Animation in GMax with FSX SDK

[BrandonF]

I am completely stuck on animation. I have looked at a few tutorials and just can't get animation to work once the aircraft is exported. Please help! 

-Brandon

[JakesF14]

Brandon,lets start at the beginning. Give the name of the parts that dont want to animate,and perhaps a screenshot or 2. Then we can take it from there.

[BrandonF]

I thought you were using the FS9 SDK. I was able to animate and have the animations work with the FS9 SDK. But now that I use the FSX SDK, it is different.

[N2056]

It is different. For FSX all animations must be keyframed, and in Gmax you use the animation manager to assign the animation to the part. The SDK lists all of the stock animations along with the number of keyframes each one uses. Also, the name of the part can be whatever you want in FSX.

[JakesF14]

It is different. For FSX all animations must be keyframed, and in Gmax you use the animation manager to assign the animation to the part. The SDK lists all of the stock animations along with the number of keyframes each one uses. Also, the name of the part can be whatever you want in FSX.

Ahh ok,now I wont be able to help you. And I guess i will have to adapt the Jbizz to work in fsx also.  Just the ailerons and elevators that is not keyframed at the moment.... Good luck Brandon.

[BrandonF]

If you are exporting with the FS9 SDK and using the model in FSX, the animations should work. It is when using the FSX SDK, animations are trouble. 

[BrandonF]

It is different. For FSX all animations must be keyframed, and in Gmax you use the animation manager to assign the animation to the part. The SDK lists all of the stock animations along with the number of keyframes each one uses. Also, the name of the part can be whatever you want in FSX.

Where can I find the list exactly?

[Felix/FFDS]

In the SDK, search for "Animation Tags"

[BrandonF]

Success! I made my first successful FSX animation! But there is one problem, of course. So when you export there is a message box with export options. For animations to work, the "Export Animations" checkbox must be checked. When I export the animations and view the aircraft, the view is very far away and the aircraft looks small. (Spot View) Here is a pic:



No, I did not zoom out. Zoom is at about 1.00! This problem as happened before when I export. The plane is normal size.

Any suggestions?

-Brandon

[Felix/FFDS]

MAke sure you system units (not the modelling units) is set at 1 unit = 1 m(eter).

(Customize->Preferences->System Units Scale).

If they're correctly set up (1 unit = 1m) then I would guess that you've not calibrated your model correctly in gmax.

Note that in gmax you can model in feet, meters, inches, whatever (cubits, even if that's what you fancy) but the system unit scale must be1 unit = 1m.

[BrandonF]

1 unit = 1 m was already set and I still have the problem. What do you mean by calibrate the model. And the problem only happens with the animations exported too. If I don't export the animations, everything is fine.

[Felix/FFDS]

Well - it does look, in a way, that you're looking at the model from the Tower view, instead of spot view.

[BrandonF]

In a way, yes! But it is spot view because I can move the view around.

[JakesF14]

Brandon, I cannot figure out by judging with the runway if the plane is properly scaled? what I mean by that is , place your model next to a default cessna, and judge the relation in size? the problem could be that your overall scale of the model is incorrect. for example the overall length of your model inicates 1 units in m, and you used 10 units in cm instead of 100, thus your scale is out. Although your primary units is 1unit is = 1m. What I am trying to say is check your model scale as well??
another thing, i dont know FSX at all, but isn't there a place in the CFG where you can set the viewpoint scale or position??

Also check the position of your model in relation to the 0,0,0 coordinates in gmax? It should be at the COG more or less?
just trying to help!

[Brett_Henderson]

Assuming that the model is the proper size (check the wingspan with a 'tape'), and that this only happens after exporting animations.. it reminds me of a problem I once had...

I built a yoke as a seperate scene, so I could work on it easily.. and then merged it into the model's scene (it was about the size of the whole airplane..lol). I scaled it to the proper size AFTER merging it, and that threw the whole scene perspective out of whack.

The fix, was to make a little box.. attach the yoke to the box.. then select just the box polygons and delete them.. then rename the yoke to its original name.