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P3D v5 Blender2P3D/FSX

Pyscen

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Doug,

Here's a simple cube created with Blender Render in Blender 2.79. Only Parameters given within Blender were Diffuse and Specular, colors, and Hardness level...Through the old tool FSX/P3D params is set using default settings (i.e., no transparency or special functionality.) so just trying to recreate something like this within the model material with the 2.83 Spec Shader without creating specific textures.

Let me make sure if I got this correct or understand what you are referring to? You are referring to just materials not being passed through to a model? is that correct?

If so, you are correct... as of this time, only textures are allowed to be made into a ".mdl" file. @Vitus has started working on that and hopefully will be available in the next release of the Toolset. Also, I do not know how far along he has gotten on it, though if I understand correctly, it was going to take some time to do. I personally agree with you that it should be. You should be able to check the model within the sim without textures.

Hopefully, Vitus will answer on the status of adding it shortly.
 

Vitus

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@wallydog69
@Pyscen
Hi Doug,

This is really trying to add back some of the older functionality of the tool and Blender without having to create a texture w/alpha. You used to be able to select color, specular color, specular intensity, and transparency level within Blender and the material values would export with the model. I found this to just be a simple way to play around with different parameters quickly without having to create specific textures with their alpha channels . Roughness is what is listed on Specular shader..Hardness was the parameter used before and seems to tie to the Specular Intensity Material Property.

I know there is a greater focus on PBR workflow but hopefully this can be added back to the Spec shader.

This should still be possible! Try this, and let me know how this works:
- create the material and set the mode to "Specular"
- open the shader editor
- disconnect anything that goes into the main specular node

If you go back to the default view and open the material properties, you should now be able to set the colors of the various specular inputs via the color wheel and things like transparency via a slider.
 

Pyscen

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Hello @Vitus

Your workaround works, but appears to only work once and done. Is it possible to add this to the PBR, Specular, and Disable options within the parameters section? Maybe calling it "Color Materials" Only? So that no one would have to go into the Shading Editor (disconnecting anything)

2020-06-25 08_08_54-Window.png
 
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Vitus

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Hello @Vitus

Your workaround works, but appears to only work once and done. Is it possible to add this to the PBR, Specular, and Disable options within the parameters section? Maybe calling it "Color Materials" Only? So that no one would have to go into the Shading Editor (disconnecting anything)

That's a great idea. Not trivial to implement though - we'd need to fork the material section of the exporter accordingly as well.
 

Pyscen

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That's a great idea. Not trivial to implement though - we'd need to fork the material section of the exporter accordingly as well.

I think it would make it easier for those not interested in using the Shading Editor, especially at the beginning of creating models. Do you think it's possible for this to be in the next Toolset release?
 
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Hi,
I am disturbed because,learning PBR , I cannot export a textured PBR object using the toolkit. The display is correct in the 3D view, the shader editor is well informed (I suppose), Slot1 gives the name of the material , I gave a name to the BSDF shader corresponding to the material and I get the following error : "Couldn't find the corresponding shader node for material "
Can you help me ? I use 3 textures albedo, metallic and normal map.
JMC
 

Pyscen

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Hi,
I am disturbed because,learning PBR , I cannot export a textured PBR object using the toolkit. The display is correct in the 3D view, the shader editor is well informed (I suppose), Slot1 gives the name of the material , I gave a name to the BSDF shader corresponding to the material and I get the following error : "Couldn't find the corresponding shader node for material "
Can you help me ? I use 3 textures albedo, metallic and normal map.
JMC

Hello...

Can you show the texture slots filled with the textures and click on the shading editor tab (up top). Show a screenshot of the shading editor.
 

Pyscen

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Close enough... did you include an AO map within your metallic map?

If so, and since you are not including a detail map ( at least not what I see), you will have to separate it from the metallic map. I'm not at a computer at the moment to show you how at this time. If @Vitus is still around he should be to show you.
 
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No I don't ! I try to export only some objects from the model, those with the material "fuselage". The model was at the beginning only for FSX.
JMC
 

Pyscen

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Ok...

Is the metallic an 8-bit grayscale with just the red channel being used? What does it consist of?
 
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Do we not deviate from the problem reported? The fact of not finding the preserved node?
This is what I see from Blender

blender_view.jpg


The metallic image is a png one with alpha, green and red channel, blue channel is all black exported by substance painter and P3D PBR preset. Maybe wrong ?

JMC
 
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Pyscen

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Do we not deviate from the problem reported? The fact of not finding the preserved node?

That's why I asked about the AO earlier. Going by your response, I believe you said "No I don't !". I took that to mean "No". The metallic map is made up of 3 maps (in most cases). Those 3 are the Red channel is the metalness (metallic), the Green channel is the Ambient Occlusion (AO), and the Alpha Channel the Smoothness (Blender uses Roughness - but don't worry on that, that has been written within the Toolset).

The metallic image is a png one with alpha, green and red channel, blue channel is all black exported by substance painter and P3D PBR preset. Maybe wrong ?
This is why I asked what did the metallic map consisted of. Since you do have an AO, and since Blender (or Toolset) has no means of knowing, the Shading Editor needs to show the different maps within the metallic map separated out per channel.

So, getting back to your first question "deviate from the problem reported?" Yes, that means that I need to show you how to do that within the shading editor. So let me, take some time to write it all down for you and get back to you.
 

Pyscen

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Alright...

From the Shading Editor:

Disconnect the "Detail" node from the bottom "Color2" of the "Detail Blend" node.
Next, Change the "Detail Blend" to "Multiply". Initially, it will have "Overlay".

After that, click on the "Add" tab within the Node Tree area (Image).
Add_Tab.png


Click on Converter -> Separate RGB (see image)

Converter_Sep-RGB.png


Place the "Separate RGB" node next to the "separate R" node.
Connect the "Metallic" Texture node to the "Separate RGB" and connect the "R" of the "Separate RGB" node to the Principled BSDF node "Metallic".

Next, connect the "G" of the "Separate RGB" node to the "Color2" of the "Detail Blend" (which should have "Multiply")

Finished. Hopefully, it will not give you an error message.

Finish.png
 

Pyscen

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@gastonj

If the error still occurs after doing the above, then @Vitus will have to look at within the Toolset. It may have something to do with parameters within the Toolset within this section (see image).
slot_textures.png
 
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Alas, I just made the adaptations and I still have the same error. However, I think that not being the first to use this, I must have made a mistake somewhere. I will resume on a simple object (a cube) and I think to see more clearly. Your explanations, however, helped me a lot in understanding the implementation of PBR in the export module for Blender 2.83 . Thank's!
JMC
 
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Arrgh... I didn't get to do the job ! Maybe am I too bad (lol)? I switch back to 2.79 and FSX style model.
JMC
 
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