I have created a small number of early aircraft in FS9 using GMax my own amusement.However, looking at similar aircraft by others I see an effect that I'm not sure how to create. This is the effect that shows the underlying structure on fabric covered parts of aircraft - the "starving horse" effect. A good example is the Hawker Demon by Chris Herring in h-demon.zip.The desired effect can be seen in GMax by right-clicking on the view name and selecting Other|Facets+Highlights, but this seems only to change the view in GMax, and applies to the entire model. First, on the fuselage many aircraft have fablic covered rear fuselage that need that effect but which have wood or metal covered front fuselages that don't it. Can the be achieved by begining with two cylinders - one for the front fuselage and the other for the rear fuselage and unticking Smooth for the latter? Will this carry through to the .mdl file?Second (on here I am completely lost), some aircraft show surface curvature between the ribs. The fabric drops between the ribs. How is this achieved?I've checked the texture files and the relevant areas have a uniform colour - the effect doesn't seem to arise from that.All suggestions gratefully received.

If seen this being done in FSX using bump maps. Also used to create raised portions such as rivets, lowered portions such as the gaps between panels. And yet again to create that wavy look to aluminum skins. A good example of bump map usage is RealAir Simulation's Beechcraft Duke 60.http://realairsimulations.com/duke09/screenshots08.php?page=duke09_screenshots I don't know how it would be done in FS9 other than burned right into the texture itself. And even then it wouldn't be dynamic as the view point changes in FSX. I'd bet that some photo real texture maps would do a pretty convincing job in FS9 though.If this indeed was what you were talking about. :(

If seen this being done in FSX using bump maps. Also used to create raised portions such as rivets, lowered portions such as the gaps between panels. And yet again to create that wavy look to aluminum skins. A good example of bump map usage is RealAir Simulation's Beechcraft Duke 60.http://realairsimulations.com/duke09/screenshots08.php?page=duke09_screenshots I don't know how it would be done in FS9 other than burned right into the texture itself. And even then it would be dynamic as the view point changes in FSX. I'd bet that some photo real texture maps would do a pretty convincing job in FS9 though.If this indeed was what you were talking about. :(

Thanks but I am talking about FS9 and, as far as I can see, there is nothing in the texture maps to give this effect.

Yes, that's what I'm saying...there is no way to use bump maps in FS9. I just wasn't sure you had mistaken the effect that you had see was actually on an FSX aircraft and not on FS9. If it was on an FS9 aircraft then maybe it was photo real texture map. I've seen a pretty convincing job (as long as the view angle wasn't too shallow) of fabric covered aircraft in FS9 that I believe was just part of the texture map. I suppose one could model the ribs but the poly count would probably be horrendous.

I've seen what you are wanting to accomplish posted as a series, which as I fuzzily recall were at Freeflight Design, perhaphs made by Dave Eckert...http://freeflightdesign.comAs I recall though (keep in mind my sixty year old brain) the technique involved creating the ribs using spline objects, then appling a Skiin modifier, and then tweaking the tension of the "Skin" such that it would sag realistically between the "ribs..."

I've seen what you are wanting to accomplish posted as a series, which as I fuzzily recall were at Freeflight Design, perhaphs made by Dave Eckert...http://freeflightdesign.comAs I recall though (keep in mind my sixty year old brain) the technique involved creating the ribs using spline objects, then appling a Skiin modifier, and then tweaking the tension of the "Skin" such that it would sag realistically between the "ribs..."

Thanks. That souunds like the effect I'm looking for. I'll research mote because I still dopn't have the faintest idea how to achieve it!

Thanks. That souunds like the effect I'm looking for. I'll research mote because I still dopn't have the faintest idea how to achieve it!

Well, it wasn't Dave Eckert (and his site & tutorials has been gone for over a year now). It may well have been the late Gerard van der Harst, who's contributions to all modelers using Max and GMax have been invaluable over the years. Lamentably, since his death all the linked images in his tutorial threads have been forever lost...I've tried to recreate what I thought I'd remembered, but have had no luck thus far... :(

Well, it wasn't Dave Eckert (and his site & tutorials has been gone for over a year now). It may well have been the late Gerard van der Harst, who's contributions to all modelers using Max and GMax have been invaluable over the years. Lamentably, since his death all the linked images in his tutorial threads have been forever lost...I've tried to recreate what I thought I'd remembered, but have had no luck thus far... :(

Creating the front and rear fuselages as two separate cylinders - one smooth the other not smooth - solves my first problem.I'm still struggling with the wings :(

I have modeled the effect you seek. My wing had a constant chord, and my 'system' works well for such a design. What are you working on?

I have modeled the effect you seek. My wing had a constant chord, and my 'system' works well for such a design. What are you working on?

I'm working on a Hawker Fury - the 1930s bi-plane, not the WWII Fury/Sea Fury.

I'm working on a Hawker Fury - the 1930s bi-plane, not the WWII Fury/Sea Fury.

Finally, a REAL Fury (which Mark?)

Finally, a REAL Fury (which Mark?)

Mark 1 as flown by 25 Squadron RAF - serial K2059.

The way I did the wing for my Pietenpol was pretty easy. It works great on a constant-chord wing, but I'm sure you can adapt for the areas toward the wingtip. I started off by just modeling 1 wingbay (the area between 2 ribs). I then sliced that section so that it is in thirds. Then I grabbed the vertices in that middle area & scaled them on the z axis to pinch them in a bit. Note that you don't grab vertices toward the leading & trailing edges. Now you have a module that you can clone as needed, and you just start adding them together!There are some finer points to how I did my wing, but that is the basic process. I hope it helps!Good Luck,Robert

The way I did the wing for my Pietenpol was pretty easy. It works great on a constant-chord wing, but I'm sure you can adapt for the areas toward the wingtip. I started off by just modeling 1 wingbay (the area between 2 ribs). I then sliced that section so that it is in thirds. Then I grabbed the vertices in that middle area & scaled them on the z axis to pinch them in a bit. Note that you don't grab vertices toward the leading & trailing edges. Now you have a module that you can clone as needed, and you just start adding them together!There are some finer points to how I did my wing, but that is the basic process. I hope it helps!Good Luck,Robert

Thanks a lot. I'll try that.

Maybe you mean this?Send me an Email: Bambi_007(at)alice.deIf you need it I send you the FS2004 Gamepack Gmax FileGreetings from GermanySandra