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Platforms

GarryJSmith

GarryJSmith

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3
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australia
Hi Good People at FSDeveloper.com

I am a budding newbie to model development - having some fun creating models in Sketchup and then using MCX(1.3) and LibraryCreatorXML(2.0.3.0) and have build and successfully incorporated into FS2004 a bucket of standard models. - having some great fun.

However, in my ignorance, I have hit a wall when it comes to "Auto Platforms"

I used the "Auto Platform" option to identify a unique texture that I have used for the surface area that I want to "harden" and the area lights up in yellow and creates two records in the left column. platform00 and platform01

Close the Attached Object Editor.

Export the file to a FS2004 MDL file.

Compile the BGL with the LibraryCreator - no errors.

Move the MDL and the textures to a scenery directory

Fire up FS2004 - load and position the model - which looks exactly as it should.

Then for some unknown reason the top surface is not a platform - aircraft fall straight through to surface.

I have checked the tutorial and the manual - but can find no clues on what I am doing wrong.

Sorry for my ignorance - but hit a frustration point and as a novice can't work out what is going wrong.

Regards and thanks in advance for any support you can give me.
 
Hi Garry,

Assuming the (FS9) platforms were added to the MDL as indicated by the platform00 and platform01 listings, as I understand it, you imported an FS9 MDL file into MCX, added the platforms, and then exported the model (and saved as) as an FS9 MDL.
When you exported the file, did you overwrite the original?

Although they were not auto-platform modded objects, I know of at least 2 times I have saved MCX modded MDLs into a different location, and then inavertantly compiled the original non-modified MDL into my library BGL.

In other words, it may be best to overwrite the original when exporting from MCX, or at least rename it in the same folder so you can be sure you are using the platform modded version when you compile the library BGL.

Also, with FS9 you may have to re-start FS9 after placing the object in order to activate the platforms.

Cheers
Gman
 
Hi, all is correct, but the only thing I can think is about the texture, may be the material is applied to the whole object ? you have to use just one material for the hardened surface polygon.usually the autoplatform not fail, it's very easy,so don't worry, good luck and sorry for the english but I do my best.
 
Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.

The model is made with only two materials - asphalt and concrete. The asphalt is used only for the top surface of the "block" I placed on top of many concrete legs.

Pretty certain that I am working with current model as I check the date/time of the mdl and bgl before overwriting it to the FS2004 Scenery directory.

Just did a test this morning of placing the model - exited FS2004 and then went back into FS2004 but still fall through the platform.

I guess the next step is to download the current "Developers" version of MCX and see if that works for me.

Great learning curve for me - but will beat it sooner or later :)

Regards
 
Found the Problem

Hi Good People,

OK worked it out - for my platform models - I build them at a resonable size then do all of the compiling etc and then in FS2004 - using Flight1 Instant Scenery - scale them up by 2 or 3.

It appears that the platform setting does not scale up when you scale up the model - aircraft falls through and stops at the 1 scale level.

Is that something that can be fixed in MCX or do I have to build my models at full scale to use the platform function. ?

Learned something new today :)
 
Great you found the solution, the scaling give some problems always, right now I am remebering that I had read something similar in another thread. in this case was a bridge.Discovering this issue help you and sure will help a many people too.:cool:
 
Ah yes, the scaling issue.
I had the same problems with our FS9 chopper towers and trailers when re-scaled in EZScenery. In fact, I recall that the lighting effects would also become non-functional when re-scaled.

I am not a Sketchup user, but can't your object be re-scaled in Sketchup prior to adding the platforms in MCX?

At any rate, depending on what your object is, there is at least one set of invisible platforms which I designed for use in FS9 with EZScenery/Instant Scenery, which was intended to allow the user to select the difficulty level for Shawn Lund's set of field expedient forestry landing pads. The set would allow you to replace the platforms of your re-scaled objects, or at least the ones which have been enlarged. Any which were reduced in size would likely have the MCX platform suspended above the landing surface.

The set of invisible platforms, which includes a visible dummy for each invisible platform, is included in the forestry pad set which is available at AVSIM (fire_scenery_objects_part_2_original.zip) .

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Gman
 
Hi,

No this is a limitation of FS. Platforms only work correctly when the object is placed with scale 1. This applies to fsx as well. I had floating freeway traffic because of this issue :)

So you did nothing wrong, it's just some undocumented limitation of FS.
 
Note that the crash box does not scale as well. If you have a hangar that has crash turned on, then place it at 0.5 scale, planes will crash all around the hangar, since the crash box has NOT been scaled down.

Always the best idea to place objects as close to scale = 1.0 as possible...

Hope this helps,
 
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