3D Models Question

[Guest]

I'm wondering if any one can help me with a 3d modelling question. I do a lot of 3d models on the MAC professionally and use a piece of software called Strata StudioPro (high end modelling and rendering software). I don't know much about 3d Studio, but I know that that's the software everyone seems to be creating models for FLY!. I'm wondering if I was to the create models in my program and then save them in a format that could be read by 3d Studio would there be anyone out there interested in trying? I'd do something very simple first so that little time is wasted in case it doesn't work. I can save in the following formats - 3dmf, dxf, bmp, amapi, SHM 1.0 file, VRML 1.0 file and VRML 2.0 file.If anyone can help let me know.Thanks,Peter

[Guest DannyV]

Peter,3D Studio can read DXF format :-) I'm a little snowed under at the moment - give me a few weeks if no one else can help ;-)Cheers,Danny VickersAustralian Fly! Group

[Guest]

Hi Peter,you most probably know that fly2 models are in smf formatif your modelling software can export the models in 3ds , then a 3ds max user can convert them into TRI's s3d format , which can be further processed into smf format using fly's built in shape editor.so any max user in this forum can help you in this matter I suppose...You can also build an airport scenery scene in your software as well as individual static models.we need more airport scenery developers here, so you are more than welcome.Biberwww.LTBA.net

[Guest]

Danny,If no one can help I'll post again in a few weeks. Thanks for the DXF info. I'll prepare a few samples.Peter

[Guest]

Hi Biber,Thanks for the info on the smf. file format. I'm going to post a message on the StudioPro forum to see if this file format is available as part of an upgrade or something. My goal is to do airports and become part of the FLY! world, like yourself and Danny, that provide great 3rd party add-ons etc.Thanks for your help.Peter

[Guest]

Hi Peter I as well could help you I have stuff on the go for both sims at this time but I would be gladd to convert your meshes for you. Also what format are your textures in? Danhttp://members.rogers.com/klasik2/danlogo.gifhttp://members.rogers.com/eelvish/flyurl.gif

[Guest]

