Star Shell effect (Using Lightmax)

[IckyATLAS]

I tried to use it as an internal hangar ceiling lighting at night but it is so intense that you light up 5 hangars with just one.

 

I do not see really how to use it. Is there a way to lower the intensity of the light?

 

The purpose is not clear to me. You can put it on a ships mast maybe but except if you want to be seen at night from earths orbit seems strange.

Edited April 30, 2024 by IckyATLAS

[jollyjack]

Also could not figure it out .. wish it was not stationary, and obeying to waypoints

[Monty_Thrud]

Would be good to have a "LightMin" for hangar lights, would also be good to have "Light max" as a flare for showing enemy units at night, tried it with the white flare but just not bright enough.

[Jaegermeister]

The only thing I have found it useful for is a night navigation beacon for WWI HP 0-400 bombing missions. When put on top of a water tower, it does a good job at that.

[IckyATLAS]

On 4/26/2024 at 11:47 PM, Jaegermeister said:

The only thing I have found it useful for is a night navigation beacon for WWI HP 0-400 bombing missions. When put on top of a water tower, it does a good job at that.

That is a good idea on top of a tower also as navigation for ships (even if we cannot drive ships). I am trying to use it like a starshell to illuminate a place, but it is fixed in altitude, illusion is ok if you switch it on for a few seconds but not more.

[Jaegermeister]

@Juri_JS was trying to do the same thing and was apparently not happy with the results

[IckyATLAS]

I made a simulated Star Shell effect using Lightmax and white smoke effects.

Star Shell were magnesium combustion based down with a parachute and emitted white smoke typical of magnesium fire.

I had to find a compromise between the lighting of the combustion which is gradual and the extinction that is immediate.

On the other hand to simulate the slowly loss of altitude with a parachute, I had to find a compromise between altitude steps of lighting and extinction of the effect.

There is also the smoke effect to be considered in connection to the lightmax. 

This means that altitude steps will define the speed of altitude loss in combination of lightmax duration.

To keep the effect acceptable when viewed from distance you have to strike a balance between the altitude steps and light duration. because the lighting is slow compared to extinction it creates limitations.

The compromise I found which is acceptable is a loss of 30 meters of altitude simulated in ten steps 3 meters per step) with 4 seconds per step that means 30 meters in 40 seconds. If you do more than 3 meters then you will start to see duplicated lightmax and it makes it not realistic.

I have put a video down below which is an excerpt of the Nightmare mission from my Kuban Wall campaign where I have now integrated this effect in the mission.

 

Video excerpt of the mission is:

You have just taken off from the Gelendzhik-1 airfield in a U2 biplane over the sea for a night harassment bombing mission. As you gain altitude on your right you see an alert flare and the a first star shell shot from a nearby destroyer in the bay illuminates what are German torpedo boats undercover of the night sneaking towards a beach nearby to unload an infantry commando, enjoy the rest.

 

I have also attached a group of this special effect that will allow you to use and play or modify this effect.

Have fun.

 

 

Fire Star Shell.zip

 

Kuban Wall Campaign Mission Nightmare.zip

[jollyjack]

Great findings !