.
Even the liveries are mostly authentic ORA. Most are completely accurate depictions of the ORA planes. A few can't be completely authentic due to texture mapping issues that make fully accurate repainting impossible. In one instance I elected to stick with the modeler's historical colors and markings instead of repainting the plane into ORA's somewhat fanciful livery - though I may change my mind about that by release time...
Edit: I changed my mind. Alternate liveries will be included: authentic-historical and authentic-ORA. You'll be able to dress your Fokker Triplane as either the Red Baron von Richthofen or the Black Baron von Rhinebeck.
Along with the AI planes and flight plans there will be a package of pre-saved flights that involve both flying with the ORA planes and watching the show from the ground. Special arrangements have been made so that those whose systems won't provide flyable frame rates with all the planes active can still enjoy the show. There are several alternate traffic files with different numbers of planes, so it will be possible to reduce the number of planes (and their frame rate hit) without reducing the level of activity on the airfield, as happens when you just turn down the percent of AI in the settings menu. I've concocted an easy way to activate and deactivate the files without going into the FS9 directory and manually swapping files around.
There will be at least one flyable aircraft included in the package, and the ORA repaints can be used on the flyable versions of the planes they apply to.
Thanks to Slide's efforts we have permission from almost all the modelers whose work will be used. We were unable to contact only three modelers. One of them, as it turned out, the final package didn't include anything of his after all. Another allows in his ReadMe document for redistribution of the model with restrictions that present no problems, and the third sets forth no restrictions at all.
Here's a little tease:
I'm starting a new thread for this project because earlier posts were scattered among three different threads related to ORA but not dedicated to this project and I can't keep track of them anymore!
Lest anyone think I forgot, I still have a complete AI package in the works, including the planes. It will be a simple drag-&-drop installation that requires no knowledge of AI traffic and no AI-related software.
The traffic files have been written and compiled. We've been promised some specially-made low-poly version of some of the planes, and there are some custom repaints in the works to put some of the planes in actual ORA liveries. I think it's worth waiting an additional week or two so these items can be included. ;D
All the types included are actually present in the ORA collection, though two of them aren't the same variant. The Bird has a different engine with noticably fewer cylinders than the ORA example. The only significant discrepancy is the Caudron. Both of ORA's Caudrons are single engined G.IIIs, but I just couldn't resist including Stuart's big honkin' twin-engined G.IV, especially since he's offered an AI model and it's being repainted in the colors of one of ORA's G.IIIs.
Even the liveries are mostly authentic ORA. Most are completely accurate depictions of the ORA planes. A few can't be completely authentic due to texture mapping issues that make fully accurate repainting impossible. In one instance I elected to stick with the modeler's historical colors and markings instead of repainting the plane into ORA's somewhat fanciful livery - though I may change my mind about that by release time...
Edit: I changed my mind. Alternate liveries will be included: authentic-historical and authentic-ORA. You'll be able to dress your Fokker Triplane as either the Red Baron von Richthofen or the Black Baron von Rhinebeck.
Along with the AI planes and flight plans there will be a package of pre-saved flights that involve both flying with the ORA planes and watching the show from the ground. Special arrangements have been made so that those whose systems won't provide flyable frame rates with all the planes active can still enjoy the show. There are several alternate traffic files with different numbers of planes, so it will be possible to reduce the number of planes (and their frame rate hit) without reducing the level of activity on the airfield, as happens when you just turn down the percent of AI in the settings menu. I've concocted an easy way to activate and deactivate the files without going into the FS9 directory and manually swapping files around.
There will be at least one flyable aircraft included in the package, and the ORA repaints can be used on the flyable versions of the planes they apply to.
Thanks to Slide's efforts we have permission from almost all the modelers whose work will be used. We were unable to contact only three modelers. One of them, as it turned out, the final package didn't include anything of his after all. Another allows in his ReadMe document for redistribution of the model with restrictions that present no problems, and the third sets forth no restrictions at all.
Here's a little tease: