Simviation Forums

Ok I've heard things about Gmax how hard it is to learn it. But I was curious how hard is FSDS and what are the major diff between the 2 programs?

thanks in advance.

The differences?  As far as I can tell, it's apples to oranges.  Gmax is easy to learn the basics of, but you have to understand the intricate parts of it to get an aircraft out of it.  FSDS is relatively easy to learn, but the depth that Gmax presents is not there.

FSDS is by no means an inferior product, but you will be able to learn it quickly.  The inverse is true of Gmax.

I have spent five years working with Gmax, and I am still learning.  You can learn how to use FSDS in a matter of months and create a decent aircraft doing so.

Gmax is freeware, but linking it with all the plugins takes some time (which any Gmax user could do with one email) but FSDS is ready-to-use out of the box, as it were.

FSDS seems to lack only in compatibility with the newer version(s) of FS, since the programmers have to wait until the next installment comes out to work with it and find what might be wrong.  Gmax is capable of creating aircraft for both FS9 and FSX, although that may not last beyond the next rendition, since support for the product has ceased.  FSDS is constantly updated and readied for FS every time the sim is upgraded.

In summation: if you are new to modeling, I would suggest FSDS, but if you have experience with 3D programs, I would say you need to get into Gmax.

A couple things I would add to what Locke has said.  First depends on what you want to model, aircraft or scenery or both.  If you are interested in doing just scenery and want to leave aircraft modeling to others, I would suggest learning Gmax.  If you want to do aircraft modeling or both scenery and aircraft modeling, try FSDS.

FSDS is up to v3.5.1 now and is compatible with FSX.  It appears that GMax is also compatible with FSX.  A lot of designers, the serious ones are starting to use 3DSMax, which I know nothing about.

I have been using FSDS for about 2 years now to model scenery and I just now feel like I'm getting the hang of it.  Really it takes that long for the lightbulbs to start coming on.  As Locke has said, FSDS seems to be easier to use right out of the box or zip file.  FSDS uses the principle of pre-made shapes to make models.  IOW everything you create starts with just one simple shape or part that is already premade.  You then alter that part and all subsequent parts till you get your model.  Obviously there's more to it than that, but that's the gist of it.  I don't know how Gmax works.  But I can tell you that for scenery modeling, FSDS is a bit lacking.  In FSDS you cannot attach effects to any of the objects like you can in Gmax.  Also Gmax allows you to use LOD modeling with scenery models and for some reason, the textures look much nicer on a Gmax model than on a FSDS scenery model.  

My area is scenery.  My group, Military AI Works, has aircraft modelers that use FSDS exclusively to model military AI aircraft.  They do amazing work considering they use many fewer parts and polygons to create aircraft models that are very realistic.  So although I have very little experience modeling aircraft, I know FSDS is a great tool for that part of the design scene.  Of the two T-38s in my signature below, the bottom one was made with FSDS and is an AI model, the top one I believe was made with Gmax and is a flyable model.  


Either one you try, you will be quite frustrated at first trying to figure out how the program works and the little ins and outs.  This is normal and you just have to push through it and keep plugging away.  Eventually you'll get it.

Gmax is freeware, FSDS is payware, that's about what it boils down to.

You guys are getting mellow.....  I so wanted to wade into a gmax vs FSDS (PC vs MAC) argument...


THe comparisons are spot-on.

Ultimately, it's a matter of preference.  gmax, beyond FSX is doubtful, but even that is still two years away.

FSDS3.5.1, can handle FS-X nicely, and even the eye candy (bump maps, etc) can be added to the x file with Dave Nunez'  FSDSTweak program....

However, there is no doubt that gmax is the more powerful modelling program

FSDS' main "advantage"  is that as it is a flightsim modelling program, it will create the basic file hierarchy and structure for you.

OTherwise, there are FSDS models out there that measure up to gmax standards.  Ultimately, it's the artist, not the brush.

Personally, I am waiting for the release of FSDmax...  ;D

I've used both, quite a bit.

As far as the "quality" of the 3D model produced ?

Hey thanx guys. I just got done getting 3DsMax and I think Im going to try and use that since I've heard A LOT of great things about it. I feel that should I go balled and get plenty of headaches, it should be over a program thats going to last a while in the gaming world.

Wow!  That's an awful expensive program to buy just to learn on...  :o  Around $3500, isn't it?

My vote.......................gMax

Wow!  That's an awful expensive program to buy just to learn on...  :o  Around $3500, isn't it?

As Rick James says..."I'm rich biot*h!" haha

I'm more of a gmax guy. I've been using it for 2 years and i've managed to work well with it, here's an image of my MiG-21UM, it's avaliable at the FSX military... http://www.flightsimulatorportugal.com/ ... _1_267.jpg