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MSFS20 Flight Model Bending - The Graf Zeppelin (II)

Hi Darren,

Thanks

Not sure at the moment, work has been stepping up and as such I haven't spent much time on this project recently. Hit a bit of a wall trying to subdue the in game flight model, it's decidedly annoying. Have a few ideas for work arounds but will have to see. In time I guess

So in answer to you question I don't know yet, I don't want fudge this project as I'd rather something that is quite compelling.
Trust me, no flight sim on the market right now can even contemplate a realistic lighter than air aircraft. It's an incredible challenge.
 
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Well, not matter how hard it is, I hope you're successful IC3MAN, your models look terrific! Good luck, I'll certainly be watching with interest!
 
Just checking in to see if you've been able to make any further progress! I think LTA aircraft would be awesome in MSFS!! Perhaps the development teams at Sublogic, Bruce Artwick Organization, Aces Game Studio, Dovetail Games and Asobo Studio could help with the flight control and other aspects of LTA ships once they see how super-cool your models are!!?
 
In case somebody else is reading this and wants to write a Wasm module with which to totally control how the aircraft actually flies (or "flies" in quotes), I have an open-source sample at https://github.com/tml1024/flying-brick .

(Code contributions welcome. And if somebody wants to turn it into a co-operative open-source effort to create some cool helicopter or futuristic flying taxi, cargo hexacopter, or whatever, please do. If you just want to pick the code and take it proprietary, the license allows that, too.)
 
In case somebody else is reading this and wants to write a Wasm module with which to totally control how the aircraft actually flies (or "flies" in quotes), I have an open-source sample at https://github.com/tml1024/flying-brick .

(Code contributions welcome. And if somebody wants to turn it into a co-operative open-source effort to create some cool helicopter or futuristic flying taxi, cargo hexacopter, or whatever, please do. If you just want to pick the code and take it proprietary, the license allows that, too.)
Will definitely take a look at this, thanks
 
Just checking in to see if you've been able to make any further progress! I think LTA aircraft would be awesome in MSFS!! Perhaps the development teams at Sublogic, Bruce Artwick Organization, Aces Game Studio, Dovetail Games and Asobo Studio could help with the flight control and other aspects of LTA ships once they see how super-cool your models are!!?
I am half tempted to make a reel for the MSFS forum just to wet the community's appetite, and get some added help. As for progress, been doing more research into the operation of the various systems. Also been refining the MSFS model so little changes noticeable at the moment (this is proving to be a struggle), re-learning animation in blender 2.8+ and finding good PBR texture samples for various materials on the ship. However I have been enormously busy with work which makes finding time to spend pouring over code hard work. Slow progress, waiting for the breakthrough I guess lol.
 
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Just checking in to see if you've been able to make any further progress! I think LTA aircraft would be awesome in MSFS!! Perhaps the development teams at Sublogic, Bruce Artwick Organization, Aces Game Studio, Dovetail Games and Asobo Studio could help with the flight control and other aspects of LTA ships once they see how super-cool your models are!!?
I think that for established and/or large commercial developers to participate in something that an individual developer is working on, there is lots of contactual aspects that need to be sorted out in detail. There must be 100% agreement about what kind of intellectual property will flow in what direction(s) and how it can be used.
 
Absolutely, it looks so cool it just needs to be right, I hope you can work out the flight model. When the Hindenburg finally takes to the sky once more you need to be able to balance a pencil on a table in the Smoking Room and have it stay there for the whole flight! Good luck IC3MAN 👍
 
Kept you all waiting long enough, the project is not dead.

Redux3.JPG
Revised engine order telegraph
Redux4.JPG
All new wheel
Redux7.JPG
Control car layout revisions

Finally having some breathing space I decided to start working on the Hindenburg Class again. Whilst taming MSFS is still a grudge match, a true battle of attrition, modelling the airship is something I am enjoying. I am revising my initial models, adding detail and missing parts bit by bit, my main focus being the control car, and bits already modelled, as the list of missing parts is as long as my arm. I am doing two versions for the sake of reducing time when I come to do the revisions for the Hindenburg, which I guess will be inevitable.

