Adding LOGO lights to ivao_x-csl files for better visibility and realism at night for VATSIM or IVAO traffic

[indrostratus]

Since someone has already posted the fix using legacy values for ELECTRICAL section in systems

.cfg file of ai aircraft I decided to add LOGO lights to the models to add to realism. Here are the results obtained today at EDDM on VATSIM.

[indrostratus]

To achieve this I changed the following section in systems.cfg file as below:

For example in :\MSFS\Community\ivao_x-csl\SimObjects\Airplanes\IVAO_A320fCFM\systems.cfg

[ELECTRICAL]
; LEGACY
max_battery_voltage = 24 ; ###
generator_alternator_voltage = 28 ; ###
max_generator_alternator_amps = 60 ; ###
electric_always_available = 1 ; ###
flap_motor = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
gear_motor = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
autopilot = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
avionics_bus = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
avionics = 1, 5, 17 ; ###
pitot_heat = 0, 2, 17 ; ###
additional_system = 0, 2, 17 ; ###
marker_beacon = 1, 2, 17 ; ###
gear_warning = 0, 2, 17 ; ###
fuel_pump = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
starter1 = 0, 20, 17 ; ###
light_nav = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_beacon = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_landing = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_taxi = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_strobe = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_panel = 0, 5, 17 ; ###
light_logo = 0, 5, 17 ;

This was already suggested by someone on this forum to make the lights work, I just added light_logo = 0, 5, 17 to make the logo lights connect to the electrical bus.

Then I edited the [LIGHTS] section in systems.cfg as follows

[LIGHTS]
lightdef.0=Type:3#Index:1#LocalPosition:-17.865253,55.230568,4.452876#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_NavigationGreen#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_NAVIGATION_GREEN
lightdef.1=Type:3#Index:2#LocalPosition:-17.865000,-55.230988,4.453050#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_NavigationRed#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_Navigation_red
lightdef.2=Type:2#Index:1#LocalPosition:-18.460833,-55.504601,4.452950#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,60.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_StrobeDouble#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_Strobe_Left
lightdef.3=Type:2#Index:2#LocalPosition:-18.461000,55.505001,4.453000#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,-60.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_StrobeDouble#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_Strobe_Right
lightdef.4=Type:1#Index:1#LocalPosition:3.717968,0.000000,9.940319#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_BeaconTop#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_BEACON_TOP
lightdef.5=Type:1#Index:2#LocalPosition:5.997935,0.000000,-4.372193#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_BeaconBelly#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_BEACON_BELLY
lightdef.6=Type:3#Index:3#LocalPosition:-73.793213,0.000000,6.224617#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,180.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_NavigationWhite#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_Navigation_White
lightdef.7=Type:2#Index:3#LocalPosition:-73.797852,0.000000,6.335907#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,180.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_StrobeDouble#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_STROBE_REAR
lightdef.8=Type:5#Index:1#LocalPosition:0.195332,-7.364830,-2.173142#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LandingLarge#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_LANDING_MAIN_LEFT
lightdef.9=Type:5#Index:2#LocalPosition:0.195000,7.365000,-2.173000#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LandingLarge#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_LANDING_MAIN_RIGHT
lightdef.10=Type:5#Index:3#LocalPosition:32.656708,-0.613699,-4.166347#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LandingLarge#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_LANDING_FRONT_LEFT
lightdef.11=Type:6#Index:1#LocalPosition:33.176888,-0.709952,-5.949129#LocalRotation:0.000000,0.000000,0.000000#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_TaxiLarge#PotentiometerIndex:1#EmMesh:LIGHT_Asobo_Taxi
lightdef.12=Type:9#Index:1#LocalPosition:-66.0,-10.3,8.0#LocalRotation:-50,0,-70#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLightLarge#PotentiometerIndex:3#EmMesh:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLeft
lightdef.13=Type:9#Index:2#LocalPosition:-66.0,10.3,8.0#LocalRotation:-50,0,70#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLightLarge#PotentiometerIndex:3#EmMesh:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoRight

By default there were several errors, for example strobes are type 2 but were type 1 in the default file. This will make the strobes go at the gate itself when probably beacon was turned on, so i chnaged the strobes to type 2. Also changed the top and bottom beacons to type 1 which is correct for beacons. Also corrected all the indices of the lights.

