Health

Virtual aircraft creation is again taking a back seat, this time, due to health issues.

A large mass (tumour) last week was discovered in my right thigh. It is causing complications by compressing blood vessels and causing and a bit of thrombosis, thankfully in veins near the surface and not DVT, otherwise I would have been in hospital a while. I ended up unexpectedly in hospital to control the clotting. I have return to outpatients tomorrow to find out the next step. In the meantime I have to inject myself with Clexine blood thinning medication as I will probably have to have surgery. Hopefully only a biopsy as the mass itself is about 10cm in diameter.

I have had trouble with this leg since 2001 following a septic pyelonephritis which my doctor suggested turned into septicaemia and possibly caused joint infection in the hips & knees, later that year. Recurring UTI symptoms returned in 2004 and appeared to affect my leg. Hopefully the mass is benign all will end up well this time around, and I'm not sidelined too long.

If I disappear from forums & blogging a while, this will be the reason why.

Rob

Freeware WIP

As I posted in Wing Fell Off, I started my new job this week so I now mainly a weekend warrior as to working on 3D.

Here are a few pics of 4 current WIP meshes of aircraft destined for FSX.... freeware of course.


Albatros DV/DVa


Sopwith Triplane.


Sopwith Snipe


Sopwith Baby

I'm not working to any definite timetable with these. They'll be ready in due course.

Rob

I'm back :)

That's right! The Biff Diaries is now returning after a brief period of hibernation.

The FSX SP1 beta is almost there and I have freed up enough time to move forward with my pursuit of virtual aircraft creation to the extent I can start posting WIP updates here. I have also started a new job and this has provided some stability to make plans.

The Sopwith Snipe is now back in WIP. The Snipe has been on and off for a long time, straddling many other projects. It'll be nice to see it finished. I'm also still picking away at my new Sopwith Triplane model & giving consideration to reviving the Sopwith Baby too for FSX. If not the Baby then some other WW1 seaplane for FSX.

Flight dynamics is now a project for bed time reading and commuting to work.

Nice to be back!! :)

Rob

A Temporary Ending.....................

................more like hibernation.

I'll be putting this blog to sleep for the time being. Any aircraft creation/modeling posts, if there are any, will now appear my other blog "The Wing Fell Off". This blog only receives 10 visits a day so it's no big deal..LOL. I'll sort of be going into hibernation too, from the aircraft creation perspective but not for too long. :)

The reasons being frustrations and delays on a number matters, largely beyond my control, which make it difficult to move ahead at the pace I desire, and issues preventing planning of ongoing & future projects. I am also spending too much time on virtual projects and the digital world.... time to do other things.

I still hope to release at least a couple aircraft this year, possibly WW1 aircraft. However I tend to question the wisdom of creating such for FSX.... especially payware. I imagine there wouldn't be enough interest in such. We'll see how the first two go.

With Microsoft's cancellation of CFS4 a couple of years ago, no new CFS in sight and Aces studio, the creator of the FS/CFS/TS series, tied up with FSX and Train Simulator projects for the next couple of years it's going to be difficult to maintain a high level of interest in virtual aviation. I am primarily interested in the historical aspects of aviation and air combat. FSX does not really cater for those of us into vintage or military aviation.

Hopefully one day Aces will be able to add features to enable period scenery & autogen, perhaps controlled by date, and also preferably combat capabilities. They have waited for too long to do something about the CFS series.

Even though I have enjoyed CFS3, it is now a little bit dated. However CFS3 mainly disappoints me by being too simplistic as to aircraft systems, and lacks the ability to create and add new animations and instruments, as one can with Flight Simulator. That aside I do plan a couple of CFS3 releases in the future.

At the end of the day all this means is that virtual aircraft creation will be pursued at a more leisurely pace. I will be focusing my time on the theoretical side of virtual aircraft creation i.e. learning in the area of aerodynamics and flight modeling. I will of course be trying conceive a project worth pursuing where I can maintain an appropriate level of interest during development and which will also be commercially viable as a FSX add-on. More time will be spent on other creative pursuits & hobbies and getting more physical exercise. Of course if CFS were to return I'll have no problems finding suitable digital projects.

BTW the Biff will be in the next issue of PC-Pilot.

cheers for now

Rob

Flight models, theory & decisions.

