MSFS 3D Map to FS2020 Scenery/Object

[albaskies]

Hello one and all, this is my first post on this forum. You all seem like a nice bunch of lads and lasses so I thought I'd see if any of you could offer me with some pointers.

I have created a couple of 3D maps using a drone. They are contained in .obj files. My aim is to place them in FS2020, one as a POI, another as an airfield. The 3D object includes the terrain relief and multiple buildings. I was wondering if someone could provide me with a rough idea of the work flow processes I'd have to go through to achieve this. I have very rudimentary 3D modelling experience but I'm prepared to put in the research and work where required. I've tried to export from Blender using the Blender2MSFS kit, but I've had no luck as of yet getting it as an object I can place with the scenery editor. Would I be better using a flat 2d map of the ground and then trying to separate all the buildings into their own separate objects?


Any help or pointers would be much appreciated. Can provide more info if required.

Thanks,
Lewis.

 

[MyPC8MyBrain]

lidar data can be imported even in old FSX but its still a huge processing task,

 

[GaryGB]

Hi Lewis:

Welcome to FS Developer.


I would recommend creating in ex: Blender, flat footprints in the ground plane, on which to place building models derived from separately extracted 3D object data.

A ground plane can be a 3D 'shape', even if one drapes high resolution aerial imagery texture onto it as a Material; Ground Polygons (aka "G-Polys") are typically 3D models.

That 'separately extracted 3D object data' can be used as a guide to make all 3D buildings as model objects in ex: Blender.

AFAIK, it is best to trace over building footprints and extrude to a derived LiDAR height, so that such objects are Manifold "Solids" that generate proper shadows in MSFS.


The vegetation may possibly still be used as "solid" 3D objects by draping Faces (derived from triangulated point cloud data) ...with the aligned imagery as a texture material.


All 3D models ultimately created in ex: Blender will ultimately have a destination output format of glTF ...to be further processed via the MSFS2020 SDK as scenery.


FYI: There may also be plugins / extensions for Blender which may reduce or eliminate the need to process your raw LiDAR point cloud data via a GIS application if you need to work with the raw data rather than the *.OBJ format you cited above in your OP.

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...hUKEwimooTAyqzrAhVIaM0KHXsgC4YQ4dUDCAg&uact=5


PS: It is interesting to see such nice drone LiDAR point cloud data utilized for this; we previously saw only a couple of other such scenery projects here (but only for FSX / P3D).

Would you be willing to tell us more about what type of drone was used to generate the data, and a general conceptual overview of how your *. OBJ was created ?

GaryGB

 

[katina12]

Hi Lewis:

Welcome to FS Developer.


I would recommend creating in ex: Blender, flat footprints in the ground plane, on which to place building models derived from separately extracted 3D object data.

A ground plane can be a 3D 'shape', even if one drapes high resolution aerial imagery texture onto it as a Material; Ground Polygons (aka "G-Polys") are typically 3D models.

That 'separately extracted 3D object data' can be used as a guide to make all 3D buildings as model objects in ex: Blender.

AFAIK, it is best to trace over building footprints and extrude to a derived LiDAR height, so that such objects are Manifold "Solids" that generate proper shadows in MSFS.


The vegetation may possibly still be used as "solid" 3D objects by draping Faces (derived from ttriangulated point cloud data) ...with the aligned imagery as a texture material.


All 3D models ultimately created in ex: Blender will ultimately have a destination output format of glTF ...to be further processed via the MSFS2020 SDK as scenery.


FYI: There may also be plugins / extensions for Blender which may reduce or eliminate the need to process your raw LiDAR point cloud data via a GIS application if you need to work with the raw data rather than the *.OBJ format you cited above in your OP.

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...hUKEwimooTAyqzrAhVIaM0KHXsgC4YQ4dUDCAg&uact=5


PS: It is interesting to see such nice drone LiDAR point cloud data utilized for this; we previously saw only a couple of other such scenery projects here (but only for FSX / P3D).

Would you be willing to tell us more about what type of drone was used to generate the data, and a general conceptual overview of how your *. OBJ was created ?

GaryGB

there are quite few drones available on the market that can achieve photogrammetric:
for example the Dji phantom 3 or 4 as basic drones will do the job
once you get the grip of how to fly them; (is not difficcolt) there are various app available on the app store that program the drone to 'circuits' to map areas; with point traced on the app which display satellite textured terrain; using points and programming the drone to take photos; of the area automatically; the drones are very good tools and quite advanced 'aircrafts' that is how they call them; they are capable of manage the flights automatically; by connecting to satellite gps; including take off and landings; bit like autopilot from ground up and up to back to base.
the drone are equipped with 'sensors' that produce complete photogrammetric data; including terrain mesh points clouds dem.
after that - a software - one example is the (metashape from agisoft) is required to load the images taken from the drone into the program to build the textured mesh you see in the image above.
very interesting staff; the mesh it can be exported in various formats such as dae ; fbx etc etc to be processed as any other 3d object.