Ramjett53

You guys are amazing. I thank you for that gentle nudge, Jim. I had looked at that tutorial so much I began to skim over it as I went back and completely missed those crucial pages. U76 Terminal New and Improved: U76...at night! Haven't played with the coke machine yet so it's not lit up. Had to get up early this morning after reading your posts last night just to try and add lights to the terminal. Now I gotta get ready for work. Thanks Randy

Toprob, Thank you for your reply. As noted I am creating for FS9/FS2004. I think I understand what you are saying and think it is the same as what Jim and Michael have explained, just in different words. Maybe if I explain what I do the definitive process can be explained. First I create my texture in a file type (Windows/OS BMP) that can be read by GMAX using GIMP2.6 version and name it ABC.BMP. Then I copy that texture, edit it with GIMP to darken it and add "light" to specific areas and rename that BMP to ABC_LM.BMP and save it as a Windows/OS BMP. These two texture files I place in the MAP folder of GMAX. I create my object in GMAX and although I don't really understand the difference between editing it as a mesh or editing it as a poly I typically use "edit as a mesh". Once I have the object edited to my satisfaction I open the Material Editor and set the parameters for my texture. I select "new" material, standard, and set the "Specular" at Black just as Arno described in his Church tutorial. Then I open the "MAPS" Option and left click on the word"None" to the right of the "Diffuse" entry. I have never placed a checkmark in the tick box to the left of "Diffuse" and yet my textures seem to map just fine. Should I be checking that box? Once clicking on "None" I select "Bitmap" in the box that opens and browse to my textures in "GMAX/MAP" and open the original ABC.BMP I created as my textures. I could just as easily open ABC_LM.BMP and use that texture to apply but I never have except when I was experimenting as described in the previous post. Is this the point, using the "daytime" BMP that I should unlock and set the "Ambient" values? The GMAX Bible, as much as I have read...gotta buy it so I can have it open as I create... and none of the tutorials really explain this part well. I assume I set the values just as I did for specular using the slider, but what values? Also, is this the only place I concern myself with Ambient, because this section (BLINN Basic Parameters) lists Ambient, Diffuse, and Specular and the MAPS section (Where I clicked on None and opened my bitmap texture also has an Ambient, Diffuse, and Specular option, although Diffuse is the only line I have ever used? The rest is really not an issue I think, because after assigning the textures to the polys, saving and exporting I have a beautiful model to compile and textures ABC.BMP and ABC_LM.BMP) to convert to FS format BMPs (DXT1, no alpha), but I have successfully done that and can do it almost blindfolded now...if all I ever want is a nice daytime object with no night lighting. It's the actual Step 1...do this, step two...do this, step three...do this process using the "Ambient" parameter/option that has me stumped. Any help you or anyone can toss out would be appreciated. In the meantime I truly appreciate all everyone has done to help. I would not be as far as I am without it. Randy

This is getting frustrating again. Still cannot figure out how to get night lighting on my models in FS9, despite the excellent guidance I have been getting. I really don't get the "unlock ambient" deal at all. Seems to me that that can only be done when you are initially placing your textures on the model. I tried to go back in and open my existing modeled and textured terminal to use the unlock key, but when I do that it places the original texture, unmapped, back onto the model. I went to my local library and read through the GMAX Bible I got on loan from through another library, but it is considered a reference book and cannot be removed from the library, so copious noted, but no progress. Everything in the Bible seems to indicate that I can "lock" the day and night texture maps together, versus unlock as described here, yet when I try to do either I can manipulate one or the other, but not both. I also tried to recompile the original model, this time with [option]HasNightMap=1 in the makemdl.cfg. Got multiple error codes, gave up and turned on the Xbox and played Assassin Creed. Once I figure all this out I'm gonna write a book about nothing but GMAX and FS9...LOL Randy

Cool, In real life there is a motorcycle...or what's left of one...in the bottom of the big crater. It was surprisingly easy to get down there. A lot tougher to get back out...LOL. Ah, the memories of a youth long past but not forgotten. Got turned around in a cave not too far northwest of these craters. Another youthful misadventure. Obviously found my way out. Isn't it amazing what flightsim can do now? Randy

This is definitely an adventure and I sincerely appreciate the help you are all providing. Now that I have watched Arno's church tutorial again I recalled he was building the church for FSX, not FS9 as I am. Progress made so far. I decided to completely remodel the U76 airport and got a much better product the second time around. I "cleaned up" my texture first and then buiilt the model complete with roof overhang supporting columns this time and recognizable eaves and gables. Looks 100% better. I will post a new screenie tonight, alas Thursday is the start of my workweek, so time with GMAX will be limited until Monday. Of the two "illuminating" options Jim and Michael have explained, I will use the diffuse/ambient version on all future models, but try the makemdl config change for my existing U76 model, I like it that much. Also, I can vouch for Jim's belief that you can change the shape of the model and the bitmap will "follow" your changes. I did that with the new version of U76 several times and the bitmap always followed and adapted to my changes in polygon or vertice changes. Charles, not sure if my "ordeal" will help you in Prepare3D or not but glad to have someone along for the ride. Thanks Jim and Michael. You guys are awesome! Randy

