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FSX 3ds max 2012 & MCX Texture problem

X

xflash

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13
Country
germany
[Solved] 3ds max 2012 & MCX Texture problem

Hello all,
i have a probelm with adding textures to a model. I try it since friday, read the wiki and forum posts here but i dont get it what i am doing wrong :(

For testing i just want to add a 5x5x5m quader with texture to my fsx.
But the texture is so small that I have to use zoom 512 to see it in fsx.

Here are my steps:

First the quader in 3ds max 2012 with a simple texture:

step1.jpg


I use the P3D SDK for 3ds, here are my setting:

step2.jpg


step3.jpg


I checked the box "Copy Texture Bitmaps" but it dont copy the texture to the export folder. I think there is the first problem. I copyed then the texture to the export folder and added the folder as texture search path to MCX.

When i import the .x file to MCX i get this:

step4.jpg


If i add the texture in MCX:

step5.jpg


I get this:

step6.jpg


In FSX it looks like this:

step7.jpg


step8.jpg


If i dont add the texture in MCX the quader is black.. even when i copy the texture to the texture folder.

I dont know what i doing wrong, so please give me a hind :)

Here you find the .max and the texture file:
Kasten.zip
 
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Thank you for your post.
I have tried to export the fixed file but it dont work. I dont changed anything. I added also the Download folder on my G: Drive, so i didnt have to change anything in the max file.

But the exporter dont add this to my .x file:

Code: 
  TextureFileName {
     "FloorHerringbone0101_s1.bmp";
  }
  DiffuseTextureFileName  {
    "FloorHerringbone0101_s1.bmp";
  }

There must be something wrong in my 3ds setting I think...

Edit:
I reset 3ds max to default by deleting AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\2012 - 64bit, no change :(
I tried the 32Bit version no change :(
Maybe the german version of 3ds cause this problem, or i am to stupid for flightsimmodeling ;)
 
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xflash. If you want to use a .bmp file as the final texture. Don't check "Use DDS Files".

If you were to open the .x file with a notepad editor, you may see that your .bmp extension have changed to .dds and that is why it is not loading in FSX.
 
Open the material editor in max and reselect your (.BMP) diffuse texture, that should fix the exporting problem. I created a .dds texture for you to place in the objects texture folder in FSX.

I'm far from an expert so I'll throw my best 2 pennies at this.

Because of the way FSX flips .DDS files, we use BMP's or TGA's or PSD's (my personal preference) in 3ds max. When exporting, have the "Use DDS files" checked. FSX will look for textures ending in DDS. (DDS is preferred in FSX)

I process all my textures using ImageTool found in the FSX SDK. Lots of info here on FSDEV forum and wiki.

Files for scenery development should go in a folder like so:
Just an example, you could do this anyway you like.

your_computer\development\projects\project_name\scenery (MDL's and BGL's go here)

your_computer\development\projects\project_name\texture (textures go here)

After all the files are compiled, you can copy them to your FSX Addon Scenery folder to test. Again, this is one way to do it.


When you import a MDL file into MCX, it's looking for textures in a folder called "texture" or in the root folder where the MDL file is located.

Orswell said:
xflash. If you want to use a .bmp file as the final texture. Don't check "Use DDS Files".

If you were to open the .x file with a notepad editor, you may see that your .bmp extension have changed to .dds and that is why it is not loading in FSX.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I forgot about this bit of information.

This is also true when trying to import a file into MCX. If you tell the exporter to use DDS and you don't have a DDS texture already in the "texture" folder, MCX will fail to load the texture.
 
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Thank you both for helping me :)

I tried to export the file again without checking "use dds" but the exporter didn't add the texture to the .x- file.

I also reselect the texture in the materialeditor, used "load material from scenery", recreated a material with the same settings.

When i look in the x.file with a texteditor no textures could be found. No dds or bmp or other texturefiles.

If i add the code via texteditor to the file, mcx load the texture.
 
This is frustrating for you I'm sure but stay patient and I'm sure someone will figure out what is going on.

- How do you have the 3ds Max Prepar3d tools installed? Did you add a line to the 3rd party plug-ins tab under "Customize / Configure System Paths"?

If you can see the texture on your object in 3ds Max then I'm not sure why it will not export. It exports fine for me. In the MCX log window, you can see that even with the options I have selected it's loading the .BMP texture. I'm assuming this is because we have a .BMP texture in 3ds Max. Personally, I use .PSD's in max as this is easier for development and always exports properly for .DDS or .BMP.

BOXexport01.jpg


BOXexport02.jpg


BOXexport03.jpg


BoxInMCX.jpg
BoxInMCX_wDDStexture.jpg

One of the great features in MCX is you can convert BMP's to DDS by using the built-in material editor.

**EDIT
After further testing, I deleted the .BMP texture and MCX found and loaded the .DDS texture no problem. There are interesting quirks associated with FSX development.

BoxInMCX_wDDStexture.jpg
 
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I just found the problem!

The SDK wont work with a german 3DS. I got the english installation file from my colleague. Thank god he dont speak german and need the english version..

My old files work also well.

Thank you for your great help, i learned something and thats what count :)
 
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Fantastic. Glad you got that sorted out and happy you learned something.

Happy FSX developing!
 
I will file a bug report at LM...

In the att. you can see the differnce if you open it with notepad++ and compare it. Its the same max file but one time with german 3ds and the other is from an english version of max.

SDK is the same.

I am so happy that i found the problem. Thanks again!
 

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