• 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.

How about a step by step Blender to FSX guide?

rickster1146

rickster1146

Messages
14
Country
us-washington
Gentlemen,
It would be terrific if someone would write a step by step of how to create a simple rectangular building, texture it and then get it into FSX. I have the FSX tool set and I understand the process in gMax and 3ds Max, I've used both. But I don't quite get the process in Blender. Once I get the process from start to finish I'm sure I can figure out modeling an aircraft and getting it into the sim.

I also have a question regarding Blender. I'm using v2.71, Win 8.1 64bit. I created a FBO for my fictional airport. I have created many parts to the FBO. When I go to texture it I find I can create only one part texture at a time. Is there a method to putting all the parts together on one image so the draw calls will be cut way down?

If this has been answered elsewhere, please point to the right place? Thank you for your time. I love this group of knowledgeable people.

Rick Nathan
Tradewind Caribbean Airlines
 
I found this series of videos very helpful for getting started with blender modeling for FSX.

If you want to texture your entire model from one sheet, select the entire model in edit mode and use smart UV project (or unwrap it manually if you want). Switch to the UV/image editor window and export the UV layout. Import this layout to an image editor and apply the textures you want to the correct parts of the unwrap. Reload the texture sheet into blender and all the faces should be textured from one sheet.

When you're happy with the textures and mapping, you can export the model and place it using MCX, convert the textures and test it in fsx.

If you're having trouble following my explanation, the video series does a better job.

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk
 
Ryan,
Thank you for the prompt reply. Yes, I have those Austin Sass videos on Blender. He does a good job of explaining quickly how to model, texture, and export to FSX, but you have to be quick to catch what happens and yes, you need some familiarity with Blender to catch the shortcuts also.

Now I think I've found the solution to my problem. I could not get my entire model selected so I couldn't export the UV Map. When I finally discovered (tonight) that I had to join pieces together, the mirror modifier I applied to one wing of my main building disappeared and sure enough I was able to select everything at that point and then create a UV Map. I could not find anyway to make this happen until I joined the parent of the mirrored part to another part. Now I can create a duplicate of that section and merely 'separate' it and place it in the mirrored position as though I used the modifier and the result will be just as I wanted. A long building divided with a central tower. I initially created one wing, mirrored it, then made the tower center section. This appears to be solved at present. I must tell you that I've been at this for a month. Even 3ds Max wasn't this hard to figure out. Blender isn't written for FSX and we are just beginning to find how useful it is but adapting the FSX process is proving a challenge, at least for an old timer like me, who doesn't quite get the hang of this new technology. But I won't quit trying.

Regards,
Rick Nathan
 
It's definately a bit of a change going from gmax/3dsmax to blender, but you get used to it fairly quickly(at least I did, although I had used blender before). I think once you get more used to blender you'll love it. I've pretty much moved to blender "full time" now because of the rendering engine, I only using gmax for gorundpolys.

I think you might be over complicating things by using a mirror modifier just for a simple building. I normally just start with a basic rectangle shape then loop cut and extrude up a roof line. From there I add any annexes and doors that I need. In terms of exporting to FSX it's pretty similar, the only difference being Blender doesn't export directly to mdl, you need to go via MCX.


Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk
 
Hello,

For CVA1077, the toolset export directly to mdl, just tick the option ...

For Rickster, on my point of view, all you do with Gmax is feasable with Blender.
Just quicker when you 've understand the workflow ;)

Begin with simple models.
Try a fuction after an other.
Export very often ...Just to see everything are OK.

For exporting, read and re read the wiki. And don't skip anything.

For mapping you can use "export Uv layout" for each part, and compile them on one layer of your map ( Toshop or gimp).

I can't go further; So much to say ... ;)

Hmmm...

One point:

In Blender, when comming from Gmax:

Understand that you have to very different section for mapping.

The material and its texture.
The UV editor and its own one.

You can have different textures in these two !
Remember to stay synchronized.


Daniel.
 
Ryan,
I don't dislike Blender. In fact, I can't stop working with it. I sleep with it, my whole day is full of it. I'd say I was 'Committed'. I certainly can't wait for my first project to actually be complete enough to put out to my pilots (TCA). I'm hoping to create a TCA presence at the ports of call on our route schedule. A mighty task but one that will be greatly appreciated when done.

