|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 10:51:20 GMT -5
Woo hoo! That looks just great. Am I sensing a KMIA airport coming soon? I sure hope so.
Please let us know here if you run into any problems - glad to help!!!
Thanks,
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 13, 2010 12:32:55 GMT -5
Tom, How's this? I haven't applied any textures, yet, only default colors within SketchUp. I also haven't tried to convert it into a FS model. Or much of anything besides what you see. And with the number of polygons, I'm afraid I may have built the Deathstar of frame rates! I've been using transparencies for the windows, but as you can see, that will require adding another polygon inside so the structure doesn't look hollow. But that makes night lighting difficult, I think. I might just use a texture for windows. Any thoughts? I actually haven't had any insurmountable problems yet. This is SOOO much easier and user-friendly than GMAX. I feel a little like young Ensign Pulver...shortly before the fulminate mercury blew up the laundry! Al
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 13:29:04 GMT -5
Wow, nice. Looks like you are fast becoming an expert. I would indeed use a texture for the windows. There are a few in Sketchup, but most are way too bright a blue. I would use one that is the same color blue as the FS sky, but darker. Or just use a very dark blue or green (look at pictures of real buildings for inspiration). Feel free to steal some of our window textures on our building BMP's. Hope this helps,
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2010 17:29:55 GMT -5
I may have to give this a look. I have always used EOD (Easy Object Designer) by Matthias Brueckner for buildings (which reates API macros you can then place in scenery using something like AirportforWindows), but that has some issues regarding "smoothed" polygons for curves surfaces (it gets the shading wrong although if I only knew how to edit the API files I could probably fix this).
Does anyone who has tried this program think it could be used to create vehicles? I have a list of (annoyingly rounded!) vehicles I need to create for my 1960s Heathrow.
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 13, 2010 17:48:35 GMT -5
Yes, SketchUp can make rounded objects. Check the tutorial video about the Eraser function (I know...eraser for curves?) Once you've installed the program, look at the Component libraries to get an idea of what things you can make.
I tried fiddling with a car and GPU. It will work.
Al
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 18:00:02 GMT -5
I don't see why it couldn't - it can do almost anything GMAX can.
However, rounded shapes use lots of polygons and are the hardest thing to create...
Hope this helps,
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 13, 2010 18:03:25 GMT -5
Tom,
I'm having a problem with ModelConverterX. It's a msxml4.dll error. I'm running Windows 7 64-bit. Any ideas?
Modified:
Never mind. I fixed the error. I didn't actually have the dll!
Al
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 18:47:55 GMT -5
Hi, Yep, you must have MSXML installed to use these programs.
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 13, 2010 18:51:21 GMT -5
Tom,
Okay, the laundry just exploded. I've followed your excellent directions all the way through. I created a xml library, put my building in, and compiled. I put the resulting bgl in my scenery directory. I jumped into FS, opened InstantScenery, and...nothing. My bgl isn't listed in the available files pulldown menu. Any ideas?
I'm not done with the structure yet. I just want to make sure I can actually get things into FS before I waste my time making things!
Al
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 19:43:31 GMT -5
I understand this can be daunting - hold on, you're almost there!! First thing - how big is the BGL file? If it is 0 KB then it is not a valid library. Second - what scenery folder did you put it in? It has to go into the *scenery subfolder* of a folder listed (and active) in the FS Scenery Library. Third - you have to restart FS to get it to show up in IS. Fourth - make sure you remember its name. Hope this helps,
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 13, 2010 19:44:18 GMT -5
PS. BTW, when I created my test building, I had to use a scale of 0.5 in IS to make it the right size.
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 13, 2010 20:19:49 GMT -5
Tom,
Just to make sure, I verified all those things. Everything is in the right place (my FS9/Addon Scenery/KMIA62/Scenery and /Texture folders). The bgl is 1KB, which for a 388kb MDL file, sounds pretty small. Does that sound right?
I named the bgl KMIA62_Structures, which should put it right under your klax_59_library on my setup. Nada.
I'm stumped, but I won't give up. I've overcome worse problems than this!
Al
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 14, 2010 7:50:15 GMT -5
Well, I've made a little progress. When ModelConverterX was compiling my mdl, it would automatically pop-up MakeMDL, which wasn't set to "FS9 Scenery." So I told MCX to "keep .x file," and then manually selected "FS9 Scenery" and compiled. That made a good mdl (approximately 480kb in size).
So, I took that mdl to Library Creator XML, and ran that per your instructions, Tom. Everything appeared to work fine, but all I ended up with is an xml file with the name I wanted for my bgl file. I tried dragging that xml to bglcomp, which produced a bgl. But the bgl is only 1kb in size, which I think indicates that something's not right.
I moved the bgl to FS9, without positive results. Nothing shows up in InstantScenery. I have no idea what the problem is, since I've never used any of these programs, and have never seen a successful run! Any ideas?
Al
|
|
|
Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jan 14, 2010 11:29:03 GMT -5
Hi,
In the latest development version of MCX, it indeed doesn't wait for you to change the box, but it apparently does it automatically. No need to save the x file. Just let MCX create the MDL file. It will be small - a 22KB DAE file became a 4KB MDL file. As long as it's not 0 you should be fine.
In Library Creator, you just use the File/Compile Library BGL menu choice to create your library BGL file. It should display any errors it finds. If it just says something about parsing then you are OK.
And you have the KMIA62 folder added to the FS Scenery Library and it's checked as Active?
If none of this help, zip up and send me the Sketchup file. tgibson at sunstroke dot sdsu dot edu.
|
|
|
Post by acourt on Jan 14, 2010 15:28:40 GMT -5
I've tried and retried, Tom. Nothing seems to work. I'm sending the SketchUp file your way now. Let me know what you come up with.
BTW, I'm essentially done with the Admin Building and Tower (the file you're getting), am nearing completion on the rest of the main terminal, and just started work on the concourses. Let me say again: this is SO much easier than GMAX. The main terminal detailed shape? Seven minutes from start to finish. Thanks so much for pointing out this extremely valuable tool! Hopefully others will take it upon themselves to start designing scenery.
Al
|
|