P3D v4 3Dsmax need help regarding putting textures on model

[spkier18]

Hello,

i got a little RV14 laying in my 3dsmax the SDK is setup and some of the gauges are made and the UV mapping is set on the guages so applying shouldnt be a issue
but i exported a .BMP file from photoshop 512x512 (as it needs to be a power of two if i am correct)
then i added the bitmap file to the material in 3dsmax saved exported as MDL putted the MDL file inside p3d
and converted the bitmap file to DDS using imagetool and then placed both teh dds file with correct name and the .bmp file inside texture folder of my aircraft
and it did not load and inside content error log this is what appeared

"Invalid Texture name "DDS" specified for model"

any help on how todo this would be nice been trying for days now

 

[hairyspin]

It would help if you list:–

Photoshop version​

actual file name of .DDS file​

.DDS version (DXT1 non-alpha, DXT1 w/alpha, DXT3, DXT5)​

​

​

 

[spkier18]

It would help if you list:–

Photoshop version​

actual file name of .DDS file​

.DDS version (DXT1 non-alpha, DXT1 w/alpha, DXT3, DXT5)​

​

​

Ah sorry i might have forgotten that

Photoshop i use CS6
filename 512X512 Airspeed.dds with DXT3
i have not done anything regarding the alpha but i got it to show up in the gauge instruments i stillg et the errorrs but it showed up as a texture but the texture was upside down

 

[n4gix]

Since you have CS6, you should install the nVidia DDS plugin to automatically convert your bitmap(s) to proper .DDS format. The reason your gauge texture is upside down is because the .bmp needs to be flipped vertically before saving as .DDS. The plugin I recommended does that for you automatically.

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

 

[spkier18]

Since you have CS6, you should install the nVidia DDS plugin to automatically convert your bitmap(s) to proper .DDS format. The reason your gauge texture is upside down is because the .bmp needs to be flipped vertically before saving as .DDS. The plugin I recommended does that for you automatically.

https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

Ahh thankyou i didn't know about that thanks alot!

 

[hairyspin]

the .bmp needs to be flipped vertically before saving as .DDS. The plugin I recommended does that for you automatically.

As Bill says. Just so long as you have the option ticked when saving!

 

[spkier18]

As Bill says. Just so long as you have the option ticked when saving!

Yupp thanks,

i cannot save as .dds it dosnt show up? i tried both 64 and 32 it wont show up
the DDS8bi is in my plugins folder but not showing up any ideas?

EDIT: how do you make windows transparent in 3dsmax? i tried using opacity in the materials editor and that worked but once exported to p3d the transperancy is gone and it's just a big white box instead of glass

 

[hairyspin]

Are you using Save As in Photoshop? Or Export? If the plugin has been installed, you’ll find the .DDS option in the Save As dialogue. You only need the plugin suitable for your version of Photoshop, 64-bit in my case for CS4 64-bit.

Ah. If your texture is in 16-bit format the options to Save As are limited and .DDS won’t be listed since they’re 8-bit files.

For glass you really have to get to grips with FSX materials as implemented in Max and documented in the sdk. Bill’s glass recipe is a much-visited thread.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/fsx-glass-material-realistic-glass.21116/

 

[spkier18]

Are you using Save As in Photoshop? Or Export? If the plugin has been installed, you’ll find the .DDS option in the Save As dialogue. You only need the plugin suitable for your version of Photoshop, 64-bit in my case for CS4 64-bit.

Ah. If your texture is in 16-bit format the options to Save As are limited and .DDS won’t be listed since they’re 8-bit files.

For glass you really have to get to grips with FSX materials as implemented in Max and documented in the sdk. Bill’s glass recipe is a much-visited thread.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/fsx-glass-material-realistic-glass.21116/

Thanks will look into it,
my files are saved as 24 bit might that be the case? i still cannot see save as .dds

 

[hairyspin]

my files are saved as 24 bit might that be the case?

Yep, that’s it. Change the image mode to 8-bit per channel and Robert est ton oncle.