I added two new lines

lightdef.12=Type:9#Index:1#LocalPosition:-66.0,-10.3,8.0#LocalRotation:-50,0,-70#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLightLarge#PotentiometerIndex:3#EmMesh:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLeft
lightdef.13=Type:9#Index:2#LocalPosition:-66.0,10.3,8.0#LocalRotation:-50,0,70#EffectFile:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoLightLarge#PotentiometerIndex:3#EmMesh:LIGHT_Asobo_LogoRight

These are for LOGO lights left and right. They are given type 9 as expected and connect logo_light signal. Some airplanes I saw were not turning logo lights so if you want logo lights to always remain ON you can change the type to 3 which corresponds to NAV lights and whenever network user will turn on nav lights logo will also turn on.

Note Local Position, you can play around with this to position the light so that it covers the tail for different aircraft. Keep the LocalRotation same as what I have done as it makes the light point towards the tail.

I hope this helps and makes the VATSIM/IVAO experience for immersive.

NOTE: Do not change location of default light definitions as these are aircraft specific. Only add the two logo light definitions and correct the type value of strobes and beacons.

[aut0mater]

Thanks for this! I will test later and add to my Python script I created to add these settings to the cfg files. I’ll share the GitHub Gist when it’s updated.

[indrostratus]

I have added them manually for many aircraft of the IVAO_X-CSL files by trial and error. If you need the files let me know as placing the logo lights properly was the most tedious effort and to test them I had to encounter correct online aircraft on the network and to see the tails getting lit correctly.

[aut0mater]

Oh yeah that would be great, I can improve upon the logic in the script to handle each aircraft folder individually.

[indrostratus]

Okay. Ill try to get you the files by sharing a link, but it will take me a day to collate them as here its late night currently.

[aut0mater]

No worries, take your time.

[aut0mater]

Here is the python script updated to include changes above for [LIGHTS] section and the last line addition to [ELECTRICAL]:

https://gist.github.com/cmachler/8252a2cf99179b542b0b5ea8163dd3cd

Was able to get it to see it in action in Europe, no luck in Canada or US:

[indrostratus]

The script if I read correctly sets location values constant to all the aircraft. This will change the position of lights to same location as what you have coded. But the position is aircraft specific. For example LocalPosition parameter for A320fCFM is different than A321fCFM or B738s models etc.

Yours script will set it to same values for all aircraft and hence you may be not seeing it on other aircraft.

Also, since logo light is type 9, some users may not turn on their logo lights and you may not see it on. So now I have set it to type 3, so whenevere user turns on NAV lights I also see their Logo lights on.

[aut0mater]

Oh sorry, should have been more specific. My issues of not seeing lights was not specific to the logo lights. It seems I can’t see any lights on aircraft depending on where I am on the world on VatSim, nothing to do with the modification.

[PIC4506]

Same here. Flew on Vatsim for the first time in awhile and no nav lights visible from other players.

[cirurginn]

Thanks for posting this!, is there any way to know which is the correct position of logo lights for the remaining planes on IVAO? I don’t mind manually correcting all of them but that info I do not know.

Also, do I need to modify anything to the Asobo A320 folder?

[PIC4506]

Is there an easy way to run a bat file or something to change all of the IVAO aircraft at once? Being hopeful here…

[indrostratus]

I did all by trial and error. I am trying to share the files using google drive. Will post link here

[Butt3rChick3n90]

Im confused.. I remember the lights working at some point on vatsim with the IVAO traffic.. Did something change in the recent patches? Also, can you share your work? Would be greatly appreciated!

[PIC4506]

SU5 changed the electrical coding for aircraft. I too wish that there was an easy fix for the IVAO traffic in Vatsim because currently the lights on other aircraft don’t show.