Geometry LOD, HELP!

[Raptorsaurus]

Are there any tutorials on how to optimize the Geometry LOD to make planes/missiles fly better and respond better to changes in velocity?

I noticed that the BIS scud tilts very nicely when you change its vertical velocity.  If the velocity puts the missile at a 60 degree climb, the missile actually tilts to 60 degrees!!  But I made my own scud (baiscally it is the BIS model, but just recentered on the "pin" (The BIS model is set too far from the pin so its OFP engine zero point is actually more than a metter offset from the rocket).  Anyway, I change nothing except for moving all the LOD's to be centered on the pin, but now my model no longer behaves like the BIS scud rocket.  My version jiggles around and spins in all sorts of crazy ways when it is flying!!  So I imagine there is something in the geometry LOD that I inadvertantly messed up.  Any help is much appreciated.

[Planck]

Which scud model did you use?

I think the only reason it is offset from the pin in Oxygen is because that is the height it would be at if you combine it with the scud vehicle.


Planck

[Raptorsaurus]

I used the scud_strella_proxy.  I used the ODOL viewer to convert it to MLOD, then I edited the MLOD using Oxygen.  Yes, I agree with you that the offset is probalby for its meshing with the launcher, but why would my shifiting my copy to a more setPos friendly zero point make it behave so strangely to setVelocity?  I will attach the MLOD p3d file, maybe you can spot what I screwed up?  My guess is that I somehow messed up some aspect of the geometry LOD.  Am I correct that Geometry LOD is the LOD that influences how, air and objects effect the model in the OFP engine?  I am very new to modeling, so any help is much appreciated.

[Planck]

I think the Geometry LOD is mainly for collision detection and to give the model it's mass.......amongst other things.

I think the flight dynamics are handled entirely by the game engine.

EDIT:  Actually the scud_strela_proxy is the static model that goes on the vehicle.....scud_strela_ohen is the flying model.




Planck

[Raptorsaurus]

Both the scud_strella_proxy and the scud_strella_ohen can be camcreated, the _ohen just has the flame texture.  I actually use the _ohen for when it is blasting off and the _proxy for after the fuel "burns out" (scripted time of thrust).

I did some playing with the geometry mass numbers and now the missile no longer flips arround erratically, but now it will not tilt with changes in velocity.  So I think the geometry, including mass, does effect the way it responds to ofp "wind resistance".

Here is something else I found.  If I convert the OLOD files to MLOD, but then do no other changes, I still have problems.  MLOD models load OK and show up when I createVehicle them, but they will not tilt or change direction when I change the velocities.  But the original OLOD models tilt and change pointing direction very nicely with changes in velocities.  So, maybe the OLOD to MLOD conversion is loosing something?

With all the desire to have a setpitch command I was so pleased to find that the scuds do not need a setPitch with proper velocity manipulation, but this problem is very frustrating.  Why should it behave differently if the model is MLOD instead of OLOD?  Maybe I should try to convert it back to OLOD after I recenter the model.  But I do not know how to do that, are there any good programs for going from MLOD to OLOD?  I tried BinarizeIT, but I keep getting erros with that.

[Planck]

No. sorry Binarize is it, I know of no other way.


Planck