Convert flyable addons to AI format

[Butch]

What steps are required to convert flyable/driveable aircraft/boats to AI aircraft/boats.
I think there are a few folders not required but don't remember

Thanks in advace

[AnkH]

Just compare a flyable plane with an ai plane in your computer. If I am not wrong, you do not need a panel folder and a sound folder (if yes, call it soundai instead). Means, you also do not Need those lines in your corresponding aicraft.cfg.

But: do you really want to use a flyable addon as AI? Usually, flyable addons lack stuff that makes AI models more performant, such as mipped textures, additional LODs etc. Means: if you use a flyable addon as AI traffic, you will most certainly have performance issues sooner or later...

[Blaunarwal]

You don't need to convert flyable aircraft to AI aircraft to use it as ai. But as Chris said, normal aircraft can be very complex and therefore slow down your system when widely used as AI. Myself I use the TDS Boeing 737 as AI in P3D4 for self made AI traffic. But I'd never use the PMDG 737 which I fly, for AI.

If you convert and remove the panel, don't forget to rename the aircraft not only the folders. It needs also a unique title otherwise the sim will not allow two simobjects with the same name.

The sound folder still can be used. I have all AI with sound on my system. Gives a lot of immersion, if it's loud at the airport. Actually I don't know, why AI sound folders are named differently.

Dan

[AnkH]

Even the TDS 737 is a multitude more heavy on performance than any AI plane, I would not even do this (I know, you have no performance issues so far...). Use the FAIB 737 series instead, you will also find way more repaints for this 737 AI variant than for the TDS one.

Which brings me to another advantage of a proper AI plane over flyable ones: usually, you will find hundreds of repaints for AI planes while you will only find selected (common) repaints for flyable planes.

Regarding sound: I was not aware that a normal sound folder works as well. But I agree, if you equip the AI traffic with proper sounds, the immersion is even better. For this, I use the payware "TRAFFIC3D SOUNDS FOR ULTIMATE TRAFFIC LIVE", they work perfectly even if you do not own UTLive.

[Blaunarwal]

Haha, have the Traffic3D sounds too. Use it for MyTraffic.

I have a special Business Jet paint and only therefore use the TDS Boeing. Never saw this paint somewhere else.



Maybe I could make this bird lighter for AI use, but as long I don't have a performance problem because of it, I don't spend time in that.

[AnkH]

Ah, I get it, you only have the TDS for very specific paints, that makes sense. I thought you use it as main AI 737, which would be a killer on a 737 heavy airport.

Regarding your repaint: it exists for the old AIA 737 model (repainted by Juergen Baumbusch on avsim). You can get P3D conversions over at AIG to use it in P3Dv4.x.

[Blaunarwal]

Thanks for the hint. I even found the model already on my drive. The free FTX AI packages have a lot of AI .mdl converted to P3D4 standard. I usually compare a new AI texture with the one in the respective aircraft of FTX AI. If it has the same layout, only vertically mirrored, I know I can use it.
I also convert the old bmp textures to dds, just mirroring vertical and the saving as dds. All can be done with DXTBmp and Paint.net or other paint program.

[Blaunarwal]

Too bad the paint setup just changed a little from AIA to FAIB. I have to get a converted AIA 737-700 model.

[AnkH]

I have to get a converted AIA 737-700 model.

There you go: https://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=165838

[Blaunarwal]

I have to get a converted AIA 737-700 model.

There you go: https://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=165838

Got it thanks. The textures were more difficult to find. Still have to find out, how it works with the new models.

So wie got a bit off topic here.

Butch, can we help you with a certain aircraft, converting into AI plane?