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MSFS24 Does the latest MSFS 2024 exporter simply not work with Blender 3.6?

A

Anthony31

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I have currently setup Blender 3.6 and Blender 4.5 with the latest official MSFS 2024 exporter.

Both setups point to the exact same plugin:
Version 7.4.2
C:\MSFS 2024 SDK\Tools\Blender\addons\io_scene_gltf2_msfs_2024\__init__.py

While the plugin seems to be the same there are some very slight variations in the settings of the Multi-export gltf 2.0. For example, Vertex Colors is a parameter of Mesh in 3.6 while in 4.5 Vertex Colors gets it's own category. But as far as I can tell all parameters are set identically between 3.6 and 4.5. However, the slight variations in the settings panel indicates that while it is the same plugin there might still be some differences.

I can export a slightly modified version of the SDK DA62 and in 4.5 it exports fine. In 3.6, while it does export and compile, there are issues with the textures. The model appears white, the compiler doesn't convert any textures like it does when I export from 4.5, animations seem to not be exported either and some parts of the mesh have the normals flipped so they are pointing the wrong way.

I'm just wondering if Asobo has somewhere updated the exporter and broken how it works in 3.6.
 
Correct - Blender 3.6 and the latest exporter is broken - 4.2 and 4.5 work.

There is a py file mod if you want it.

the is_editable attribute has to be checked for like in 4.2 and 4.5.


Code: 
    @staticmethod
    def export_image(blender_image, image_type, export_settings):
        # Make sure image is editable or gather_texture_info will return None
        # It happens when image is linked
        # ronh fix
        if hasattr(blender_image, "is_editable"):
            if not data_utils.is_editable(blender_image):
                blender_image = blender_image.copy()
                blender_image.make_local()
 
Last edited:
It might just be better to install Blenderv4.5, and use the new exporter for 2024 in that. I use that setup, and use Blenderv3.6 for 2020.
 
There is also a Blender update that deselects all your animations after an export. I'm afraid ASOBO can't or won't fix that because its a core issue, not an ASOBO issue. I have complained to Khronos about that, but it's out of support (LTS to July 2026)
 
Ok I am a dumb dumb. ASOBO exporter is_editable error has been fixed in ASOBO exporter 1.7.3 in 3.6. A simple test and the Blender issue has been fixed too.

But since I don't use 3.6 for 2024. Other need to test 1.7.3
 
Thanks Ron.

I just installed 1.7.3 and it looks like it's fixed the problems I was having with textures in Blender 3.6 and with the exporter in 1.7.2.

There must still be something wrong though. When I zoom out and the base LOD model gets swapped out for LOD 1 (really easy for me to tell because for my testing I put a big sphere into the fuselage and another in the wing so I could tell when the LODs were switching) then the right door is open.

This doesn't happen when I export from 4.5. Keep in mind I am loading the exact same project in both 3.6 and 4.5 so any differences are either from the exporter or from Blender itself.

I am also finding that some of the smoothing is different between the two exports. Look closely at the panel on the nose in the attached picture. You can see a bit of ballooning caused by smoothing issues. Particularly noticeable on the front vertical edge. Note that I have only modified the fuselage and left wing parts in my export testing (to save time). The wing in the picture is still on the base LOD (you can see the sphere I have added) but the fuselage is on LOD 1 (assuming we are counting the base LOD as LOD 0). Of course, you can also see the left door wide open which happens when it switches to LOD 1 (it's closed in LOD 0).

I think I will just follow Dick's advice. Export from 3.6 for 2020 and from 4.5 for 2024. There's just too many issues with the 3.6 2024 exporter at the moment.

da62issues.jpg
.
 
Anthony31 said:
There must still be something wrong though. When I zoom out and the base LOD model gets swapped out for LOD 1 (really easy for me to tell because for my testing I put a big sphere into the fuselage and another in the wing so I could tell when the LODs were switching) then the right door is open.
Click to expand...
Oh, that is an interesting find. Could be due to a lot of core Khronos changes to the gltf export code.
 
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