P3D v4 Quick question

[unc1rlm]

Starting over..this is the fs9 mdl. The only thing I have done is put 10000 in the two propeller spots in the variable window..I have gone into hierarchy and isolated prop1 or the left prop ( I goffed.i know its the wrong prop but whether it 0 or 1..i don't think it matters since its an ai..this is for learning only..will start over) and clicked on animation Editor......as you can see nothing in the window. So now I use the drop down menu and pick say Prop0blurred and click on assign animation type and I do not click on fix and I export as a p3dv4 "x" file or mdl (which is better) and it says loaded texture\Prop-Hi and it finishes writing. How do I really know it wrote the animation and my modeldef editor is totally blank... I can import all day long and see the props in the hierarchy if I assign visibility but it doesn't show up as anything in the animation window if I import the prop. Yesterday I had props but nothing on the front side and visbible only from the cockpit side of the props.

PS I have "RK"s page on props in the background and going line by line and engine0lens=100 in the animation window.

Also just curious where you set the rpm's for the props Quote from RK "it should be animated to rotate to about 500 rpm and then the disk animation takes over". I read an old post from 2007..is it in the prop animation in aircraft cfg. Its 1.76?

Trying to figure this out.
Thank you,
Bob M.

 

[tgibson]

Hi,

Yes, the aircraft.cfg file.

BTW, setting the variables (F6 and FA in this case; they vary) to 5000 displays the slow prop parts; 10,000 displays the blurred prop parts. But in this model the stopped and slow props are identical so it doesn't matter.

How are you finding the prop part in the hierarchy editor and exactly what are you isolating? If you are searching for prop, clicking on the relevant ModelPart, and clicking Isolate, you have eliminated the animation which is instead located in the ModelPart's parent SceneGraphNode. To isolate the ENTIRE part (complete with animations, etc.) you must click, one by one on the ModelPart lines in the Hierarchy editor until you find the left prop part (it lights up red). Then you click on the SceneGraphNode at the top of this "set". I.e. this "unit" is composed of a SceneGraphNode, a child SceneGraphNode, and 3 child ModelParts. You click on the top SceneGraphNode and then click Isolate. You will end up with 3 SceneGraphNodes and 3 ModelParts. Then if you click on the third SceneGraphNode you can see the animation of engine0. Finally, go to the Animation Manager and you will now find one line, engine0.

Hope this helps,

 

[unc1rlm]

Thanks Tom, I finally found them way down the list. Now if you can tell me how to merge.. do I dave the props as "x" files or mdl and when I load object...what do I load... a "x" file or mdl. Nothing shows up (well maybe now it will) in the load window.
UPDATE: Ok I have merged into a separate mdl from original however I notice when it writes data..i see all three states of engine (prop) 1 (blurred.slow.still but only one of engine0 written... We'll see but I wound up with no wheels and a couple etra pieces at the back and broken pieces on the wing..lol...maybe someday..waiting to see if the props turn. WELL the props turn but it looks like I have two sets on each...i had trouble with mcx finding the right prop.....which bmp or dds should i use and do i have to apply from Material window for every stage?

I redid the props just now 4pm with the original bmps in the orig airplane but i still got one prop spinning on top of other on both wings. ......still got extra pieces..broken stuff on wings and no wheels but other than that it flies...takes off..think flaps are working right....I will get her someday

Thanks Tom and everyone!!!
Bob M.

 

[tgibson]

To avoid all three props being present at all times you must also set the proper visibility condition for each one. In the Hierarchy Editor, click on the SceneGraphNode just above the three ModelParts of the prop part. Click on the word None just below the word Visiblity in the right box, and select prop0/1 still/slow/blurred (depending on the prop). This will assign the proper visibility.

Hope this helps,

 

[tgibson]

OK, I think I've figured it out.

It's a little tricky because of the way that FS2004 vs FSX handles prop animations.

When you load the FS2004 model and look at the prop parts in the Hierarchy Editor, you see no animation sections in the three ModelParts. I thought this meant you needed to put the animation type into the SceneGraphNode lines. This is not true - it needs to be in the ModelPart lines. But this is not possible with an FS2004 model, which does not use keyframe animation in the prop parts (it does it a different way that MCX apparently cannot understand).

So you need to use a two step process. Isolate and convert the prop parts to FSX format, and then load that FSX part back into FSX and assign the animation and visibility conditions.

1. Import the FS2004 model into MCX.
2. In the Hierarchy Editor identify and isolate the prop part as described before.
3. Use Export Model to export the prop in FSX (or later) format.
4. Load this model back into MCX.
5. Now when you open the Hierarchy Editor, click on each of the 3 ModelParts and assign the Visibility and Animation sections of each by clicking the None below each one and choosing the proper prop0/1 still/slow/blurred choice, depending on what you want this part to be. It should look like this for the left blurred prop:

Note that I have assigned prop0_blurred to BOTH the Visibility Condition and Animation sections. I did this for ALL THREE ModelParts.

