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Cessna 195 for FSX

I changed the alpha colour in mdlmat to "0" and no change. Is it necessary to close the sim and restart to see mdl changes?
 
Roger said:
I changed the alpha colour in mdlmat to "0" and no change. Is it necessary to close the sim and restart to see mdl changes?
Click to expand...
Possibly. I changed all of the mdl files using the same change and all of them look fine now. I sent you a PM Roger if you need any help. By the way, what would be a proper soundfile for the 195?
 
falcon409 said:
Possibly. I changed all of the mdl files using the same change and all of them look fine now. I sent you a PM Roger if you need any help. By the way, what would be a proper soundfile for the 195?
Click to expand...

Falcon409-
When you get this working in FSX are you going to give us a link?

Rick
 
papab said:
Falcon409-
When you get this working in FSX are you going to give us a link?
Rick
Click to expand...
Well, I haven't really done much to it other than figure out the VC, which is just a minor tweak of the mdl file. I'm also doing a new livery, but that's a slow process as I'm only able to sit at the computer for short stints before I have to lay down.

I can do a short explanation of how to correct the mdl, that way anyone can make the simple correction and go right into flying the 195. It was otherwise FSX friendly from the get-go. The prop blur is personal preference really. It doesn't have the usual FSX problem of hiding the clouds like some do.:salute:
 
I love the aircraft! I'd still like to see a native FSX one...

Yes please upload how to fix or the fixed file. I don't like a glossy VC :icon_lol:

Thanks for your help!

Walter
 
Walter said:
I love the aircraft! I'd still like to see a native FSX one...
Yes please upload how to fix or the fixed file. I don't like a glossy VC :icon_lol:
Thanks for your help!
Walter
Click to expand...

Sure thing. . . .first go here:
http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/index.htm
and scroll down until you see "MDLmat" and click on the yellow dot to download. (don't get MDLmatXX as that is a Beta version for FSX models only).
Once you download it and unzip it, place the program on your desktop and I'll be back with a short tutorial.
 
Ok, each image below is marked with steps #1 thru #11. Hope this makes sense to everyone, but for this particular problem, it really is a pretty simple process. . . .CAUTION: Make a backup of any mdl files you work with, just in case. . . .OK!

Step #1: double click the MDLmat icon and it should open to what you see in the first image.
Step #2: click on the "?" in the upper left and browse to the model folder for one of the "195" models.
Step #3: either double click on the mdl file or hi-lite it and click "open". This will load the mdl file into MDLmat.
Step #4: the image marked "#4" shows what you should see after the mdl file loads. The "LOD" lines you see there are what we'll be working with.
Step #5: Now hi-lite the second line (LOD 01, 02) and you'll see it's parts loaded to the right under "Material Properties" (#6).
Step #6: Click the ">>" button to the right of "Diffuse" to load the properties that show "Red, Green, Blue, Alpha". When loaded, yours will show the alpha with "255" in the last block (this is mine and I had already changed it).
Step #7: Now Hi-lite the "255" in the Alpha box and change it to "0". Next click the "<<" box to the left and finally, click the button that says "Send modified Material back". When the LOD line is swapped back, you'll see that the last "Offset" has changed from "FF" (white) to "00" (black).
Step #8: Last step is to click the "Save Updated MDL" button, which will save the new mdl file back to it's proper folder.

That's all there is to it.
 
Well, well, well. . . .probably would have been a good idea to actually turn everything on and fly it to be sure. . . .but who'da thunk it, lol. As long as the engine is off and nothing is turned on the wood panel is visible. You can turn on the Rotating Beacon and it's fine, but if you turn on the Nav lights, it goes back to a chrome panel. If you leave the Nav light off but then turn on the Battery, it again goes back to a chrome panel.

Sorry folks, it appears nothing is actually fixed and I've been here before with other airplanes and basically this problem can only be corrected if you have the source code and know how things were mapped. I'm afraid this is a lost cause at this point.:banghead::banghead:
 
Hughes-MDflyer4 said:
If this is a gmax model, I wouldn't mind having the source files to do an FSX native update. :icon_lol:
Click to expand...
. . .and of course that would fall to getting the developer, Joe Binka to relinquish that information, something that isn't normally done. Not impossible, but also not likely. I'm putting this on the back burner for now as far as any further updating goes, until such time as I can get beyond the VC problem, or someone finds a solution. :salute:
 
Only suggestion I can make for now. . . .after you've done the material fix shown in the tutorial above. . . .you can fly the 195 as long as you don't turn on any lights, it appears that turning on the battery and avionics switches does not affect the panel appearance. . . .only the light switches. . .In other words, day flights only for now until a solution to this nagging problem can be found.:salute:
 
Good try Ed!
Maybe I'll have a play tonight (now I've discovered how to save in mdlmat!). As you say it is very FsX friendly in tertms of frame rates and it's worth keeping even if the background colour is the only way to keep the chrome away:ernae:
 
If anyone can get a hold of Heather Sherman, maybe she can help. She worked on this plane and others with Joe, so she might know how to get a hold of him.
 
falcon409 said:
. . .and of course that would fall to getting the developer, Joe Binka to relinquish that information, something that isn't normally done. Not impossible, but also not likely. I'm putting this on the back burner for now as far as any further updating goes, until such time as I can get beyond the VC problem, or someone finds a solution. :salute:
Click to expand...

I'm a developer as well, so I am fully aware of this.
 
Would there be any possible chance of getting one of you gentlemen that has succeeded in correcting the VC panel alpha to share youyr models?? I've just spent three hours trying everything suggested above and have totally failed at it.. Kinda bummed about it..
Thanks
Pam
 
warchild said:
Would there be any possible chance of getting one of you gentlemen that has succeeded in correcting the VC panel alpha to share your models?? I've just spent three hours trying everything suggested above and have totally failed at it.. Kinda bummed about it..
Thanks
Pam
Click to expand...
Ok Pam, understand that the only way the wood panel will display, even after doing the MDLmat fix is if you DO NOT turn on any lights. Sitting static, with everything off, the panel looks great, but the second you hit the light switches it returns to the chrome panel. So if you've done the fix on LOD2 01,02 as I explained in the short tutorial, then the panel will display correctly until you turn everything on. If you are loading the "195" with everything turned on, that's why you might think the fix hasn't worked.:salute:
 
Thanks Ed. afraid i'm loaduing it with everything off though, and its still chromed.. I THOUGHT i did mdlmat correctly. it was material 02 and i got the green ball next to diffuse and changed the alpha to 0 then sent the new material back to the mdl and saved it.. it just didnt work though..
Oh well..
Thanks anyway :)
Pam
..
 
warchild said:
Thanks Ed. afraid i'm loaduing it with everything off though, and its still chromed.. I THOUGHT i did mdlmat correctly. it was material 02 and i got the green ball next to diffuse and changed the alpha to 0 then sent the new material back to the mdl and saved it.. it just didnt work though..
Oh well..
Thanks anyway :)
Pam
..
Click to expand...
Ok, try this one Pam. . . .this is for the Wheel Pants version:
 
That worked Ed.. Thank you.. Was a little odd that I had to turn the lightds on and then off to see the wood, but hey, i aint complainin :;lol:; Damned happy that its working..
Pam
 
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