MSFS24 Textures fallback

[Stalexlife]

Hi everyone,

After a few days searching a solution, I'm looking for help.
Following the thread https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/re-using-msfs-textures.456467/ , I'm wondering if it's still possible to fallback on native mfs texture from asobo/microsoft while they are now encrypted with ktx2 and streamed. (it seems impossible to decrypt to get png/tif them with the tool for that since they are using a strong encryption).
I've tried many times to apply the same logic, but ends of with the purple missing texture and was able one time to make it work but unfortunately, I've done many changes since and cannot find anymore the right way (big mistake on my side).
It's a bridge object present in an asset ModelLib, directory name is Models in the packagesources\scenary.

My texture.cfg looks like this :

[fltsim]
fallback.1=materiallibs\asobo_materiallib\textures

in gltf file it's set like that (i've also tried with mimetype image/png) :

"images": [
        {
            "mimeType": "image/tiff",
            "name": "asphalt05_comp",
            "uri": "asphalt05_comp.tif"
        },
        {
            "mimeType": "image/tiff",
            "name": "asphalt05_albedo",
            "uri": "asphalt05_albedo.tif"
        }
    ],

and here the vfs showing the texture :

anyone has any idea how to ref native texture after exporting from blender with the 2024 plugin ?

Thanks a lot, can't wait to be able to end my addons .

 

[rhumbaflappy]

I don't think you can use that texture because it isn't PBR. It's a ground material texture. There is an asphalt05 texture you can use in scenery\global\asobo_houses\texture that is a PBR PNG

[fltsim]
fallback.1=Scenery\airport-41wi-elkhorn\MyModelLib2\texture
fallback.2=scenery\global\asobo_houses\texture

fallback1 is the project's packagesource folder location for the texture folder for the project. fallback2 is the location for the asphalt05 PBR texture set. It's good practice to reference the project's texture folder as fallback1.

I don't think models are usually TIF files. PNG or JPG.
Here's a tool to extract ktx2 textures:
Extract_KTX2.zip
Put the ktx2 in the input folder, double-click the BAT file, find the extracted in the output folder.

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Something to be aware of concerning referenced textures:
https://devsupport.flightsimulator....ged-location-generic-textures-missing/15154/4

This is about MSFS2020, but it is something to be considered for 2024 as well. Apparently Asobo does not consider 3rd party referencing textures as a priority. I'm guessing they removed textures to limit redundancy that adds to upload bandwidth, etc... But they did it with no warning or explanation. And there is no follow-up in the discussion. While referencing Asobo textures should be secure, they are not. And Asobo has no intention of returning the missing textures to MSFS2020, as of today. Sometimes the same textures can be found in Microsoft folders, so adding fallbacks to those as well might save a project from future texture removals by Asobo for 2020 or 2024.

I loved the idea of using fallbacks as it saved package size. Now I don't. Asobo cannot be relied on to keep things where they once were... even in a finished title like 2020. I would just copy the textures and put them in the package, and give Asobo or Microsoft the credit for the texture. That could be a problem with a commercial package, but freeware should be OK. Or use another texture entirely.

 

[Stalexlife]

I don't think you can use that texture because it isn't PBR. It's a ground material texture. There is an asphalt05 texture you can use in scenery\global\asobo_houses\texture that is a PBR PNG

[fltsim]
fallback.1=Scenery\airport-41wi-elkhorn\MyModelLib2\texture
fallback.2=scenery\global\asobo_houses\texture

fallback1 is the project's packagesource folder location for the texture folder for the project. fallback2 is the location for the asphalt05 PBR texture set. It's good practice to reference the project's texture folder as fallback1.

I don't think models are usually TIF files. PNG or JPG.
Here's a tool to extract ktx2 textures:
Extract_KTX2.zip
Put the ktx2 in the input folder, double-click the BAT file, find the extracted in the output folder.

Thank you for your quick reply and help !
Well, this is how they are shown in the material view so I don't know how Asobo used them but they are in tif extension.
But thanks for this ktx2 tool version, I have downloaded a version on the thread but it was not working and this one work so I'm able now to convert texture to png.
It's still not working at the moment with the fallback file but well since I have the texture now I can at least progress and see later why the fallback is not working.

Something to be aware of concerning referenced textures:
https://devsupport.flightsimulator....ged-location-generic-textures-missing/15154/4

This is about MSFS2020, but it is something to be considered for 2024 as well. Apparently Asobo does not consider 3rd party referencing textures as a priority. I'm guessing they removed textures to limit redundancy that adds to upload bandwidth, etc... But they did it with no warning or explanation. And there is no follow-up in the discussion. While referencing Asobo textures should be secure, they are not. And Asobo has no intention of returning the missing textures to MSFS2020, as of today. Sometimes the same textures can be found in Microsoft folders, so adding fallbacks to those as well might save a project from future texture removals by Asobo for 2020 or 2024.

I loved the idea of using fallbacks as it saved package size. Now I don't. Asobo cannot be relied on to keep things where they once were... even in a finished title like 2020. I would just copy the textures and put them in the package, and give Asobo or Microsoft the credit for the texture. That could be a problem with a commercial package, but freeware should be OK. Or use another texture entirely.

I agree it should not be a good practice to use the natives one since they can change them at any time without any info about that, but it should be okay because it's some basic one used a lot like for taxi etc... so they should not being removed else it will required a lot of work for them to modify all their textures. The issue of adding credits by having them in the package is that unfortunately, flightsimto website where we mainly share addons are really strict on upload rules and does not allow something we don't have the full right to use. I will try as possible but if they refused the package, I will have to back on the fallback method. Thanks anyway for these infos, it's still good to know things like that .

 

[rhumbaflappy]

The problem with the Asphalt05 that you use is that it is a ground material from a MaterialLib. You should use textures from Model textures.

Below, both are referenced textures as you have them (fallback.2=materiallibs\asobo_materiallib\textures) , but the cube on the left uses no COMP texture. The cube on the right is made to use the COMP texture, but fails as it is not ORM channels... it's NRM. Both reference the same materialLib folder you use. Both are set as TIF (editing the glTF to make sure TIF is selected. Both use the same Albedo TIF texture.

MaterialLib textures use Normal-Roughness-Metal for the COMP channels. They are used as ground materials or VFX materials.
Model COMP channels are Occlusion-Roughness-Metal. You can use the MaterialLib Albedo, but not the COMP. Blender will export textures as PNG, and set the glTF as PNG... but you can edit the glTF to use TIF textures.

 

[Stalexlife]

Very clear explanation, thank you for your time !
I understand better the issue.
I'm pretty new on modeling and texturing so I'm still learning some basics specially on texturing part which I found really hard for a beginner but fortunately I'm an hard learner and always pushing as far as I can and your help is precious for the community.
I will try to keep as possible the texture and not using fallback unless I'm forced to when publishing my addon.