• 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.

Best way to paint runways for P3D in 2024?

crushnik

crushnik

Messages
539
Country
us-missouri
I was tinkering around with NAS Patuxent River and saw all the ship LZ markings and neat stripes all over the runways and wondered if there are any fancy new ways to paint polygons and textures on airports. Blender maybe?

I can load a georeferenced image into Airport Design Editor then drag the stock taxiways around to match, but I am not sure if this is the best way to add the lines and polygons and have them look good enough for a modern simulator. I would put a screenshot of the real-life runways here but if you're anything like I am, once you've seen it you'll not be able to look at your plain runways the same again.
 
If you’re using ADE, I don’t believe there is a better one. But perhaps using other tools? I’m not aware of any though.
 
I forgot one way I know of. You can use a 3-D CAD program like blender to create a taxiway system as an object, and then use model converter X to convert that to ground polys.
 
Once I figure out how to georeference my image in Blender I think I'll be in business. This step has stumped me for years and I've watched enough tutorial videos that I have developed an Indian accent.
 
Considering the info posted by a knowledgeable author of QGIS and Blender GIS addons, regarding loss of precision inherent to UTM CRS Geo-referencing incurred at dimensional distances exceeding 1000 Meters (1 Kilometer) , I'd recommend a Sketchup KMZ export

https://github.com/domlysz/BlenderGIS/issues/374

https://github.com/domlysz/BlenderGIS


MCX can import and create a G-Poly from that type of source file (which optionally can be already Geo-referenced by Sketchup).

Alternatively, MCX can also derive and "place" multiple G-Poly(s) by assigning new Geo-referencing to sub-divided 500 meter sub-sections of the larger original imported flat 3D model(s) G-Poly source.

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
GaryGB said:
MCX can import and create a G-Poly from that type of source file (which optionally can be already Geo-referenced by Sketchup).
Click to expand...
I might see if the kids still have a Sketchup login through school. Thanks Gary!
 
Hi Chris:

Sketchup versions 8 (32-bit) as well as 2016 and 2017 are still free, now commercially unrestricted, and downloadable via 3rd party websites as original Google / Trimble installers still online since the products were first being promoted.

They are able to implement nearly all features of newer "online" versions via plugin Ruby scripts.

Additionally there are importer / exporter plugins for 3D model I/O that extend data portability beyond default features.

Feel free to inquire further if you are interested in exploring those options.


In addition to Sketchup, Blender can also "drape" or map an image texture Material onto a 3D object of a ex: 3D sloped RWY.


I am not sure if the virtual 2D / 3D object that ADE GP Editor creates can be directly imported via its intermediate work products.

However, the ADE GP Editor image texture Material from source files in ADE folders can be mapped onto a 3D object of a ex: 3D sloped RWY using either Sketchup or Blender if one wishes to make more 'bold' / fresh-painted looking ground markings than provided by use of aerial imagery.

One can import the ex: 3D sloped RWY into MCX and tweak FS' run time display of the mapped ground markings via MCX Material Editor.

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
Great news. I thought Sketchup required a paid account, and my two oldest kids no longer have one since they graduated high school. I'll see about downloading one the Sketchup versions you mention and report back. :)
 
Perhaps you were using "Sketchup Free for web" via a Windows-based web browser rather than via IOS Safari on I-Pad ?

https://www.sketchup.com/en/product...bJEeteYnPc6j_7TI0-uZxWZyyDIMDdQsDVlWWuzCakV8e

forums.sketchup.com

SketchUp Free for Web - Discontinued?

You don’t actually install SketchUp Free. You’re just opening a web page. I assume since you are using SketchUp Free this is for your own hobby use. I would suggest installing Chrome on one of your personal machines on which you’ve already demonstrated the Brave has the issue.
forums.sketchup.com forums.sketchup.com


NOTE: "SketchUp Free, the web-based version, does not support extensions, which severely limits the functionality of the tool."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SketchUp?name=SketchUp_Free#Software_extensions


IMHO the SketchUp web-based platform is an invitation to trouble (I also foresee trouble if MSFS goes "Inter-Web" only):

https://forums.sketchup.com/t/i-cant-save-my-sketchup-file/63940/12


I use Sketchup versions 8, 2016 and 2017 on Windows, with freely downloadable "official" installers originally issued by Google and/or Trimble still available via certain 3rd party web pages for each of the above cited versions, and plugins (aka "extensions") ...as referenced / linked here:
:idea:


https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sketchup-15-on-new-computer.458633/post-925903


CAVEAT: Sketchup 2017 broke / never fixed the "Combine Textures" feature for vertically oriented Faces, so I use version 2016 for that (ex: merging adjacent textures on building walls); thus I keep both versions 2016 and 2017 Sketchup Make installed to work around limitations.

Sketchup 2017 never broke the "Combine Textures" feature for horizontally oriented Faces, so I use version 2017 for ex: 3D sloped RWYs.

Sketchup 2017 Make has certain internal code updates compared to 2016 that makes working with the Material UVW mapping texture image positioning R-G-B-Y pins easier.

Those same Sketchup 2017 Make internal code updates compared to 2016 allow additional features in some newer plugins (aka "extensions"), that enable use / configuration of PBR Materials, as well as import / export of Khronos 2.0 glTF 3D models for MSFS, and support for import of the entire ASSIMP list of 3D file formats.

GaryGB
 
Last edited:
That web platform does sound familiar. My son showed me how to build a model and that's all I thought there was to it. By the time I saw your message I already installed 2017 from Archive.org so keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't fry my computer with popups and malware.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top