Jim, Got another question. To create a building with "lit" windows I know I have to create a "night" texture. My texture for the Airport Terminal at U76 is called "U76_Terminal_1.BMP" and I created a "darkened" version with "lighted" windows and named it "U76_Terminal_1_LM.BMP. Saw that somewhere in one of the many, many tuturiols I watched... I also remember from the "Arno's Church" video tutorial that if I want my building to have lights at night I had to choose "self-illumination" when setting the texture map with UVW Mapping. Diffuse is for daytime and Self-Illumination is for night. That's where I get confused. I have the model textured with the Diffuse map. If I retexture it with the Self-Illumination map will it still use the Diffuse map during the day? In other words. Can one model (one BGL file in FS9) use two different textures, depending on the time of day? The reason I ask is once I get done applying the LM textures to the model I will have to export the model. Do I give it the same name as the original, U76_Terminal_1.MDL"? If I do, what "protects" the original mapping from being overwritten so all I see is a dark builing with the lights on, even during the day???? Is it in the XML data? Sorry, my friend. Bet you're sorry you ever replied. Randy

Jim and Michael, Thank you so much for all your help, advice, and guidance. She ain't the prettiest in the world, but there she is for what it's worth. The terminal building in GMAX plus a coke machine I made in GMAX because I didn't like the one "painted" on the wall. Dimensions are a lot off, but I think that's beacuse I uninstalled and reinstalled GMAX so many times that I started the building in feet and ended in meters. I will do another version now that I'm more comfortable in GMAX. Gonna save the coke machine, though. I like it! I like the way the back turned out, but simpler polygons back there so attaching the texture was a lot easier, plus lighting from when I went to the airport to take photos was more uniform in back. Just out of curiousity, If I go into GMAX and rescale the model, does the Unwrap UVW process automatically conform to the new polygon dimensions or do I have to reapply all the textures all over? I suspect I do because the polygon map on the texture sheet is now changed, but the texture will be the same dimensions... By the way Jim, I live in Mountain Home about 400 miles south of you...small world Randy

Jim, Thank you so much for your reply. I've read so many different forum topics on GMAX in so many different forums that it has all become "numbing". One says put makeMDL here, one there, one even said rename it to mkmdl. Yes, I am modeling for FS9. I was really unsure just exactly how I installed gmax way back when, and made so many "recommended changes" since then as to where all the respective plugins go, that I completely removed all gmax files with the control panel uninstall option. I then installed a fresh gmax1.2 in C:\ and followed that install by running the SDK_gmax_setup from the FS2004 SDK. This found the FS2004 SDK version of gmax somewhere else on my system, so I uninstalled it and then ran the SDK-gmax_setup a second time. Install went as expected that time. So I now have the FS2004 gamepack installed. The path is C:\gmax\gamepacks\FS2004 and makeMDL.exe, the XML file makeMDL.parts, and FSModelEXP.dle are all in C:\gmax\gamepacks\FS2004\plugins\. One question. There are now two GMAX executables in my file system. One, simply called "GMAX.exe", is in C:\gmax\ and the second one is called "FS2004.exe", and is in C:\gmax\gamepacks\FS2004\, but both have the "GMAX" icon. The one named "FS2004" is actually a shortcut and has a "start in" value of "%GMAXLOC%" so I'm assuming it will default to the gmax executable in C:\gmax. I have not watched the house tutorial, but I did watch Bill Womack's and his technique is amazing. Seems it will make texturing so much simpler. I use GIMP 2.8 as opposed to Photoshop, but it would seem the techniques will be very similar. One more question. One thing I did note was in a few forums people mentioned that bglCOMP had to be in the same folder as makeMDL or the model would not compile. bglCOMP for me still resides in c:\program files\FS2004SDK\ and that is where all my scenery programs look for it for compiling or decompiling operations. Is it okay to leave it there or should I move it as some have suggested. If I leave it there how do I tell gmax where it is...with the Configure Path option? Sorry to be a pain. As Michael mentioned, I feel I have passed the biggest hurdle in learning how to make a model and texture it in gmax. Now I want to see the fruits of my efforts and all these little hurdles are frustrating me. Randy

Michael, I did finally find several GMAX tutorials, the best one being Arno's tutorial to make a church. Created the local muni office model with no problem. Figuring out how to texture it was a bit tougher, but finally managed. Kept trying to use Image Tools but never could get the hang of it. A picture, DXTBMP, and Gimp 2.6 finally proved to be the solution. Model is done. Looks good, but going out to the muni tomorrow to get Airport Manager's permission to wander a bit and get better photos for texture creation...good thing he's a good friend... :rolleyes: I have not yet been able to get GMAX to export the model. Everytime I do I get "Could not find path to makeMDL.exe" warning. I've configured the path, but it refuses to compile for me. Will work on that after I get new textures applied. Thanks for your reply. I was beginning to think I was at a dead end. Randy

