If Only

[lowflier]

Captainsim C-130H and Frat Brothers A-4K Promotional Formation Shot (Pardon The Wonky Skyhawk to the far right)

[Ian Warren]

Twas like that a few years ago , like 20/15 years ago .. bloody pity

[happytraveller]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Jul 19 2011,7:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Twas like that a few years ago , like 20/15 years ago .. bloody pity

Ah, nostalgia, that is a thing of the past.

Good screenshot there, almost like an advertisement for the Air Force. Did you use photoshop, or is there a way to fly formations of different aircraft?

smooth landings.

[Adamski]

QUOTE (happytraveller @ Jul 14 2011,6:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... or is there a way to fly formations of different aircraft?

Take a look at the (free) FSRecorder. When you playback a recording, you can set any number of additional aircraft, with N,S,E,W and up/down offsets. Set it up and play it from outside view ... then snap away!!!

[Splitpin]

QUOTE (Adamski @ Jul 14 2011,6:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Take a look at the (free) FSRecorder. When you playback a recording, you can set any number of additional aircraft, with N,S,E,W and up/down offsets. Set it up and play it from outside view ... then snap away!!!

Easy for you to say....i could never get the damm thing to work

[lowflier]

QUOTE (Splitpin @ Jul 14 2011,8:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Easy for you to say....i could never get the damm thing to work

Nor could I, so I cheated a bit and brought Air TrafficFX from flight1, simple easy to use programme.
http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=airtrfcfx

[Adamski]

QUOTE (lowflier @ Jul 14 2011,8:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nor could I, so I cheated a bit and brought Air TrafficFX from flight1, simple easy to use programme.
http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=airtrfcfx

I also have that - and it was working fine for a while. I helped beta test it for Gerry (Beckwith) - he's a really nice guy. However - it started going like a slide show later, though I've no idea why. I've just re-built my system so may give it another whirl.

@Marty - when you're back on your main PC I'll talk you through it [FSRecorder]. It's actually fairly simple - though I did find it a bit daunting at first ... maybe I'll post my (minimal) instructions here for all to see ...

[dbcunnz]

QUOTE (Adamski @ Jul 14 2011,9:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also have that - and it was working fine for a while. I helped beta test it for Gerry (Beckwith) - he's a really nice guy. However - it started going like a slide show later, though I've no idea why. I've just re-built my system so may give it another whirl.

@Marty - when you're back on your main PC I'll talk you through it [FSRecoder]. It's actually fairly simple - though I did find it a bit daunting at first ... maybe I'll post my (minimal) instructions here for all to see ...

Thanks Adam

[Adamski]

I reinstalled my ATFX and it's working great. It's very easy to add aircraft etc. but it doesn't give you the fine control over placement - if you want to set aircraft in specific locations (relative to your own a/c). That said, the aircraft follow you around in a much more realistic manner. If you're just trying to set up a screenshot, that won't matter - so FS Recorder will be fine.

There may be others that know how to do this far better than I, so more info/advice/comments welcome!

Minimal instructions for setting up a formation with FS-Recorder

1) Grab and install the latest FSRecorder from www.fs-recorder.net.
2) Check the FAQs and the Forum (lots of good info there).

This is without changing any default options at all:

3) Select your aircraft (maybe turn off all FS AI if you want decent framerates) and place yourself ready for take off (or wherever).
4) Go to the FSRecorder Menu and select "Record".
5) Leave all top panel options OFF/unticked
6) In the lower left panel (RH one is irrelevant for this) - select all the options/animations you want to record (default is OK). All your added aircraft in the formation will use this data.
7) Hit OK. You'll be prompted for a filename when you stop recording.
8) Fly your flight, making sure you have plenty of "straight and level" sections for when messing about in outside views when playing back for screenshots etc.
9) STOP the recording and save.

When replaying your recording, you can over-ride what happens to your aircraft (only). Any "cloned" aircraft will use whatever's been recorded initially by your own (flown) aircraft.

10) Go to "Advanced Play" and load the track you just recorded.
11) Select your aircraft then clone it a few times, not forgetting to set one of them with "Set user aircraft".
12) Leave the offset for your own aircraft at zero, then set the offsets for your clones. These are relative to either the first aircraft in the list or your own user aircraft - not sure which. 15ft is good value. Experiment as required. If you want a bit of vertically separation, enter that. It'll look daft when taking off but will be OK in the air.
13) Select your clones in turn, setting different aircraft/models as required. On my version, the legend (ie. the base aircraft) in the top panel doesn't change, but the crop-downs will show what's what when you select them.
14) You can choose to override any of the recorded inputs by UNselecting the various tickboxes. Your aircraft will still follow the recorded track, but you can change the animations (eg. gear, flaps, lights, etc.).
15) Your clones will do what your original recorded aircraft did. UNticking their boxes will stop any of those animations playing back - though the aircraft will still drop gear as required.
16) Leave the three "Rotate with offsets" boxes UNticked. Ticking any of them will make your wingmen stick like glue in that axis.
17) Play your advanced track - and snap away!

FSRecorder is an awesomely flexible utility. You can record/over-record add multiple tracks, you name it ... but this is only to get a quick and easy formation going!

Note: ATFX is very much a "real time" tool - and any inputs to the user aircraft are automatically sent to your wingmen. It's also good for setting up (temporarily) parked aircraft or to put aircraft "in the circuit".

I think that's it!!

==============================

EDIT: Here are some pics of a quick trial. The Mossie formation was [east/west,north/south] - disregarding up/down and using only positive values:
[30,30]
[15,15] [45,15]
[0,0] [30,0] [60,0]







This last one is a preset from IRIS (which you can't control in any way) - selected from the aircraft menu:

[Splitpin]

Thanks Braguy.....yet another tutor in our midst. well done......

Maybe a seperate "how to" section would be handy within the screenshot area.....maybe.

[dbcunnz]

Thanks Adam should see more multi aircraft screenies from now on

[Adamski]

QUOTE (dbcunnz @ Jul 15 2011,3:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Adam should see more multi aircraft screenies from now on

I rather hi-jacked this thread (sorry!).

@Marty - yes - maybe a "tutorials" area would be the best place for this sort of stuff ... do we have one?

[connor]

Yes, FS recorder is my best screenshot friend!

That is one nice screen, but like you say, If only...

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (connor @ Jul 15 2011,5:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is one nice screen, but like you say, If only...

Mossies , had them in the Commandel ... felt like you were swimming in them .

[creator2003]

we have a pinned topic in flights which is alittle out dated and could do with your update ,maybe get the mod of the channel to add your one to it or like you say a tut

Recorder Module Tutorial, Easy Formation Flying

[Charl]

In fact, the original topic is all but superseded now, as it was written for RM v1, which involved DOS editing etc.
Nowadays it is all-singing in the interface.
A fresh pin is a good idea (Adam has a long history of Lancasters I see...)

[Adamski]

QUOTE (Charl @ Jul 15 2011,7:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In fact, the original topic is all but superseded now, as it was written for RM v1, which involved DOS editing etc.
Nowadays it is all-singing in the interface.
A fresh pin is a good idea (Adam has a long history of Lancasters I see...)

Talk about short term memory loss!!! I'd totally forgotten about that thread. There was me, wondering how I ever set that Lanc group up !!!!

I'll go through Trolly's instructions again - but with the latest FSR to see if we can cobble together a combined set of instrctions (if necessar).