MSFS20 Blender2MSFS support thread

[delta_foxtrot]

It's not possible currently with the Blender exporter, hoping soon we'll receive it.

We cannot do custom Ramp lights then XD
Hope it gets added soon

 

[lord_vulkan]

I cannot make models look right in the day, I have darkened albedo color but the game seems to ignore it:

Result:

In the night looks ok though.

Also, the game or the exporter are doing some weird things to my vertices.

 

[OzWookiee]

Have you tried creating an AO, Metalic, Roughness COMP texture and a normal map?

 

[lord_vulkan]

Have you tried creating an AO, Metalic, Roughness COMP texture and a normal map?

No, as it is photogrammetry downloaded from Google Maps, I only have the texture. Can I generate them somehow?

 

[xr219]

Hi guys and gals.

I've imported my Sketchup models into Blender as Wavefront OBJ files. The textures and colours are all there and the model seems quite happy in blender.

In order to export it to MSFS (following the guide by DragoB) I expand the scene collection, highlight each colour or texture in the active material list, and in turn, enable MSFS Material Params. Foe each, I set the selection to MSFS standard. For colours, I click on Albedo colour and set the colour accordingly. For textures, I open the albedo file explorer and select the correct texture.

At this point I can only export the models to MSFS format without selecting "selected objects" and "custom properties" in the exporter options. However, in the Sim, the objects don't compile.

If I do select "selected objects" and "custom properties" as per the instructions, the model will not export.

It seems I have to also select a "normal" and "metallic" texture in order for the exporter to work and for the model to be compiled in the SIM.

However, when I do this, and the model is compiled, and I can select it and place it in the sim, it is untextured.

Is there a reason that I have to add a normal and metallic texture? (I've just been reselecting the same texture for all three - albedo, metallic and normal just to get it to export and compile) but it looks rubbish tbh. I'm just trying to understand if there's a way to export and compile the models with just the albedo texture selected.

Any advise or information would be great.

Thanks

 

[Verticalsim]

No, as it is photogrammetry downloaded from Google Maps, I only have the texture. Can I generate them somehow?

@lord_vulkan I would drop the exposure of the texture and lower saturation. Then try go based off that. This has to be manually done.

 

[neinnunb]

Greetings to everyone.

I have been trying to get the Parallax material to work but have not been successful. Before I bang my head against the screen some more I wanted to make sure this material shader is functioning in the Blender plugin or perhaps it is still on the to-do list. If it is working, then I need some hand holding on this one. I think this material will revolutionize buildings in scenery.

The SDK doc says it uses the 2nd UV map (UV2). I added a second UV and even called it "UV2" but I do not get the desired effect.

EDIT: I imported the sample gLTF file from the SDK and the parralax sample does indeed have two UV maps.

 

[delta_foxtrot]

Greetings to everyone.

I have been trying to get the Parallax material to work but have not been successful. Before I bang my head against the screen some more I wanted to make sure this material shader is functioning in the Blender plugin or perhaps it is still on the to-do list. If it is working, then I need some hand holding on this one. I think this material will revolutionize buildings in scenery.

The SDK doc says it uses the 2nd UV map (UV2). I added a second UV and even called it "UV2" but I do not get the desired effect.

EDIT: I imported the sample gLTF file from the SDK and the parralax sample does indeed have two UV maps.

I also need help on this. It's quite confusing since the SDK says it does not allow secondary UV. As per my basic understanding, there is also a porthole material that plays an important role here together with parallax material. Not sure. If anyone can help

 

[delta_foxtrot]

Hi guys and gals.

I've imported my Sketchup models into Blender as Wavefront OBJ files. The textures and colours are all there and the model seems quite happy in blender.

In order to export it to MSFS (following the guide by DragoB) I expand the scene collection, highlight each colour or texture in the active material list, and in turn, enable MSFS Material Params. Foe each, I set the selection to MSFS standard. For colours, I click on Albedo colour and set the colour accordingly. For textures, I open the albedo file explorer and select the correct texture.

At this point I can only export the models to MSFS format without selecting "selected objects" and "custom properties" in the exporter options. However, in the Sim, the objects don't compile.

If I do select "selected objects" and "custom properties" as per the instructions, the model will not export.

It seems I have to also select a "normal" and "metallic" texture in order for the exporter to work and for the model to be compiled in the SIM.

However, when I do this, and the model is compiled, and I can select it and place it in the sim, it is untextured.

Is there a reason that I have to add a normal and metallic texture? (I've just been reselecting the same texture for all three - albedo, metallic and normal just to get it to export and compile) but it looks rubbish tbh. I'm just trying to understand if there's a way to export and compile the models with just the albedo texture selected.

Any advise or information would be great.

Thanks

The normals and metallic texture maps are optional. You should be able to export even only with albedo texture. There should be other error you are dealing. Better to post a screenshot of the error so people can help you better.

 

[Orishek]

Hello,

I have posted this already, but in wrong section, I think it should be in this topic...

I have problem with Blender to MSFS Exporter - it does not export textures.

My steps:

I have created object in Cinema4D, then exported it as obj and baked textures as single file, PNG.

Then I have imported obj into Blender and in MSFS exporter (msfs standard selection) set albedo texture as the baked texture I have baked from Cinema4D.

