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FSX Modeling tutorials

F

Fireflasch7

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19
Country
germany
Hi,
i am very new in Modeling so i have 2 questions.
First what is better for beginner 3DS max or GMAX?
Second do you know any Tutorials how to model a Virtual Cokpit or Plane?
Thank you very much for you Help :)
Regards Max
 
Fireflasch7 said:
Hi,
i am very new in Modeling so i have 2 questions.
First what is better for beginner 3DS max or GMAX?
Second do you know any Tutorials how to model a Virtual Cokpit or Plane?
Thank you very much for you Help :)
Regards Max
Click to expand...

Hi FireFlasch7!

If you have 3DS Max I would use it, but if you do not I would use Blender. Blender is a Free 3D modeling software. In my opinion it can do as much as 3DS Max.

If you decide to go with Blender here is the link to download Blender 2.74. http://www.blender.org/

And here is the link to download the Blender2FSX addon that is needed to export models to FSX. The Blender2FSX addon was created by Mr. Felix aka(Capt_X). Here is the link to download it:http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/blender-to-fsx-toolset.428090/

Scroll down the thread until you see Attached Files: and I would download the Blender2FSX_0703 file.

upload_2015-4-20_14-23-28.png


Then after you get Blender and the Blender2FSX addon installed here is a link to a series of video tutorials that will help you get going with learning how to model an aircraft. http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/blender-2-70-blender2fsx-tools-video-tutorials.430998/

I hope this will help you get your modeling adventure started!

Thanks, Krispy1001:)
 
3ds max and gmax are the same but Gmax have a bunch of functionalities that has been not implemented , and as said above if you want to begin to model and not have 3ds max I would get Blender, difficult as it is but will have a long life. Gmax will not be implemented never more it's just If you want to jump afterward to 3ds max.
 
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Gmax is an old (and limited) version of 3ds Max released for free and is very good for FSX modelling. If you already have 3ds Max, or can get a free 3-year student license then you'll have a more developed toolset which is excellent for FSX modelling. Blender became an option for FSX modelling fairly recently and is also free. All three are well supported on this forum. The one thing I wouldn't do is buy 3ds Max just to try modelling but if you have that sort of money to chuck away, please chuck some this way!

Unless you have an old version of 3ds Max (Max 7, 8, 9 or 2008) you'll need the Prepar3D sdk to compile FSX models from Max. Search here for more details.

For aircraft modelling, Milton Shupe's C162 tutorial is a good place to start. A good VC tutorial can wait until you realise the size of the task ahead!
 
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Build aircraft with blender.......:yikes: i tried using it once for AO effects and i hate that program! Drove me nuts. And if i have parts in front of other parts and create AO effects it paints the texture black for the part in the back. Can't wait to move from GMAX to 3DS. Buy me a copy and i will teach you to build planes....
 
As a beginner, the learning curve for gmax and 3dsmax will be similar, learning the basic workflow. As others have said, gmax was a emasculated version of 3d studio 4.0. So, really, learning 3dsmax now will be as easy for you as gmax. And of course, its a very cool program.
 
If you have the money for 3DS Max, get that. If you want to try it, you can download it for 30 days free trial. 3DS Max is like most other 3D programs, while Blender is quite different. Blender is very powerful and freeware. Max is expensive, but massively powerful. I love it.

You can also get Gmax which is like Max, but basic. Gmax is free and has some tutorials in it, but you must do the tutorials from 1 to 9 'in order' or you are totally lost.


Bill
 
What ever modeling software you choose to use take the time to do some experimental modeling. Go through tutorials on modeling for the software you choose and try modeling anything be it your cell phone or a chair, an addition to your home structure, anything that gives you a grasp on how it all works. You need a good grasp of the fundamentals of your chosen software before you delve into a model for FS otherwise you will be beating your head against the keyboard as I did when I was learning. Once you have a grasp on the modeling end you can look forward to texturing, creating flight dynamics, XML gauge coding and if your a real glutton for punishment C++ coding. My choice for modeling is 3ds Max, Textures with Photoshop and Notepad++ for XML.

Good luck and never say die!
 
And for heaven's sake don't pick the Empire State Building (or something equally complex) as your first project. Learn to build a garden shed first... :teacher:
 
3DS Max 9 came with the P-38 as a tutorial aircraft. If it's still included in the more current versions, definitely give it a try!
 
Skinner_11 said:
They also have a similar tutorial for the 2014 version...
Click to expand...

Just remember when building for FS, in Top view you're looking at the top of the aircraft and the nose must point straight up. That Max tutorial has you looking at the model from a quite different direction.
 
Another thing that is confusing about Max, specially when setting up your reference images, is the viewport direction. The Top, Bottom, Left and Right refer to the side of the object you are looking at while Front and Back refer to the direction you are looking rather then the object.
 
I prefer to think that the FS compiler got Front and Back switched, so I just have to remember that. :)
 
This keeps coming up over the years: a Student licence for Max may not be used for building commercial products. Use them for commercial work and you break the terms of your licence. The student version is functionally identical to the commercial version.
 
Could one model in the Student Version, then load that into a one-month rented Max licensed version to compile and export their project?
 
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