• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Prepar3D v5 support

arno

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I have just released new development release versions of all my tools with added support for Prepar3D v5. The impact of the new version on most tools is limited. Below I list the details per tool.

Overall the impact on the tool is not that big. But let me know if you encounter any issues or if Prepar3D v5 support is still missing somewhere.

ModelConverterX

There is one new material attribute available for PBR materials in Prepar3D v5. ModelConverterX has been modified to read and write this attribute correctly now. Since the MDL version, as coded in the MDL file itself, still reads PV44, I have decided to not add a new version when you export. So for Prepar3D v5 you would still need to use the v4.4 MDL format. But make sure that you use the Prepar3D v5 SDK to be able to save that one additional attribute.

scenProc

In the scenProc options you can specify the Prepar3D v5 location now, so that it can be used for the auto completion of the autogen configuration details.

FXEditor

FXEditor has been modified so that you can specify that you want to read the textures and sounds from the Prepar3D v5 folder.

Autogen Configuration Merger

For Autogen Confguration Merger I have posted a beta build in the forums that should support Prepar3D v5. But since I don’t have the new version installed myself yet, I haven’t been able to test it. So this is a beta build, that needs some more testing before it is promoted to an official release.

Continue reading...
 
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germany
Arno, many thanks. New MCX is working really fine with V5 SDK. Its a big step foward.

Are there any LM news relating shader issues with trueSky and PBR?

Thomas
 
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28
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colombia
Great. You know how to manage the slope issue with ground polygons? I use the GPW but as it export flat doesn't work for sloped airports. There's a way to stick each vertex to the ground? I think the slope feature in V5 won't be as great if we can't do any ground textures with PBR materials for example.
 

mendiola_loyola

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520
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peru
Will ground polygon airports created with MCX work with the sloped runways and taxiways ?

Regards
 

Christian Bahr

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951
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germany
ModelConverterX

There is one new material attribute available for PBR materials in Prepar3D v5. ModelConverterX has been modified to read and write this attribute correctly now. Since the MDL version, as coded in the MDL file itself, still reads PV44, I have decided to not add a new version when you export. So for Prepar3D v5 you would still need to use the v4.4 MDL format. But make sure that you use the Prepar3D v5 SDK to be able to save that one additional attribute.

scenProc

In the scenProc options you can specify the Prepar3D v5 location now, so that it can be used for the auto completion of the autogen configuration details.
What would the flight simulator world be without your great tools! Thank you for your work, Arno :)
 
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unitedstates
I have just released new development release versions of all my tools with added support for Prepar3D v5. The impact of the new version on most tools is limited. Below I list the details per tool.

Overall the impact on the tool is not that big. But let me know if you encounter any issues or if Prepar3D v5 support is still missing somewhere.

ModelConverterX

There is one new material attribute available for PBR materials in Prepar3D v5. ModelConverterX has been modified to read and write this attribute correctly now. Since the MDL version, as coded in the MDL file itself, still reads PV44, I have decided to not add a new version when you export. So for Prepar3D v5 you would still need to use the v4.4 MDL format. But make sure that you use the Prepar3D v5 SDK to be able to save that one additional attribute.

scenProc

In the scenProc options you can specify the Prepar3D v5 location now, so that it can be used for the auto completion of the autogen configuration details.

FXEditor

FXEditor has been modified so that you can specify that you want to read the textures and sounds from the Prepar3D v5 folder.

Autogen Configuration Merger

For Autogen Confguration Merger I have posted a beta build in the forums that should support Prepar3D v5. But since I don’t have the new version installed myself yet, I haven’t been able to test it. So this is a beta build, that needs some more testing before it is promoted to an official release.

Continue reading...
Arno, ref your note above "So for Prepar3D v5 you would still need to use the v4.4 MDL format. But make sure that you use the Prepar3D v5 SDK to be able to save that one additional attribute. " for those like myself that are running both P3Dv4.5 and P3Dv5, if I select the v4.4 MDL for P3Dv5, can I then select the v4 MDL option and point it to the P3Dv4.5 SDK without causing other problems?
Thanks in advance....AWESOME work by you.
 

arno

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Hi,

No, if you want to export PBR materials to P3D v4.5 you need to use the P3D v4.4 MDL format. You can't use the v4 format there, while pointing the v4.5 SDK to it.

But since the difference is very small between v4.5 and v5, you can just use the v5 SDK and use those MDL files in v4.5 as well. The only new attribute will be ignored by v4.5.

If more difference appear in the future that will make the v5 MDL files incompatible with v4.5, then I will add them as two separate formats in MCX. But for now that does not seems needed.
 
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unitedstates
Hi,

No, if you want to export PBR materials to P3D v4.5 you need to use the P3D v4.4 MDL format. You can't use the v4 format there, while pointing the v4.5 SDK to it.

But since the difference is very small between v4.5 and v5, you can just use the v5 SDK and use those MDL files in v4.5 as well. The only new attribute will be ignored by v4.5.

If more difference appear in the future that will make the v5 MDL files incompatible with v4.5, then I will add them as two separate formats in MCX. But for now that does not seems needed.
Thanks Arno, that insight really helps. I appreciate you taking the time to educate me.
 
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Arno, I know that you are one of the developers who already have access to the SDK of new MSFS2020. Is there any further development of the converter for simple conversion of models between simulators?
 

arno

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Arno, I know that you are one of the developers who already have access to the SDK of new MSFS2020. Is there any further development of the converter for simple conversion of models between simulators?

Anything related to FS2020, including the fact if somebody is on the alpha and/or has access to the SDK, is still under NDA as you will understand. So I can't comment on anything FS2020 related at the moment.

In general I can say that MCX will try to support any FS version that has a good SDK that allows addon developers to add their own content.
 
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Anything related to FS2020, including the fact if somebody is on the alpha and/or has access to the SDK, is still under NDA as you will understand. So I can't comment on anything FS2020 related at the moment.

In general I can say that MCX will try to support any FS version that has a good SDK that allows addon developers to add their own content.
Hi Arno,
is there any way to convert my dynamic lights of p3d 4.5 to p3d v5?
 

arno

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I don't think there is any difference, so I don't know what you would like to convert.
 
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Hi Arno,
is there any way to convert my dynamic lights of p3d 4.5 to p3d v5?
I had no problems in simply copying all of the dynamic lighting effects files from my P3Dv4.5 effects folder to my P3Dv5 effects folder. That said, you will notice a difference in the "brightness" of the lighting in v5. With no changes, the intensity of "white light" appears to be reduced...but yet it illuminates equally as well. Its probably an "eye trick" as I think the rendering in v5 is much more refined. I have made no changes as I find the dynamic lighting "visual effects" in v5, very nice. YMMV
 
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italy
I had no problems in simply copying all of the dynamic lighting effects files from my P3Dv4.5 effects folder to my P3Dv5 effects folder. That said, you will notice a difference in the "brightness" of the lighting in v5. With no changes, the intensity of "white light" appears to be reduced...but yet it illuminates equally as well. Its probably an "eye trick" as I think the rendering in v5 is much more refined. I have made no changes as I find the dynamic lighting "visual effects" in v5, very nice. YMMV
My lights on P3D v5 are broken :rolleyes:
 

arno

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Sounds like I need to update MCX for that.
 
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