This gmax program is petty tricky. I want to texture this aircraft in gmax but, I need help with understanding why my textures don't show up in Fs2002. I have read "YEODESIGNS WORKSHOP TUTORIALS and followed the directions. In that WORKSHOP TUTORIAL it does not state how to save/name the texture. I have put that exact same file that I used in gmax in my aircraft texture folder but it doesn't acknowledge the images/textures. Also, for some reason gmax will not allow me to put a image/texture in gmax that has any alpha...etc. converting done to it. Can somebody out the help me please?

just a quick reply...Pints are callin,gmax uses 24bit only FS uses 8 or 32 bitso you need two textures a 24bit in gmax image folder and an 8 or 32bit in the planes texture folder.If you have test.bmp 24bit applied in gmaxyou need test.bmp 8/32bit in planes texture folderalso texs need to be a multiple of 2 i use 256x256 for small parts and 512x512 for more detail of course you could go for 1024x1024.I could go on all night, but gotta go...thirsty!later,odog

Thanks for the reply... From what I can see you have been busy also :-eek . I will try out your advise,Thanks again :-beerchug

Odog is right, except that you can also use 16 bit textures in FS. For the Alpha channel I would advise to just use a plain 24 bit texture in Gmax, and then add the Alpha and save it as Dxt3 in the aircraft texture folder. That is how I do it and it works like a charm.Udo.:-wave

>>Odog is right, except that you can also use 16 bit textures >in FS. For the Alpha channel I would advise to just use a >plain 24 bit texture in Gmax, and then add the Alpha and >save it as Dxt3 in the aircraft texture folder. That is how >I do it and it works like a charm. Alternatively, you can also save the FS2k2 final texture file in Targa format, and use that in the gmaxmyprojecttextures folder. That way, you won't have to fiddle with bit conversions...Also, I've noticed that no textures will appear on the visual model in FS2k2 unless you follow the naming convention of: name_t.bmp and keep the texture files 'square' (i.e., powers of 2).

... except if you format them in DXT1. :-)There seem to be quite a number of variations from the suggestions above. I use DXT1, many use DXT3. If I add Alpha then the _T ext is required (no doubt someone will prove me wrong there too!).If I say all textures definitely have to be square has anyone found otherwise?

>... except if you format them in DXT1. :-) >>There seem to be quite a number of variations from the >suggestions above. I use DXT1, many use DXT3. If I add Alpha >then the _T ext is required (no doubt someone will prove me >wrong there too!). >>If I say all textures definitely have to be square has >anyone found otherwise? Actually, yes! I've found that you can easily use 'non-square' UVW mapping and indivdual textures within a virtual cockpit. In fact, I use that technique for creating $panel.bmp type files... unless I wish to use self-illumination, that is... in which case the UVW map and texture(s){$panel.bmp and panel_l.bmp} must be powers of two.

hey,Ive never had to use non square textures, but as long as you keep it a multiple 512x256 or 1024x512 I think it will work...The gmax Material Editor is so powerful, I learn something new about it every time I texture. I hardly use Alpha's anymore...I really like Gmax's Opacity, and Reflective settings. Its been hard to find a good tutorial for using it properly. I think everyone has their own way of using it. Most of my personal designs have 5 or so 512x512 texs and maybe a few 1024's for details. This works good for me,but packaging is a problem.Other people Unwrap the model, or make templates...whatever comes easiest for you.odog

Thanks for all the imformation!!:-abduct Well, this is where I am for the time I had for this weekend.:-kewl