[1.3.1] Aviation Lights v3.14 [use MOARdV's version instead!]

[BigNose]

One could define another variable, call it "Interval2" or something and use it for this.

Interval = 0.1s -> On state

Interval2 = 0.5s -> Off state

Should work in principal.

[Ohm Machre]

AAAH! Oh my god I missed this mod so much!! <

[Konraden]

One of my favorite mods. It's simple and adds some nice detail to the game.

[Blaylock1988]

One could define another variable, call it "Interval2" or something and use it for this.

Interval = 0.1s -> On state

Interval2 = 0.5s -> Off state

Should work in principal.

is this something I can just paste into the config file or is there more work involved?

[GROOV3ST3R]

is this something I can just paste into the config file or is there more work involved?

No, you will need to rewrite the .dll file of the plugin.. slightly.

I've been trying to get my head around that but it's not going well, it just doesn't want to compile.

If I do get it working, I will be sure to share it with everyone

[Blaylock1988]

No, you will need to rewrite the .dll file of the plugin.. slightly.

I've been trying to get my head around that but it's not going well, it just doesn't want to compile.

If I do get it working, I will be sure to share it with everyone

Thanks! I have no idea how to mess with .dll files. I hope you are able to figure it out!

[GROOV3ST3R]

I got as far as being able to compile it and introduce a new flashing mode. But I am still trying to add a waiting period - so far, it just doesn't want to work with me.

[BigNose]

I got as far as being able to compile it and introduce a new flashing mode. But I am still trying to add a waiting period - so far, it just doesn't want to work with me.

Sounds like the hardest part is done. You'll get there, I'm sure.

EDIT: You did it! AWESOME!

Edited May 14, 2013 by BigNose
He made it!

[BigNose]

Just released the new Version 2.0 with awesome and more realistic 'FLASH' mode, made by the forum user 'GROOV3ST3R' (with a little help in C# programming by 'Rich').

ALL credit for the new version goes to him, I just uploaded it here and on Kerbal SpacePort.

[Blaylock1988]

You guys rule!

[GROOV3ST3R]

I'm glad you guys like it I couldn't have done it without Rich, he really helped me out here Watch this space, the lights will be included in a new upcoming multi-mod pack

[artao]

These lights are GREAT! Love 'em. Really adds to the look of my spacecraft.

I've a request to make regarding the lights: Would it please be possible to make it so toggling the lights' modes could be put into an action group? I don't really understand why they are part of the staging system to be honest.

[sadron]

Very cool idea, I may end up downloading this at some point.

[Galacticruler]

These lights are GREAT! Love 'em. Really adds to the look of my spacecraft.

I've a request to make regarding the lights: Would it please be possible to make it so toggling the lights' modes could be put into an action group? I don't really understand why they are part of the staging system to be honest.

I agree with him.

[sadron]

I agree with him.

Yeah, this makes sense. I second this.

[BigNose]

At some point I'll look into getting the lights ported to action groups, would be nice to have.

[Deadweasel]

I really appreciate the work you've done with these things. They really help my ships to come to life, so to speak. Absolutely love them!

[...snip...]

I was going to write a detailed description about how I felt the new flash mode was a lot more twitchy and sporadic than I'd hoped for, but then it occurred to me that new settings capabilities in the plugin might mean new settings in the part .cfg files too, which I initially did not copy from the new version.

Whoops!

I refined the timing sequence a bit, and now they feel that much more realistic to me. There is, however, still some twitchiness in how they work:

• All of the lights seem to be reluctant toward having their modes changed (on/blink/off). Sometimes multiple presses of the key are needed before they respond.
  
• The nav lights have a solid and blink mode, but selecting a mode takes multiple tries, and don't always follow the on-blink-off rotation. (see above item)
  
• The strobes are troublesome getting them to blink at the rate they're supposed to. Pressing "p" has different results each time. Sometimes it turns them off, sometimes they blink on/off at roughly once per second, sometimes they blink in the inverse of the sequence they're supposed to (on longer than off). It's a bit of a crap shoot as to whether they'll blink as expected when the key is hit.
  

