More on Extreme Poly models for FS9

This sure does breathe some new life into the old girl...Absolutely amazing! Like I said before...have both love both!
Ted
 
I just sent Tim Dickens at FSD an email about this discussion.
Their argument for releasing an FSX-only model was that you can't bring enough polys back into FS9 from the FSX model.
Do I assume this changes all that?
 
My guess is, just based on poly count, yes. Unfortunately, aircraft made specifically for FSX are simply not backwards compatible with FS9. To make true, native, FS9 and FSX aircraft it does take two models as FS9 does not allow bump mapping and there are a few other features in FSX that will not work in FS9 and some features in FS9 that will not work in FSX.

With the number of people still using FS9 and not converting to FSX, I do think it is silly for developers to stop making products for FS9, but, as stated above, it is a lot of extra work and time to make both FS9 and FSX products. Time equals money and flight sims are a small market compared to first person shooter sims and console games.
 
There is something I do not understand here.
I understand that with the FS9 design tools, there was some "precision" issue that would prevent making small polygons, or something like that, and that overscalling the model and scalling it down afterward is a perfect workaround.

But what is it with the actual maximum number of polygons in a FS9 model ?
From the early discussions that Lionheart created some time ago, I thought the problem was an actual limit of the total number of polygons that a FS9 model can have. Can anybody clarify this point ? I'm geting a little lost here...
 
Both issues are addressed in this procedure it appears. The scaling addresses the 4mm limit and the poly max is addressed by exporting parts of the project then compiling them once all parts are exported.

The normal export process from gmax simply creates an .x file. Several of these can be used as LOD, shadow files, interior components or exterior components.

The next step in the process is to run them through the makemdl compiler to generate the .mdl file for FS. This is the normal process if you use the batch makemdl compiler technique to combine several .x files into one final product for FS9.

So, in between these two steps is where the alterations take place, I believe.
 
Yep, Miltons on it.


So, to answer the questions;
* Does this mean that planes can now get around the 4MM weld limit? Yes...
* Does this mean that there is no more Poly limit of 65,000 ? Yes.... No more limit.
* Does this mean we can bring high polygon count models into FS9 that are in FSX format? Yes....

On a FSX plane, you will need to save it into the Gmax 'FS2004' version. (There are two, FS2004 SDK and FSX SDK). Next, you would delete various animations for things like props, tires, etc, if their animation name tags do not have 'key' in them (animated). Some animations in FS9 are auto-generated, like tire rotation, so deleting the tire animation Key Frame points and naming them properly for their animation tags will make them work in FS9.

It may be faster to bring a FSX model into FS9 format then to convert a FS9 plane to FSX. Simply create the new Materials, change the animations, rename parts with proper animation name tags, and export.

One issue.... The system 'does not like' Co-located Vertices. If you have just a couple on a part, it will crash BGLC-9.



Bill
 
How about we call this new system, the FS9 Unlimited system or FS9US for short.

Also, special thanks (extremely special thanks) to Luka who discovered we could export LOD's and compile them into giant models.

Thank you Sir!!!

:ernae: :salute: :ernae:
 
Lionheart said:
It may be faster to bring a FSX model into FS9 format then to convert a FS9 plane to FSX. Simply create the new Materials, change the animations, rename parts with proper animation name tags, and export....

Bill
Click to expand...

Food for thought for those wondering which to learn modelling for!
 
Lionheart said:
On a FSX plane, you will need to save it into the Gmax 'FS2004' version. (There are two, FS2004 SDK and FSX SDK). Next, you would delete various animations for things like props, tires, etc, if their animation name tags do not have 'key' in them (animated). Some animations in FS9 are auto-generated, like tire rotation, so deleting the tire animation Key Frame points and naming them properly for their animation tags will make them work in FS9.

It may be faster to bring a FSX model into FS9 format then to convert a FS9 plane to FSX. Simply create the new Materials, change the animations, rename parts with proper animation name tags, and export.
Click to expand...

This Is the procedure I have used on the Lohner flying boat with success, with FSX materials and VC shadows but have had to keep the poly count within the 65,000 threshold for the Fs9 export.
 
stansdds said:
...Time equals money and flight sims are a small market compared to first person shooter sims and console games.
Click to expand...

But mercifully, some of the best brains in the business take a passionate interest in our hobby!
I cannot wait to see where this leads in, say, the next year or so.
 
PropTrash (PT) has informed me that this Stearman super detailed aircraft package will be 'freeware' and will be available in the near future at Simviation.com.

He wanted you all to know that and says thanks for the kind words.

He will also be doing a tutorial for the FSDS people/developers that want this new Unlimited Export system. This to will also be released at Simviation.com.


That thing is amazing. I hear it has something like 5 layers of luminosity on the instrument panel including one that is just the radium glow on the instruments. He found he could manipulate and add a new luminescence material in the X files and has done this for many parts, taking away the need for creating light maps and Alphas. I hope he adds a tutorial on how that is done. That would be most interesting... (druel)



Bill
 
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