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Newbie issues. FSX to FS9 aircraft conversions

Hi,

When exporting to FS2004 MDL ModelConverterX does already split modelparts into multiple parts based on the amount of triangles. I use maximum 21845 triangles per part at the moment. Are you suggesting that I should maybe lower that limit a bit further?
 
I think you saw the test results.
When number of Draw_tri gets less , it started showing up the part which wasn't shown.
So there was a difference at Draw_TRI 's total amount.
I still can't figure out the exact reason why this happens but I feel it's one thing can have a try and see the result.
 
I tried to reduce the limit to 16000 triangles, in that case the model gets more X/ASM files. But still the body does not fully show.
 
Thanks for the try.
So shows up a bit better but not all.
May needs to find the problem's root.
Will try at other approch at this side too.
 
Im going to try to just export the hull and see how that goes. That should also speed up testing as a full export takes ages.
 
May be Found something.
There is a point at DRAW_TRI_BEGIN on ASM file.

Under is what I did
Made a body only .x by Model ConverterX.
Compiled that and re-loaded to MCX ,---> body was gone.
Expoted .x to 3DS and loaded to Gmax , putted smoothing on the model.
(If not will make number of vertex a lot)
Exported to MDL (Using MDLCOMMANDER and Middleman ) , all showed up.

And compared both asm file. (Can get by using MDL commander+ Middleman)
Interesting found was at DRAW_TRI_BEGIN line

The one showed up (ASM File)
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 828, 6389
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 7217, 7925
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 15142, 8521
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 23663, 7217 ... material is all same as above.
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 0, 828 ... this one material is different

But yours which didn't show up was. (ASM File)
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 0, 29230
DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 29230, 828 ... this one material is different

So may be there is a limitation on amount on DRAW_TRI_BEGIN 's Vertex table size.
If there is no reason , MakeModel won't need to separare in to 4 section

I sent you the asm and .x file I checked.
I hope this may solve.
 
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Hi,

Yes, I also found something along those lines. The model has slightly different diffuse colors on different parts of the fuselage, but MakeMDL turns diffuse to white and that seems to be part of the issue. Due to that the splitting along maximum number of triangles seems to get affected.
 
I am onto something here, MakeMDL counts the triangle limit differently than ModelConverterX does at the moment. I made some changes and that already let more of the fuselage appear on export, but it is not yet perfect. The mouse rectangles still mess up things. But I'm on the right track now I think.

1789416374701.png
 
Thank you for all this hard work. I really appreciate it. I think it will solve problems with other aircraft that have had this issue
 
It was slightly different from what I thought yesterday. In the end it where the bump textures on the model. FS2004 does not support bump textures, but because they were present the logic to split the model under the limits of MakeMDL for number of triangles and vertices got confused. I have made a change now to fix that issue. I think that will improve exporting to FS2004 from FSX/P3D a lot. It will be part of the next development release.

I'll still have to check what happened to the canopy.

1789503132281.png
 
Just reporting.

About the canopy , compared and noticed is
Ambient color is resetted to 100,100,100
Diffuse color is changed a lot .. specially alpha channel of diffuse is 60 to 255 so won't be transparent.

ZZZZ.png
 
The alpha value is still 63 or 64 in the FS2004 MDL (alpha is the first value shown). But I will check what happens.
 
Fixed the canopy transparency now, so that exports OK.

Only weird thing is the afterburner flame that has a weird look in the FS2004 model. I'll check that tomorrow.

1789589357534.png
 
May be this will help.

About the after burner , I think needs a alpha as a transparent material.
But if texture name is _T.bmp , MakeMDL won't understand like that.
So how I do at my way is once put a temporary name like TEMP01.BMP and compile and make a ASM file.
After that Rename texture file name to the correct texture name on asm file before compile to MDL

Also if needs to be self illuminated parts , can do by editing the material's.
FS2004 default SDK can't make self illuminated parts on aircraft.

If there is a way to have both , using alpha by transparent and also dynamic shine.
Let me know , been looking for a way to do that for a long time.
 
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I have another look at the afterburner, but my conclusion is that it uses some very specific combinations of source blend, destination blend and reflection scale values that such a material can not be represented in FS2004. So that part will take some manual adjustments on conversion (either deletion or manually tweaking of the material properties).

I don't think the _t in the texture name has a big influence on that.
 
Why I said about the _t.bmp is from the action of MakeModel
You can know by the Asm file made.

If the texture file name ends up at _T.bmp , then automatically exports as
_T.bmp ... alpha is amount of dynamic shine.
_L.bmp .. Lightmap ... will be a set with _T.bmp

But if the texture name ends up just a .bmp
.bmp ... alpha is transparency and only that , reflection and transparency is at Material setting side.

if you see the ASM file , there is a difference at texture define part.
Of course before compiling asm to .MDL can edit the filename. (I do sometimes.)

Well if the combination is hard to convert I think put a message can't convert this material and leave to the person who is modifing is good.
Since FS2004 can't use many FSX functions.



===================================.x DATA DIFFERENCE ==========================
TextureFileName {
"TEST2_T.bmp";
}
DiffuseTextureFileName {
"TEST2_T.bmp";
}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------and
TextureFileName {
"TEST1.bmp";
}
DiffuseTextureFileName {
"TEST1.bmp";
}
=============================================================================



===================================ASM DATA DIFFERENCE ==========================
TEST_lights_on label word
TEXTURE_LIST_BEGIN
TEXTURE_DEF TEXTURE_AIRCRAFT , <255,255,255,255>, 8.164966, "TEST2_T.BMP" ; 0
TEXTURE_DEF TEXTURE2_LIGHTMAP , <255,255,255,255>, 8.164966, "TEST2_L.BMP" ; 1
TEXTURE_DEF TEXTURE2_REFLECT , <255,255,255,255>, 8.164966, "TEST2_T.BMP" ; 2
TEXTURE_DEF TEXTURE_AIRCRAFT , <255,255,255,255>, 7.071068, "TEST1.BMP" ; 3
TEXTURE_LIST_END

And more for each combination
=============================================================================
So only the texture file name on .x is different , changes are done when making the ASM by MakeModel.


As you can see if texture file name is _T.bmp , will automatically make TEXTURE2_LIGHTMAP and TEXTURE2_LIGHTMAP as a set
And from how it acts , seems like if there is TEXTURE2 series defined after TEXTURE_AIRCRAFT line
How to use the Texture defined in TEXTURE_AIRCRAFT is switched from alpha transparent to Alpha as shine .
 
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That was so GMAX compiles could specify whether a material should use the alpha channel for reflections or transparency. There was no such setting in GMAX, so MS used a file name extension. It made no sense to me that _T should mean reflections and not transparency, but we are talking about MS here…
 
Yes so I pointed out how MakeModel.exe (MS FS2004 SDK's ) which is making asm file do.
And that effects to the total process.

File name don't effect on asm file but from .x to .asm uses MakeMDL so it will cause a problem.
If don't mind that , won't make a correct asm file and wonder why it doesn't work.
 
I can't reproduce that MakeMDL automatically adds a reflection texture to the object based on the filename. The only thing I see is that a damage texture is automatically added when the name ends on _T. But I'll do some further testing.
 
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