Once they're up and running though, WOW! These things are worth overlooking the minor usability glitches anyway.

[Galacticruler]

These are helpful for docking in the shadow of a planet.

[Dilin]

I love these on my planes.

[artao]

At some point I'll look into getting the lights ported to action groups, would be nice to have.

Hey thanks! I know it won't be until after 0.20, seeing how the add-in system is changing.

Again, thanks for these lights. IMHO they should just be part of the base game they're so cool.

OH!!! Also, it seems they don't use electricity? Could you possibly add that in too please? =]

[BigNose]

Just to keep the information rollin':

Thanks to the helping hand of JDP (author of RemoteTech) the Aviation Lights plugin is making good progress. Action Groups implementation is complete, Energy consumption works for values greater than 1 per second, which is way too much (I got some problems with float values and the way the consumption rate is calculated at the moment).

Also I measured the Strobe and Beacon flash-intervals of real airplanes more accurately and adjusted the values in the part.cfg, so they look more realistic right now.

Expect release of v3.0 soon*.

*: Your definition of 'soon' may vary from mine...

[GROOV3ST3R]

I really appreciate the work you've done with these things. They really help my ships to come to life, so to speak. Absolutely love them!

[...snip...]

I was going to write a detailed description about how I felt the new flash mode was a lot more twitchy and sporadic than I'd hoped for, but then it occurred to me that new settings capabilities in the plugin might mean new settings in the part .cfg files too, which I initially did not copy from the new version.

Whoops!

I refined the timing sequence a bit, and now they feel that much more realistic to me. There is, however, still some twitchiness in how they work:

• All of the lights seem to be reluctant toward having their modes changed (on/blink/off). Sometimes multiple presses of the key are needed before they respond.
  
• The nav lights have a solid and blink mode, but selecting a mode takes multiple tries, and don't always follow the on-blink-off rotation. (see above item)
  
• The strobes are troublesome getting them to blink at the rate they're supposed to. Pressing "p" has different results each time. Sometimes it turns them off, sometimes they blink on/off at roughly once per second, sometimes they blink in the inverse of the sequence they're supposed to (on longer than off). It's a bit of a crap shoot as to whether they'll blink as expected when the key is hit.
  

Once they're up and running though, WOW! These things are worth overlooking the minor usability glitches anyway.

You need to really press the buttons and press them quickly. Sometimes they may switch too far - not sure why - but the sequence is and always will be OFF > Flash > Interval > ON since that is how they are programmed. Don't switch both O and P at the same time because that usually glitches as well

If you are unsure which mode you are at, keep pressing until there is no flash at all for 2 seconds and then tap the button once to switch to flash mode.

Strobes have the same modes as all other flashing lights. There is one program that defines the flash modes and each part can have it's own variables adjusted separately. Strobes will flash just like the regular lights and they will always do either 1 quick flash and pause or equal length on and off. There aren't any other options.

@BIgnose:

Hey can you PM me the values you set for each light now? I might want to adjust mine to that as well (Atm Im using either 0.15 or 0.1 for flashes)

[BigNose]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that: The problems with the lights sometimes not reacting to button presses solved itself with the implementation of Action Groups. They work 100% of the time now.

[BigNose]

V3.0 Released

Thanks to the contributions and help of JDP (author of RemoteTech) many new features and changes made it into this version:

CHANGELOG

Added

- Full Action Groups support

- Energy requirement and consumption (adjustable in .cfg)

- Ingame right-click-context menu for each light

Changed

- Plugin rewritten from Part class to PartModule class

- Removed staging icons

- Removed all staging dependencies (they work all the time now)

- Adjusted interval timers to be more realistic

- Code cleaned up

- Interval timers are now dependent on timewarp

Fixed

- Switching modes works 100% of the time now

- Modes now stay persistent even if the craft is not focused

- Modes are now handled per light (different modes on the same craft possible)

DOWNLOAD

Get it on SpacePort or from Mediafire!

Edited May 21, 2013 by BigNose

[Deadweasel]

This. Is. EPIC! Thank you so much!