Question for aircraft modelers

sixstrings5859

sixstrings5859

Charter Member
Been reading up at the Designer's Workshop here at SOH. Is there a free version of 3ds Max 4.2 or similar ? Where can i get .NET framework and what version do i need ? Running Win. 7 64 bit home edition and using DX 11. Do i still need DX 9 managed and how to run both if needed? Where should i start (buildings,skinning, using aircraft started as found at 3D Cadnav.com ...ect.) start small then to bigger and better things ? Hopefully not too old to learn a new trick! Looks exciting though.
 
The free version of Max 4.2 is Gmax, .NET support is built into W7, DirectX 9.0c June 2010 is available from Microsoft and Managed DirectX is in the CFS3 downloads here at SOH, as is the CFS3 sdk.

Start with something simple like a hangar or bridge, get it built and mapped with texture applied and you'll quickly gain an understanding of the processes involved. The really tedious and mind-bending bit is learning how to use Gmax but there's no getting around this, you have to wade through it to get there and there's no other route to a CFS3 model.

Did I say it's lots of fun? It is!
 
Did I say it's lots of fun? It is!
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Fun?? What version of Gmax are you using Tom!?? :biggrin-new:

Start with something simple like a hangar or bridge, get it built and mapped with texture applied and you'll quickly gain an understanding of the processes involved. The really tedious and mind-bending bit is learning how to use Gmax but there's no getting around this, you have to wade through it to get there and there's no other route to a CFS3 model.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Too many folks start off with big ideas of modelling their favourite aircraft and never get there. Start small and work up!
 
How do i install DX9c and still keep DX11 if possible ? Also looked for managed DX here but can't find it. Thanks for any help.
 
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Found the managed DX here at SOH. Not willing to get rid of DX11 and use only DX9c on Win 7 64 bit though.I guess that's sinks the boat but hopefully there's away for it to work. All my CFS3 installs run on DX11 fine and also with the other combat sims i have.
 
Each version is backward compatible, so they can coexist. The difficulty is that the later versions do not contain all of the earlier pieces, so in cases like this where you need to access particular functionality you have to go back and install the parts you need.
 
The release notes for the June 2010 package tell you it will work alongside DirectX 11 without issue: I ran Windows 7 for years that way. :) (got it in W10 now too)
 
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Installed DX 9c June 2010 downloaded managed dx, (not yet installed) . Is there something else i need to do\install before installing Gmax ? seems like i read somewhere there's something else to install and i can't find it again.
 
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Where can i go to download the free version of GMax that is safe ? Tried turbosquid and had problems registering it and another site that threw in a bunch of adware . Had to do a system restore to fix my pc.
 
great to see your interest into the flightsim stuff creation!

I may add my 2c:

there are two ways, how to start, eighter with own 3d mesh modeling, or just with porting some another party models into the game.

anyway, the first thing I would start is to make an untextured box mesh and try to export it into CFS3.
if you will use textures, they must be power of 2 (eg. 256x256, or 512x256, 512x512 and so on). I dare to say, the gmax CFS3 export plug-in (available with the MS CFS3 SDK) is the most easiest exporter among all the other MS FS export plugins ;)

to let it see ingame you may replace some existing m3d, otherwise you will need to learn, how to create a standalone new item first.
once you will be success with this, you may enhance the project...

wish good luck!
 
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