Daniel,
Thank you for the tip about mapping each part and combining in PS. I'll give that a try. I did discover that there was no need to mirror anything. Since I'm new to many of the techniques I tried the mirror bit to see if it would speed up my construction when in the end it really held me up. I do notice that the many videos out to teach Blender all are presented such that people need to watch and watch to catch all the bits to get something done. There is no really comprehensive shortcut list for instance. Even the manual doesn't have one. So you get a bit here and bit there. I'm compiling my own shortcut list. Perhaps I'll put it up when done. One thing at this stage that I see is that nowhere are there instructions for the absolute beginner who doesn't know any of this stuff. Oliver at Blendtut.com is the best at his basic tutorials but he isn't addressing anything to do with FSX. We are a small group at this point and I know that as this catches on we'll see the audience grow. Soon X-Plane, P3D, FSX, FS9 and more will be in here. What a great place to be in the history of Blender.

Thank you both so very much for your help!

Rick
 
If you want to learn more shortcuts for blender and practice, use some of Andrew Price's tutorials at blenderguru.com. He screencast his tutorials so you can see all the keypresses. There are also many more. Spend some time in the wiki as well. The blender wiki can give you a good starting point.

Some people ask for FS specific tutorials with blender. In reality, everything you learn in other tutorials can be applied for FSX so making tutorials for FSX blender only would be the same as all the others and only change when it comes to taking your creation and putting it in FSX formats. The only things you have to do different is run it through MCX or export to the format FSX can read. This is done even with GMAX but GMAX does it natively with the gamepacks, whereas there are no gamepacks available for blender.
 
in fact there are the fsx tools for blender also ti compile mdl

but for the moment i use mcx i not know well fsx tool yet and i love mcx

i start work on blender there are some weeks and i really became addict

once your understand the workflow

its more intituive than gmax/3dsmax family

free
more light (ressources)

the ambient oclusion its awesome and easy


the wireframe mode better well done

thz knife tool very cool also


really a nice tool


i am starting also with his "brother" gimp
for the textures

it s a llitle hard to relearn but its a good experience






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Blender2FSX tool is fairly new. It launches the FSX SDK applications to create the file needed. It does function like a gamepack.

There was an older version not created by Felix designed for blender 2.49, python 2.* based. The version on here, created by Felix, is designed for 2.50 and later, python 3 base. Some features may require blender 2.63 or later but im not sure which.

Other than that there was a very rudimentary set of tools out there to convert to a mdl or bgl, but they generally required passing the blender exported .x file through the sdk manually, not done within blender. It you know of a tool that works within blender that was before http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/blender-to-fsx-toolset.428090/ then post it here. I have a large archive built up of legacy and current blender items and other softwares I used. I learned over the years that websites dissappear. Sometimes files you wanted and/or needed go with it. Having these archives ensures I still have the files so I dont have to worry about it.
On a side note, archiving on re-writable or burned cd's/dvd's is not a good way to do it. I dont even like using thumb drives. They can go bad like the cd's. It is best to use a hard drive, ssd or hdd. Recovery from a failure is easier with hdd in my opinion, ssd may require a lot more to recover from a failure since it has no disk. SSD is more durable, but both are reliable.
Sorry getting off topic.

As for comparing 3DS and GMAX, they arent even close to one another. Comparing the two is like comparing a bicycle to a space shuttle, they are worlds apart.

Blender is a nice medium, able to do most of the same things as 3ds. The deciding factor for most is the cost. Blender requires a large learning curve where some find 3ds easier to learn. The trick to learning any of them is simple...repetition. Repeat the actions a few times. I remade the same objects and scenes over and over to memorize the key combo's.

There are tutorials every where so learning advanced functions is much easier than when I originally learned it.
 
Kevin,
You are right about the tutorials. I think I got caught up in gathering more and more tutorials and just plain not getting to work learning the program. Since the first post, I've managed to get my model built, create my UVmap, texture it, export it, and now the model is nearing the point of sending it to my friends for criticism. I can't thank you enough for your posts here on FS Developer. Your help has been exactly what I needed from time to time. I found just as you said, to start using the program, learning by doing and sure enough I've found my way. Yes, 3ds and gMax are worlds apart. I elected to take the leap to 3ds years ago and honestly I did some nice work but here in Blender it's SOOOOO much easier and the program has so many other things it will do that I never got into with 3ds. I'm also working on a little super hero for my grandson and I hope to post his adventures online for him to laugh about.

thank you everyone for your comments. This is just what turned the tide for me. I would like to think I've got it whipped but I bet I'm back in the future with another question and no doubt all of you will jump to help. Thanks!

Rick
"What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, he can achieve."
 
Very nice, Dutcheeseblend. I quickly ran over it and find it very illustrative of the workflow. I'm on vacation now, but will post my comments as soon as I get back home.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top