Flyable planes

[Christopher Low 5,332]

I have no idea if I have the necessary talent or tools, but I have been thinking about the possibility of creating a new flyable aircraft for a change (as opposed to an endless stream of scenery add-ons). However, I have absolutely no idea what utilities I need to do this, or just how difficult it is. Can anyone advise me as to what I would need to get started ?Best Wishes,Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Lars Peter 0]

Hi!No.- sorry I don't.But if you can make planes as good as Fled-packs, I do have a wish.I vote for a Fokker F-50.Best wishes.Lars Peter.

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Lars,Thanks for the suggestion, but the aircraft that I would really like to develop is the British Aerospace ATP. I haven't see many of these for MSFS, and I see them all the time at Manchester Airport ! The default livery would have to be British Airways, but Manx Airlines is another regular at Manchester.Anyway, I'm getting haead of myself here. I have no idea if I'll be able to do this or not !Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest glidernut]

Hi Chirs,You need 3D Studio MAX 2.5 or highyerI believe the reason you need 3DStudio is that the format (*.max) is needed by resviewer in order to import the model into an FU3 *.res file.Resviewer needs (*.max)Iv just spent 3 days looking without sukses for 3D Studio MAX 2.5Which is 175

[Lars Peter 0]

As I can remember there was a thread by Ansgar about recommended3-D tools.I think you can find this in the "old" forum.I have also been looking for ATP's for use into the Ms. British Airways Manchester summer routes. I have not found anything yet.Lars Peter.

[Guest glidernut]

Eeven If I had 3D Studio MAX 2.5, which I dont.I would also need to ues the tools I just dounlowded from avsim.Iv just got the 6 tools from LG at avsim,AIMODEL.PLBSP.EXEmakefont.exeN3DS2E.EXEPZORT.EXErestool.exeBut theres no read me txt file with them. The .exe or .EXE files or programs seems to do nuthing xseptgive me a split second flash of a black Dos screen.and I dont know how to open or use any of them them.Wat am I doing rong ?Or wat am I not doing ?Can sumone advise me ? glidernut

[Guest]

if you open up a dos window(i think you can go start->run->command)and then navigate to the directory where the .exe's are stored (using cd commands) then you type the name of the program, eg "N3DS2E" then it will run and you will be able to see the commands you can use with the program.reply if you need more helpI think the lg white papers also has some information on these tools.

[Guest juvat2]

Hi Ben,Despite a previous post warning note to myself:Here's a shorty cut for your example. Lets say the 3ds file is in the same folder as the tool 3ds2e. Left click and hold on the 3ds file that needs converted, now its blue, drag it too and over the 3ds2e dos tool, let-go the left mouse button, the tool will convert it to an "E".Already I must edit this: I have 98se, works this way for me.Now back to trying to figure out why my little glider club cabin won't do right in fled. You all take care,Jim B.

[Christopher Low 5,332]

What about GMax ? Can't this be used to create aircraft models for FS2002 ? This is free on the cover CD of PC Pilot Issue 17 (which I have just received).Chris Low,ENGLAND.

[Guest glidernut]

Hi Ben, & Jim B.I need more help. Iv never used DOS bifor.I ferst did step (1).step (1) "Start" "Run" "Browse" and after navigateing and finding the "N3DS2E" file, and highlighting it, the typeing is dun for me,and I clik on "OK" but all I get is a split second flash of a DOS screen, and thats it, nuthing els.I have opened up a dos window, useing the "Start" "Programs" "MS-DOS Promt" and then carid out step (1),But still nuthing. Just a split second flash of a DOS screen,Markus Brunner, sed to Run the BSP.EXE program with this linebsp *.e -es.92 -s.0254But how ? I still get nuthing.The snap-shot is wat the 6 files look like on my PC,Is this wat thay are suposed to look like ?Im uesing windows 98.Iv had sum suses, uesing Jim B,s shorty cut.By droping a 3DS file on restool.exe I get a H file and a RES file.But I still carn open the tools.Perhaps I dont need to open them.Im a bit confused, I got to think about this.Any more thorts any one ?glidernut.:-wave:-wave

[Guest juvat2]

