Open Source 3D Modelling Tool for FSX/P3D

[JNicol]

Modeler Manual and Tutorial Document

I can't seem to upload the manuals. They are pdf documents. Is there a file size limit? The tutorial pdf is 3.5Mb and the manual is about 6Mb. I also tried sending them in a zip and it fails too. Am I supposed to get approved first for upload?


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Here is a draft rebrand of the manual for the application as well as the Tutorials manual. It shows the various functions and features of the software. It might be a good way for folks to become more familiar with what the software does and its potential. The last chapter shows the P3D/ESP/FSX export wizard.


John

 

[arno]

Hi,

There is no hard limit for PDF files, but I also got an error about a security token when I tried to upload a 10 MB PDF myself. So it seems there is something wrong for big PDF files.

If you email the documents to me I can put them on the server and post links to them.

 

[JNicol]

Hi,

There is no hard limit for PDF files, but I also got an error about a security token when I tried to upload a 10 MB PDF myself. So it seems there is something wrong for big PDF files.

If you email the documents to me I can put them on the server and post links to them.

Thanks Arno,

I will send the files to you now.

John

 

[arno]

Thanks, got them. Here are the links to view them:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/downloads/J5Tutsv1-0.pdf
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/downloads/J5Manualv0-1.pdf

 

[JNicol]

Thanks, got them. Here are the links to view them:

Thanks Arno.

This is the Tutorial document with some basic modelling functions explained and demonstrated:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/downloads/J5Tutsv1-0.pdf

This is the Manual that explains the various tools. The last chapter in this document explains the use of the FSX/P3D mdl export wizard:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/downloads/J5Manualv0-1.pdf

Hopefully folks will see from these documents that it is a fully featured application.

John

 

[n4gix]

Here are a couple of observations regarding the "Tutorial" document:

1. On pages 42 and 44, reference is made to "aileron" instead of "flap." (typo)
2. It would make for a more logical work flow to have the aileron and flap animation examples follow the wing creation example.

The full "Manual" has at least one typo on page 68, where "there" is used instead of the possessive "their."

I noticed that although the material specifications allow for "ambient, diffuse, specular, and emissive" no mention is made of the very commonly used "normal (aka: bump)" map. Is this a deliberate omission or simply an oversight?

On the whole though, this appears to be a very well-designed 3d modeling program which features a coherent and user-friendly UI.

Bill

 

[JNicol]

Here are a couple of observations regarding the "Tutorial" document:

1. On pages 42 and 44, reference is made to "aileron" instead of "flap." (typo)
2. It would make for a more logical work flow to have the aileron and flap animation examples follow the wing creation example.

I am glad you just volunteered to fix that if it goes FOSS...

 

[n4gix]

I am glad you just volunteered to fix that if it goes FOSS...

Okay... I'm pretty much up to editing documents. See my edits for my comments regarding the "Manual."

 

[JNicol]

I noticed that although the material specifications allow for "ambient, diffuse, specular, and emissive" no mention is made of the very commonly used "normal (aka: bump)" map. Is this a deliberate omission or simply an oversight?

On the whole though, this appears to be a very well-designed 3d modeling program which features a coherent and user-friendly UI.

Bill

Thanks Bill. There is an option under the Tools menu for Bump Map UVs (page 44), which creates bump maps. It is not well documented and it will need expansion in the manual, but it is there. The function will need to be expanded with the addition of the FSX/P3D materials as well.

 

[Heretic]

Having an actual manual focused on creating MSFS aircraft in a modeling tool might just be the biggest plus that this tool has to offer.

GMax tutorials are few and far between and the rest of the usage tricks and tips are mostly posted on a conversation-only basis, so a tool with a manual is a *huge* improvement.

 

[arno]

Hi,

Just browsed through both documents and it seems like a nice modelling tool, that is well equipped with features. Only thing that I did not find in the manual is the more FS specific material settings (assume vertical normal, reflection based on precipitation, etc).

But it is very well documented and I think that will be very useful for designers as well. And the manual is written with real time models in mind (not like certain tutorials that make models with too many triangles).

And working in the field of modelling and simulation I do recognise a few OpenFlight related features as well. Even for making small changes to OpenFlight files an open source editor like this would be very useful I think.

So as far as I can see from the manual I think this would be a very useful tool to have in the FS community. But of course the real test would be to see how easy/fun it is to model in it

 

[JNicol]

Hi,

Just browsed through both documents and it seems like a nice modelling tool, that is well equipped with features. Only thing that I did not find in the manual is the more FS specific material settings (assume vertical normal, reflection based on precipitation, etc).

As I had indicated earlier, FSX materials are not implemented. This will need to be done at some stage. There are probably lots of things that need to be tweaked, but I think it is a good start.

And working in the field of modelling and simulation I do recognise a few OpenFlight related features as well. Even for making small changes to OpenFlight files an open source editor like this would be very useful I think.

This was originally an OpenFlight modelling tool that was expanded to include MDL models. The benefit of such a tool in the traditional M&S world is that you could implement models in OpenFlight environments and reuse the same models in ESP/P3D. There needs to be a decision made at some stage whether or not it should drop OpenFlight and just become good at one thing rather than a tool for many things. There are always compromises to be made when supporting multiple formats.

 

[arno]

True, it might be better to drop the openflight part, since many of those settings do nothing for FS. So that would be confusing for somebody who does not know the modelling and simulation world.

On the other hand, do you have an idea if many people want to transform openflight to FS? I guess for ESP/P3D users that might sometimes be a requirement, but I haven't seen much discussions or so about it here. Modelconverterx can also read and write openflight, but I think there are only few people using it (I mainly added it because I needed it myself).

 

[sr01]

John
I just noticed this thread . I'd be seriously interested in this if it comes up for sale .FSDS is fairly easy to learn . Gmax, on the other hand , is a nightmare . The only drawback as far as I'm concerned with FSDS is there is no slicing tool and Boolean cuts are impossible .
I checked out your tutorials and placing and scaling the 3 views looks definately easier than Gmax.I hope it gets off the ground !

 

[kevintampa5]

My skills with C and C++ are beginner at best.

Hello world! and associated tutorials are my current limits. I am more versed in VB2010 but even there its still a beginner stage. Once I become more versed, my ability to understand logic and such will lend to my creation ability.

 

[=Hollywood=]

John, have you considered Kickstarter to generate some working capital? Also I have a friend who's a good programmer, he might be interested but I'll have to check how he is with C/C++. An alternate would be one of the old ACES team I know who may be interested, but I'd have to ask him.

Cheers,
Dean.

 

[kevintampa5]

John, have you considered Kickstarter to generate some working capital? Also I have a friend who's a good programmer, he might be interested but I'll have to check how he is with C/C++. An alternate would be one of the old ACES team I know who may be interested, but I'd have to ask him.

Cheers,
Dean.

you should check and see. It cant hurt to find out.

On a side note, I have a friend who could probably knock out the code transfer as he knows a few different computer languages, but dont know that he will do it for free. I will shoot him an email to see what his terms would be.