• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Autodesk will no longer offer Gmax® software

jcosta

jcosta

Messages
16
Country
brazil
:yikes: :yikes: :yikes: Discreet is now Autodesk and release the following note:

"As of October 6, 2005, Autodesk will no longer offer Gmax® software as a stand-alone product. If you are interested in other 3D animation, modeling, and rendering applications from Autodesk please check out Autodesk® 3ds Max® software. You can download a free 30-day trial, view product demonstrations, read customer success stories, and get more information about this powerful, versatile product." :mad: :mad:

and now?? :scratchch What are our options fellows?????? let´s talk alternatives!!
 
rhumbaflappy

rhumbaflappy

Administrator
Staff member
Resource contributor
Messages
5,945
Country
us-wisconsin
Hi jcosta.

The problem is we don't know what design changes for scenery and aircraft require changes in the GMax module.

The Aces design team is working on the problem, and seem commited to resolving the issue. They are also commited to backward compatibility, so our current sceneries should be alright.

Dick
 
S

stevo

Messages
383
Country
unitedkingdom
Hi

If this is the case, can we still register gmax online, if we need to reinstall it for any reason?

It is still available on Turbosquid for download

Stevo
 
Last edited:
arno

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,883
Country
netherlands
Have a look at this thread where this announcement has already been discussed.

It is clear that MS is right on this subject and until they make more announcements about their future path we can not say much about it.

For the moment GMax should still work fine (we have the gamepack, we have the files on the Fs2004 CD and we can use the hack for the registration code). So our work should be able to continue.

The problems do arise more on the longer term. For example will we be able to convert our GMax source over to a new tool if we need to use one? I certainly hope that is something that MS and Discrete will talk about. Discrete could for example offer an exporter for GMax that allows you to export it to more general formats that can be imported easier in other tools.

But until we now more about the future tool MS will provide us a gamepack for we can only speculate about things like this. So maybe it is better to stop guessing and wait a bit.
 
jcosta

jcosta

Messages
16
Country
brazil
Well I do believe the waiting option is quite good :rolleyes: because above all this is a fight for big players and unfortunately at this stage "money talks".

But But But I wounder? if a fellow new scenery designer would like to start using Gmax we would be able to help him in some way considering the use of the software?? :eek: Guys! the Autodesk® 3ds Max® is an amaizing peace of software but it is very very very expensive!!!. :eek: which would be the alternatives to my fellow friend for the moment!! he won`t accept the wainting tone!! :scratchch
 
arno

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,883
Country
netherlands
Hi,

For the moment we can't say anything about that. It really depends on the path MS is going to take. They should then for example provide a gamepack for another tool (or we must find one that can export as a X file). So at the moment I find this a very hard question to answer and I would not really know the answer to it.

I hope we get an indication soon, as I would also hate to have to redo all the work that I am doing in GMax now. I just hope we can import/convert our GMax source once we have a new tool/solution.
 
J

jvarje

Messages
13
One very good alternative is the open-source 3D-modelling software Blender (http://www.blender.org). It can export into .x format, which MakeMDL can then convert into flight simulator models. The user interface is a bit different from gmax, but I've been learning it quite fast, the basics are of course the same in every 3D software.

Gmax will of course be fully usable for existing users even though getting new activation keys won't be possible, so working with old models won't be a problem.
 
arno

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,883
Country
netherlands
jvarje said:
One very good alternative is the open-source 3D-modelling software Blender (http://www.blender.org). It can export into .x format, which MakeMDL can then convert into flight simulator models. The user interface is a bit different from gmax, but I've been learning it quite fast, the basics are of course the same in every 3D software.
Click to expand...

I also took a look at blender, but I must say that the first look of it was even more confusing then the first look I had on GMax :confused:

I guess I need to find a nice tutorials or manual somewhere, as I (of course) forget to take a good look at the documentation until now. But I must say that I like the idea of using an open-source program a lot.
 
rhysa

rhysa

Messages
42
Country
australia
I think that any program that can export to X format can do everything that GMax does now. All you need to do is add in the AttachTool stuff to the X file yourself or via external tool (one of which Im working on), its all documented in the SDK.

So the future is not so bleak, it just won't involve GMax which everyone has been learning :mad:
 
MDuncan

MDuncan

Messages
38
Country
unitedstates
As a Blender user for the past 7 years, I can agree that interface is a bit different for new users... But I can do things MUCH more quickly in Blender than I can in gMAX... and there are a lot of options with Blender.

Currently I am taking models created in a VERY old version of Blender, converting them and importing them to gMax to texture. Its not the greatest solution...but I like modelling in Blender...and I like the texture process in gMax...

I am sure MS has to be considering this strongly.... A huge bulk of their sales comes from the fact that people "get into" their simulator... they can make it personal and more enjoyable.... you take that away and you loose sales... Daddy Bill ain't going to like that at all... so they will come up with something...

Forcing people to purchase a $1500 copy of 3DS Max will NOT be the answer... if that is the best they can do... they might as well expect a lot of pirated cracked versions of it to start "flying" around the net...

Patience... we just have to wait and see....

MD :D
 
B

bob5568

Messages
1,484
Matt, I agree, they're working on something. For all we know ms may buy the gmax product to supply with their games....or perhaps they'll set up a different solution....something like blender perhaps.

No worries thou, whatever is decided, we'll all make it work.

Bob
 
arno

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,883
Country
netherlands
Yes, for the moment the best thing we can do is wait. Once we know the future path of MS we can decide on a change. It does not really make sense to switch to Blender now, while MS might provide something completely different with the next FS version.

I just hope we get some news soon. I do not really feel like continuing to use GMax any longer then needed, especially when I can not import my GMax source files into a (possible) new solution. But until we know that would be guessing of course.
 
Fern

Fern

Messages
537
Country
canada
Blender - Export

Hi, All

It was said up there that Blender can export in the x format and that MakeMDL can, then, compile into something that FS can use.

The gmax gamepack for FS2004 (with MakeMDL, MDL Commander, BGLComp) picks up whatever gmax creates and makes an XML and an MDL for scenery or an MDL for aircraft.

Is anyone using Blender and exporting and actually creating models, and are the steps for exporting described somewhere?

Thanks!

Fern
 
arno

arno

Administrator
Staff member
FSDevConf team
Resource contributor
Messages
32,883
Country
netherlands
Hi Fern,

If you just start the MakeMDL.exe yourself, it should ask you for a X file. You can then feed it with the X file created by Blender.
 
Fern

Fern

Messages
537
Country
canada
x File... Have I seen this on TV?

Hi, Arno.

Thanks. Then Blender is very similar to gmax in what it outputs, isn't it?

I have to try this Blender stuff soon.

There is no risk of it hanging the system, messing up other stuff, etc., eh?

Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top