Hi all, Sorry for the post, there is probably a thread already about this, but since the big IE8/Google Chrome "Push" all I see for topics is "Started By 'Username goes here' Date". That is the "subject" I see for each and every forum. Makes looking throught the forums difficult. Anyway, Is there a specific tutorial (much like the Google Sketchup one) that specifically walks a person new to GMAX on the FS specific steps by way of making, say, a simple terminal or hangar? I followed the Discreet tutorials and I can make a teapot, and a box, and the outpost, and a Powerup but applying that to FS is a concept that escapes me. I have been using google Sketchup (taking terminal 3D models others have done from Google Earth and compiling them into a form FS can use), but really want the "power" of GMAX. Any airport I may modify to be "realistic" I cannopt share on AVSIM because the 3D models are protected and cannot be shared, although I can use them on my personal computer for my personal use. So, I want to start using GMAX and start a small project of recreating my local muni and then working up to larger airports. It would be great if someone had a tutorial that said, "Okay, so you want to make the FBO hangar at XYZ airport. Here's how you do it." Randy

Thanks for the replies Meshman and Jon. I suspected as much. Looks like I'll be getting the Deluxe version soon. Oughta be a cheap one on Ebay somewhere, huh, or maybe in the "bargain Bin" at Best Buy...LOL I guess the G1000 glass cockpit will be nice to have as well. Randy

Hello folks, Is there a freeware BGL Compiler that ADE9X can use to compile the airports I create for FSX? Having read many different topics in a variety of Forums I think I already know the answer to this. I have Scruffyducks fantastic ADE9X airport design program and have been using it in FS9 for a long time. I have started a "cautious" move to FSX, which I also have installed on my system, and tonight (at the request of a friend who uses FSX) tried to create a new airport for FSX using ADE9X. Unfortunately, using Environment Checker which comes with ADE9X I discovered that it cannot find the FSX SDK compiler, which I have come to discover is only available if you purchased FSX Deluxe or purchase Acceleration. Sadly, my FSX is not the Deluxe version and at this early stage of testing the FSX waters I cannot see myself purchasing Acceleration. I compiled the airport using the FS9 side of ADE9X and then saved it to FSX Addon Scenery. The new airport is there and flyable in FSX, but there is an autogen tree right at the end of Rwy 15. The FSX side of ADE9X will get rid of that tree quickly, but the FS9 side cannot. I placed a simple polygon around the entire airport to surround the airport with snow and then placed an exclude over the offending tree, but it is still there. Randy

Ah well, never mind I guess. After posting this I did some looking through the MSFS Aircraft Design Threads and it appears in no uncertain terms that editing the model file is pretty much impossible because of the way they are coded and compiled. Guess I'll just have to do without any winglets on my FS9 737-900 because I am relatively certain there is no way PMDG is going to go back to an FS9 product and retrofit it. Alas Randy Tyndall

Thanks Jan,I'll give it a go today. Not sure how I can do that since there is no "switch gauge" currently in place on the panel, yet there is a switch there to manipulate in the aircraft in FS9. So if I add a switch there will be two there, right? Can't end of worse than it already is, huh? Famous last words, right. I'll make sure to work on a backup of the panel, not the real deal.Randy

Jan,(I hope that is your name...it was at the bottom of your post)I have done some limited xml editing when using FSPanel Studio, but it has always been to edit a gauge and not a soundfile. I had hoped the sound was "coded" (Probably not the right choice of word there) into the gauge, but as you can see by the next two screen shots the generator switches do not even show up in the panel as an editable gauge.The large rectangle in the first shot surrounds the entire generator switch system and the small red circle shows the Generator 1 switch. I have FSPanel set to "highlight" all gauges with a yellow rectangle and you can see that none of the 4 generator switches are "highlighted".The second shot shows just the electrical panel part of the overhead from the VC. In it, again all gauges are highlighted in yellow and the red circle shows that the generator 1 switch area is blank and not highlighted in yellow. I hope I'm making sense here, but if you have worked with FSPanel Studio you should know what I'm trying to say.I have found the .wav files for all the switch clicks and clacks, but they are not named in such a manner that finding the one for the generator switch is apparent. Plus, I assume the same .wav file is used for all four switches so since switches 2, 3, and 4 make a normal audible sound I don't really know what I could "edit" to get 1 to sound right.Again, probably not making sense here, but I hope you can see where I am trying to head with this.@ Father Bill, I was really glad to see you chime in here. I have a great deal of respect for your opinion and advice and appreciate that you, at least, went to the link and saw I tried to get CS help...not to say that others may not have.Randy