Peter,since you have a professional modeller background, probably you will want to know more on the technicalities of smf file characteristics.here is the info provided by Richard Harvey a year ago in the forum;quote======================================================Simple Model Format (*.SMF files; used for static scenery objects)======================================================In Fly 1.0 models were represented by .BIN files. Wherever possible, you should avoid using .BIN models in Fly! II. The main reason is that a .BIN can be textured from multiple textures, and performing texture context swaps on modern 3D cards involves a major speed penalty. The new .SMF format eliminates this speed hit, as well as giving you some easier options for artwork and transparency.Here is the .SMF file format in pseudocode (.SMF files are simple readable text files):// .SMF file format pseudo code (model version 4, part version 1)// Copyright © 2000 Terminal Reality Inc.// object type namestring// versioninteger// part countinteger// use automatic detail, detail pixel heightinteger,real// part listfor (part count) {// part namestring// part status (on/off)integer// versioninteger// vertex count, frame count, face count, dummy value (not used)integer,integer,integer,integer// diffuse light component, specular light component, specular lightpower,// use transparency, use environment mapping, texture namereal,real,real,integer,integer,string// vertex listfor (vertex count * frame count) {// vertex x, y, z, normal x, normal y, normal z, u, vreal,real,real,real,real,real,real,real}// face listfor (face count) {// vertex 1 index, vertex 2 index, vertex 3 indexinteger,integer,integer}}When a model is imported using the Fly! editing tools, the new texture cramming process will create a single .TIF file containing the texture and opacity map of the model. We support all .TIF file formats: 32-bit, 24-bit, and 8-bit palettized. TIF is a standard format, and you should be able to find documentation on it's file format easily on the Web. Textures for .SMF models should never exceed 256x256 pixels in size.Some other important tidbits. Your models should contain no more than 4 parts, and those parts should have one of the following names:OPAQUETRANSPOPAQUELTRANSPLFor a simple building, the single part would be "OPAQUE", telling Fly! that no opacity mapping is needed for the part. "TRANSP" should be used for all parts that should be rendered with transparency. The "OPAQUEL" and "TRANSPL" parts (optional) can be used to have a low face version of your model embedded directly in a single .SMF model. If you look at the .SMF file spec, the detail pixel height defines how much screen space (vertically) the model should occupy before switching from the low to the high detail version of the model. Using this level of detail option can have TREMENDOUS benefits to frame rate. Unless your buildings are very simple, please consider supporting the low and high detail versions within the .SMF file to preserve poly counts and frame rate.Here is the actual contents of an .SMF file:C3DModel410,50OPAQUE1136,1,18,01,1,32,0,0,FIRE.TIF96.1931,24.9751,-53.0196,0,0,-1,0.976414,0.29616896.1931,-24.9563,-53.0196,0,0,-1,0.976414,0.651599-43.1505,-24.9563,-53.0196,0,0,-1,0.0196791,0.651599-43.1505,24.9751,-53.0196,0,0,-1,0.0196791,0.29616896.1931,24.9751,52.9338,0,1,0,0.976077,0.025545996.1931,24.9751,-53.0196,0,1,0,0.976077,0.292058-43.1505,24.9751,-53.0196,0,1,0,0.303859,0.292057-43.1505,24.9751,52.9338,0,1,0,0.303859,0.0255455-43.1505,24.9751,-53.0196,-1,0,0,0.301459,0.0173895-43.1505,-24.9563,-53.0196,-1,0,0,0.301459,0.298571-43.1505,-24.9563,52.9338,-1,0,0,0.0479492,0.298571-43.1505,24.9751,52.9338,-1,0,0,0.0479492,0.0173895-43.0902,25,1.44359,-2.46936e-008,2.6226e-008,-1,0.290822,0.019954-43.0902,-25,1.44359,0,0,-1,0.290822,0.297163-96.1931,-25,1.44359,-2.46936e-008,2.6226e-008,-1,0.0223783,0.297163-96.1931,25,1.44359,-4.93872e-008,5.24521e-008,-1,0.0223783,0.019954-96.1931,25,53.0196,0,0,1,0.0223784,0.0199541-96.1931,-25,53.0196,0,0,1,0.0223784,0.297163-43.0902,-25,53.0196,0,0,1,0.290822,0.297163-43.0902,25,53.0196,0,0,1,0.290822,0.0199541-43.0902,25,53.0196,0,1,0,0.983189,0.0241326-43.0902,25,1.44359,0,1,0,0.983189,0.295694-96.1931,25,1.44359,0,1,0,0.311154,0.295694-96.1931,25,53.0196,0,1,0,0.311154,0.0241325-96.1931,25,1.44359,-1,0,0,0.0240486,0.0157925-96.1931,-25,1.44359,-1,0,0,0.0240486,0.302252-96.1931,-25,53.0196,-1,0,0,0.272457,0.302252-96.1931,25,53.0196,-1,0,0,0.272457,0.015792596.1931,24.9751,52.9338,1,0,0,0.30679,0.014636996.1931,-24.9563,52.9338,1,0,0,0.30679,0.29910396.1931,-24.9563,-53.0196,1,0,0,0.0148894,0.29910396.1931,24.9751,-53.0196,1,0,0,0.0148894,0.0146369-43.1505,24.9751,52.9338,0,0,1,0.0196791,0.64795-43.1505,-24.9563,52.9338,0,0,1,0.0196791,0.97983996.1931,-24.9563,52.9338,0,0,1,0.976414,0.97983996.1931,24.9751,52.9338,0,0,1,0.976414,0.647950,1,22,3,04,5,66,7,48,9,1010,11,812,13,1414,15,1216,17,1818,19,1620,21,2222,23,2024,25,2626,27,2428,29,3030,31,2832,33,3434,35,32This