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FSX Propeller Missing
- Thread starter tgycgijoes
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tgibson
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Hi,
I just found out that Arno is on vacation and that is his reason for a lack of response.
I loaded the plane into MCX and when you move the Animation Slider the control surfaces rotate around the Z axis, rather than the correct X or Y axis. If you go to the Animation Editor they are all Unknown animations. I assume you assigned Ambient to them or MCX assigned them automatically while compiling. Ambient animation means "move all the time", like a rotating radar dish.
So in addition to adding a prop, you would also need to edit all the control surfaces' animation parameters so they move correctly when you move the animation slider, along with tagging them all correctly. This is not a simple task.
A simple alternative is to "Fix Animations" in the Animation Editor. This would mean no moving control surfaces, but you could still fly your plane. If you choose this course, just Import your FSX plane into MCX, go to the Animation Editor, make sure all of the boxes are checked (or at least the ones you want to fix), make sure all control surfaces are in their centered positions, and click Fix Selected Animations. Then Export the plane again.
Hope this helps,
I just found out that Arno is on vacation and that is his reason for a lack of response.
I loaded the plane into MCX and when you move the Animation Slider the control surfaces rotate around the Z axis, rather than the correct X or Y axis. If you go to the Animation Editor they are all Unknown animations. I assume you assigned Ambient to them or MCX assigned them automatically while compiling. Ambient animation means "move all the time", like a rotating radar dish.
So in addition to adding a prop, you would also need to edit all the control surfaces' animation parameters so they move correctly when you move the animation slider, along with tagging them all correctly. This is not a simple task.
A simple alternative is to "Fix Animations" in the Animation Editor. This would mean no moving control surfaces, but you could still fly your plane. If you choose this course, just Import your FSX plane into MCX, go to the Animation Editor, make sure all of the boxes are checked (or at least the ones you want to fix), make sure all control surfaces are in their centered positions, and click Fix Selected Animations. Then Export the plane again.
Hope this helps,
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Thank you for taking the time to help. I DID find that "Fix Animation" but when I exported it as an FSX MDL and opened it up in FSX and they didn't move I thought that it was broken. At least now I know that is one way to do it. Personally until I actually build this in FSDS which is my long term goal, Paul Corish uses it exclusively to build his GAS aircraft he says so it IS possible to build a beautiful aircraft in FSDS it proves. When I attach the prop to this model which I was able to create the 3 props following your instructions, I just attach them all to the model and then animate them in the animation editor is that correct?
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By the way, forgot to answer this...the model opens in MDCx with the animations as ambient for all of them. I didn't do that and I tried to reassign names and values to them without any success even though in the boxes it looked like it worked.
tgibson
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Hi,
The props you import should already have animations attached to them (i.e. the prop spins when you move the Animation Slider). You only need to set the correct animation and visibility tags. This is described in detail in the tutorial (Part 2).
The props you import should already have animations attached to them (i.e. the prop spins when you move the Animation Slider). You only need to set the correct animation and visibility tags. This is described in detail in the tutorial (Part 2).
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I remember reading that...in the heirarchy, thanks. They did have the animation.
Using MCX I was able to fix all the rudder, ailerons, elevator animations. I was able to reintegrate the original propellor using Aircraft Container Manager — a very old but useful program for tweaking/exporting ancient (FS2000/CFS2) files that were not created with gmax or FSDS 2. This involved importing the original model file into ACM, exporting it as a 3DS file; importing into MCX, isolating the propellor; exporting as an FSX MDL file and then merging back to the original model file openened in MCX. Although the "fixed" model would not export/compile as an FSX MDL file initially — I was able to break the model apart and export/import the parts separately and then merge all the parts. Finally, the model now exports to FSX MDL — with the original working propellor and other animations. The model would benefit with some further work on the textures and working on some further animations, like the aileron push rods (I could only get one to work in MCX, the other one is part of a group which could not be separated in MCX) using gmax.
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Are you ready to send me a link to it? Here is the original README from the designer which prompted me to try and make it FSX and able to share it and ask for help. I agree with Tom Gibson, WOW all that effort. I believe that I am IMHO not a bad texture artist. I redid the textures for the SOC Seagull updating the panel lines and details in Adobe Photoshop according to photographs. I will redo the textures for the Corsair. Thank you for all the efforts that went into making it nice and usable.
This CFS2 02U-1 Corsair is an original model by Tom Wintrow (twintrow@qwest.net).
Flight model is modified standard CFS2 F4U Corsair.
Panel used is from the Sopwith Camel by Jean-Jacques Parel and slightly modified.
This is freeware, to be used by anyone who desires (except for the panel).
Feel free to use any portion of the plane for any purpose except selling in any form.
Enjoy. If you find something wrong please let me know, or fix it and tell me about it as well.
Thanks to all those before me who have shown the way in using FSDS, AA, and especially texture gurus.
Tom Wintrow
When I have completed it I will post and share over at the SOH most definitely crediting you for all the work. I'm just the painter.
Richard
This CFS2 02U-1 Corsair is an original model by Tom Wintrow (twintrow@qwest.net).
Flight model is modified standard CFS2 F4U Corsair.
Panel used is from the Sopwith Camel by Jean-Jacques Parel and slightly modified.
This is freeware, to be used by anyone who desires (except for the panel).
Feel free to use any portion of the plane for any purpose except selling in any form.
Enjoy. If you find something wrong please let me know, or fix it and tell me about it as well.
