Just to add to the spoiler/ wing rapid unplanned disassembly...it doesnt happen all the time. Maybe it is that the spoilers do get stuck in the slot somehow, as mentioned previously. Maybe it’s because of over g? Also, ailerons can stop working after pulling some g’s. Although it doesnt seem like much is needed, but its hard to tell without a gmeter. The joystick looks ok on my end, it goes into the floor like it should.
First of all. I tried to fix the wing exploding bug in the upcoming update. Second, i have some bad news. Well, not extremly bad but a little bad: I'am not making the jet engine version for now. Third: some Math. This is a function, obviously. And it looks like a Sombrero some how. Also there is a red line. So, what does this mean ? ... I can draw functions on my computer , but that's not the point. The important fact about this Sombero function ist, that it kind of can approximat thermal lift. and that's what i've done. I added thermal lift simulation to this mod, so you can now fly around, listening to the beebing vario and searching for a place to gain some altitude. It still isn't perfect yet. And last but not least, a Little hint: this indicates the direction to the thermal spot
Downloading now! I love the "git'er done" attitude.... If Beam doesn't do thermals, then bring your own thermal!
So far really loving the implementation of the thermals, but I discovered a bug (or I am failing to understand how to operate the glider) - when I move the control stick to the left or right (full lock only, or near it) the wing control surface on the opposing side breaks. This results in an inability to use the wing(s) to govern roll, but I still did not allow it to stop me from landing! Having broken both, all steering was done with the rudder. - listen for the 'crack' sound and you can see exactly when it happens. I do not believe I am going too fast to initiate a roll, but perhaps I am - at 0:24 seconds (or thereabout) you can see the control surface snap back to neutral at the exact moment the cracking sound is heard. Keep up the great work - this is a lot of fun to pilot, and I will certainly be playing with it a lot in the future. As for implementing an engine, I can see why you would not want to - however, it would be nice if a weak t-function thruster were implemented at the nose or center of mass to make beginning flight a little more realistic, rather than as if one were dropped from a helicopter at a complete hover.
Well, the Node/Beam structure doesn't like overspeeding. I have this problem since i started this project and i haven't figured out a solution yet but i'm on it. The main Problem with the wings is that due to the force the ailerone produce the wing tend to bend in the opposite direction, neutralizing the effect of the ailerons, so i came up with the idea that the aileron will break bevor that happens. Sadly i can't increas the spring amount of the wing beams, because if i do everything breaks.
Understood - I'll just be more careful and glide more gently then! With practice, I am certain I will be able to accomplish more.
This is all great fun. The fact that I keep reverting to my mental map of my DCS Flight sim bindings tells you this feels real (at least as real as I can imagine, not being a glider pilot and all). I tried digesting your mathamaticky function....I stared at it, traced it with my fingers, even looked at it from the backside of my monitor. However, I can't tell how the BYOT lift is being accomplished, or what triggers it. Then I got thinking. As an aside, when I say "thinking", I don't mean begging for features (really, I'm already grateful). But it could spark something if you have an interest in taking this further. Anyway, back to thinking... is there any way to associate triggering of the "magic" lift to the terrain topography? For example, is there is radar altimeter type data that beam can give you, so it can be used as a trigger. At least that could give the perception of ridge-like lift during, say, a profile of sharply ascending and descending terrain. Or how about creating a somewhat randomized thermal "map" that would go with a particular terrain? Edit: What a relaxing way to burn some time, it's a great perch to do a slow tour of Italy.
This is exactly what I was secretly hoping to see, really incredible that you have managed to build such feature, key element to experience glider flying, really cool! AI pilots, that might be possible, but certainly is probably very difficult to make, but I think if some day such happens in Beam, it would give quite nice addition to atmosphere as you are not flying alone, who knows what clever minds will achieve!
I already have an idea how to do the ridge lift. It starts with importing the terrain mesh to blender and exporting a hightmap. Then some python scripting to get the gradient of the Terrain out of the hight map and to write this data in a luascript which i can access from my wind script. It seems possible somehow. A static thermal map for a perticular terrain is easier. I somehow have to write the hotspot positions in a luascript and then spawn them randomly. And About the AI. I could write an autopilot for the gilder which searches for the thermals, in theory. But, these are only ideas.
That's strange because non of my variables is a string. Maybe the "electrics.values['gear']" is used by something else. Do you use a steering Wheel as Input device ? I'll rename it and then post a new update.
Don't judge me but here is again some math. I'm working on a more advanced / realistic model of the thermals. What does it do: - it has a shape , so now also the altitude influences the thermal lift. If the glider is to high above the thermal you have no effect, also if the airplane is to low. It's like a big bubble of hot air moving upwards. - it changes it's z position with time constanly increasing. So you also have to be in the right time and altitude to catch the hot air bubble. - it has now some turbulence to make the ride less smooth and more realistic. Because airflow is never a constant so, how does it work. First of all the core function ist still the same Sombrero function with some modification to limit the influence over distance. I only added a circle function als Multiplier to give it it's bubble shape. The green function calculates the lift. It uses the distance from the centre of the thermal to the glider as input. the blue function it the shape. It uses the altitude as Input and returns a value from 0 to 1. Now if you put these two functions together you'll get something like this. The red axis = the distance. a the green axis = altitude and the blue axis shows the resulting lift And that's it for now with math. But If you want an easy "ride" all these Features will be optinal. You can switch between the old and the advanced model. Phil Over and out
I’m glad someone was paying attention in math class. As for me, I’m the one jumping up and down on the rock to the right, in anxious awe of the mathy monolith before me.
What is the new instrument to the right of the lift pointer about? I flew around for a bit, and you really have to fight for lift. You have to stay on your game to to keep your hard earned altitude. Sometimes I noticed the vsi and vario beeps would indicate lift, but the altimeter was showing reducing altitude. Not sure if it was just me reading things wrong though.
This shows if the "lift bubble" is above or beneath you. At the Moment vsi and the Vario have the same Input source. And it's not the real vsi. The vsi of the thermal lift. Because you can gain altitude with 2 ways. You just pull up and reduce airspeed as result of an increasing altitude or you use the vertical moving air of a thermal to gain some height. In this case your airspeed doesn't change. Now in fact that second way is more important the Vario meter substracts the acceleration of the aircraft out of the vertical Speed. So, If it looks like you should gain altitude due to ther Vario but you don't. Check your airspeed instead and pull up until you have reached a slower airspeed again.
Thanks for the info! I’m going to make a couple of requests....any chance a yaw string would actually work, for real? I’ve noticed a tiny bit of uncoordinated flight totally spoils lift. Also, It seems this one doesnt have trim. Do gliders in general usually have trim, or are they set up naturally for best glide?