Now that I have again temporarily put the Sopwith Snipe to one side for a few days I am shifting focus. With my ambition to create payware/commercial aircraft one cannot use the Flight Model Data Workbook or Airwrench for any commercial projects as their user agreements preclude such. (One can still use these for freeware releases and I still intend to produce a few along the way.)

I will use other tools such as Aircraft Airfile Manager and MS Excel using my own formulae. Of course something as comprehensive as the FMDWB is beyond my capabilities at this time. However I am collating information and equations from a variety of sources, many on-line, and over time this should evolve into my own workbook. I will of course, be concentrating on aircraft of the 1916-1938 period though I have two 40's/50's jets earmarked for possible commercial release much later on.

I am tempted to take time out to focus on the theory side of things but I still hope to create many new meshes. Return to my usual vocation looks likely too and this may help with the theory side of things. I'll have plenty of time to read, commuting to and from work, between the island & Brisbane.

Aircraft will be ready when they are ready. ;)

cheers

Rob

Information sought Sopwith Snipe

You know the saying 'so near... yet so far....'. That's the way the Snipe is shaping out.

I have encountered difficulty obtaining information related to cockpit details and the fuel system.

I have good detail from a variety of sources of the left side of the cockpit and main instrument panel however little of the right hand side of the cockpit. I have managed to fill in many gaps but some details remain elusive. If anyone has any decent photographs of the right hand internal details of the cockpit I'd be very pleased to hear from them.

The other area I seek assistance is clarification of the fuel system. I have posted a question on this at the Aerodrome but have yet to receive a response. I'll leave things be for a few days and see how I go.

I discovered some possible sources of information on the weekend. Expensive (on my budget anyway LOL) and possibly not obtainable from Australia given the vendors' purchase options. Also possible overkill for 3D model reference material.

http://www.ww1aerojournal.org/mml1.html
http://www.replicraft.us.fm/

I am considering a number of options. We're not beaten yet. Though the Snipe may be shelved and be completed as payware at a later date. We'll see...... :)

Rob

Brief Update

From the virtual aircraft creation perspective, most of this week has been spent working on Sopwith Snipe related issues. I have been working on uv mapping the virtual cockpit.

Now I have paused to research a few cockpit issues and figure out how I'm going to handle cockpit instrument lighting. This is a little bit different from normal FS aircraft and I also use 3D parts rather than the FS gauge system. I also have to figure out how the fuel system works. I am also still researching and experimenting with the flight model.

Little work has been carried out on the Sopwith Triplane this week. I still intend to pursue that as a freeware project and freeware projects have low priority compared to projects ear marked as future commercial/payware projects (apart from the Snipe). I have also worked a little bit this week on the Me P.1112 for CFS3, but again this has low priority.

This weekend some more work on the Snipe and I'll start refreshing the Dr.I's mesh.

Rob

Biff Download Stats as at 9 March 2007

I was very surprised when I checked and talied the Biff's download stats the other day.

As at March 9 2007 - 30,040 downloads of all versions over 3 platforms, FSX, FS2004 & CFS3. These are from Avsim, Simviation, Sim-Outhouse & Flightsim.com

Total FSX (all packages) - 17,103 (From 2 Feb 2007)
Total FS9 (all packages) - 6,329 (From 18 Feb 2007)
Total CFS3 - 6,608 (From 30 March 2006)

It'll be very interesting to see how the FSX version ends up a few months from now.

All in all quite pleasing.

Rob

Slight Change of Plans

Now that I am back to aircraft creation after an enforced week's absence due to a Windows crash and other software related problems, I have again had to change priorities and focus on the Sopwith Snipe. It's fortunate that I managed to get the situation with Max 8.0 sorted out because if I had not, the Snipe and all my current WIP would have to have been shelved until MS update their SDK to make use of Max 9.0. The Snipe would have been an eventual payware release if it did have to be shelved.

Anyway Max 8.0 appears to be running OK. I'll just have to continue work on the Triplane as and when I can. I had originally intended resume work on the Snipe this coming Sunday anyway, so I might as well start now.

I enjoyed the change in activities during the week and revisited some of my earlier artistic pursuits from years gone by. When I'll find the time to pursue them properly I don't know?

cheers

Rob

Back in the design game

Now back up and the running with Max 8.0, many thanks to my Autodesk Reseller. :)