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Ground Actors

Ground Actors Overview

Ground Actors are animated humanoid moving models within Nova.  They are made up of skins, animations and props.  These moving models are used to simulate groups of humans such as flight deck crew, military forces, civilians, and hostile enemies. 

Ground Actors Configuration

Ground Actors Token Configuration

There are three required tokens when setting up ground actors.

CODE 
GroundActors ON

Enables or disables the Ground Actors.  Set this token to ON to enable ground actors.  Defaults to OFF. This token is typically set in custom\pc-nova.cfg or in custom\override_<database>.cfg


CODE 
GroundActorAnimsCfgFile COMMON\RELEASE\V1\DB\DB_ANIMATION\CONFIG\ANIMATION_LIBRARY.csv

Specified the path to the .csv file containing the animations.  To load all available animations, point this token to COMMON\RELEASE\V1\DB\DB_ANIMATION\CONFIG\ANIMATION_LIBRARY.csv.  This token is typically set in custom\pc-nova.cfg or in custom\override_<database>.cfg


CODE 
GroundActorSkinsCfgFile custom\ground_actors_skins.csv

Specifies the path to the .csv file containing the skins or models used.  Some example skin .csv files are located at COMMON\RELEASE\V1\DB\DB_ANIMATION\CONFIG.  It is recommended to create a custom skins .csv file and place it in the custom directory so you only load the character models needed. This token is typically set in custom\pc-nova.cfg or in custom\override_<database>.cfg

Ground Actors Data Configuration

Skins File

Skins files are in .csv format.  They define the ID, file path to the actor skin, as well as file path to any attachments.  Several sample skin files are located at COMMON\RELEASE\V1\DB\DB_ANIMATION\CONFIG\.  It is recommended that a custom skins.csv file is created based on the specific program or system needs.  This prevents loading unused models.

Sample Skin snippet from GENERIC_CIVILIAN_SKINS.csv

TEXT 
81, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_collared_shirt_shorts/ADULT_MALE_collared_shirt_shorts_01.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
82, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_collared_shirt_shorts/ADULT_MALE_collared_shirt_shorts_02.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
83, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_cruise_ship_uni/ADULT_MALE_cruise_ship_uni_white.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
84, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_hiking/ADULT_MALE_hiking_01.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
85, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_hunting/ADULT_MALE_hunting_01.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
86, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_merchant_ship_uni/ADULT_MALE_merchant_ship_uni_white.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
87, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_polo_pants/ADULT_MALE_polo_pants_01.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
88, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_sail_boat_racer_cold_gear/ADULT_MALE_sail_boat_racer_cold_gear.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
89, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_ship_worker_coveralls/ADULT_MALE_ship_worker_coveralls_grey.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,
90, ../CHARACTERS/HUMAN/CIVILIAN/GENERIC/ADULT/ADULT_MALE_swim_cap_wetsuit/ADULT_MALE_swim_cap_wetsuit.cdae, , ../CONFIG/MOBILITY_DEMO_Attachments.csv,,,,,

Animation File

Animation files are in .csv format.  They define the ID and the corresponding animation file path.  Aechelon has an all encompassing animation library file located at COMMON\RELEASE\V1\DB\DB_ANIMATION\CONFIG\ANIMATION_LIBRARY.csv.  This file includes several other animation files.  If desired a user can create a custom animation file with IDs and animations only relevant to their program.

Sample Animation snippet from MOBILITY.csv

TEXT 
109, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_Relaxed_R_45.cban
110, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_Relaxed_R_90.cban
111, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_Relaxed_R_135.cban
112, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_Relaxed_R_180.cban
130, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_waving_R_L.cban
131, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_waving_R.cban
132, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_waving_L.cban
133, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_hand_blocking_sun.cban
,
# THROW,
118, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/THROW/MOBILITY_THROW_toss_life_ring.cban
,
# PULL,
143, ../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/PULL/MOBILITY_PULL_over_shoulder.cban
,
#BRACED,
73,../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_BRACED_idle.cban
80,../ANIMATIONS/HUMAN/ADULT/MOBILITY/STAND/MOBILITY_STAND_BRACED_hold_item_idle.cban

Props

See Props page for setup and usage of ground actor props.

