Search Light?

[Travelbob]

Hi guys, just wondering if the search lights for the AA needs a special script or are they just not working yet? During night no search lights operate when enemy planes appear!

Any sirenes? No right?

Similar question: Am I right and no plane is able to switch his navigation lights on/off? I can't find any key for this. No navigation lights and no landing lights?

Hope someone can answer!?

[41Sqn_Stormcrow]

You might need some energy source for the search lights. Perhaps other stuff too.

But I have some doubts that we can turn on any light ingame right now.

[Gamekeeper]

Searchlight placement (http://airwarfare.com/sow/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=151:searchlight-script&catid=76:object-management&Itemid=128)

Searchlights example (http://airwarfare.com/sow/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118:searchlights&catid=76:object-management&Itemid=128)

[Travelbob]

As far as I'm aware, no nav or landing lights yet.

For searchlights, you need an AI actor searchlights.cpp or lights.cpp, can't remember which, plus you need a power generator and the poweron.cpp actor.

Oha...ok Thank you...

[159th_Jester]

I'm still having trouble with getting searchlights to work. I downloaded the example mission in the above link and even that didn't work.

I set up the searchlights with power generators pretty much right next to them. I set an AI on the map, select the powerON.ccp and set it as the target for each of the power generators.

Nothing happens.

I have seen mention of needing an "Airfield" AI on the map.... But what do you link it to? and what script do you define for it?

Can someone give me a step by step explanation of how to get the lights on please?

[WarFox101]

This is what you do, you set the AI to power on set the radius to cover the generator and search light, Next you set the generators target to the AI icon, Next set the searchlight target to the AI icon. after that it should work fine so long as there is darkness.

[159th_Jester]

Thanks WarFox. I'll give it another try.

[159th_Jester]

Still no searchlights.

I tried connecting both the generators and the lights to the existing anti air AI (with the PowerOn.cpp and a 1000m radius selected) and I tried deleting that AI, and creating another Airfield AI (again with PowerOn.cpp and 1000m radius).

Also tried various times from just after sundown through to midnight.

No searchlights turned on at any stage even with an enemy aircraft set up to constantly circle the airbase where the searchlights are located.

[WarFox101]

What about the AI Type is it set to Anti-air?

Edit: OK i see you created a Airfield AI, so it needs to be a Anti-air AI. It should work now.

[159th_Jester]

I tried the Anti Air AI as well, WarFox. I only tried the Airfield AI when I got no result with the Anti Air.

I'm stumped as to why I can't get it to work.

[159th_Jester]

Thanks Cheesehawk.

For starters, I downloaded the searchlighths example mission from Gamekeeper's post (#4 in this thread). Even the example mission didn't work.

If you have a few spare minutes could you download it and try it? May be a better place to start from than a copy of what I have (which is the exact same mission with different AI options tried and the generators moved closer to the searchlights).

If the original example mission works for you it will tell me the problem is in either my hardware, game settings or install, and if it doesn't work for you maybe you'll spot what's wrong.

[WarFox101]

I believe the searchlight example needs to have the same name as the mission. Have you tried to rename it.

[159th_Jester]

You've lost me there. The searchlight example is a mission file.

[ATAG_Bliss]

To make search lights work you need Antiair (AI) truck icon on the ground. Under actor make sure to choose antiair.cpp. Finally, set the radius. This will determine when the search lights start looking around / fire up etc. (enemy plane radius). Now place an Airfield (AI) and under actor use poweron.cpp. Place the radius however far out you will have to power your search lights.

Now add a generator and a few search lights. Connect the generator to the poweron.cpp (AI truck thingy) with the set command under the actor screen of the generator.

Now fly an enemy plane near and and away you go.

[159th_Jester]

Thanks Bliss. I see how to two AI actors are supposed to work now. I won't get chance to try it today, but I'll give it a go as soon as I can.

Happy Christmas. and many thanks to all who've taken the time to try and help me out with this thus far. :)

[csThor]

BTW is it just me or is the searchlight effect ... underwhelming? I mean I tried it after reading about the issues and I couldn't see the searchlights from the aircraft but only when I switched to an external view of the searchlight itself. Could be another factor ...

[ICU_DIE535]

I agree with the underwhelming searchlights effect, I'll try it with the clouds as you have suggested. I had a hard time setting up the search lights like this person is. But until I put a camera there to see the lights were actually on I found out I had set up the searchlights correctly from the start, you just cannot really tell the searchlights are on you when flying a plane. Its not like the effect you get from IL-2 1946 searchlights. I think this is mostly the problem people have when they set up the searchlights for their first time. You can't really see the beam of light at all, unless there are clouds there.

[Osprey]

Could this be used as a Chance light?

[xpupx]

the light intensity is Very poor, change time to 2 or 3 am so the map is in total darkness then use the right click menu to navigate to your searchlight and you will see it!

[Buzpilot]

I made this test mission May last year, still works. You'll need to change time to after midnight to see searchlights, they are still weak.
And you'll see you need a ton of flak to be effective.

[SiThSpAwN]

The search lights seem very thin and very harsh, as in the beam is very defined, I thought a search light would be softer with more of a glow around them, if you get my meaning. How do others feel about how they look? Maybes its a graphics setting thing...

I did only try one type of light so maybe others are different?

[battler23]

did you ever get the seaRchlights to work? I can't either....

[Sokol1]

Dah! Searchlights ended "broken" at the end.

The AI Anti.air Power.on script work, the guys rotate the searchlight tracking the plane, but its light is now invisible! ...

Sokol1