throttle lever anim

[robcarrich]

I am animating throttle levers for a twin engine turboprop using FSDS for FSX and would like to know the right part names and animation frames required, I am having a spot of bother and would be very greatful if someone could point me in the right direction, all animations seem to be OK when using joystick but when I mouseover the levers they animate as one although the virtual throttles work independantly!


Thank you very much
Rob Richardson

[Garry Russell]

HI Rob

Might be better if you tell up what names you've used and we can take it from there

Garry

[robcarrich]

HI Rob

Might be better if you tell up what names you've used and we can take it from there

Garry

Hi Garry,
Yes sorry,lever_throttle0 and lever_throttle1 keyframes 0 to 100, I have made parent parts for both

Rob

[SkippyBing]

It may be how you've got the levers set to work in FSX. Generally they all do the same thing unless you fiddle around with the options so they operate independently. This makes life easier as most people only have one throttle which then controls all the engines.

[robcarrich]

Hi Skippy,
What I want is for the engine controls to work as they do in the stock KingAir with the joystick controlling both engines as one, then the mouse controlling the visual levers independantly, so that one engine can be shut down in flight ( which I can do but but the visual levers stay welded together working as lever_throttle0 ) I have the same prob with the condition levers!
My airfile and configuration file started life as KingAir so I don't think the problem is there, I could be wrong! Or maybe I'ts an FSDS thing, I'm also using FSDSxTweak if that makes any difference.



In Hope
Rob

[SkippyBing]

Rob,

I think what you've got should work, so not overly helpful! I haven't got a twin engine model I can check with me, but I can check tomorrow in the unlikely event someone else hasn't sorted you by then!

[robcarrich]

Thank you Skippy,
Maybe someone using FSDS can help me, I hope so!

Rob

[Rick Piper]

Hi Rob

not sure if i understand the question as you use the same throttle lever tag as any other powered aircraft

but tags are

lever_throttle0
lever_throttle1

but if my memory serves my right you animate keyframes 50 & 100 only as 1 to 50 are for reverse.

might be other way round but certainly not all of the 100 keyframes are used when the model is a turboprop

if your getting odd animation it might be possible that your not making sure the animated part's axis is virgin at keyframe 0
or you are adding full movement over the 100 keyframes (you may not see all the range unless your aircraft is set up for pitch reversing)

Regards
Rick

[ukmil]

indeed, as Rick has said, I work in Gmax, and not FSDS but It is the same method. Make your No1 engine lever as Lever_throttle0, and the other engine as Lever_throttle1. not sure about Mouserects in FSDS, but in Gmax, they they will then be tagged as the same, so in the VC you can use the mouse to move individual throttles, and your joystick will move both

[Rick Piper]

Hi UKmil

FSDS 3.51 and GMAX should be the same (they both use identical tags)

the only thing FSDS can't do is the skin & bones type animation for FSX and lithunwrap (i don't need either of those)
might only be able to do bones in Max possibly not Gmax

for Turboprops i tend to make my own custom xml tag for a power lever as most of my newer ones automatically control the propeller blade pitch as well as the throttle.

Regards
Rick