• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

MSFS20 Taxi Light size, (LightRow) Can the size of the actual model be changed?

TBryson2

TBryson2

Messages
330
Country
unitedstates
The stock taxi lights in MSFS are WAY too big! (according to my visual estimates using a "box" as a gauge). The "scale" setting has no effect when adding "LightRow" to the scenery. I did determine that the spacing works properly. Taxi lights are typically spaced 14.6m apart. I set that parameter in "Light Row" options and verified it against a "box" model with that dimension to verify they are spaced properly, but due to their oversize, (by at least x2) the taxi lights look odd).

Does anyone know where the actual model exists so that it can (possibly) be extracted, reworked and re-used? (Would be interesting to know where the "model" files are for other purposes.

OR is there a way to modify one of the .xml files for this?

TB2
 
Last edited:
You can select any model available in any scenery library, including your own. I believe that editing the default object is likely to result in the object being rejected and replaced in the next automatic update. Here I have selected the default Clutter_Broom01 and attached one of my own custom light objects to it.

Brooms.png
 
What “window” is that you are using to modify parameters?
Modifications being superseded by an update is something to be considered!
 
It is the light row presets window. I am pretty sure there are no light row presets which we can draw using the light row vector tool, until we create them as above. MSFS requires that all connected clients are using the same version and insures this with compulsory updates.
 
=rk= said:
It is the light row presets window. I am pretty sure there are no light row presets which we can draw using the light row vector tool, until we create them as above. MSFS requires that all connected clients are using the same version and insures this with compulsory updates.
Click to expand...
Double check

Light row/light presets has no scale option for its models
Vectorplacement has them

So in theory, you can use vector placement to place the lamp post with the scale you want and add a light row to place the light effect, and then loose hours to align them

Better design you own lamp post, is not gonna take more than half hour to model and texture

Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk
 
mamu said:
and then loose hours to align them
Click to expand...
I don't think it would be overly tedious, the distance values are likely to be transferable, meaning you could copy the distance offset from the vector tool window, to the light row window. You could probably even automate the procedure with the XML.

The most extreme example might be what we have to do to account for the situation described above. Because the default blue lights are so hideous, people refuse to use them, compelling them to model one, no real problem there, the light row preset is required to attach the light effect, but what happens when the actual airport lights have no symmetry?

The usual solution is to create individual, single lamp light rows and place them, which is probably as tedious as trying to get two vector rows to match up.
In the image below, each lamp is actually composed of two light effects, as well. The default blue looks good at distance but condenses to a little blue dot up close, so it has had some "local glow" added to the lamp model to compensate. You're welcome to just use it too, btw, just download the scenery and copy it, the link is in my sig. If you make a new one you don't even have to credit it.

KTTD Overhead.png
 
I have no issues creating and implementing my own model but have two other questions concerning THIS application. (I've created and successfully implemented several models in MSFS so that's not an issue here).

1. How do I implement MY model into a "light row" where I create a string of lights using the current method of creating a Light Row?
2. What "light" (blue) do I implement into my model? Is it an "effect" and exactly how do I implement an "effect" (if it is one)? I've made some items that have the red "beacon" but they are nowhere bright enough to broadcast past a few (50?) feet or so. I agree that the current taxi lights ARE way too bright, but I would rather use them than inefficient and ineffective lights.

Thanks for the replies!!!

TB2
 
TBryson2 said:
I have no issues creating and implementing my own model but have two other questions concerning THIS application. (I've created and successfully implemented several models in MSFS so that's not an issue here).

1. How do I implement MY model into a "light row" where I create a string of lights using the current method of creating a Light Row?
2. What "light" (blue) do I implement into my model? Is it an "effect" and exactly how do I implement an "effect" (if it is one)? I've made some items that have the red "beacon" but they are nowhere bright enough to broadcast past a few (50?) feet or so. I agree that the current taxi lights ARE way too bright, but I would rather use them than inefficient and ineffective lights.

Thanks for the replies!!!

TB2
Click to expand...
Oh when you add a light row, in its properties there is a "Type" drop-down menu
In the menu you can select any Light Presets (those can be defined inside the Airport object properties, scroll down and you find them)
For each Light Preset you can define a model (selecting from the available one, so it can be one of your own or a fs-base one, whatever!)
and multiple light effects, THOSE light effect are the same type as defaul ones, so you can see them from several miles
Rick was suggesting to add a point light/spot light to enhance your model

I have a pretty comprehensive tutorial about lights including presets and rows if you want to have a look
 
mamu said:
Oh when you add a light row, in its properties there is a "Type" drop-down menu
In the menu you can select any Light Presets (those can be defined inside the Airport object properties, scroll down and you find them)
For each Light Preset you can define a model (selecting from the available one, so it can be one of your own or a fs-base one, whatever!)
and multiple light effects, THOSE light effect are the same type as defaul ones, so you can see them from several miles
Rick was suggesting to add a point light/spot light to enhance your model

I have a pretty comprehensive tutorial about lights including presets and rows if you want to have a look
Click to expand...

THANK YOU!!! This is exactly what I've been looking for to make the anticollision lights correct! I have watched, followed several of your videos and they have always been what I needed at the time to complete a specific task. Making / placing models I can do. All of the little "tweaks" that make the details better are my problem areas. Thank you for sharing on how to do these things!

One question, is there a way to make it day / night so that the lights ONLY come on at night? As I have them now, they are always on.

Thanks!
TB2
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top