 

[spkier18]

Yep, that’s it. Change the image mode to 8-bit per channel and Robert est ton oncle.

Thanks got it working.
i'm curius about one thing how do i add the default gps or radio stack into my airplane?
at the moment i'm just creating my own 3d gauges but i don't want todo the radio stack when there is one so i would like to implement it but i'm not sure how
any guide that can get me inn the right direction?

 

[edphipps]

The panel.cfg file controls the gauges that are placed on either the 2d panel or the 3d panel. Open up the the panel.cfg from a default airplane and take a look at how the different gauges are called and placed.

Ed

 

[spkier18]

The panel.cfg file controls the gauges that are placed on either the 2d panel or the 3d panel. Open up the the panel.cfg from a default airplane and take a look at how the different gauges are called and placed.

Ed

ahh thanks
btw i made my own panel.cfg
and if i understand correctly anything that says vcockpit means virtual 3d cockpit? so all i ahve todo is set the cordinates?
EDIT: this is my cfg

[Window Titles]
Window00=New Window




[Window00]
file=bluebmp.bmp //just a test panel
size_mm=1024
window_size_ratio=1.00
position=7
visible=1
ident=0



[Default View]
X=0
Y=0
SIZE_X=8191
SIZE_Y=4000

oh an also if iwas to add a 3d gauge to my airplane do i ahve to built it into the .mdl file in 3dsmax but if so how? i cannot see any thing in doc telling me how to add allredy existing gauge to an airplane all i find is how to add 2d gauges

 

[n4gix]

Under normal circumstances, you can only modify any model if you have the source files (.gmax or .max). It is (with some difficulty) possible to create your own gauge mesh, and use MCX to merge it into a model. This is not the recommended way though.

 

[spkier18]

Under normal circumstances, you can only modify any model if you have the source files (.gmax or .max). It is (with some difficulty) possible to create your own gauge mesh, and use MCX to merge it into a model. This is not the recommended way though.

ah i see i'm not sure if it's possible but i'm making an RV-14 for p3d v4 custom created model and custom flight engine i'm not the writer but im the model maker and all i do to make 3d gauges is to animate the needles to operate ASI and rpm and throttles and attitude and nav and so on but my question then is can you create a custom radio panel in 3dsmax using the sdk? i'm allredy quite fammiliar with the sdk but due to lack of experience i don't know if this is possible at all i do have animated and created autopilots and swiches and i'm pretty sure you can make a knob and turn the frequence of the radio and tune it but you can't see the nummber on the radio panel and this is an inntrestning part

 

[n4gix]

...i'm pretty sure you can make a knob and turn the frequence of the radio and tune it but you can't see the nummber on the radio panel and this is an inntrestning part

I see. Your actual question was not very clear. Since you know how to create switches, knobs and so forth in Max (or other modeling program) and can export for Prepar3D, then the answer is yes, you can create custom radios.

There are two ways to display the "frequencies" depending on the type of radio. If it has mechanical drums for the digits, then you create those drums and then the bitmaps with the numbers are wrapped around the drums with the UVW map. You then animate the drums from 0 to 9 and write the XML script to control their rotation.

If the radio has a lighted digital display, then you create a polygon to fit in the window of the radio, and map it to a $VC_xx texture. Then write a small XML "gauge" that you then use to project the frequency numbers.

 

[spkier18]

I see. Your actual question was not very clear. Since you know how to create switches, knobs and so forth in Max (or other modeling program) and can export for Prepar3D, then the answer is yes, you can create custom radios.

There are two ways to display the "frequencies" depending on the type of radio. If it has mechanical drums for the digits, then you create those drums and then the bitmaps with the numbers are wrapped around the drums with the UVM map. You then animate the drums from 0 to 9 and write the XML script to control their rotation.

If the radio has a lighted digital display, then you create a polygon to fit in the window of the radio, and map it to a $VC_xx texture. Then write a small XML "gauge" that you then use to project the frequency numbers.

ahh thanks that answered my question