i have one or two unfinished searchlights on my HD. problem is they don't work properly.
as i have an idea please allow me to hijack your thread....
all i need is a good config writer willing to help me out a little.
the basic idea: make the search light a subclass of the standard laser designator weapon and the laser dot a subclass of the standard laser dot. instead of mapping it red we map it with a transparent texture. then you detect the laser dot which is an separate object with a config entry via a script and setpos a light object at its place. (light objects are quite easy to config -- even for me ;D )
by making it a weapon all AI scripting issues are obsolete.
two basic problems to be overcome: 1. laser designators only work as secondary weapons and as armament of helis. (i've tried everything else - result: ofp crashes.) hence the only way to make a laser-designator-searchlight is to make it a static immobile heli. quite simple, but not simple enough for my configing skills.
2. the laser designator can't be detected with a fired eventhandler. therefore the script that setposes the light object must be permanently looped and register all of our custom laser dots on the map... again a little too much for my scripting skills.
(however... model and textures are at like 85%
)