FSX VC Panels Help

[flyboy4]

Are there any good tutorials out there that will help with placing gauges in VC using Gmax and panel studio?

[Felix/FFDS]

No.

Basically, FS Panel Stuido is not really for VC, and when creating your VC, it doesn't matter what modelling program you use.

This is an excerpt of e-mails I excheanged with Fr. Bill (he of Eaglesoft fame).  While I am using FSDS, it really is program independent.

> The chief "problem" is that FS Panel Studio will not allow the user to
> "create" any [VCockpit0n] section(s) programmatically.  This is where
> the basic confusion begins.
>
> FSPS will however read and display a "user created" panel.cfg file that
> includes the basic framework of  [VCockpit0n] sections...
>
> So currently, Step #1 must always be to have the user manually add the
> basic framework of  [VCockpit0n] section(s) to their existing 2d panel.cfg:
>
> //--------------------------------------------------------
> [Vcockpit01]
> file=Optional_24bit_image_from_the_panel_folder.BMP      //Note: this is
> only an option useful to apply a "texture" to hide the black polygons
> when any lighting is active in the sim
> Background_color=0,0,0
> size_mm=1024
> visible=1
> pixel_size=1024
> texture=$vc                     //Note: this is any "dummy name" the
> modeler wishes to use here to tell FS to create the dynamic DIBSECTION
> on which to draw the gauges
>
> After this, the process will branch, according to which method the
> modeler wishes to implement a VC in their model:
>
> 1. Full panel background with gauge overlay
>     a. full panel background using a 24bit image from the \panel folder
> specified by the file= entry above
>     b. layout all gauges in FSPS to "fit" the background image.
>
> 2. Cookie-Cutter gauge polygons
>     a. panel background is applied to a panel poly object in the sim,
> with the texture bitmap coming from the \texture folder. This method
> does not require a file= entry
>     b. use FSPS as a "layout tool" to place gauges in a logical
> arrangement to maximize use of the $vc pixels
>     c. use the FSPS "screenshot" function to capture the gauge layout,
> crop square in a paint program, then resize to FS SDK standard: 256^2,
> 512^2 or 1024^2.
>     d. use the cropped/resized image in Max/GMax to create and UVW map
> the gauge polygons.
>
> For simple panels, method #1 is an easier approach.


I used "mehod 1"  in my very first working VC...  :)