covers all the information you should need for standard static models in Fly!. ======================================================Aircraft Model Files (*.ACM files; used for articulated aircraft models)======================================================Aircraft model files are complex, articulated models used for aircraft. The primary difference between an .ACM model and an .SMF model are:- No restriction on the number of parts the model can contain- Parts are keyframed with multiple frames of animation- Maximum texture output resolution for "high detail" models is 1024x1024.The load function for the .ACM file processes in the following order (pseudocode):first line skippedversionpartCountfor (i = 0; i < partCount)partNamepartStatus (0.0 the part is hidden, 1.0 the part is fully visible, intermediate values partially visible)parentPart (identifies the part number of the parent part; -1 means no parent which should be fuselage only)partVersion (should be 1)vertexCount,frameCount,faceCount,dummymaterialKD,materialKS,materialPower,materialTransparent,materialEnvironmentMap,materialTextureNamefor (j = 0; j < vertexCount * frameCount)vertexList.xvertexList.yvertexList.zvertexList.nxvertexList.nyvertexList.nzvertexList.uvertexList.vend for jfor (j = 0; j < faceCount)v1,v2,v3end for jfor (j = 0; j < MAX_FRAMES) // MAX_FRAMES is 31partPosX,partPosY,partPosZ,partAngP,partAngB,partAngHend for jend for iYou'll notice that each part contains 31 keyframes of animation, even if they are not needed (for example, the primary fuselage would usually itself be a static part, but will still store 31 frames of the same "position" for each frame). In Fly 1.0 the part motions were articulated in the Fly model editor; this made the process more difficult for creating aircraft models, plus it made it much more difficult to accomplish complex part motions such as heavy jet gear and flap mechanisms. By keyframing, the aircraft creator can specifically animate the motion of a part; Fly! will interpolate intermediate frames for perfectly smooth motion across the 31 frames of animation.To eliminate the need for a Fly model editor, Fly 2.0 establishes a ruleset of part names so that Fly can automatically identify parts from an .ACM file. You *must* name your parts in accordance with this list or Fly will be unable to find the part and associate it with the simulation (for example, a moving aileron.) The base part (the fuselage, or ultimate "parent" of all other parts) must have a part name of "body". Asterisk (*) means the part name must start with the chars shown, but can vary for the remainder of the name.Fuselage = bodyGear door = geard*Aileron = aileron*Elevator = elevator*Rudder = rudder*Flaps = flap*Cockpit interior = glassiCockpit exterior = glasseRotor mast = rotormast*Thrust reverser = thrustrev*Air brake = airbrake*Lights = light*The following parts will automatically be environment mapped by Fly -- any others should set the materialEnvironmentMap field to 1 for environment mapping. Parts must start with the following chars (they can contain more chars if necessary):bodygeard*aileron*elevator*rudder*flap*glasserotormast*thrustrev*airbrake*Parts beginning with the following names will automatically be considered transparent; all others must set the materialTransparenent field to 1.glass*light*Texture formats are the same as for .SMF models, with the exception that you can have a maximum resolution of a single 1024x1024 .TIF texture. For aircraft, we strongly recommend you generate three level of detail models (high, medium, and low) that use 1024x1024, 256x256, and 128x128 textures respectively. This allows Fly! to greatly reduce the polygon and texture overhead of displaying multiple planes in the same visual frame by utilizing level of detail (LOD).Richard HarveyTerminal Reality unquotehope it helpsBiber

[Guest]

you may also have a look here if you have time ;)biber's FAQ

[Guest]

Hi Dan,The textures are brought in as PICT's or Jpeg's. The resoultion can be as high as I want, however I know that 256x256 is the max for FLY! Let me know if I need to save them in a different file format.Thanks for offering to do the conversions.I'm going to read up on all the info Biber just sent and then I'll do a model and sent it to you for testing.Thanks for your help,Peter

[Guest]

Hi Biber,Thanks for all the support info. I'm going to read through it tonight and then sent a sample to Dan for some testing.This is great stuff,Peter