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P3D v4 A larger pilot

tgycgijoes

tgycgijoes

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I have finished the Spartan Executive that I have created from photos and much information from the real owner/pilot. One of his final comments ( in a good constructive criticism) is that the pilot is "too small". Is it possible for me to enlarge the pilot in Model Converter X to fill the cockpit with the pilot more which is very apparent in the many photos I have that I have been using? I isolated him in the materials and his body, head, and headset are separate parts. I looked in MDCx to see if there was a "multiplier of scale" but didn't see anything.

If Blender is the only way then "it is..what it is" unless someone wants to volunteer to do that for me. After quite a few tries, I just cannot master Blender much past making a rectangle, most certainly this. Thank you for past help and reading this. I hope that there is an easy solution.
 
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I don't know of a way to change the size of a few parts within an object (is that possible Arno?). If not, what you could do is:

1. Use the Hierarchy editor to find the pilot parts (they will turn red when selected if the Hightlight box is checked). Select all that you want.
2. Press the Isolate button and they should now be the only parts displayed.
3. Use Export Object to save these to an MDL file.
4. Load your new MDL file into MCX.
5. Press the arrow next to the Transform Object button and choose Scale.
6. Enter the same number in the X, Y and Z boxes (assuming you want to keep the same proportions). Entering 2 would double the size.
7. Use Export Object again to save to an MDL file.
8. Load the original plane, repeat step 1 to select the pilot, and press Remove.
9. Press the Merge Objects button, press the Load Object... button and browse to your resized pilot MDL file.
10. Press the Merge button, and hopefully you will have a larger pilot in the cockpit.

Hope this helps,
 
In the hierarchy editor you could add an additional scaling transformation to the nodes of the pilot to scale them up. This is done by right clicking on transformations, adding a new transformation and then editing that transformation to have the right scaling value.
 
Thank you both I tried to do this but didn't have any success. Arno, do you have time to make him bigger for me and then save the mdl. I have Milton Shupe's written permission to use it any way and share it because it is NOT for money just for sharing with the SOH community. It will not be online anywhere else. Here is a link to the complete aircraft that I have created:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/ypwl69hqmfx7ugv/Spartan+Executive+N17634+Jim+Savage+FSX.zip/file and a photo of the pilot in the cockpit:


Pilot In Spartan cockpit.jpeg
 
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Yes, it is possible to scale a single hierarchy node, but it is an endlessly repetitive process of trial and error. It is not something for the faint of heart. The recommendation is to experiment with the Hierarchy Editor, until you can isolate and export the pilot component by itself. From there, you can scale that part of the model in 3d software. Then, export another version of the airplane model, so you can use it as a template as to where to place your new pilot, in relation to where the old pilot was and then from there you can import your new pilot component into the model.

If the pilot also has other model parts attached, which is common, it is a two step process of, first isolating the combination, removing the pilot from the other parts, then re importing those parts into the airplane model without the pilot, then scaling the pilot as before, etc.
 
Ok I tried and right clicking transformation didn't do anything but highlight "0". I am attaching MY complete Spartan Executive. I have Milton Shupe's written (email) permission to modify ;and share all of it so Arno, could you please see if you can enlarge the pilot to look like the real photo size? I will use THAT model in my version. The file was too large to attach so here is the link to it.

Executive Also here is a photo of the pilot in the aircraft:
=rk= said:
Yes, it is possible to scale a single hierarchy node, but it is an endlessly repetitive process of trial and error. It is not something for the faint of heart. The recommendation is to experiment with the Hierarchy Editor, until you can isolate and export the pilot component by itself. From there, you can scale that part of the model in 3d software. Then, export another version of the airplane model, so you can use it as a template as to where to place your new pilot, in relation to where the old pilot was and then from there you can import your new pilot component into the model.

If the pilot also has other model parts attached, which is common, it is a two step process of, first isolating the combination, removing the pilot from the other parts, then re importing those parts into the airplane model without the pilot, then scaling the pilot as before, etc.
Click to expand...
Fortunately I was able in the heirarchy editor to determine that he has only three parts and nothing else is attached to them. I "right clicked" transformation in the editor like Arno suggested and highlighted the "0" there. If I made that for example "1" or "2" would that make him larger in the model?
 

