MSFS24 Dirt effect on the leading edges...how?

[zlin142]

Hi folks,

I want to add a dirt effect to the leading edge of my plane. I tried following the SDK’s instructions for this, but unfortunately the effect isn’t working as it should.
Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong or what I might have missed?

This is the section of SDK dirt effect that I used:
https://docs.flightsimulator.com/ms...irt_And_Grime.htm?rhhlterm=dirt&rhsearch=dirt

Here is my Blender setup:

Material:

Converted and builded aircraft looks like this:

Regular dirt slider at almost 1.00:

Regular dirt slider exactly at 1.00:

And of course, I added these codes into my exterior.xml:

<Behaviors>
.
.
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\Index.xml"/>
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\DefaultConfig.xml"/>
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\ExteriorDefs.xml"/>
.
.
<Component ID="Regular_Dirt">
<UseTemplate Name="ASOBO_ET_COMMON_Dirt_Multiple_Template">
<TYPE>REGULAR</TYPE>
<SaveParameters ID="Dirt_NODE_IDs">
<REGULAR_wings/>
</SaveParameters>
</UseTemplate>
</Component>
.
.
</Behaviors>

 

[ronh]

I've not done this. but reading the SDK, the textures go in Albedo (Base) and Decal Blend mask - not in Detail slot?

 

[GaryGB]

Excellent info.

Hey Ron, what is the best way to (digitally ?) 'wash our hands' after adding "Dirt" to our 3D model ?

GaryGB

 

[zlin142]

I've not done this. but reading the SDK, the textures go in Albedo (Base) and Decal Blend mask - not in Detail slot?

I’ve already checked your suggestions, and yes, the base color was indeed in the wrong place; I’ve now moved it to the “Base Color Texture” slot.

I think the mask PNG texture is in the right place, as shown in my previous image: “Decal Blend Mask Texture” slot

The result is that the appearance is now perfect, but the slider still doesn’t allow you to control the texture’s "mass"; either nothing is visible (0–0.99), or everything is suddenly visible (1.00):

 

[ronh]

The only thing after this is setting vertex Alpha, but not sure that would fix the issue. This stuff should work similar to ice. The ice slider worked fine that last time i looked.

EDIT:

Vertex Alpha is the "primary" method??

 

[ronh]

Excellent info.

Hey Ron, what is the best way to (digitally ?) 'wash our hands' after adding "Dirt" to our 3D model ?

GaryGB

You must model a washroom at every airport. I think someone just did it a EDDS

 

[ronh]

Hi folks,

I want to add a dirt effect to the leading edge of my plane. I tried following the SDK’s instructions for this, but unfortunately the effect isn’t working as it should.
Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong or what I might have missed?

This is the section of SDK dirt effect that I used:
https://docs.flightsimulator.com/ms...irt_And_Grime.htm?rhhlterm=dirt&rhsearch=dirt

Here is my Blender setup:
View attachment 99450

Material:
View attachment 99451

Converted and builded aircraft looks like this:
View attachment 99452

Regular dirt slider at almost 1.00:
View attachment 99453

Regular dirt slider exactly at 1.00:
View attachment 99454


And of course, I added these codes into my exterior.xml:

<Behaviors>
.
.
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\Index.xml"/>
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\DefaultConfig.xml"/>
<Include ModelBehaviorFile="ASOBO_EX1\\ExteriorDefs.xml"/>
.
.
<Component ID="Regular_Dirt">
<UseTemplate Name="ASOBO_ET_COMMON_Dirt_Multiple_Template">
<TYPE>REGULAR</TYPE>
<SaveParameters ID="Dirt_NODE_IDs">
<REGULAR_wings/>
</SaveParameters>
</UseTemplate>
</Component>
.
.
</Behaviors>

The material parameters settings - you have Blend Mask Threshold set to 1.0 - in the SU5 Beta latest ASOBO exporter it defaults to 0.001 - check that.

 

[zlin142]

The material parameters settings - you have Blend Mask Threshold set to 1.0 - in the SU5 Beta latest ASOBO exporter it defaults to 0.001 - check that.