Thanks to all those before me who have shown the way in using FSDS, AA, and especially texture gurus.
Tom Wintrow
When I have completed it I will post and share over at the SOH most definitely crediting you for all the work. I'm just the painter.
Richard
Hi Richard,
Although I've succeeded in exporting what was a year 2000-vintage model (made in Aircraft Factory 99 and Aircraft Animator) to FSX, this is only step 1 of the process. The original model had some flaws, and bringing it into FSX only accentuates what might have been acceptable in the early 2000s. So, at least the model does open and fly in FSX, and it does have all the original animations. In the original model, the aileron connecting rods/struts were not animated, and this looked odd when you moved the ailerons, with the rods protruding through the canvas!
So, to make this a semi-decent model in FSX, here are the issues that still need fixing outside of MCX:
Flight Dynamics:
1) Contact points are incorrect - floatplane sits too low in the water
2) The aircraft.cfg and AIR file were borrowed from a F4U1A Corsair — so this needs checking and probable tweaking.
Model:
3) No VC. A rough one was in the original model (just painted gauges), but this does not convert to FSX. I'm not able to create one, so a 2D panel will have to do.
4) 2D panel is from a 4FU Corsair with 1940s gauges inconsistent with this 1920s model (gunsight and flap levers)
5) In original, the aileron connecting rods are not animated - only one can be animated in MCX, the other is part of a group that cannot be separated to modify, so looks like a gmax project.
6) Navigation lights on top wing are in wrong position, one is "buried" inside the wing, the other is "floating" in air
7) Large hole in rear fuselage adjoining rudder
8) Rudder axis is not aligned correctly - overlaps the elevators when it pivots
9) Aileron axis are not aligned properly with wings, especially the top left one
10) What appears to be a copper exhaust pipe tube is partially invisible, as it is not textured on both sides (ie the inside).
Texture mapping on MDL:
11) Inconsistent texture mapping of parts - some struts have a material texture, some only a color
12) Misaligned texture mapping - fuselage texture is not equal on both sides, resulting in a white stripe on top of the front fuselage, misaligned float textures etc.
13) Misaligned texture mapping - blue stripe (overlap from the fill-in color on the texture sheet) on lower leading edge of right-hand lower wing, and front tip of float. Later repaints (eg. by Mick Morrissey) replicate these faults as they still use the same texture template and positioning.
It would be great to have someone redo a 2D panel with appropriate gauges for the era, and also someone to take a look at the flight dynamics. If anyone is interested in collaborating on this project, please let me know.
Paul
Although I've succeeded in exporting what was a year 2000-vintage model (made in Aircraft Factory 99 and Aircraft Animator) to FSX, this is only step 1 of the process. The original model had some flaws, and bringing it into FSX only accentuates what might have been acceptable in the early 2000s. So, at least the model does open and fly in FSX, and it does have all the original animations. In the original model, the aileron connecting rods/struts were not animated, and this looked odd when you moved the ailerons, with the rods protruding through the canvas!
So, to make this a semi-decent model in FSX, here are the issues that still need fixing outside of MCX:
Flight Dynamics:
1) Contact points are incorrect - floatplane sits too low in the water
2) The aircraft.cfg and AIR file were borrowed from a F4U1A Corsair — so this needs checking and probable tweaking.
Model:
3) No VC. A rough one was in the original model (just painted gauges), but this does not convert to FSX. I'm not able to create one, so a 2D panel will have to do.
4) 2D panel is from a 4FU Corsair with 1940s gauges inconsistent with this 1920s model (gunsight and flap levers)
5) In original, the aileron connecting rods are not animated - only one can be animated in MCX, the other is part of a group that cannot be separated to modify, so looks like a gmax project.
6) Navigation lights on top wing are in wrong position, one is "buried" inside the wing, the other is "floating" in air
7) Large hole in rear fuselage adjoining rudder
8) Rudder axis is not aligned correctly - overlaps the elevators when it pivots
9) Aileron axis are not aligned properly with wings, especially the top left one
10) What appears to be a copper exhaust pipe tube is partially invisible, as it is not textured on both sides (ie the inside).
Texture mapping on MDL:
11) Inconsistent texture mapping of parts - some struts have a material texture, some only a color
12) Misaligned texture mapping - fuselage texture is not equal on both sides, resulting in a white stripe on top of the front fuselage, misaligned float textures etc.
13) Misaligned texture mapping - blue stripe (overlap from the fill-in color on the texture sheet) on lower leading edge of right-hand lower wing, and front tip of float. Later repaints (eg. by Mick Morrissey) replicate these faults as they still use the same texture template and positioning.
It would be great to have someone redo a 2D panel with appropriate gauges for the era, and also someone to take a look at the flight dynamics. If anyone is interested in collaborating on this project, please let me know.
Paul
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I don't know how to use Gmax at all, I tried, but it just doesn't seem to come to me so what needs Gmax I can't help. I CAN create a nice 2 D panel for it as I have done this before, I think I made one quite successfully for the SOC Seagull edakridge and I worked on (he did the VC). He is into MSFS2020 now. I could probably also handle attaching effects in MDCX like moving the nav lights as I have also done that. I'm thinking of using FDE from another aircraft of the era with the developers permission when we have been able to fix all the other problems as the last thing before it hopefully is ready to release as a new FSX O2U Corsair. Do you want to pack up the model you have so far for me to address what I CAN and what if anything are you going to continue fixing more of it?