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tgycgijoes said:
Fortunately I was able in the heirarchy editor to determine that he has only three parts and nothing else is attached to them. I "right clicked" transformation in the editor like Arno suggested and highlighted the "0" there. If I made that for example "1" or "2" would that make him larger in the model?
Click to expand...
For me, the Hierarchy Editor transformations had been to move and scale animated landing gear from an MSFS model to one I created. I probably didn't express well enough that it took many long hours of experimentation, to finally get a desirable result. I do not know, without testing and experimenting, which transform settings scale which parts of models, in fact, the settings vary, depending on whether the node is parented to another node, or not.

It is for this reason that I recommend simply isolating and exporting the parts you want to change, changing them in 3d software and then re importing them. In the same way you can isolate and export components, you can delete components to make room for your new edit, then you just use the Merge tool to import it.
 
tgycgijoes said:
Ok I tried and right clicking transformation didn't do anything but highlight "0". I am attaching MY complete Spartan Executive. I have Milton Shupe's written (email) permission to modify ;and share all of it so Arno, could you please see if you can enlarge the pilot to look like the real photo size? I will use THAT model in my version. The file was too large to attach so here is the link to it.

Executive Also here is a photo of the pilot in the aircraft:

Fortunately I was able in the heirarchy editor to determine that he has only three parts and nothing else is attached to them. I "right clicked" transformation in the editor like Arno suggested and highlighted the "0" there. If I made that for example "1" or "2" would that make him larger in the model?
Click to expand...

=rk= said:
For me, the Hierarchy Editor transformations had been to move and scale animated landing gear from an MSFS model to one I created. I probably didn't express well enough that it took many long hours of experimentation, to finally get a desirable result. I do not know, without testing and experimenting, which transform settings scale which parts of models, in fact, the settings vary, depending on whether the node is parented to another node, or not.

It is for this reason that I recommend simply isolating and exporting the parts you want to change, changing them in 3d software and then re importing them. In the same way you can isolate and export components, you can delete components to make room for your new edit, then you just use the Merge tool to import it.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I WAS able to isolate a part but then RL got in the way so I will have to table this until sometime. Again thanks and I will try next week sometime to make it work (or not). I know how much trial and error is required in Model Converter X as wonderful a program as it is and Arno thanks for keeping updating it. You guys are all a great help here.
 
After all is said and done, after a month I am completely satisfied with completing this project and after second thought I am just going to leave the pilot alone. He is fine as far as I am concerned and the real pilot agreed with me that this is more work than the end result will justify. I want to thank you all for your help and suggestions. I know so very little and always come here for help as I have with a number of the gauges for this project. Thank you all for taking the time to share your knowledge. I know I will be back. I am taking a week or two off from creating to just fly this airplane that I have spent so much time on.
 
Arno, I also right click #Transformation and nothing happens. There is no line that just says "Transformation". Using 1.5, or DEV 3/22/2023.

mcx_hierarchy_no_transform.jpg
 
tgibson said:
Arno, I also right click #Transformation and nothing happens. There is no line that just says "Transformation". Using 1.5, or DEV 3/22/2023.

View attachment 87732
Click to expand...
I remembered wrong, you have to right click on the node on the left, then you get an option to add a transformation.
 
OKJ, let's try that. What you said about right click "model part" opens up a drop down menu. I added a transformation. I can open it but all it does is highlight the line and I don't know how to change 1 to anything it won't let me. When I type 2 it goes to the 2 in another line. What am I doing wrong. Almost thought I had it.
 
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Once you have added the transformation, you can right click on the word transformation in the right panel and select edit transformation.

1681588657252.png


And then an editor will put up where you can change the scaling.
 
arno said:
Once you have added the transformation, you can right click on the word transformation in the right panel and select edit transformation.

View attachment 87733

And then an editor will put up where you can change the scaling.
Click to expand...
it worked perfectly just like you said BUT, now I am going to have to test trial and error until I get the exact up scale. I did 2.0000 for each of the 4 lines and "the jolly green giant" was on the wing LOL!!! Now it's my turn to get it just right. Thanks Arno for the program and your help.
 
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