• 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.
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    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.

GMax plugin for FsX

arno said:
You might want to ask such questions in the scenery design forum, instead of here. But if you installed the new GMax gamepack correctly you should be able to export to a MDL object fine. There is no real need to have access to the X file.
Click to expand...

I disagree about that there is no need to have access to the x-files.
First: Mulder and Scully can only be kept in check if someone else has access to the x-files and ..

Second: One of the most annoying things while working on an aircraft model was that you need for example an exterior and interior model for the vc. If you have access to the .x-file you just copy your working model to an interior model and you always have both (which is what mdlcommander does automatically if you use the correct options).

Third: Seeing the x-files also helps a lot in determining problems when stuff doesn't work as intended, for example how to set the material properties correct to get reflections etc.

Fourth: it allows to see how stuff has to be exported for XToMDL so that someone with a more decent knowledge of Python than me can write an exporter for Blender for FSX .x-files. (I wish actually MS/ACES would do that)

Fifth: Another advantage is, that when creating scenery that needs multiple instances of your model you could just call makemdl multiple times altering the coordinates using the .x-file without being in gmax.

Sixth: you can use the .x-file to import into other programs, such as Blender.

I'm still wrestling with SimConnect and didn't have time to look into the gmax side of FSX yet, so no new mdlcommander yet. I don't know whether they changed the "inner workings" of the export. If not then mdlcommander would basically still work i guess, just XToMDL.exe would have to be renamed to mkmdl.exe like described in the doc. Not sure about the parameter passing stuff but since XToMDL uses xml files for its parameters it might work.
 
DocMoriarty said:
I disagree about that there is no need to have access to the x-files.

Second: One of the most annoying things while working on an aircraft model was that you need for example an exterior and interior model for the vc. If you have access to the .x-file you just copy your working model to an interior model and you always have both (which is what mdlcommander does automatically if you use the correct options).
Click to expand...

At least this reason no longer exists... Let me 'splain, Lucy!

Because of the new "separate model paradigm," for FSX to have an "interior model" is as simple as editing the model.cfg file to point to the same model for both, e.g.,

[models]
normal=Citation_II_amb
interior=Citation_II_amb

In the case above, at the moment I only have the "exterior" model converted to FSX SDK Standards, and haven't begun work on the actual "interior" model yet.

Through use of the model.cfg file this way, I'm able to "see" the actual "interior" of my "exterior" model, which works a treat since I can now quickly and easily adjust the level of detail for the "exterior model's interior" in the sim itself.

My usual practice is to complete the exterior model with full detail both outside and inside, then copy/paste/rename the .max/.gmax file and begin the process of 'culling details' from the now, individual xxx.gmax and xxx_interior.gmax files as needed for the respective visual models.

This process saves me a great deal of time and effort overall, and guarantees that both the finished 'exterior' and 'interior' models will be identical. :cool:

None of the above of course is an argument against the very real desire to regain the ability to "save" the .x file(s) when exporting! As you pointed out, there are still quite valid reasons for doing so... :coffee:

By the way, there's another really neat benefit now that both Aircraft and Scenery models are compiled the same way...

If the modeler sets up his "scenery" as an "aircraft," it is possible to quickly and easily visualize the "scenery" in the sim without the need to create XML placement, etc. And, if one is creating an "interior" for the scenery object, using the VC will allow them to "get inside" for an "up close and personal" viewpoint. :)
 
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Hi,

I think most reasons you are giving here are valid for people who want to hack (or should I say understand?) the new MDL format and how it works. A normal user who just wants to export his object has no real need to have access to the X file as far as I see it (as I am a scenery designer, I am a little biased to scenery design of course, so aircraft designers might have other needs).

DocMoriarty said:
Fifth: Another advantage is, that when creating scenery that needs multiple instances of your model you could just call makemdl multiple times altering the coordinates using the .x-file without being in gmax.
Click to expand...

The location of the scenery object is not specified in the X file. Only in the Fs2002 gamepack the exporter did the placement as well, since the Fs2004 GMax pack this is done with a XML file for BGLComp.
 
To be honest, i've left out FS2004 completely :)

Oh i don't want to talk people into using MDLCommander (thats just work for me). I just remember i solved some texturing problems or uncertainties in FS2002 by inspecting the exported infos in the x-file, and of course the multiple object placement problem in FS2002.
 
gmax Plugins

Hi,

If this subject is explained elsewhere, please forgive me. I searched, but I didn't find it.

The fsinsider.com site has the FSX SDK Service Pack 1. The site lists, as the very first thing included in the SP1, "Tools and scripts for gmax modeling".

Two questions:

1. Is it true/does it work?

2. When installing the SP1, does it go into our gmax installation and messes up the working plugin we already have there for FS2004? (I ask this because previous "updates" by Microsoft did mess up MDLCommander)

Thanks

Fern
 
First of all, to properly run SP1, I believe that you need to have installed the SDK from the deluxe (which I'll assume that considering you appear to be a fellow addict, you already have)


Then, the SDK-SP1 really doesn't "install itself" into gmax, you get to do it yourself by copying/draggin the complete gmax FSX gamepack folder "FSX_GmaxGamePack" into your gmax\gamepacks. It includes the gmax desktop shortcut that you'll have to send.

Forget about middleman and mdlcommander, the process won't let you use them. Keep them in the FS2004 gamepack.
 
Fsx Sdx Sp1

Thanks

I want to keep my FS2004 gamepack intact, as I use it a lot.

If the installation of the FSX gamepack is manual, and it doesn't touch any of the other gamepacks, that is the way I like it.

Thanks

F
 
It is very much "manual..." ;)

In fact, I now have a total of FOUR "gamepack" sub-folders set up, and of course FOUR desktop icons to start GMax, depending on my needs:

FS2002
FS2004 - Aircraft
FS2004 - Scenery
FSX
 
FelixFFDS said:
First of all, to properly run SP1, I believe that you need to have installed the SDK from the deluxe (which I'll assume that considering you appear to be a fellow addict, you already have)


Then, the SDK-SP1 really doesn't "install itself" into gmax, you get to do it yourself by copying/draggin the complete gmax FSX gamepack folder "FSX_GmaxGamePack" into your gmax\gamepacks. It includes the gmax desktop shortcut that you'll have to send.
Click to expand...

hi Felix,
I first have installed The SDK from FSX deluxe and then the SDK SP1, but i never saw the "FSX_GmaxGamePack" folder at all...
Do I miss something here?
Thanx in advance.
Bert
 
If you install to the default location, the gamepack is in
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Environment Kit\Modeling SDK

You copy the FSX_GmaxGamePack folder to the c:\gmax\gamepacks folder and then put the shortcut on your desktop that is in the newly copied folder.

All of this is in the manual (but if you are like me - I did not read it either) :)
 
hi Nick,
I am just like you; i didn't read it too!
Thanks anyhow.

a happy design 2007
Bert
 
well i have installed sdk sp1 and put the fsx gamepacks folder in its proper place but i still cannot export .x file, maybe i have missed something?
 
No, nothing wrong. You can't make X file from GMax, you need to export as MDL file directly from GMax.
 
oh, well i was just going by what the SDK covered on using modeling tools, i figured gmax would have been similar to what was covered using 3ds, thanks
 
Wannab said:
oh, well i was just going by what the SDK covered on using modeling tools, i figured gmax would have been similar to what was covered using 3ds, thanks
Click to expand...

I know this is a long thread, but this was covered in detail about 2-3 pages back... :D

Have fun now! :cool:
 
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