The second version of fin tool, loaded with all the cool crap that wing tools ought to have.

Full feature list:

• Fin plane is determined by the first face you click, so you can really use any prop you want.
• Updatable, removable, etc.
• Smartsnap will still work with finn'd props.
• Three types of lift to choose from: Classic (no lift), Lift by plane normal, and Bernoulli lift which pulls the fin to one side or the other depending on its orientation.
• Option to calculate wind effects (will work perfectly fine for triangle sails, etc.)
• Option to calculate thermal cline. This will put a bit of lift on the fin if it's over concrete or a body of water.

New in 2.1:

• everything reacts properly to efficiency.
• classic fin simulation is togglable.
• wind direction changes are more realistic.

New in 2.2:

nothin. Just fixed a dumb bug.

New in 2.3:
Tad2020 rocks massively.

From his changelog:
[added] duplication support
[added] clean up
[added] MP limit
[added] right click copy fin settings


This is madness! this... is... WIND SIMULATION!

View YouTUBE video http://youtube.com/watch?v=AZj0GvYKSGI

Download 2.3


Download 2.2:


Download 2.1:


Download:

YES!

Thank you! Your "perfect" fin tool didn't do shit for me it just made my copter spaz

Now to try it again

Could you explain with words or media how this works? :).

Awesome! I was using the fin tool properly for the first time today so this is just great.

Shouldn't really need to, as it's about the same as the perfect fin tool, except without the inherent suck. A video is precessing on youtube right now that shows off the new simulations though.

That is really cool. I loved the first fin Stool, and the SENTS were even more awesome.

Video is up!

I've never heard of the fin tool, that's why I asked...

Edit:

Nice!

Awesome.


Simple awesome.

[spoiler]And awesome[/spoiler]

you are my god

Ooh, nice job!

By the way, I was the guy who had the idea and posted it in the requests forum. Never thought somebody would actually listen

Well I thought it was an awesome idea i was sure sombody was going to do it.

I remember you. That was a really damn good idea.

I just improved it a bit

B-B-B-B-BOATS!
:excited:

and B-B-B-B-BIG FRIGGIN LAND YACHTS


:excited:

What we need is a wind powered Gcombat fight. Avast!

Is thermal cline the same thing as ground effects? I'd love to build a Caspian Sea Monster.

Thermal cline is the updraft that you get over surfaces that store a lot of heat from sunlight, like concrete, metal, etc.

I just found a small bug that may stop the wind direction from shifting. It's not a huge deal, but it would be cooler if it were working.

Edit:

Fix'd, update'd.

Awesome! Now if only I could get GMod to actually work like it gave a rat's ass, I'd be set.

Yay!

Wait I am really annoyed right now I just finished an engine powered plane with fin 1 and now you release fin 2? Damn I was having serious issues with the propeller not producing enough power

oh well I guess I can make it again :excited:

Thanks again Q I hope this will be as awesome as it sounds.

Edit:

Also by wind calculation do you mean it changes a global variable that all the Sents that have wind activated will 'abide' to? If so awesome! Sail mod here we come.

Fin tool for the win

HOLY SHIT BALLS

You just made me cream myself about 8 times. I MUST INFORM THE EDBERG.

I'm not exactly sure what all these effects are. But I'll post what I think they are. So correct me.

No Lift - Lifts the object depending on its angle

Lift By Plane Normal - Lifts the object no matter what angle it is

Bernoulli effect - I don't get this at all. Is it supposed to shift the rotation of the object and get it as stable as possible? It's not working for me if it's supposed to do that.


Use Wind - Uses.. wind?

Thermal Cline - Makes props lift from hot surfaces. Could you make it lift from props that are ignited as well?

Edit:

I know that I got something wrong, so please explain.

Here is the lift one:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...GB236%26sa%3DN

Yarr! We must sail the seven seas!

hmm Q the fin seems to stop doing anything at high revs if it is a propeller I parented the fins to the axel for stability but I don't see why that would stop it working unless the code is now trying to use the prop its parented to, to get all the numbers from.

Or am I getting something wrong? What setting do you recommend for a propeller?

The moment I get my steam fixed I'm downloading this.

Can someone make a basic tutorial on how to make a propeller? Can't quite get how to make one with this tool...

If ever there was a addon that needed a readme, and an example adv. dupe file, this is it.
"Lift by plane normal, and Bernoulli lift which pulls the fin to one side or the other depending on its orientation." Yes but HOW does it's orientation and the selected face affect the lift?
Do you select the leading edge, or the side you want to be the top?
Does it default to pulling to the left or the right?

A nice step-by step guide to build your buggy, and a few explanations along the way of WHY you select certain sides of a prop would make all the difference. I'd love to make a little remote control airplane or a glider for those all-water maps.

I'm not flaming or being unfriendly, I'm pleading for better documentation for addons.

:edit: I've made a little windsock, so I know it's working, now if only I knew how to work IT.

FULLY agreed. PLEASE make at least a 5-10 step tutorial explaining WHY you select a certain fin type, please...

Edit:

Still, a great tool, I made a working propeller after hours of testing, but, after I got it working, AWESOME.

Yeah, it works very well as far as I've played with it when my GMod decides to work, but I'd like to know the deep, dark secrets of this tool and what it's different features do, how to work them best?

This is very relevant to my interests.

Though I'll need some help to use this amazing thing to its full potential.

Answers are as follows:

No Lift - Makes it act like the original fin, and does the aerodynamics as if it were a perfectly flat object.

Lift By Plane Normal - Acts like an airplane wing, and provides lift off the axis you shot when it moves perpendicular to that axis, or on the fin plane.

Bernoulli effect - Acts like lift by plane normal, but it lifts toward the face that is angled toward the direction it's going. Confused? play with it a bit.


Use Wind - Uses wind calculations. Turn the lift to "no lift" and the efficiency to 0 to get a really good sail.

Thermal Cline - Updrafts over concrete and metal parts of the level. I'll look into making it lift off fires. that sounds like a good idea.

This tool is complex enough that you really couldn't explain the whole thing in one tutorial. it's similar to the advanced ballsocket in that you kind of have to play with it a bit, but it's very rewarding to get it all figured out. It's not actually as difficult to figure out how to use as you're making it out to be. 10 minutes in SP should be all you need.

Absolutely Fantastic!

I've always love your Fins instead of the Wing (Wing was awkward at best...)

Awesome! Keep up the great work!

Can you add duplicator support?

This can become perfect for making medieval sail boats, I wonder if I can use this on multiple props together to make a sail for the boats with this.

Cheers for clearing that up Q42 :D Much appreciated.
0 efficiency sail sounds interesting, wonder how that works. Must play with it more in SP. Had a great time messing about making wooden wind buggys and weathervanes.
I'm almost desperate to make a ship with real working sails, even though I have no idea how to tack. It'd just be so relaxing to go drifting around.

:edit:
Ohgod, solar sails! *sticks them to his space craft*

Cool.

The sails really don't work for me even if they are huge! I know how to sail done it a couple of times so unless your calculations are different making the way you sail with these different I can't get it to work.

The strength of the sail is more based on it's weight than it's size. The heavier it is, the less trouble it has moving a wind buggy. Heavier sails also make you roll over more easily though.

It's not that it's not working, you just need to make a windsock to tell you the wind direction. Me and edberg were getting as high as 50 mph with the sails.

WE NEED DUPLICATOR SUPPORT!
That way we can share our new contraptions easier :)

My sails weighted about 600.