I have downloaded and installed the Fairchild C-123 K "Provider" Package for FSX by Vladimir Zhyhulskiy. I see that the plane was converted from FS9.

 

This plane is an absolute beuty. The panel 2D and 3D are excellent as well as everything. Custom gauges and all.

 

There is however one problem. The prop circles are rotationg but are not transparent. Even at top speed. I don't know if one of my settings is causing this. I would like to kee0p this plane as it is a real vafourite.

 

Any suggestions or perhaps reference to another model of this plane that does display correctly in FSX?

The solid prop disks is because it is not an FSX native aircraft

I guess the author, with the source files, will be able to compile it with the correct SDK to a native FSX file.

You can usually fix this. I've done it myself for a few FS9 a/c in FSX. I think the instructions are on the fsdeveloper website. I copied the following long ago from an AVSIM topic that is no longer there, so I'm afraid I can't credit the author (but I'm very grateful to him !). I haven't checked all the links are still valid:

 - Download and install Martin Wright's DXTBMP program

 

http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

 

This will also need mwgfx.dll to function so download and install that too:

 

http://www.mnwright.btinternet.co.uk/graphix.htm#dlls

 

Then after these are installed, launch DXTBMP and configure it for an Alpha editor:

 

- Start DXTBMP and assign an Alpha editor to it, like MSPaint (don't need anything fancy for this). You do this by going to the Prefs menu and choosing "Select Editor", then navigate to MSPaint which is in your C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder and select it....or maybe the menu selection "Reset editor to MSPaint" will do that for you. I haven't done that part in a long time and I don't remember.

 

Anyhow once that's done here's what you do:

 

- BACKUP the stinky prop texture files first.
- Open the stinky prop texture file(s) in DXTBMP
- Modify the Alpha layer by going to the Alpha menu and selecting "Send Alpha to Editor"
- MS Paint should open up. Maximize it, double-click on any color in the pallette (I use the second color, the grey), the color selector will show up, go to "Custom Colors" and drag the slider on the right all the way down to a value of 20 (not zero).
- Hit OK and return to MSPaint. CHoose the dark grey color you made, and use the fill bucket to fill the white Alpha area with the dark grey.
- Hit "Save" (not "Save As"), then Exit MSPaint.
- You'll return to DXTBMP. From the Alpha menu, select "Refresh Alpha"
- The Alpha window in the upper-right corner will change from white to the dark grey - that's the transparency value (the darker, the more transparent).
- From the File menu, select "Save as" -> "Extended Bitmap", then in the selection rollout choose "DXT3". Save using the original filename.

 

- Repeat for the other prop texture and save. You should be good to go with nice, mostly-transparent prop discs.

 The transparency level I use is acording to my own taste, yours may vary. Pure black (value 0) is completey invisible, white is completely opaque (as you've already seen) and 20 is just a tad visible. Season to taste.

 

One thing that this cannot fix, or even make worse, is how clouds and/or autogen display behind or though the prop disc(s). Short story is, that's an artifact of FS9 vs FSX modeling and texture assignments, and display techniques, and it simply will be what it will be until an FSX-specific version of that aircraft is created.

Thanks,

I will save this for future use.

I have in the mean time downloaded another version, the file name is C_123_K_Provider25th_Updated_By_Nor_Cal_Prop_Club.zip , of the same aircraft. Just a few gauges in the panel differs. This is already converted and displays 100%. I am now in the process of downloading Laos scenery to do some bush flying. That's why I was looking for this old bird.

Glad you got your problem solved :smile:

If you can find Manfred Jahn's L-749 package, inside it is a file with a collection of FSX props that you can rename and use. I also "borrow" sometimes from some of the FSX native models I own, like the Just Flight planes.

 

It's a lot simpler this way than converting a bunch of textures. Usually the file is called blurred_prop or something like that. Just rename it into the texture folder of the craft you are fixing.

 

Lee