Hi Glidernut,Here's how to convert 3ds file to E format and how to convert the new E formatted model to a Bin. (Creating a Bin file is what the purpose of the BSP.exe tool is).1st how to convert an 3ds file to E. My example will be a U2 because gliding is your luv.1-Create a folder called U2 project. Copy paste into U2 Project all of the tools you showed in your screen shot from the previous post to include the U2.3ds file.2-Now, open the win dos just like you posted you've been doing: Start, Programs, Dos. It opens to C:Windows>. Navigaqte to the U2 Projects folder. At that dos prompt you can make sure your at the right place by looking in its directory like this. At the U2 Projects prompt: dir /p{enter key}. Dos will then give you a list of all files and folders within U2 Projects. If its 2 pages worth, tap the space bar to go to the subsequent pages till you arrive at the prompt again. While you were scrolling thru the U2 Projects directory, you need to remember exactly how the names of the files is perceived by does. Sometimes Dos get stubborn if it see's a file Name with Capitals, but the user is not capitalizing accordingly. You can hit the Pint Screen key on your keyboard to get a hard copy of the Dos display.3- Now at the prompt type this exactly(Remeber if you need to capitalise or not): 3DS2E.exe U2.3ds{enter key}4-Now tap your "windows" short cut key on your keyboard, WinDos minmizes and look in Windows explorer U2 Projects. There you should see the newly created U2.E.OK, now you can use the BSP tool on your newly created U2.E1- The methods are the same as used with the 3ds tool.Click on the MS-Dos button thats in your tool bar(Dos only minimized to the bar when you hit the Windows key to view your new U2.E file. So you will be at the proper prompt.)2- Again type this exactly remembering about capitalizations where required: BSP.exe U2.E{enter key}3- You'll see the conversion process begin. This takes a while, grab a coffee, wax the glider, go to town because depending on the complexity of the model, and power of you pc, and what other programs you are running in the background that might consume you PC's resources, the conversion process may take a long while. When its finished, you'll be rewarded with your new U2.bin file.I hope this helpful to you John.Take Care and Happy Gliding,Jim B.Please, if any of this is in-correct, will all you modelers out there jump in? Thanks, Jim B.

[Guest glidernut]

Thanks, Jim B.I only got tow brane sels, and one of them is on the blink.So it will take sum time to take all this in.But with your detaled istrucshons, I might just get there yet.Iv also had sum luk in finding and ordering the "3D Studio Max R2.5 STUDENT" from AUTODESK.At 175

[Guest juvat2]

Hi Glidernut,Maybe its contagious, the braincell thing, I've had that affliction for many-many years now, heh-heh. I've posed this question before, maybe on the old forum. The idea here is to save costs for purchasing the high dollar 3d Studio Max.There's a free-ware 3d design program called Gmax. Made by the same people who make 3d SM, Discreet. Gmax is apparently a "skinned down" version of it's big bro Studio Max and is intended for game 3d modellers. It's downloadable, and comes with Fs2002 Pro, 3ds import plug-ins are available, and .mdl export plug-ins are available. I'm no modeller, so if this idea is to bizzar, thats my excuse. My idea was the aircraft could be designed with Gmax, exported as .mdl file (Is what FS uses for its planes). There's a freeware tool called mdl2dxf for converting the .mdl to .dxf 3d model format. Then with freeware Crossroads, convert to 3ds.As for the 3D SM R2.5 Student, I don't know. Maybe Ansgar or DLM can advise you. Was it Ansgar who posted he was going on vacation?Take Care,Jim B.

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Jim,Ansgar should be back shortly.As for GMax, this is what I would have to use if I ever started developing a flyable plane for FU3. There is no way on Earth that I am going to be forking out

[Guest glidernut]

Hi Jim B.Your idea is not bizzar at all,in fact I think your on to sumthing hear.Gmax, is free on the cover CD of PC Pilot Issue 17.Or downloadable from ?mdl2dxf,Is free and downloadable from ?Crossroads, Is free and downloadable from http://home.europa.com/~keithr/Orkeithr@europa.comIf sum one can povide thees links? then thats it, we can not only creat new models fore FU3, fore free,but we can also convert existing models to FU3, fore free.Theres no need to buy any thing, I think!I wunder if it all works?john.:-wave