Ground Actor Usage

Ground Actor ICD Interface

VariableDescription

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].update_mode 


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].id 


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].type

Type value from .csv file

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].conform

0: not conformed

1: conformed

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].xform_mode


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].action

Animation ID from .csv file(s)

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].collide_mode


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.id


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.goal


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.push_count


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.repeat


h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].parent.type 

Parent model type

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].parent.id

Array index of parent model

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].parent.attachment_point

Parent Attachment Point

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].position[0] 

Latitude in degrees or X offset in meters

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].position[1]

Longitude in degrees for Y offset in meters

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].height

Altitude in feet or Z offset in meters

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].heading

Heading in degrees

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].pitch 

Pitch in degrees

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].roll

Roll in degrees

h2ig.dat.ground_actor_hv[i].sourceCigiStream

The CIGI stream that created this entity


Ground Actor Runtime Operation

Place a ground actor in the scene and enable an animation

This scenario walks through placing a ground actor in the scene and then enabling a pre-defined animation.  This assumes that the full animation library is being referenced via GroundActorAnimsCfgFile.

If using AeHost:

  1. Click on the Database tab, under Region select Hawaii. 
  2. Under positions select the 0224_Pri_Oahu_PHNG_KANEOHE_BAY predefined position.
  3. On the ownship tab, select Alt of 20.0 and Heading of 312.0
  4. On the Targets Tab under Target Creation select Ground Actor and choose 1 then click Create.
  5. Click the Conform checkbox
  6. Move the ground actor closer to the eyepoint using the movement controls
  7. Rotate the heading to 129.0 degrees.
  8. Observe the ground actor facing the camera
  9. Click on the Visual Model and Special Effects tab.  Select 

If setting values directly in Spy:  

  1. Set ownship.pos[0] to 21.450399
  2. Set ownship.pos[1] to -157.768005
  3. Set ownship.pos[2] to 20.0
  4. Set ownship.orient.yaw to 312.0
  5. Set ground_actor_hv[0].type to 1
  6. Set ground_actor_hv[0].conform to 1
  7. Set ground_actor_hv[0].position[0] to 21.450475
  8. Set ground_actor_hv[0].position[1] to to -157.7679
  9. Set ground_actor_hv[0].heading to 129.0
  10. Set ground_actor_hv[0].action to 130 to enable the waving arms animation.





Ground Actor CIGI Packets

Entity Control Packet for Ground Actors

CIGI Packet ParameterValue and RangeNova Variable Mapping

Entity ID

Host determined

N/A

Entity Type

11001 - 11999

ground_actor_hv[x].type

Parent ID

Valid CIGI Entity ID

ground_actor_hv[x].parent.type

ground_actor_hv[x].parent.id

Roll

-180.0 - 180.0

ground_actor_hv[x].roll

Pitch

-90.0 - 90.0

ground_actor_hv[x]pitch

Yaw

0.0 - 360.0

ground_actor_hv[x].heading

Latitude / X Offset

Degrees if absolute

Meters if parented

ground_actor_hv[x].position[0]

Longitude / Y Offset

Degrees if absolute

Meters if parented

ground_actor_hv[x].position[1]

Altitude / Z Offset

Feet if absolute

Meters if parented

ground_actor_hv[x].height

Component Control Packets for Ground Actors

Component Class EntityV3 (0)
CompIDFieldDescriptionControl Parameter
0Update Modeground_actor_hv[i].update_mode

CompState


1Conformity ground_actor_hv[i].conform

CompState

2Xform Modeground_actor_hv[i].xform_mode

CompState

3Actionground_actor_hv[i].action

CompData[0] as unsigned short

4

Collide Mode

ground_actor_hv[i].collide_mode


5

Parent Attachment Point

ground_actor_hv[i].parent_attachment_point

CompState

6

ID

 ground_actor_hv[i].id

CompData[0] as unsigned short

7

Speed

No direct mapping.  If the ground actor speed is > GroundActorSpeedThreshold then the action is set to 0.

CompData[0] as float

8

Behavior Goal 

ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.goal

CompData[0] as unsigned short

Action

ground_actor_hv[i].action

CompData[1] as unsigned short

9

Behavior ID


ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.id

CompData[0] as unsigned short



Behavior Repeat

ground_actor_hv[i].behavior.repeat

CompData[1] as unsigned short

Ground Actor FX Tuning

No recommended FX Tuning





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