MULTI NIGHT MODEL TEXTURE ENABLE DLL
[v.2.0]

(c) ROTW 05 Septembre 2004

Laurent Claudet

laurent.claudet@agriculture.gouv.fr



Default TRI aircrafts have different distance models and texture files for both daylight and night but while TRI textures are identical for electrical subsystems, this dll renders up to 4 different night textures according to the cockpit switches. 
The example enclosed is for the TRI Pilatus with detailed instructions.

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Install :

- NightModel_v2.0.dll in ...\modules\pc folder

and as an example of use

- TEST_NightMdl_0.ACM in ...\models folder
- TEST_NightMdl_0.TIF in ...\art folder
- TEST_NightMdl_1.ACM in ...\models folder
- TEST_NightMdl_1.TIF in ...\art folder
- TEST_NightMdl_2.ACM in ...\models folder
- TEST_NightMdl_2.TIF in ...\art folder
- PILATUS.AMP in ...\world folder

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Usage :

- nothing special to do : cool, isn't it ?



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TEXTURE ARTIST INSTRUCTIONS

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You can prepare up to 4 night textures (even though I used only 3 textures with my example).
These textures show the aircraft according to the switches in the cockpit.
As an example we should have a "all black" texture, a texture with the main panel illuminated , a texture when taxi and land lights are "on", a texture with flying illuminated livery.
These are just examples even though we should always have almost the "all black" texture as default.
NB : if no night textures are provided, the dll uses the default day (or LOD file night). 

AMP file :

The dll is called through the amp file with this script (tag <ntmd>)

	<subs> -- --
	ntmd
	<bgno>
		<norm>
		TEST
	<endo>

Where <norm> is the name root for night texture files (read below).

Each night texture is called by a unique identifier <unId> called 

	ntx0 ---> dark texture or no light texture
	ntx1 ---> texture 1
	ntx2 ---> texture 2
	ntx3 ---> texture 3

As ntx0 is the default "black" texture, you don't need to call it explicitely. Prepare only calls scripts for ntx1, ntx2, ntx3 for the dll uses the ntx0 texture when no other texture is called.
NB : you can't change the name of these identifiers. 

Texture calls :
Example

	<subs> --  --
	genI
	<bgno>
		<unId>
		ntx1
		<++++> -- Add Values --
		<mVal> -- Value Message --
		<bgno>
			<grou>
			avo1
		<endo>
		<mVal> -- Value Message --
		<bgno>
			<grou>
			avo2
		<endo>
		<eBus>
		avo1
		<eBus>
		avo2
		<_AND>
	<endo>



This script adds avionics switches values (2 in the Pilatus) so the ntx1 is "0" without any avionic switches flicked or "1" or "2" if any. The texture is called when > 0.
[Note that ntx1 checks also for eBus]

ntx2 cheks for land, taxi or nav lights in the same way.

The dll checks first the third call ntx3, then the ntx2 and so on : if any of these calls is >0 the texture is called without any more check for the other ntx lower calls ! So we have an inverted hierarchie texture call 3-2-1-0.

Textures names :

Use the <norm> value as root and add " _NightMdl_n " to the end.
Examples with "TEST"

	TEST_NightMdl_0.ACM
	TEST_NightMdl_1.ACM
	TEST_NightMdl_2.ACM
	TEST_NightMdl_3.ACM





FINALLY :

- Night Models can be produced from LOW, MEDIUM or HIGHT day model files
(in my example I took the PILATUS HIGHT one and I slightly modify the TIFs because I'm not skilled enough for that). I think we should ever use hight textures to get a beatiful night texture, aren't we ?

- I think that those "night" files can be podded with the complete aircraft if needed, but I haven't tested it yet ...


