gmax or FSDS, which do you prefer.

paiken

paiken

SOH-CM-2023
gmax is what I'm currently using, but am thinking about getting FSDS v.3.5. Any pros or cons in your humble opinions? Just curious, as I'm becoming somewhat proficient with using gmax
 
Keep using gmax.

Gmax is the more powerful modelling program, with more features and tools than FSDS. If you've already overcome the gmax learning curve, there is no advantage to going to FSDS.

The one advantage that *I* find to FSDS (apart from that fact that I am reasonably familiar with it, and have been using it since version 1) is that since it is a flightsim modelling program, it will compile the aircraft, set up the folder hierarchies, and create the basic aircraft.cfg, etc files. With gmax, you can create the MDL file, but you have to set up the files and hierarchies yourself.

If you were starting out, without knowing any better, then of course I'd push you into FSDS (for purely selfish reasons)...

Basically, *I* find FSDS 'easier' to work with *notwithstanding the attempts of well meaning people over the years*, but if you've already gained familiarity and proficiency with gmax, you've half the battle won.
 
Felix has good advice.

Going from Gmax to FSDS is like a mechanic going from high tech air tools to simple wrenches.

But......... (big but here).. If its for ease of simplicity for making planes 'specifically' for FSX, then you might just want FSDS.

I am presently converting a FS9 plane to FSX and it is such a hassle. I have spent two full days (full days) doing code, switching over materials, adjusting airfiles, and its a PAIN.........! FSDS might be far more easier in making FSX planes.

FSX Gmax (if you dont know this already) has bugs in it in things like materials settings for shine, reflection, that if you go through each material, the readings will 'stick' from the previous settings, so you have to tick them to see what they are set at. Also, Attachpoint doesnt always attach, Animation Manager doesnt always attach animations, etc, etc, etc... .


Gmax has awesome tools, but the FSX SDK is difficult to make planes for. You 'might' be better going with FSDS just for FSX...



Bill
 
I use FSDS but have dabbled in Gmax and 3DS max..I wish I could take the half year off to learn them but there is no time because of new projects in the works on deadlines..I use G-max and 3Ds max though as go betweens for attach points and stuff..It is best to stick with what you are farmiliar with and try and master it for your own interest..I have no plans to try and get in on the latest warcraft character type demon games so I stick with old fashioned flight sim format using FSDS and I love it for its easier to see and use windows of your parts and objects..FSDS is also the simplest program for texturing parts..its like just browse for a texture and paste it on it,,no acts of congress or nothin...good luck:isadizzy:
 
If I were starting from scratch and had no experience with other 3d programs I would use Gmax. It has some powerful features not available in FSDS. However, I am not starting from scratch and have used FSDS since v1. Actually, I started with Aircraft Factory99 in 1999. It was a point oriented program and possibly harder to learn then Gmax. I used it for about a year and gratefully tossed it aside for the first version of FSDS. FSDS is an object oriented program which moves around all those vertices and polygons with ease. I have dabbled with Gmax but everytime I get serious about learning the ropes I run into something frustrating and go back to FSDS because I already know how to solve the problem with that program.
However, like I said, if I were starting from scratch I would use Gmax. I can't comment on 3dsmax because I have been retired for 12 years, live on a fixed income and have no way of coming up with the price. (And if I could I would spend the money on a trip back to Holland to visit my wife's relatives and a couple of well known Dutch flight simmers.)

Cheers, Paul
 
If you are getting the hang of Gmax then you really should stay with it. The SDK's are written for it, and there are many things easily done in Gmax that require additional tools/tweaks in FSDS...and Gmax is free!
 
I started out on FSDS because of it's ease of use. I actually only went to GMax because it took too darn long for FSDS 3.5 to come out after FSX hit the street. I used the time to become semi-proficient in GMAX and have not looked back....unless I already had an .fsc done...then I'd just recompile and check the "USE DDS box in FSDS.