6. Use Export Model to export the prop again.

This model now has both animation and visibility set correctly.

Hope this helps,

 

[LUCE35]

Hello, a question.
I created a long .mdl object like a landing strip. If I place it on ADE and then save the scenary (I have had a flatten on the whole airport), but the object on one side is aligned with the ground and on the other side raised from the ground ... what could I do wrong?
Sim P3dv4

 

[tgibson]

Your model appears in the Hierarchy Editor very different from mine. My prop part is only a list of 3 parts within the SceneGraphNode, not over 10 as you display in your images above.

And why are you displaying an image of the SceneGraphNode, when all the "action" happens with the ModelParts? Show us what those prop parts look like, as in my image above.

 

[tgibson]

LUCE35 - even with a flatten the ground is not flat, it's curved. You cannot create such long objects without taking that into account. If you are creating this as a ground polygon there is an option to break the object into parts within the Wizard. If not, I believe that MCX will be able to curve such objects, if you break the strip into pieces that are separate parts. Someone else can probably help you more than I can.

 

[unc1rlm]

Ok outside view ok for now...but before i go back and redo the props all over again..here is what it looks like now in p3dv4.

Bob M.

 

[tgibson]

First, your last image shows that you are not loading the blurred prop texture. Are you sure it's in the aircraft's P3D texture folder? Did you change anything about its format? For your blurred prop texture just use the drop down box at the top of the Material Editor and choose Set Default Transparent.

Second, there is no Animation section in any of your Hierarchy Editor pictures of the ModelParts. If you cannot get that following my instructions, then you may never get proper animation of the props.

There is little use trying to get all 6 prop parts installed until you get one working correctly. Choose something like the prop0_blurred prop part and work only on that. Baby steps.

I have not merged anything yet - I was only getting one prop part working, as you should at first. Refer to Post #6 for my instructions on how to get them working correctly. If you cannot duplicate my image in that post with prop0_blurred in both the Visibility Condition and Animation sections for all three left blurred prop ModelParts then we will need to find out what is wrong with your system.

Hope this helps,

 

[unc1rlm]

Thanks Tom...I will try to follow your instruction. I just downloaded the Beechcraft 1900d illustrated by Antonio Valcarce (kanoasurf) to try and understand all this. I copied the textures from the original fs9 model into the textures folder of both the model and in fsx and p3dv4 folders and the original piedmont textures. I will check do the default transparency in the material editor. I will try just one engine then and then see what show in p3d? I never knew anything was so difficult....lol...probably dumb ass (me). Just printed your instruction on post 6 and 16 and got them in my hand. Do you know or send me a pic of the numbers that go into the conditions varaiable screen. I have been using 10000 for F6/FA which are the propellers and 100 for like the C_gear/left and right gear. left and right flap 100; I don't know what 194/198/19C are and 5 for the f/which are the cabin and lower door. but I can do 10000 for now only just for the props but not sure if not intering the other numbers will have anything to do later with attempting to fix the animations like flaps, aerilons etc.

Not sure where the set default is located..don't see it.

Thank you Tom.

 

[unc1rlm]

Tom.. I have 3 pics. In your instruction..you say "isolate the part as described before" If I isolate as in number one..it will isolate the entire unit containing all the pieces. But in your picture you are in a model part with animations..mine don't show any animations.

When I finally get the right one to isolate and you export.it .;export it as "engine1" or something like that..mdl? and then reimport that image. Once I isolate...I cannot get back into the other engine because it is not on my screen so I have to go back to the original fs9 mdl to go back in and find it and export it. Some say don't rename the original fs9 mdl...I have copies so do I built upon the original instead of renaming to Robert 404 as I have been doing. I

 

[tgibson]

Yes, export with a new name: Export Object/use drop down box for file type FSX MDL Object (*.mdl)/file name like prop0_blurred.mdl/Save button.

THEN import this new isolated prop part BACK into MCX. You should have both Visibility and Animation sections in the 3 ModelParts. Set these to prop0_blurred as in my image, and Export Object again. Now you have a saved MDL file with the correct visibility and animation. Then merge this part into the main plane. Do not merge until the Visibility Condition and Animation sections are correct.

And yes, you will need to keep a copy of your base model. The work flow:

1. Isolate one part
2. Export Object as FSX MDL with new name (i.e. prop0_blurred)
3. Reload the new FSX prop part
4. Fix the Visibility and Animation for each ModelPart
5. Export Object again
6. Load the base model again
7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 for each required part
8. You should now have all 6 prop parts saved as MDL files.
9. Reload the base model
10. Delete the props that are there
11. Merge all 6 prop parts into the model.
12. Fix any textures in the Material Editor (i.e. Set Default Transparent)
13. Export Object in desired format with new name. (i.e. Robert 4-0-4.mdl)

 

[tgibson]

And it appears you may be using the wrong PROP HI texture - mine is a solid gray disk, not an image of the stopped prop.