In exporter setting I set everything like in tutorial video (Path, Create XML, generate Guid, include object and same names for files) For textures I have set folder ../texture

But when I export object, it generates Bin, XML And obj files, but no textures folder at all...

When I manually add texture folder into object folder it doesn't work - object in MSFS is just white

The thing is I am not very familiar with Blender And I thing setting baked texture as albedo is just not enough - also in terminal tutorial video when he set albedo texture, model updated in Blender, but my stays as it was before...

Shader node should be set correctly (as screenshot below)

Please, could you help me? I have uploaded files of my "project" also with Blender file:

Anyone? Still can't figure it out

 

[lord_vulkan]

@lord_vulkan I would drop the exposure of the texture and lower saturation. Then try go based off that. This has to be manually done.

Will try later today, thanks.

 

[xr219]

The normals and metallic texture maps are optional. You should be able to export even only with albedo texture. There should be other error you are dealing. Better to post a screenshot of the error so people can help you better.

Hi @delta_foxtrot

Yes, a picture paints a thousand words, so I'll try to explain...

1. If I select only the albedo texture as below....

2. And then export it with the options below, (as per the guide) It fails to generate the BIN file and only the gltf and xml files are generated, but the gltf file is onle 1kb.

3. If I run the export again with the options below, the model is exported... However, when I try to compile this model, it fails with the error :-

Compiling BGL file from in-memory data to output file modelLib.BGL...
Error parsing XML: expected ' or "

The DDS textures and associated json files are created, but no bgl.

4. If I add the metallic and normal texture files in step 1. and follow the instructions as per step 2. The model will export and compile. However, when I place it in the SIM coloured materials display, but the textures don't. (The window frames and railing are just coloured not textured.)

 

[delta_foxtrot]

If I run the export again with the options below, the model is exported... However, when I try to compile this model, it fails with the error :-

the XML generated of the export has problems so you have errors when build. Look on the XML of one of the examples from SDK, copy its content and replace the content of the generated XML (make sure to copy first the generated GUID) from export and make sure to replace the GUID. It will fix your error in build. Atleast that's what I do while waiting for the patch.

 

[xr219]

the XML generated of the export has problems so you have errors when build. Look on the XML of one of the examples from SDK, copy its content and replace the content of the generated XML (make sure to copy first the generated GUID) from export and make sure to replace the GUID. It will fix your error in build. Atleast that's what I do while waiting for the patch.

Yep, I'm aware of the GUID issue, these are not related to that. If I use a file with the GUID error it won't compile at all regardless of how it was exported.

 

[Vitus]

Hi folks,
I was away for a couple of days to recharge my sanity. The good news is: it didn't work, so I'm just as nuts as before. What did I miss?

@xr219 In the screenshots above you show that you have "selected objects" selected in the export options, did you also select the correct objects in the scene for your export? Because if your selection was empty, then of course there's no geometry to export -> hence no .bin file.



I am currently working on the next update and I'd like to tackle the xml issue - from what I gather the xml version needs to be set to something higher than 1.0, is that the changes you perform, or is there something else?

 

[Robert Richardson]

I have a freshly built simple model, when compiled shows texture folder, XML file, model gltf file and bin file, cant quite work out what happens next!
I would be very grateful for a little help.

 

[Vitus]

The next step is to build a package from your files.
Check out the samples that come with the SDK. The easiest way to get started is by copying one of those projects, edit the files and add your model and xml file.

You then compile your package by using the fspackagetool.exe in the /tools/. Check the documentation on how to set up your package in the SDK and check out our primer on some more clues.

 

[xr219]

Hi folks,
I was away for a couple of days to recharge my sanity. The good news is: it didn't work, so I'm just as nuts as before. What did I miss?

@xr219 In the screenshots above you show that you have "selected objects" selected in the export options, did you also select the correct objects in the scene for your export? Because if your selection was empty, then of course there's no geometry to export -> hence no .bin file.

I am currently working on the next update and I'd like to tackle the xml issue - from what I gather the xml version needs to be set to something higher than 1.0, is that the changes you perform, or is there something else?

Welcome back to the mad house...

On the xml front, the exporter generates this....

<?xml version="1.0" ?>



    <ModelInfo guid="{03e71caf-5a9b-48b8-ec50-7a34a6a94124}" version="1.0"/>

But it should be this...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<ModelInfo version="1.1" guid="{b5a61705-97ef-4cc3-a058-4eb7743564cf}">
</ModelInfo>

On the Bin file... it does generate the BIN file if I untick selected objects with only albedo textures. If I leave selected objects ticked with only albedo textures, it doesn't generate the BIN file. Its an odd one.


[EDIT]
If I select the whole model (orange outline) It does export when I use the "Selected Objects" check box.

If the model isn't selected and I uncheck the "Selected Objects" check box, it will also export.

The trouble is nether of these will compile unless I add metallic and normal textures before exporting.

 

[xr219]

I have a freshly built simple model, when compiled shows texture folder, XML file, model gltf file and bin file, cant quite work out what happens next!
I would be very grateful for a little help.

Hi Robert, This guide has been really helpful for me...
Scenery Guide

 

[WildLynxPilot]

I have successfully made a couple of models work all the way from Blender into the sim. But I can't figure out how to make reflective and transparent glass for the windows of my buildings. The MSFS Glass material does not seem to make the trick. Anyone that have succeeded in this and could give me a hint?