Google Warehouse buildings in xplane..(scenery question)?

[Simmo W 24]

Geof don't say sorry, it is a minefield. I'm thinking I need to do another scenery tute pronto!For now, just use sketchup, the plugin is heaps easier to install. Or you'll have to get googlitis like I did to learn the blender approach. If its in sketchup ok, you just go file/ export to xplane8.The only way you'll see it in xplane is by placing it via OE or wed in a custom scenery directory , new or existing. Then u must make sure the obj file is referring to the one png texture, and that the texture file has a name with no spaces- or u may see it in OE but with no textures. Geeze it's fun..

[Geofa 108]

Ok-I just got the empire state building in about 1 1/2 minutes and I don't know what I am doing. Granted it is grey-but that is better than nothing as far as I am concerned. Now how do I get it placed somewhere else than the airport at its correct geographical placement?<edit> I figured it out. Should have a populated (yet grey) city by tonight...though it is appearing to me the lat/long of the placement program is not correct-am I missing something??

[Simmo W 24]

Ha, I've never tried placing an object by lat/lon, though I suppose it should be relatively easy, I'd bloody hope so. Generally I've only ever placed objects near airports, this is new stuff to me. JM Dewey at the org may help, since he's built a heap of new york city in the scenery downloads area - check it out, he might save you some time. So how did you place it accurately in the end? just drag out in WED, or allocate specific coords? Looks nice from hereOver here:http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?app=downloads&showfile=12631

[1mikel151 71]

the main problem with using google warehouse objects is the inconsistent complexity, going from simple to very detailed which are useless in the sim. Also that many are illegally ripped from other sites, including games and CG software so sharing would be an issue.Ideally, any scenery developer could load "their own" libraries into Arno's modelconverterX and then export in .obj format for use in XP10, it's what I plan to do once i get XP10. I also have blender in case that route has issues. Either way, it shouldn't be hard to any scenery designer to get 'their own" objects into a format that can be used in XP10

[Simmo W 24]

the main problem with using google warehouse objects is the inconsistent complexity, going from simple to very detailed which are useless in the sim. Also that many are illegally ripped from other sites, including games and CG software so sharing would be an issue.Ideally, any scenery developer could load "their own" libraries into Arno's modelconverterX and then export in .obj format for use in XP10, it's what I plan to do once i get XP10. I also have blender in case that route has issues. Either way, it shouldn't be hard to any scenery designer to get 'their own" objects into a format that can be used in XP10

Yes, agree, I have no idea of the legality of the google earth use - you'd want to at least get permission of the object creator before using or distributing.Ha, so there's another scenery tool to explore! What is this modelconverterx? Can it be used for xplane stuff?Ta

[1mikel151 71]

modelconverterX is an FS tool from FSdeveloper, very handy. Bascically it converts models between different formats, obj, 3ds, x, dae, fsx mdl, fs9 mdl, etc, here is the forum for ithttp://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=87yep, google warehouse is a freeforall with pirated mesh, lots of copyrighted material uploaded with authors calling it their own. Sad, because there are some talented people producing/sharing some original work there.

[Geofa 108]

Ha, I've never tried placing an object by lat/lon, though I suppose it should be relatively easy, I'd bloody hope so. Generally I've only ever placed objects near airports, this is new stuff to me. JM Dewey at the org may help, since he's built a heap of new york city in the scenery downloads area - check it out, he might save you some time.So how did you place it accurately in the end? just drag out in WED, or allocate specific coords? Looks nice from hereOver here:http://forums.x-plan...&showfile=12631

The problem I can see is the lat/long in overlay editor seem to be wrong....so that will make placement a trial and error thing.As far as legality-I would visualize something like we had with Terrascene with Fly years ago-a product that allowed an end user to use this stuff automatically and with ease. No distribution involved. At the time-you would put your geographic area in the program-then it would generate scenery tiles-usually overnight.Google sketchup with the xplane plug in can't be easier to use and literally takes seconds to convert. The lack of ease seems to be getting it actually into xplane right now.

[Geofa 108]

I am going to have to figure out the texture thing-but this literally took me 1 minute to do-and it is placed accurately. (I had to set in preferences from decimal to lat/long.If anyone else want to try here is the process-Download Google Sketchup here:http://sketchup.goog...load/index.htmlGo here and get the sketchup2xplane file:http://marginal.org....nery/tools.htmland place it in your google sketchup plugin directoryGo to google warehouse and download your building/airporthttp://sketchup.goog...om/3dwarehouse/Open it in sketchup-and save it as an xplane 8 file (under the file menu).Place this file somewhere handy.Get overlay editor:http://marginal.org....nery/tools.htmlOpen a new project-use an airport to get near where you want, and then import the object file (your building).Change in the preferences lat/long. Move your building to the correct lat long. Save the project.Sounds complicated but really easy, and really only takes a minute.It will be nice to figure out an answer to the texture issue (xplane only allows 1 texture and most of the models have more than one). Empire State building:

[Geofa 108]

Just adding the Renn Center to Detroit makes it feel more real. Off to add the rest of the town!

[Muskoka 104]

Looking good Geof,Thanks for the links and mini tutorial. Have to get my arse moving and maybe do Toronto.Glen

[Simmo W 24]

Looks great, from a distance at least! I forgot OE has te coordinates shown, duh. Haven't used it for awhile. Textures are a pain, but all u have to do is use simple office tower textures in sketchup and it'll look a lot less like a grey slab. I'm very slowly (due to time) making up an offices texture file, happy to share it when done, but it's taking awhile, and when u my side project you'll see why! I'm posting a texturing tute in minutes..

[Simmo W 24]

Sketchup for xplane tutorial videos as promised:http://xplane10.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/scenery-tutorial-sketchup-is-too-easy/

[Geofa 108]

Yes-I'd like a copy of your texture file if you are willing! Unfortunately, my video card seemed to fry last night so I can't do anymore for a while....

[Honnli 69]

This is most interesting! Following the process Geofa posted, I was able to add the Washington Mutual Tower (model from Google Warehouse) into the Seattle CBD, and with texture! I did the texturing in Google SketchUp with help from Simmo's texturing tutorial video. The texture mapping process was kinda slow and painful, and it took me about 2 hours to get the texture half-decently mapped to the tower, though I have never really done any texture mapping before so this contributed to the time taken. Also, the curved surface of the Mutual Tower made aligning the texture more difficult. Anyway, here're some screenshots which show the result (haven't gotten the exclusion zone to work yet). Alright, I'm off to bed.

[Geofa 108]

Fabulous!