LOD creation

[bvlbvl]

Hi there,
i am working on an airport and did all my models using Sketup, exporting them to collada, importing them into ModelConverterX and exporting them as MDL.

There are many complex MDL files and even if i am 15nm away FS2004 seems to draw them somehow (even if i cannot see them because i am too far away).

So the only chance is to add different Levels of Detail to my model and thus i created 3 more less detailed sketup drawings of the complex model.

Now, i try to include them all into a single multi-LOD MDL-file for my object. I import the simplified model als lower level LOD (works).

The remaining problem is: I cannot get the textures for the "low level of detail models" into ModelConverterX. Is there some kind of manual or tutorial or video or something of that or can somebody help me with the problem?

Thanks in advance

Bodo

 

[tgibson]

Traditionally the lower LOD models use the same texture as the main LOD model. Using a separate texture means more than one texture will need to be loaded which is harder on the video card than loading just one.

 

[arno]

Hi,

Can you explain what your problem with the texture is? If you assign the right texture in SketchUp, MCX should load it. It works the sample for a simple or more complex building.

I assume you are merging the different models into one file. It's probably best to first merge all of them and then convert the textures to the right format.

 

[bvlbvl]

OK, i import a sketchup model (exorted to collada format and saved in a directory "Collada100") and see it in MCX correctly (thats my LOD 100 model).
I also created a second, simplified model that should be used as LOD 50 model - i uses the same textures (of course, the mapping might be a little bit different).

So i click on "Generate LODs..", insert "50" left to the "Import LOD" button, then click the "import LOD" button and select the simplified sketchup model (exported to collada format and saved in a directory "Collada50" and close the "Level of detail creator" window.

When i now switch between LOD 100 and LOD50 in the main window, the LOD50 model ist not textured at all (only the default black-white-checkered texture ist shown).

I think a am missing an important step... or did something wrong.

But models are ok and shown correctly in MCX, i import them as the main model. But if i impoert a model as LOD using "import LOD", no textures appear.

 

[Pyscen]

Hello,...

Try placing all textures within the same Folder and try again. Just because the models are different (they are technically the same), the textures need to be the same as well,... generally speaking.

 

[tgibson]

For MCX you will need a copy of the texture in every folder - Collada100, Collada50, etc.

 

[arno]

Hi,

I think the problem is the relative texture paths that are used in the COLLADA file. That's probably why the textures of the second model are not found.

If there are only a few textures you can maybe manually change their path so that they are found in the material editor.

Or else it might be easier to first convert each mode to mdl and later merge them into one model.

 

[bvlbvl]

Inspired by your tips i did the following:
1. Create 2 demo models "LODDemo", "LODDemoMid" and "LODDemoLow"
2. Export them into Collada Files "LODDemo.dae", "LODDemoMid.dae" and "LODDemoLow.dae". Texture-Directories with the respective names are created automatically by Sketchup.
3. Open LODDemoMid.dae with a text editor and change the references to the directory "LODDemoMid" to "LODDemo".
4. Do the same with LODDemoLow.dae
5. Import LODDemo into MCX, them import LODs (LODDemoMid, LODDemoLow).
6. Export to a MDL an voila - it works perfectly!

Thank you very much for your tips!