I have the Student/instructor version of 3ds Max 9, but have yet to come to grips with material handling, which I figure is the minimum skillset required to make a textured object. I'll eventually grab a few tutorials and get over the last hump, but I figure I'll have to go payware to get the real thing, and I'm just not willing to do that yet.

Jim
 
There would nothing sillier than going from GMax to FSDS, in my considered opinion. Despite the observations from our "Poster Child for GMax Disasters", I have never encountered any real problems with exporting from GMax to either FS2002, FS9 or FSX models.

All of the tools are provided in the SDK, and all of the information needed is also described in detail. As for texturing, having the ability to put this pixel precisely on that vertex is possible using the UVW Unwrap Editor. You can't get any better than that! :ernae:
On the other tentacle, every time I hear from Bobby Hayes, he's got yet another problem trying to set up the Citation X v2.0 for FSX export using FSDS... :pop4:
 
Coming from you guys, I guess I'll stay with gmax. Like many, I've dabbled for quite some time, but I recently started getting serious about learning "the ropes". I'm greatly impressed by the work and (best of all) advice I see here. Thanks to one and all for the inspiration, and of course SOH for allowing us misfits to hang out here.
 
N2056 said:
Nothing better than someone eager to learn...I would suggest that you look at the designer's section here, and also check out these...

http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/index.php
Click to expand...
If you want to make that top link easier to remember just use http://www.aerodynamika.com/forum.html

Or

http://www.freeflightdesign.org/ -> then click on "Forum".

We had some trouble around renewal time with where we've always kept the source files at FFDS
so Felix :applause:registered an additional "dot org" domain name, freeflightdesign.org, in the meantime.

For those using FSDS we have a whole forum section moderated by Dave Nunez there as well.
:ernae:
 
3DS Max, if you can get your hands on it cheaply (which, as a student can be the case).

It *does* have its drawbacks compared to GMax though, especially with some of the Aces Tools (export straight to .mdl with animations, Wheel Tool...).
 
I'm with the majority, if you already have a working knowledge of Gmax, then stick with it. I started on FSDS as well, then gave gmax a try. 4 failed attempts and an year later i gave up on it and went back to FSDS. I then took a break from FS and gained access to 3DSMax and started doing work on some other games. A year later got back into FS and a gave gmax another look and it all made sense due to my time with 3DS.

It's funny, I have tried several modeling apps and always come back ro 3DS/gmax. I have an app called Carrara, I mostly use it for rendering digital art (it is comparable to Vray for 3DS) and found that is has a powerful modeler as well, but I'll be dammed if I can figure out the interface, LOL.
 
Oh, almost fogot: The "quick render" feature in 3DS Max is *very* useful since you can spot shading issues right away instead of later in the sim.
 
Gmax has one limitation if you use it for scenery design. It cannot export a model that utilises the FSX batch processing (as far as I know). Not a problem if you are making airplanes though.

Just some of the limitations of FSDS are:

You need FSDStweak to make proper FSX materials.
There is a 1mm resolution limit on models.
The zoom function is absolute s***.
Platforms and attachpoints need some serious tweaking.

If you are getting proficient with Gmax there is practically nothing you will gain by switching to FSDS (except the ability to make models that will use batch processing).
 
FSDS, but that's because I am familiar with it from previous versions long ago.
But no way would I say I am proficient at all with it.
And no way is that a recommendation either, I just really don't know GMAX.
Never have used it.
 
My humble opinion:

Using FSDS is easier to model and much easier to apply textures. I think it is the best option to make scenery objects and simple addons. The last version (3.5.1) is really great for FSX. You can attach effects, platforms and many other complex attachments the same way you can do with Gmax. And xtomdl works much better for FSDS than makemdl (FS2004) did. I have never had a problem to compile. But...

... my feeling is that Gmax is better for complex objects and animations. And it is free.
 
Never having used FSDS, I don't really have an opinion of that end of things but, as a Max user since it's DOS days, (18-19 years????), i would have to say that once you know it (gmax is much the same), it's pretty easy to get things done in it.
 
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