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Gmax Tutorials

Whit gmax i can make models for combat flight simulator 3 or CFS1?
I ask because i dont have FS2004 and i like to test my model (when finish of course)
 
CFS3 - yes. CFS1 - no; don't know what you need for that, but it isn't gmax. You'll need the CFS3 SDK from microsoft and the plug-in for gmax which you'll get at the CFS3 home site


edit: the site is gone: get the SDK here in the Library
 
Hate to bother you guys. I have made several attempts in the past to work with Gmax. I started working on a B24 long ago for CFS3 (Long before FirePower ever came out) and never really got too far. At that time, I set up a calbox etc., using the method described in the gmax tutorial for making a p38. Using the 4 views given in gmax: top, front, left/right, and perspective, I made my box and and fit the backround image for each view into it (of course they would always offset when I would mess with lock zoom/pan, still do). Now I've seen the calbox done in 3D like the calbox included in this tutorial but have to admit I don't understand it. When I open the calbox only the one window (user) opens up. Are you supposed to only use the one window? I guess I'm having problems understanding this first basic step. Do I no longer need the 3 or 4 other views that are present when gmax first fires up? For some reason (and having air for brains is a good one) I am having a hard time wrapping my brains around this. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

John

Edit: just looked at my original B24 attempt files -- dated 2/5/2004 lol
 
John,

Do not use the calibration techique in the gmax tutorials ... it is faulty.

There is a whole list of tutorials at the start of this thread. One talks about setting up calibration boxes.

Here is a tutorial on gmax basics. Maybe it will help get you started:

Download the zip of the .avi file to play:
http://www.sim-outhouse.net/downloads/SOHTeam/basicintro.zip

In gmax, you have 8 basic views:
Right, Left, Front, Rear, Top, Bottom, Perspective, and User. You can use keyboard keys to switch. E.G. R, L, K, F, B, P, and U.

The standard views are necessary for doing certain things when strict directional alignment of your view is important. Any views not standard is the User view for panning around and getting different view perspectives.

Watch the video I did to get a basic intro to gmax basics. Then check out the calibration tute in my first post here, then scan the C-162 tutorials for lots of helpful info.

Milton
 
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Thanks Milt, I had no idea about the tutorial method being flawed. I'll study more and I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

Cheers,

John

Edit: I'm getting a 404 error on that link above.
 
Just a quick query,

How are you setting up the images in GMax? Whenever I do it (Via applying a meterial) it gets really blurry. Is there a setting i've missed or just a better way to do it?

Cheers
Matt
 
Lots of ways to do it depending on what version of FS you are designing for and what graphics programs you use.

I develop for FS9, use Gmax 1.2, so I simply use 24-bit bmp or convert them to jpeg for use in gmax. They must be sized a power of 2 (256x256, 512x512, 1024x1024), or a combination of powers of 2 like 256x1024.

When moving to FS texture folders, you then copy and convert those textures to 32-bit, DXT3, 8-bit, or whatever your FS version supports.

Large exterior parts need large textures. Think about "pixels per foot" dividing your part length on the texture by the texture pixels L,W, or Height. This number need to be high enough to have texture clarity.

Small aircraft fuselages might me mapped across a 1024 but a large aircraft will need halves mapped to a 1024.

VC's also require large textures because you are so close to the detail. A small fighter cockpit panel is okay on a 1024, but a two-pilot aircraft will require you to break the panel into halves or thirds to get clarity.
 
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Sorry I didn't make myself clear. When I am texturing the dimension box with the three views they come out really blurry, see atached. I all of the tutorials you've posted the images are much clearer. Is it possible for you to say what I'm doing wrong?

( although the VC stuff is useful)
 
Mine looked like a road crash, Matt. I found a 26MB video tutorial at fsalpha.com which explained it, but in the interests of bandwidth, here's an explanatory pic.

0HeW8WT.jpg


I used the OpenGL driver under XP on my old video card, but the principle is the same as for DirectX drivers.

HTH
 
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Hello everybody,i started the map tutorials,but i have a problem,when creating the template a diferent messagebox appears,and my template is diferent,and how i apply the glass and blurred textures?

Thanks again
 
Pilotwing,

Your LithUnwrap template looks great.

You will want to save that at 2048 X 2048 to work on but FS9 will need it at 1024 X 1024.

I usually save a 1024 for the gmax UVW folder and convert it to jpg to save memory while modeling. (makes a big difference for me when things get busy)

The process flow goes like this:
1. Map parts and then export selected named to quake md3 folder
2. Open LithUnwrap, Open model, named exported parts from md3 folder
3. Now Save Bmp to your UVW folder. Change to jpg and reduce size if you wish)
4. Apply the new template to the selected gmax parts

Later, take your 2048 or 1024 bmp and change it to the proper format for FS texture folder.

Does this answer your question?
 
Thanks again,but why my template is not filled like yours,and how do you make the template looks like a real plane texture?
 
Sorry if this is an obvious question, but how do I get stuff to show up in Gmax. Like I go to open the SDK stuff for CFS3 and it says its there, I can select it if I randomly click on the black screen, but that is all I can see, a black screen. Did I do something wrong here or do I need to go to a special view or something. Oh yeah, when I went to open Gmax the first time, there was some box that popped up asking about something like Heidi and Direct 3D. I chose like 3D or something. Does that have anything to do with it?
 
pilotwing said:
Thanks again,but why my template is not filled like yours,and how do you make the template looks like a real plane texture?
Click to expand...

That is because you have the beta version of LithUnwrap 1.3.

I've updated the link referenced by Milton's tutorial to allow folks to get the "release version" of LithUnwrap 1.3...
 
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