Wire-Frame Objects in FSDS3

[Guest pecrowther]

I assembled an FSDS2 model using FSDS3. Although wire-frame objects (e.g. fences) look fine when I am editing them, they end up as non wire-frame in FS9. However, there does not appear to be a place in FSDS3 where I can specify a wire-frame object (i.e. "lines"). Anyone know where they hid the command?Thanks, Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Believe it or not, that never came up in beta testing.....HOWEVER, it is my understanding that makemdl doesn't take kindly to pure "lines" or "dots".Without having the SDK in hand, I believe that there should be a material name prefix that *should* cause the part to show up as lines.I'm not too sure how often this is used.For scenery objects, etc., more often than not I've seen textured planes where the "fence" is opaque (alpha 255) and the "openings" are fully transparent (alpha=0). At a distance, well, if you won't tell, I won't either.

[Guest pecrowther]

I wonder why they would delete the option?You are right, the opaque method works well - the appearance is better since you can add color and shading to railings and it fades out more realistically with distance.However, I have to believe that it takes more processor time to analyze an not draw most of a plane than it takes to draw a few lines.I also have a question about landing lights that I will ask about in a separate post.Thanks,Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

>I wonder why they would delete the option?It's not that the option was deleted from FSDS so much as it is that makemdl does not support it. Since FSDS3 *only* uses makemdl to compile the model, then, there was no point in keeping something that doesn't work.

[Guest pecrowther]

That certainly explains it.They could have left the option in simply for purposes of displaying parts in the perspective view - since I assume that the transparent texture does not display correctly. But I can see how that might have been confusing to users.Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Truth be told, however, if you create the part with a material name prefix of LINES_ ... the model will be shown as ... lines.It's almost as easy as choosing "lines" in the part properties (Oh, you mean to say that you want a little button that if checked will automatically add "LINES_" to your chosen material? - hehe)In the example below (it really will be a SAAC-23), the material name is LINES_ONE, blueWhile we FSDS luddites have "lost" certain conveniences, *I* think that the program, while not as powerful a modelling program as is gmax, can now take advantage of the FS2004 SDK/eye candy, and is probably in a better position to take advantage of any future imporvements to Flight Simulator.Felix/FFDSPegasus Aviation Design

[Guest pecrowther]

I tried LINE_railing as a material, and (for some reason) it creates random lines, rather than drawing an outline around each poly.You are probably right about the change being good in the long run, but in the short run, transition hurts.Phil

[Guest FelixFFDS]

Phil - just remember, you are one of the "Gifted Few", a semi-masochistic Luddite ... just imagine, you would prefer a Triumph Spitfire over a Mazda Miata anytime! (Of course, if an RX-7 comes your way...)

[Guest pecrowther]

Actually I do drive a Mazda Miada and used to have a Fiat Spider. A Spitfire might not be too bad (except for having to get an advanced engineering degree to raise or lower the top).My mechanic used to have a cartoon in his garage that claimed that the only reason the British did not make computers was that they had not figured out a way to make them leak oil :)So instead of cleaning my garage floor, I am always cleaning up my messy programs.Phil