Simulating flight 2019 with a Spitfire

[mikeb]

So every few year i like to come back to try something new with cinema 4d & aircraft.

My last outing was a while ago…

I coded a physics based flight simulator a few years back in my favourite 3d program. It took me weeks to get up and running properly. But i was happy with the results…



I'll be putting a few days aside to see what i can do and i'll be posting the results here…

So now i've decided to fire up the old files, but try something new. Seeing as i have a working flight model, i thought i try & get xpresso (visual code in cinema 4d) to fly the plane. Less work for me & i'd like to see how a basic AI (very basic) works out…

I will upload a video soon but here's a still for the meantime.

 

[mikeb]

This started off as many of my side projects do, as an idea on a beer mat.

Seeing as i already had a (simple) flight model with controls, i got to thinking. If i added a pointer in the cockpit that pointed to a target, i could get the controls of the aircraft to roll & toward to target & then use the elevator controls to pull the nose up onto its target.

This way the aircraft will copy the rolling technique of the ww2 fighters who's engines would stall if they tried to pull negative g's (It also keeping their eyes on target). Win win!

Then i got to thinking what else could i achieve within cinema 4d (my 3d program of choice) & using xpresso (its node based programming language).



I have a long list of things i think i can do & an even longer list of things i have no idea if i can get working…

 

[mikeb]

So next up i might have run before i could walk, but lots going on here.

I started to add shooting logic. So what better way to test it than pitting two fighters against each other. To see what the xpresso code is capable of (at the moment).

As you will see there needs to be some tweaks. (the two planes keep colliding for a start). So far they have not been taught to break from their targets. They also turn too fast & don't quite target properly...

I will add particle effects later, these gunfire proxy meshes are just so i can see if the plane is opening fire.



I find sometimes its good to throw yourself in at the deep end. To see if you can float yet.

More soon. Any questions are welcome.

 

[Snautzer01]

Love the clunking noise when they collide. Truly nights of the sky. Jest aside nice work.

 

[mikeb]

cheers fella, i thought the collisions deserved some audio love..

So this video looks a little more simple than the last. But don't be fooled by appearances. He now has mission guidelines, which will eventually allow him to decide what to do for himself.

The model is new as well. I have added a function so you can just drag & drop a new model onto my flight object to speed things up (you might notice the axis on the ailerons & the prop aren't quite aligned correctly).

The red balls are his true orientation (which will help him to fly in formation soon).

 

[mikeb]

So back in the digital skies (this time rendered with GI).

Our camera is following the wingman who's trying to keep up with the pink target. While the flight leader trying to get on target with the green target (I have also fixed the problems with the axis on the ailerons & the prop).

 

[mikeb]

Not quite as talkative bunch as i thought you'd be around here. So sick bags at the ready for this one. Testing continues...

So this time my AI is showing that i forgot to teach it the importance of level flight, or how to use the rudder.

Still so much to do, at least this render is 1080p...

 

[Gnomey]

Cool!