newcomer asking help

[Guest speedbird228]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum and hope someone can help.I would really love to create some macros for my local airfield. I know how to make the macro itself using nova but i have absolutly no idea how to greate the textures or apply them to the macro.Im thinking along the lines of using photos of the original buildings to convert to textures.Anyone able to tell me how to do this and what software i would need?Cheers and thanks for a great forum.

[wsieffert 0]

You might want to use GMAX ver 1.2 and the FS2004_GMAX_SDK.exe - http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/ , downloads, FS2004SDK. GMAX can be overwhelming to a beginner. However, MS provides several examples of texturing in the documents provided with the SDK.Another program is Easy Object Designer (EOD) - http://www.echos.ch/eod/W. Sieffert

[bob.bernstein 0]

Most folks use one of the graphics programs to make textures, along with one of the sdk utilities.Options:Photoshop...I think its the best, but costly.Paintshop Pro....Jasc....many folks love itPhotopaint...CorelFree options:Gimp at www.gimp.orgWith these programs you take the photo and remove perspective from the wall you want to paint and "compose" the texture, that is, choose what images you wish to include in the texture. any subpart of the texture can be used on any part of the model, so you don't waste space in a texture on pixels that won't be used on the models. Textures are usually square, in pixel count of 256x256 or 512x512...sometimes you'll see other rectangular textures but still using pixel counts of 2 raised to some power. Start with 256x256 and get into it. Later you may wish to experiment.After you decide what images to put within your bounds of 256x256...save the file as a bmp. Keep that version in a folder, and then convert that file to dxt1 format using microsoft imagetool from the sdk. That's the file you save into the texture file for the scenery. Then apply the texture to your object as defined by your 3d tool, Nova in your case, which I can't help with cuz I've never used it.Good luck,Bob Bernstein

[1mikel151 71]

Are you using old NOVA or NOVASIM? For old NOVA once you get the texture with the image you want on it, save it in either 16 or 8 bit (since the old NOVA doesn't recongnize DXT format) and place it in the texture folder of your scenery. then in NOVA go to preferences and browse to the texture folder of your scenery and save that path. When you make the object and you go to texture it, just move the frame to surround the part of the texture you want for that poly and do that for all sides. With NOVA you can always go back and reposition it if you are happy. Hope that helps.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/PBTMCa.jpgCalVirAir International VACalVirAir International

[Guest speedbird228]

hi guysThanks for the help but..WOOOOSH!...way over my head! lolmaybe i should explain what im doing, you will be able to see right away what im doing wrong.1 take photo with digital camera set to lowest quality level to reduce pixel count.2 convert jpeg image to bitmap and reduce image size till its 256 or less3 coppy said bitmap into fs texture folder4 start novasin, aply textures as norml.5 save as API macro, load into fssc, insert into scenery and export to fs9.Macro is showing up as a dark grey cube, no textures....Im baffled. Clearley im doing something wrong but have no idea what. Any ideas, maybe you could take a look at the files and see what you think?Cheers fellas

[1mikel151 71]

Make sure your texture is in FS format, not 24 bit.Use either image tool or DXTBmp to convert it. (Imagetool on the FS9 disc (Gmax folder) and DXTBmp is in the library)Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/PBTMCa.jpgCalVirAir International VACalVirAir International

[Guest speedbird228]

Thanks so much for the help guys, the problem was i wasnt coverting it corectly. You guys are a mine of information and sometmes the problem can be so simpleand staring you in the face. I doubt i would have sorted it without youyr help, thanks ever so much.One last question though? when an API macro has been designed and exported to a scenery creator, how do i get an image ascociated with it so that the macro can be viewed before instaling it in the scenery? I know this can be done because i have lots of macros instaled on FSSC and when i select one from the list a little image pops up showing what it looks like. This is most helpful when selectin a hanger type from the list of about 20 i have instaled.

[Guest speedbird228]

Thanks so much for the help guys, the problem was i wasnt coverting it corectly. You guys are a mine of information and sometmes the problem can be so simpleand staring you in the face. I doubt i would have sorted it without youyr help, thanks ever so much.One last question though? when an API macro has been designed and exported to a scenery creator, how do i get an image ascociated with it so that the macro can be viewed before instaling it in the scenery? I know this can be done because i have lots of macros instaled on FSSC and when i select one from the list a little image pops up showing what it looks like. This is most helpful when selectin a hanger type from the list of about 20 i have instaled.

[wsieffert 0]

The respective program has a texture it can read in one of its folders.W. Sieffert

[arno 1]

So make a small preview image (normally 256x256 BMP with 256 colours or so) and give it the same name as your API. Then place it in the folder together with the API, FSSC should then read it (could also be there is a APIBMP folder or something like that, that is different for each program :)).