Simviation Forum - ShaneG's adventures in Gmax

Reply #15 - Jul 6^th, 2009 at 6:44pm

scalper_old Offline
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I know its hard. very nice start. put some wing and wheels on her now.. and a lego prop. lol.. looks like you will be starting a new hobbie.

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Reply #16 - Jul 6^th, 2009 at 6:47pm

ShaneG Offline
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LOL! A lego plane would be cool, but I think I'm still a ways from making a real plane. Now I need to learn the nuts and bolts of Gmax and how to design planes in it. Shocked

Thanks to Alrot, Fr. Bill, and Travis for all the help.

This would NOT be possible without it.

♪♫♪‼

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Reply #17 - Jul 6^th, 2009 at 8:33pm

Felix/FFDS Offline
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ShaneG wrote on Jul 6^th, 2009 at 6:47pm:

LOL! A lego plane would be cool, but I think I'm still a ways from making a real plane.

Don't discard the idea of a "Lego" (tm) plane- that way you can build and play. After all, a cylinder is just a box that has been sliced several times and vertices pulled to "round out" the shape. [/quote]

Quote:

Now I need to learn the nuts and bolts of Gmax and how to design planes in it. Shocked

Thanks to Alrot, Fr. Bill, and Travis for all the help.

This would NOT be possible without it.

and byt the way... I have yet to make a successful compile from gmax, so you're ahead of me in the game!

Felix/FFDS

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Reply #18 - Jul 6^th, 2009 at 11:56pm

MiltonShupe Offline
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Congratulations! You are on your way to creativity. Have fun.

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Reply #19 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 3:01am

Mitch. Offline
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Great stuff, now I want to see a fully modelled "True FSX" Beech 17 Staggerwing. Cheesy

---------->Currently building a native FSX Beechcraft Starship 2000<----------

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^^^ Click above to check out MySimshots.net ^^^

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Reply #20 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 3:46am

Travis Offline
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Quote:

I have yet to make a successful compile from gmax, so you're ahead of me in the game!

Don't worry, Felix! You'll get the itch some day, and then we won't be able to hold you back . . .

"Visions of Spitfires danced in his head . . ." Wink

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Reply #21 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:46am

Alrot. Ex Member
I Love Simviation.

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Reply #22 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:46am

ShaneG Offline
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After the install, I have 2 shortcuts for Gmax on my desktop.

One is Gmax that came with FS2004, and the other is FSX_Gmax.

Now, if I create something in the FS9 version, and then open it up in the FSX version and export it...

Is that a 'True FSX' model ?

I imagine that there will be a bit of effort required to convert and add different features from one to the other, as I have already encountered & figured out the GUID problem when trying it. Wink

I think it would be cool to be able to make things for both sims, and was wondering how close the two really are at this level.

My first successful joining of multiple objects:

I haven't discovered downsizing yet. Grin

FS9

FSX

It's mind blowing how easy the export process is (on these simple things) after you've done it a couple of times.

It always seemed so large and overwhelming before. Wink

« Last Edit: Jun 14^th, 2010 at 9:13am by ShaneG »

♪♫♪‼

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Reply #23 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 9:22am

Alrot. Ex Member
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Shane why don't you just open just one thread buddy? Undecided

Ok I will show you

In both SDKs the are shortcuts ,You will use ONLY for FSX its shortcut, in the FS2004 I doesn't work (maybe is my machine ) but you can accsess also in the normal Gmax shortcut in your sesktop or in C:/Gmax /gmax.exe

Also ,as a True FSX Model It will ask you to Give a friedly name in the LOD Guide Tool, Otherwise It won't export, Have you gaven a name to the model (box or anything?) if you haven't you haven't really export a True FSX model yet

Once you open the FS Tool tab Open the LOD Tool you will find this Click a Friendly name (Usually Like the name of the model MD-83,or A380 ,Cessna 172 etc)

remember Both SDK are different, and have diferent procedures ,Like :If you make a FS9 model by using FS9-SDK This model will be have to pass thru a diferent things to make it work for FSX-SDK ,the way of animations procedure are completely different ,It doesn't use the names ,you have to set the frame times ,tire animation (all animations)
What Im trying to say is that Just because you have an FS9 model ready and all animations Set ,It won't work In FSXX-SDK Mode You have to start over ,by setting FSX tools animation and few other things -. This is why many modellers use the old format which is easier,and FSX-SDK is a little bit more complex ,but you can have better things and use any size of DDS mas ,including Bump and specular maps and make much more realistic airplanes ,that never you could do with FS9-SDK Cool

there are thousands of great things you can do with FSX-SDK that you can't with FS9-SDK Cheesy

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Reply #24 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 10:07am

ShaneG Offline
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Alejandro Rhodes wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 9:22am:

Shane why don't you just open just one thread buddy? Undecided

I've spliced them all into one handy thread now.

