Hello,

All the best and some of the worst use third party tools to access all the internal files such as .air.  .cfg is really a configuration file to control FDE's assess to .air where all the flight dynamics are accessable.

There is a a board dedicated to editing the .air files for FS2K(2) and CFS 2/3:

first check out:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/hsors/FS_Soft/index.html

and support for editing air files and .cfg files is on the Airfile board at:

http://www.avhistory.org/cgi-bin/boards/CfsDecode/webbbs_config.pl

| but by sod's law it just moved again to:
| http://www.avhistory.org/scripts/MegaBBS/forum-view.asp?forumid=5

HTH

Ian

hmm. . .has anyone bought ad2002? worth getting? need some more details about this program?

Hi All,

I am totaly new here, I have used FS98 since it first came out, and just recently I have finally resigned FS98 to history, FS2002 is great!  But what has brought me here is the wonderful planes in 2002. But, why when I look out my left side and right side there is no wing, no tail! Is this something new? I mean these planes are just beautiful..But..But no tails no wings, just a panel, I always saw this in FS98 and FS2000 almost. Is this going to be the trend now, just a panel and thats all? I always felt being part of my plane in FS98, now I just hang in space.  I hope this is a valid question and I have not upset anyone,  but thank you all the freeware folks who have made me happy.


Fox 2

Hi Felix,

I dont think this is the only way to design aircraft or any other 3D model for FS...

Gmax has a 3ds and dxf import plugin, that means that you can create the 3d object mesh in any modelling program available that can export in those formats, or even in the native makemdl x file format.
The names of programs are too numerous to be complete, but the main ones for 3D modellers 3Dmax, Maya, lightwave, XSi, Cinema 4D, Rhino etc can be used...

The dxf importplugin of gmax even supports the layer command, so in your native 3D program when you create a layer, give the layer the name of the tag it needs in gmax and your done....gmax not only imports the mesh, but also names the part. DXF meshes can not contain animation routines, but 3DS can...so you can even animate outside gmax...

What this means for modellers that have 3D experience outside MAX based programs is that they can use their native programs to create the mesh file and finish it off in either gmax or export it as a X file to makemdl directly...

for example, I'm a NURBS man (dont ask! LOL) and use Rhino to create my mesh in dxf format including textures, animate it in gmax and export it to FS...

Regards,
Han Tilroe

[quote author=Felix/FFDS now where have I seen that name before ?  Who let you out of Da Roost?
[/quote]

Who said I was out ?? Hand me another margarita..!

No - it's really *.dle ...  you have the correct setup.



Quote:

I got G-Max from fs2k4, do i need any plugins, like to create mdl files etc.

What will fsexport allow me to do.

Can i get fsexport from anywhere else because i don't have fs2k2

How can i make aircraft for FS using G-Max?

To answer the AutoCAD question:  Yes, AutoCAD can be used to design the primary model, but it's a round-about way . . . you will need to export your DWG file to a 3DS file type.  Then, G-MAX will be able to import the 3DS file.  I'm running AutoCAD 2000, but earlier versions may not have the 3DS export type.  Using the DXF export may not work well and you may loose some of the mesh / solids properties.  I've been working on a 500D mesh and it imports to G-MAX fine.

Quote:



Let's just say that there's a Sea Fury model in FS that was made with Rhino, ported to FSDS (dxf), and finished there (texturing and animations)

It can easily be done by porting to gmax as well.

as for direct to makemdl.exe  I don't know.

Quote:



The path of least resistance would be to create in Rhino, export as dxf or 3DS, import into gmax and finish there the animations, texturing and export to FS.

dxf export will not (as I understand it) support transfer of animations and UVW mappings.

I'm not sure if exporting to 3DS and importing to gmax retains UVW mapping information and animations.

However, if you can do animations and UVW mapping in Rhino, doing it in gmax should basically be the same principles, and picking up the details - which buttons to click, etc.) should not be a problem.

Quote:



The SDKs (Software Development Kits) are available from Microsoft, and for FS2004/FS9, you DO NOT neet FS2K2 Pro.

Click on the "Fs2009 SDK" link in my signature...

gmax 1.2 comes on your FS9 CD1 disk, "extras" folder.  Install that, then install the appropriate SDKs, do the tutorials to learn the program, and have fun.

SDKs stands for Software Development Kits, and are collections of tools and documentation officially released by Microsoft that are necessary to develop addons.

The SDKs for FS2004 can be found on [url]http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/fs2004_downloads_sdk.asp[/url]

And the FS export module can be found on that page, can't it, in the gmax gamepack SDK, can't it?

The gmax program itself can be downloaded free of charge from here:[url]http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax[/url]

Quote:


It would seem easy enough for you to answer your question by re-read the EULA again for yourself.

FSEdge

Quote:


That would be the register patch and it can be found here: http://www.fsalpha.com/gmax_fs/zip/AutoDesk_GMax.zip

FSEdge

Quote:


I have never done it that way, but I don't see whay you can't. 

FSEdge

Hello im new to makeing planes could someone help me or point me in the right direction . i need help with shapeing my design like shapeing the nose and makeing engines things like that. im useing gmax .

You people -those who are new to it- should try some projects that are considered a waste of time. For example, I modeled a simple box and made a series of tweaks in it [cutting, slicing, beveling, bending, etc.]. It may have been a waste of time, but it gave me ideas on how to do modify certain objects for a real project. That's how I ended up making nice-looking cars for FS.

But still, reading the tuts is a must. And you have to read them more than once and try them more than once so that you can lock that info into your head. I have read so many tuts and read them so many times, I might make my own mass tutorial on modeling techniques and how to solve unexpected problems that are not mentioned in tutorials.

[quote author=fightingfalcon2009 link=1044363380/30#40 date=1250933975][quote author=FelixFFDS link=1044363380/0#14 date=1073652391][quote author=Hyvry1_Delta  link=1044363380/0#13 date=1073651772]I got G-Max from fs2k4, do i need any plugins, like to create mdl files etc.[/quote]

gmax 1.2 is the latest version downloadable from discreets' site http://www.discreet.com , or, as you've noted, from CD-1 of FS2004.   To actually create the flyable mdl file, you need the FSexport.dll that comes only [B]in the FS2002 professional edition[/B].  (so does makemdl.exe, but you can get makemdl.exe from the Microsoft SDKs.)

Basically, Microsoft has not yet released a stand alone FSExport.dle for FS2004.[/quote]

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here, but to clarify:

FS2002 Pro included the SDK to convert the gmax file to scnery and aircraft models.

FS2002 Standard did not.

FS2004 came in only one "flavor", and the SDK was released separately.  In essence, Microsoft DID release the tools for FS2004 sepearately.  [url=http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=32]FS2004 GMAX SDK[/url]

[quote]
I'm using Autodesk 3ds max 2010, not registerd, but I can't save any .mdl files, do I need to register first? I can only safe files as .max or .chr (characters). I hope someone can help me with this, I really want to creat my own [i]flyable[/i] aircrafts with Gmax  :-?[/quote]

The existing tools (FSX and FS2004) do not work (directly) with Max 2010.   You would have to create your model, export as 3DS to gmax, and finish off there.

Wing Nut wrote on Dec 9^th, 2003 at 12:52am:



Yes... you can do a model using Autocad... but take care with the file size... and after you will need to export and add the correct names to all moving parts.