Hi allCan any one help me or point me in the right direction, on how to create some mast's to look like the pictures i've included. Their are two different types, the square section may be easier I would hope, than the Triangluar section.I had considered removing everything around the metal structure(In the bitmap, leaving a semi transparent texture) and considered this would take for ever, and then there was a question of scale! If this is what is required, then I'm up for the hard work as long as I get my end product.I have had problems with transparent textures, although I understand their should be no reason for this.Thanking anybody that feels they can helpSee picRegardsDave

I would indeed try to make them with a transparant texture, as making the entire structure would result in a lot of polygons. So just a really simple structure with a transparant texture on it.I think it should be that hard to make such a texture, you just need to adjust the alpha channel for the parts that should be transparant.Arno

---

Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

Hi Dave!One way is to make mast photorealistic, which will be simple way to do object in FSDS/EOD/GMAX and hard way to do in Photoshop (textures). But if I were You I would do these masts using lines like I did in power masts and made two parts: one for long range (when aircraft is more than for ex. 400m away) and one more complicated, when acft is near the mast. And of course, if You have more than one of such mast, I would put it in library bgl. Oh btw, I would recommend to draw it in scale 1.0 (I suspect that MS will soon abandon scaling because we have now floating point definition of structures).Hope it helps. Best regards,Goran BrumenFS Slovenija 2002 teamhttp://slovenia.avsim.net

Hi Dave.This link to working with transparent textures and Gmax may help:http://www.windowlight.co.nz/ontarget/gmaxt40.htmlDick

In my FinnMast scenery (adds all Finnish masts > 100m) I used masts which were created as polygons, not transparent texture. No FPS hit, even when the masts were as single apis instead of library objects.If you would like to check the masts, FinnMast is available from www.fsnordic.net file library

Hi Dave what I did is write a script that allows gmax to create "lattice" objects. I could make you up some towers if you would like. Keep in mind that although they are frame rate friendlyyou can not put a million of 'em in your scenery in fact these bridges are lattice objects (see pics). Dan

Hi Guys, thanks for all your repiesthe New Zealand Web link is a good tutorial, I have read beforeDan, I'm not fluquent in Gmax, more FSDS. What would your helping me involve, given my inexperience with GmaxI have a problem trying to get good pics square to elevation.All help appreicatedKind RegardsDavePs 3No pylons (Sq section) 3No (Tri Section)Aerial masts at Welshpool,Powys(Wales) EGCW

I do all wireframes using hand made elevation transparent bitmaps and doublesided DS primitives or polygons. Forget trying extract good picture of the truss from photo. You would need to "remove"=make transparent all areas which are not steel, so you may as well start drawing elevations this structure from scratch. Its easier. BTW anyone had any luck with wired LINE structures in gMax 1.2?Ted

Hi uok2fly, if your using FSDS/FSDS v2 (recommended) do this:create a tube with 4 points/pection in the Y axis with as many sections vertically as each mast has. Then resize the points in the x,z axis until you get the correct shape you want.I highly recommend using 32bit888 stlye textures. Texture will look better at a distance than a framework (no flickering when the AA is turned off) and 32 bit give nice alpha smoothing compared to DTX with alpha.Now, if you like I can make you up some good looking framework texture representing one section, then all you need to do is apply that texture to each poly. Contact me on any of the following e-mails if you want a texture [email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected],

Hi Dave I could model 'em up for you I wrote a script for gmax thatallows me to do lattice objects that are very low poly. Gmax out of the box can't do lattice objects BTW. Please post if interested. Dan

Hi Dan I would be very grateful for you helpI have little idea where to start doing some sort of wire frame in FSDS and the only other way as I was aware, editing the textures, I agree would be endless work, although it would be worth it if there was a guarnatee of a final object.Just from interest, the masts are at welshpool and fairly important with approaches to landYour help would be much apprciatedmy email [email protected]