Here is my Gmax folder:

When I installed everything, it put these two shortcuts on my desktop, and I use those.

So exporting to FSX is done like this:

I used the same gmax file to export to both sims.

« Last Edit: Jun 14^th, 2010 at 9:14am by ShaneG »

♪♫♪‼

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Reply #25 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 10:18am

Alrot. Ex Member
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Cool!

So definaly you have the 70% of the most difficult thing IN FSX-SDK done Cool

you are exporting true FSX models Buddy!!
Now lets start a simple model Shane , You have to first make a choice
FSX-SDK or FS9-SDK to start with Animations ,then We will go Into Maping etc etc etc...

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Reply #26 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 10:30am

ShaneG Offline
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I will definitely go with FSX first, that's where the future is, and more and more people are switching everyday. Wink

♪♫♪‼

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Reply #27 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 10:37am

Alrot. Ex Member
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Quote:

I used the same gmax file to export to both sims.

Yeah, without animations and mapping ,just a simple geometric shape ,there's still a lot to learn ahead of you Shane ,You just did what Many can't "Exporting" , the way of mapping in FS9 is a Standard Gmax Dialogue ,Instead when You Map you need to open the Material "FlightSimX" which is another whole different thing
when you made an animation In FS9 is based on the name and Just by Its name like canopy, gears (some of them Moves alone like Prop0_1 or Flap_01 ,tires, Rudder all of them do not need animation to be made) You need to rename every part to be animated exactly as FS2004 makemdl.doc says while in FSX you need to open the Tab FS tool Animation Manager without changing names of the objects (But many recommend to keep a control to name all of them) ..

Shane start by making a simple airplane there's no need to be a realistic model just made wings fuse tail rudder and you know something that looks like and airplane to start working on animation in FSX-SDK Wink

There's one thing you need to know (For both FS) these things are Pivot and to Link Parts (one part domains the other and the other domains another one for a landing gear as an example) ,we will work on that Once you have create the plane

example a front Gear Landing is a secessions of link part take a look the windows and see how they are linked

If I move the "pivot" part the whole landing gear will move like if they were attach ,If I move the tire It will move alone, the Pivot is in the top of Hireachtry so all the object below it will be domain.

If you don't understand me its all right But you have to get familiar because FS design its pretty much about this and Pivot
You can also see in this guide
http://www.simviation.com/gryphon/tutorials/gMax_00.htm

in this section

http://www.simviation.com/gryphon/tutorials/gMax_03.htm#3d

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Reply #28 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 1:56pm

ShaneG Offline
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It's not very pretty, I'm still just using basic objects, but using the Acceleration F-18's Air file, cfg, & VC, she flies quite nice. Cheesy

♪♫♪‼

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Reply #29 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 2:50pm

Fr. Bill Offline
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ShaneG wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 10:30am:

I will definitely go with FSX first, that's where the future is, and more and more people are switching everyday. Wink

Hi Shane,

I'm assuming the the "MM_MkMDL.plugnplay.zip" file arrived intact and works as advertised. Cool

I commend you for your enthusiasm! If I might offer one bit of advice, it is this:

NAME every part correctly per the FS9 part list as you create it. Doing this consistently will allow you to more easily "downconvert" any FSX model you build to FS9 standards.

For example, give the left and right ailerons the names l_aileron and r_aileron to begin with.

For FSX they will need to be key_frame animated, and you will need to apply the Animation tool as directed by the FSX SDK.

To "downconvert" the ailerons for FS9, all that will be required is to remove the key_frame's keys, because you named them correctly to begin with, hence they will now automatically work in FS9... Cool

Bill
Gauge Programming - 3d Modeling Eaglesoft Development Group Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600-4GB DDR2 Crucial PC6400-800 GB SATA-ATI Radeon HD2400 Pro 256MB DX10 NOTE: Unless explicitly stated in the post, everything written by my hand is MY opinion. I do NOT speak for any company, real or imagined...

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