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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.
Blender Newbie -Hints appreciated
- Thread starter chrisnoy
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Pyscen
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Before doing anything, make sure your model has been uv unmapped and all materials have been assigned.
Then, you will export the model to either obj or fbx format from blender.
Next is to import it into Quixel.
Do you have the textures maps ready to go (albedo, emissive, normal, metallic or Comp ready)?
Then, you will export the model to either obj or fbx format from blender.
Next is to import it into Quixel.
Do you have the textures maps ready to go (albedo, emissive, normal, metallic or Comp ready)?
Pyscen
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You should place the corresponding png files within their designated slots in Blender that has the toolset installed for MSFS.
Pyscen
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OK...
You are missing a metallic map, but for testing purposes, you might be able to use the specular, in it place.
You will need to combine the 3 maps, AO, Roughness, Metallic (Specular) into the COMP file.
To Combine them you will use either GIMP or Photoshop. Combining them will require you to place the AO in the red channel, the Roughness into the green channel, and last, the Metallic (Specular) into the blue channel. The Albedo, of course, goes into the Albedo slot of the toolset and the Normal map into the Normal slot.
These would be placed within their corresponding slots within Blender (with the Toolset) and then exported for MSFS.
You are missing a metallic map, but for testing purposes, you might be able to use the specular, in it place.
You will need to combine the 3 maps, AO, Roughness, Metallic (Specular) into the COMP file.
To Combine them you will use either GIMP or Photoshop. Combining them will require you to place the AO in the red channel, the Roughness into the green channel, and last, the Metallic (Specular) into the blue channel. The Albedo, of course, goes into the Albedo slot of the toolset and the Normal map into the Normal slot.
These would be placed within their corresponding slots within Blender (with the Toolset) and then exported for MSFS.
Hi, OK, in Blender I have slots for Albedo, Metallic, and Normal. Then there's Emissive, Detail Albedo, Detail Metallic, Detail Normal and Blend Mask?
I am in the wrong place?
When I load the first three of these (found Metallic in mixer as an export option) my model looks as it should ?
I am in the wrong place?
When I load the first three of these (found Metallic in mixer as an export option) my model looks as it should ?
OK I am using GIMP. I am not sure how to combine the three maps or to place them into the colour channels. I have had a go but the resulting image looks black and when i enter this into the slot in Blender and export the model to MSFS the model indeed appears to be black.
Can you give me any more pointers for GIMP?. Thanks for your help so far, I am getting somewhere at last.
Can you give me any more pointers for GIMP?. Thanks for your help so far, I am getting somewhere at last.
Pyscen
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It will probably be easier for you to download my "GIMP: Creating Ambient Occlusion Map" Tutorial, because the process of copying and pasting into a Channel is tedious and maybe long. https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/gimp-creating-ambient-occlusion-ao-maps.221/
The only difference is the fact it's for P3D and not MSFS. Start reading at the bottom of page 13 (After P3D v4.3). The means of copying and pasting is what you are needing to look at. The channels (Red, Green, & Blue) for MSFS are AO = Red, Roughness = Green, and Metallic = Blue.
The only difference is the fact it's for P3D and not MSFS. Start reading at the bottom of page 13 (After P3D v4.3). The means of copying and pasting is what you are needing to look at. The channels (Red, Green, & Blue) for MSFS are AO = Red, Roughness = Green, and Metallic = Blue.
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This post is very useful. I am brand new to FSDeveloper, and to Blender, (its literally been a week), and some of the tips on this thread make so much sense!
I am working on editing the default KMDW Chicago Midway airport, and just released a new version on www.flightsim.to
https://www.flightsim.to/file/5760/chicago-midway-airport-kmdw-usa
(But you may notice, this airport it has no original 3D objects, only stock objects from the SDK), so though the airport looks much better than the generic version, the buildings are not exact and only approximations. My next step ( now that i learnt how to use the SDK about 2 months ago), is to learn to make 3D objects in Blender!
After about 3 or 4 days with Blender, I was finally able to model the Control Tower (Not perfect, I know). But overall easy using extrude, inset, scale, etc. Now i am hoping to paint it the right color as in the google maps photo . Problem is there are a lot of blender texture painting tutorials but nothing that specific to Flightsim or MFS2020.
I tried using vertex painting, since this control tower seems to be a low polygon object and i find it easier to paint each face ( or a set at a time). I painted just some grey shading ( like in the photo), but it just looks so cartoonish. I am also still trying to figure out where the 'UV unwrap part fits into all this.
