The emperor has no clothes ?

[Brett_Henderson]

I'm just going to ask, because nobody will really ask or admit it..  

Is there a compelling reason to not just compile your new FSX planes as if they were  FS9 planes ?

This stuff about no stock animation is reason enough.  The new VC effect and new cameras are all dealt with in the aircraft.cfg file. Mapped textures are mapped textures.. right ?

I've solved many problems and learned a few mental gymnastics (by my middle-aged standards) getting through FS9 model design/developement... and I really think FSX is gonna do me in... *sigh*

[Felix/FFDS]

THere are FS-X features that can be dealt with in the aircraft.cfg file, that's true.

Some of the modelling features, however, cannot.

For example, you cannot compile separate exterior and interior models with the FS9 compiler and have them show up - only the exterior model will show up.

The 4mm weld limit in the interior goes away.

Textures are textures, but some of the FS-X "features" in this area aren't activated unless by the FS-X exporting tools.  The x files produced by the compilers add a lot of proprietary meta-data that are not added by the FS9 compiler.  Basically, if you compile an x file captured from the FS9 compiler, you'll get an unanimated model in FSX.


Frankly, howedver, I can't really notice the difference between a compiled FS9 model with FSX cfg file tweaks and an FSX model.  (and whoever wants to argue about this, I might add that my eyes aren't that good to notice subtle texture effects, etc.)

Keep on modelling the way you've been doing so, and a good model will still be a good model!

[Brett_Henderson]

Thanks Felix... Sometimes ya just gotta hear someone else say something, before you're comfortable with a decision...

It's going to be quite a while yet before this Cardinal is to the compiling/exporting phase anyway. I'm going Gmax this time and it's nice  using its modeling flexibility and power again. I'm going to kind of drag my feet though.. waiting to see what FSDS comes up with for FSX. Any word yet ?

[JonMich]

Brett, Felix,

I have only made one aircraft with FS9 and I just started another one with FSX and to be honest with you, other than a minor texture issue (due to my ignorance), using the FSX SDK is not much different from FS9. As for the animation thing, I have found that to be very easy to use. This is just my opinion and I agree that a lot of the advantages with FSX can be negligible with the advances of FS9.

Jon

PS: I am not trying to step on anyone

[Felix/FFDS]

I"m still intimidated by texturing and animation in gmax.  I''m finding it easier to do things in gmax, although I breeze through it in FSDS3....


Brett - I cannot say much about the FSDS update for FS-X, other than .... "It's in beta testing"

8-)