I already tried both "ends" of this scale 'Blend Mask Threshold", 0 to 1.0 and with both values shows same visible effect; with the dirt debug slider still functional in the same way: 0 to 0.99 no effect, 1.0 full effect.
But you mentioned above those 'Vertex Alpha' thing... well... I already checked this in Blender, but i'm not sure about that...
I have Color Attributes with these values:

As you'll see, I set alpha value to 1.0 (full white) by clicking the right side of 'color' row.
But when I switch to 'Vertex paint' mode, i didn't see any alpha channel values:

But I see a "Color" (full white as shows at this picture above) and "Secondary color" that is full black.

 

[ronh]

my old videos, but may try this

 

[zlin142]

I watched your videos and tried to adjust the vertex alpha properties based on them. Unfortunately, I wasn't successful.
Then I decided to play it safe: I wrote a short script in AI that sets the value of a specific (selected) object's vertex alpha channel to a value I specify.
I tested it on three different objects at the same time. I set the value to 1.0 for one, 0.5 for another, and 0 for the third (the script checks the actual values set for each object).
The result is the same every time: there’s no change between 0.0 and 0.9, and then the effect appears on the object at 1.0.
I’m starting to suspect that there might be a Blender exporter bug behind this.

This is the code what i'm using in Blender if you want to try yourself:

import bpy

def get_average_alpha(obj):
"""Visszaadja az objektum AlphaLayer vertex color alpha értékeinek átlagát"""
if obj and obj.type == 'MESH':
mesh = obj.data
if "AlphaLayer" in mesh.vertex_colors and len(mesh.vertex_colors["AlphaLayer"].data) > 0:
vcol_layer = mesh.vertex_colors["AlphaLayer"]
total = 0.0
count = len(vcol_layer.data)
for loop in vcol_layer.data:
total += loop.color[3] # alpha csatorna
return total / count
return 0.0


class VertexAlphaPanel(bpy.types.Panel):
bl_label = "Vertex Alpha Setter"
bl_idname = "VIEW3D_PT_vertex_alpha"
bl_space_type = 'VIEW_3D'
bl_region_type = 'UI'
bl_category = "Vertex Tools"

def draw(self, context):
layout = self.layout
scene = context.scene
obj = context.active_object

# Input mező
layout.prop(scene, "vertex_alpha_value")

# Gomb a beállításhoz
layout.operator("object.set_vertex_alpha", text="Set Vertex Alpha")

# Átlag alpha érték mutatása
avg_alpha = get_average_alpha(obj)
layout.label(text=f"Average Alpha: {avg_alpha:.3f}")


class SetVertexAlpha(bpy.types.Operator):
bl_idname = "object.set_vertex_alpha"
bl_label = "Set Vertex Alpha"
bl_description = "Set all vertex colors alpha to the given value"

def execute(self, context):
obj = context.active_object
if not obj or obj.type != 'MESH':
self.report({'WARNING'}, "Please select a mesh object")
return {'CANCELLED'}

value = context.scene.vertex_alpha_value
if value < 0.0 or value > 1.0:
self.report({'WARNING'}, "Value must be between 0 and 1")
return {'CANCELLED'}

bpy.ops.object.mode_set(mode='OBJECT')
mesh = obj.data

if "AlphaLayer" not in mesh.vertex_colors:
mesh.vertex_colors.new(name="AlphaLayer")

vcol_layer = mesh.vertex_colors["AlphaLayer"]

for poly in mesh.polygons:
for loop_idx in poly.loop_indices:
r, g, b, a = vcol_layer.data[loop_idx].color
vcol_layer.data[loop_idx].color = (r, g, b, value)

self.report({'INFO'}, f"Vertex alpha set to {value}")
return {'FINISHED'}


def register():
bpy.utils.register_class(VertexAlphaPanel)
bpy.utils.register_class(SetVertexAlpha)
bpy.types.Scene.vertex_alpha_value = bpy.props.FloatProperty(
name="Alpha Value",
description="Alpha value to set for all vertices",
default=1.0,
min=0.0,
max=1.0
)


def unregister():
bpy.utils.unregister_class(VertexAlphaPanel)
bpy.utils.unregister_class(SetVertexAlpha)
del bpy.types.Scene.vertex_alpha_value


if __name__ == "__main__":
register()