ShaneG's adventures in Gmax

[ShaneG_old]

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Hi Shane,

I'm assuming the the "MM_MkMDL.plugnplay.zip" file arrived intact and works as advertised.

[Alejandro Rhodes]

Is there a standard list of part names to use, or just common sense part names?

No, Shane all the moving parts Ailerons ,propelers ,rudder ,flaps have to be written by the code names as it appear in the FS9-SDK Download FS2004SDK\MakeMDL_SDK and look the word .doc name MakeMDL.doc
there are parts that have to has the exact code names examples

F_Canopy

[ShaneG_old]

Thanks for the link Alex!

[Alejandro Rhodes]

Just the basic (I haven't learn so far a single one) I always look up into this , and lately as a typical lazy person I don't even bother to rename the part Due that FSX does not require names to work .
So I leave them just like they where made ,Cylinder23 ,Box28 ,Tube01 etc etc etc..But that isn't right you re-name the part always as if you were to use FS2004-sdk

when You see names likes


L_Gear_01
L_Gear_02
L_Gear_03
L_Gear_04

the _01 _02 etc Its because the SDK and gmax doesn't allow to repeats the same names so you can put them _2009 _100 what ever you want as long they have not been repeated .
L is left and its a part
R is right

[Fr. Bill]

Is there a standard list of part names to use, or just common sense part names?

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Look in the ..\gamepacks\fs2004\docs folder and open the MakeMDL.doc file.

Beginning on page 14 you will find a list of partnames to use. Note that the first group are non-keyframed stock animations. All that is required is the partname.

The second group are key-frame animated parts that will require both the correct partname as well as key-frame animation in GMax.

As has been stated, for FSX the partnames are not necessary, but I submit that always using the correct names WILL be of great help...

Suppose you have a part with the name "Box26" that you wish to animate. Will you remember when the Animation Manager tool is open that you need to assign l_aileron_key to the part?

If the part is named properly, the Animation Tool assignment becomes much easier, trust me!

[Felix/FFDS]

As has been stated, for FSX the partnames are not necessary, but I submit that always using the correct names WILL be of great help...
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That's one good habit I've picked up from working with FSDS - you name the animated part exactly as it is in the mamkemdl.parts.xml or modelef.xml (as the case may be)

I do not like "Box29" or such because I can never remember if that's just a helper/reference part or that's my main fuselage.

[Alejandro Rhodes]

As has been stated, for FSX the partnames are not necessary, but I submit that always using the correct names WILL be of great help...
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That's one good habit I've picked up from working with FSDS - you name the animated part exactly as it is in the mamkemdl.parts.xml or modelef.xml (as the case may be)

I do not like "Box29" or such because I can never remember if that's just a helper/reference part or that's my main fuselage.

I really don't know how to express this in English But Felix can

Yo soy muy desordenado y flojo le dejo los nombre tal como se crean Box Cyliders etc ,lo mas apropiado es usar los nombres tal y como ha sido establecido aca by using the real FSX/FS9 SDK name parts

[Travis]

From Google Translator:

     

I am very sloppy and lazy I leave the name as it is created Box Cyliders etc, it is more appropriate to use the names as it has been established here by using the real FSX/FS9 SDK name parts

[ShaneG_old]

Getting closer to something that looks like a plane.

[Fr. Bill]

I've been messing with putting the 3-views for my first project into Gmax, is there a certain size they have to be before they go into the view ports?

Yes, zero bytes!  That is, do not bother with the background images...

Instead, follow Milton's tutorial on building a calibration box.

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/s ... hp?t=19160

Or, if you are more into audio-visual, Finn Neuik's video tutorial:

http://www.flightsimonline.com/tutorials/backdrops.zip

After doing the above, you may also wish to use another trick and convert the 3-view calibration box into a transparent wire-frame presentation.

http://www.aerodynamika.com/cgi-bin/yab ... 1184284524

[Brett_Henderson]

I'm gonna jump in too  :D

Getting the 3-views into the scene, in a workable way, is yourt next major hurdle. While you can just make them the background of each viewport..I  HIGHLY  advise you to use the boxes, or planes method..  Place three of them as parts, and use the 3-view bitmaps as materials, mapped to them.

The trick is, to crop the bitmaps so that they're the same proportion (height X width) as the 3 planes..(i.e. if the bitmap is 800 X 300; the plane on which it's applied needs to have an 8:3 size ratio) so that there is no distortion.. And as you're doing the cropping, you have to also make sure they all have the same "center" .. Like, the nose and tail from the above view, line up with the nose and tail from a side view,, etc.

This takes a little work, and math on your part..\

[ShaneG_old]

Hi Brett, what you have in your screen shot, is basically what I'm after.

I have the views, and they are all in scale with eachother, I've just stumbled with lining them up with the box, never thought of using planes before.

The tutorial by Milton that Bill linked to above looks like the winner, nice well laid out instructions.

[Brett_Henderson]

Take your time at this step..

[ShaneG_old]

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Just remember that the dimensions of the bitmaps (pixels) are good guides. The side view bitmap will have the same 'X' pixels, as the top view has "Y" pixels.. and so on

[Brett_Henderson]

The next trick, is to scale it all...