So i guess i am trying to figure out how or where to go next in terms of the texturing/ painting. What would your next step be in trying to finish or texture paint this control tower ?
Should i install the Blender2MSFS into Blender ? Will i need it at this stage to make nice photorealistic looking textures within Blender ?
(and im still trying to figure out where PBR textures fits into all this)
if anyone has any links to you tube tutorial for beginners on someone making FLightsim specific simple objects (like a control tower or hangar, i would greatly appreciate it!
I am attaching some pics which may help with my questions.
thankyou for any help/ guidance!!
Adnan
I am working on editing the default KMDW Chicago Midway airport, and just released a new version on www.flightsim.to
https://www.flightsim.to/file/5760/chicago-midway-airport-kmdw-usa
(But you may notice, this airport it has no original 3D objects, only stock objects from the SDK), so though the airport looks much better than the generic version, the buildings are not exact and only approximations. My next step ( now that i learnt how to use the SDK about 2 months ago), is to learn to make 3D objects in Blender!
After about 3 or 4 days with Blender, I was finally able to model the Control Tower (Not perfect, I know). But overall easy using extrude, inset, scale, etc. Now i am hoping to paint it the right color as in the google maps photo . Problem is there are a lot of blender texture painting tutorials but nothing that specific to Flightsim or MFS2020.
I tried using vertex painting, since this control tower seems to be a low polygon object and i find it easier to paint each face ( or a set at a time). I painted just some grey shading ( like in the photo), but it just looks so cartoonish. I am also still trying to figure out where the 'UV unwrap part fits into all this.
So i guess i am trying to figure out how or where to go next in terms of the texturing/ painting. What would your next step be in trying to finish or texture paint this control tower ?
Should i install the Blender2MSFS into Blender ? Will i need it at this stage to make nice photorealistic looking textures within Blender ?
(and im still trying to figure out where PBR textures fits into all this)
if anyone has any links to you tube tutorial for beginners on someone making FLightsim specific simple objects (like a control tower or hangar, i would greatly appreciate it!
I am attaching some pics which may help with my questions.
thankyou for any help/ guidance!!
Adnan
Attachments
OK, moving on now and need some help with the dome glass to the extreme left, on the roof. I have created a cylinder, shaped it as required and applied a material with MSFS Glass properties. To get the stripes I have applied a colour ramp via the node mode. In Blender this renders fine and looks good, in MSFS it appears as the second image attached-all white. Any help appreciated.
Also can anybody help with the best way to texture the signs on the buildings?
Thanks
Also can anybody help with the best way to texture the signs on the buildings?
Thanks
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Signs
As far as texturing the signs, I am guessing that you mean the text on the signs?
Well I would use the text tool in Blender, and then after typing it in, you can choose "convert to mesh", this will create 3D rendered text automatically.
Glass
In Blender using MSFS exporter, right under where you set it to "MSFS Glass", 4 items down you'll see something called "Alpha Multiplier". Try setting that to a real low setting, like 0.20 to 0.01 or something. The lower the clearer the glass. You may also find that the object you are applying the glass to needs to have some thickness to it (not always, depends I think).
Note: 2 other things to watch out for when dealing with glass
1) About 10 lines up on the toolbar from where you first selected "MSFS Glass" (above 'material mode'), you'll see a setting called "ALPHA" (just below emission), that should generally be fine as 1.0 but if it says something else in that box, you may have issues.
2) Sometimes maybe try changing the window color to a gray color may look better. You can use the Albedo Color just below MSFS Glass to change the color of the glass.
As far as texturing the signs, I am guessing that you mean the text on the signs?
Well I would use the text tool in Blender, and then after typing it in, you can choose "convert to mesh", this will create 3D rendered text automatically.
Glass
In Blender using MSFS exporter, right under where you set it to "MSFS Glass", 4 items down you'll see something called "Alpha Multiplier". Try setting that to a real low setting, like 0.20 to 0.01 or something. The lower the clearer the glass. You may also find that the object you are applying the glass to needs to have some thickness to it (not always, depends I think).
Note: 2 other things to watch out for when dealing with glass
1) About 10 lines up on the toolbar from where you first selected "MSFS Glass" (above 'material mode'), you'll see a setting called "ALPHA" (just below emission), that should generally be fine as 1.0 but if it says something else in that box, you may have issues.
2) Sometimes maybe try changing the window color to a gray color may look better. You can use the Albedo Color just below MSFS Glass to change the color of the glass.