Redux1.JPG
LZ129 Girder
Redux2.JPG
LZ130 Girder

Still fighting the in game flight model with my own, ship will bob nicely but movement is a problem, idk if there's been any progress on that from the community, as a fully custom job I am slowly but surely working on. Still a laundry list to do, gauges, animations, textures, but nonetheless progress

Finally, I had a little experiment with the framework, which I'm not certain of yet, though could be great in certain sections, (rough around the edges ik. it was a first go, the control car is already my 5th attempt)

Girder1.JPG
Girder2.JPG
 
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the control car is already my 5th attempt
Sounds so familiar;) Getting the geometry right for "interesting" shapes is a challenge. And one never knows how something will look when MSFS renders it. It might look like crap in Blender's viewport shading (no matter how much you try to tweak the shading parameters) but still look fine in MSFS. I guess the opposite is, sadly, also true.
 
Going to start adding videos to this thread just to show progress, this was a test using an old iteration of the model and lift module, releasing some weight lets the ship slowly rise to a stable float

 
Slight update, been working mostly on the code, redoing everything in a more efficient manner so that I can add aero calculations once I have a satisfactory static lift and balance system worked out. Finally entering test in the game, albeit with the obligatory space flights and mega rolls, though this new system has far more fidelity and is less choppy that the original.

On the model side, I have continued, have a near complete gas board for LZ130 after a redo of the previous, will do the same for the -129 panel when I have the time, same story with the ballast board. As for the engine, it's from scratch. I was not being satisfied with the previous iteration. Still missing a few pieces but it is coming on nicely, a few hours work and that was the result.

Having recently purchased the JU52 for MSFS and seen whats possible I really want to go to town on the details now.

Redux13.JPG
Redux16.JPG
Redux14.JPG
Redux15.JPG
 
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Is this overkill? 😂
Not at all, as long as you enjoy what you are doing.

By the way, when you are working on an aircraft this old, I assume it is hard to find actual construction drawings with measurements, or even good quality photographs. (Well, it is hard to find such even for much younger aircraft, especially military ones, of course;) Are you modelling the details just to "look credible" and close enough to those photos and drawings that you have, or what is your approach?
 
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Not at all, as long as you enjoy what you are doing.

By the way, when you are working on an aircraft this old, I assume it is hard to find actual construction drawings with measurements, or even good quality photographs. (Well, it is hard to find such even for much younger aircraft, especially military ones, of course;) Are you modelling the details just to "look credible" and close enough to those photos and drawings that you have, or what is your approach?
Yes and no, as drawings only get you so far, the small details are always for the photographs. That engine (still WIP) for instance was largely made using 3/4 photographs and rough dimensions. All drawings show that engine to the spec of the Hindenburg, there is a number of small changes I need to make once I'm happy with it, for LZ-130, though I will keep the Hindenburg version
 
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Redux21.JPG


New parts replace old, progress is steady and sweet, lots of work still to do. Detail comes first, the main load frames, turbine, rear shroud and engine will all change yet

Redux22.JPG


All new control car shells, with variations for both ships 129 and 130
 
Yes Ik I've gone mad for the blue, it does however make a good simple texture for testing the rendering in game without making full textures (something that I will only do if the flight model comes through). One thing I will say however was remaking the control car has been so worth it, looks a world better than even my previous good effort. All new shell, base, frame girders, walls, sills. The only thing carried over here is the
single detailed girder shown (which has also been revised)

129_5.JPG


The amount of blue here Ik is wrong but this is a test of light/shadows etc within the engine car, a highly contrasting texture makes seeing any issues easier with many close surfaces/objects

Redux24.JPG


Redux25.JPG


Walls and partitions are already back in since this.
 
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