Building on its side

[davidio]

Hi all,

I don't get rid of an annoying problem: the buidling appears to be on its side in FS9.
A few screens:

Who can help me with this?
Editing the pitch/banking in ObPlacerXML doesn't help.

 

[spotlope]

Are you using any attached platforms with the model? Do you have LOD's defined? I've had trouble in the past when including my platform in a particular LOD, rather than at the root level of the model.

 

[n4gix]

Why does your building have a "bottom?"

 

[bob5568]

As Bill mentioned, gmax has some oddities. I've had this happen, but its hard to remember exactly the cause.

I seem to think it had to do with grouping. Have you grouped several parts together? perhaps do experiements. Use of copy of the real file, if you're nervous about screwing up your model.

Like undo the grouping and then export. If still on its side, pull out the lods...if not that remove a part of the model....

Bob

 

[toprob]

Sometimes this happens just to the transparent windows, which I normally solve by attaching them to the main model. I would imagine that grouping rather than attaching would cause the same problem, but with the whole model.

 

[davidio]

mmm there are some groups indeed.
Let's see what happens if I ungroup them.

Thanks for the tips, I will keep you informed.

 

[davidio]

Unfortunately, it didn't work.
I attached everything together as one object and this is the result:

BTW: I don't have that much knowledge of LOD's.
I just let the settings default in MakeMDL...

Any further help?

 

[GHD]

Why does your building have a "bottom?"

And with windows

 

[Mace]

couple of points

1) can't you select the whole object and turn your building 90 degrees toward vertical inside gmax?

2) remove the bottom polygons as Bill and others alluded to. There is no need to make FS spend valuable cpu time to render the bottom poly and texture when it will never be seen.

 

[n4gix]

couple of points

1) can't you select the whole object and turn your building 90 degrees toward vertical inside gmax?

Well, that still begs the question of "why," though doesn't it?

Have you selected the top node, "Affect Pivot Only" and then click "Align to World?"

In Max/GMax, the "Blue Arrow" should point to the sky (blue!), Green Arrow should point to the front (Go!), and Red Arrow should point to the right (Right!)...

Oh yes, I've been meaning to say... that's a fine looking bit of tower!

 

[davidio]

Ok. I'm bussy with the tips you gave me.
BTW: 90 degree turning in Max doesn't help...

Keepin' you informed...
------------------------------

Ok I made a few pivot adjustment, just like Bill said.
Result:

The pivot was indeed wrong, but is't it weird that the tower is not aligned to the horizon?

------------------------------

Next:
I tried it with a simple box model, in a new resetted scene, with the correct unit setup etc.
So I made a box, with a few asymmetric things, so one could see if the building is correct positioned or not.
That last was the case.
So: everything I make in 3dsMax, is laying on its side. Very very weird.
What to do now? Reinstall max?

 

[n4gix]

Create a small object, such as a cube using keyboard entry. This will guarantee that the object is created in your scene at the origin (0,0,0). Select the object, Affect Pivot Only, and click "Align to World."

Now, use that part as your top node and Link all parts to that node.

 

[davidio]

Create a small object, such as a cube using keyboard entry. This will guarantee that the object is created in your scene at the origin (0,0,0). Select the object, Affect Pivot Only, and click "Align to World."

Now, use that part as your top node and Link all parts to that node.

Hi, thanks for the info, but I have to ask: what is a node?

David

 

[n4gix]

Hi, thanks for the info, but I have to ask: what is a node?

David

A "node" is simply a small mesh object that's used as an "reference point" or possibly a "control point" in a model.

A "node" can be a Max/GMax "Dummy Helper" object, or simply a single polygon. In the case of using a "Dummy Helper" object, since there is no geometry, they are always invisible in the sim. In the case of a polygon object, normally they won't be seen because (a) they are tiny! and (b) they are usually inside of another visible object.

All objects Linked to a node will inherit their spatial orientation and position based on the parent object.

I am primarily an aircraft modeler, so I make extensive use of "nodes" in my modeling, beginning with the two major nodes: "exterior" and "interior." Also, since aircraft models can often have many hundreds of small parts, I use "nodes" to keep my model organized in a hierarchy, with all parts Linked to their major parent.

For example, for the exterior of the model a typical heirarcy might be something like this:

exterior
...fuselage
.....rudder
.....vertical stabilizer
.....antenna
.....pitot tube
.....(all other small parts that are seen on the fuselage)
...wings
......engine1
......engine2
......etc.

For your scenery though, I'm thinking that by creating a NEW node at the origin (0,0,0) and setting it's pivot to "Align to World," any object you then Link to that node will inherit the node's spatial orientation and thereby display properly in the sim.

 

[davidio]

Ok that's clear.
But how do I actually DO that (so which button do have to click etc.)?

David

 

[n4gix]

Ok that's clear.
But how do I actually DO that (so which button do have to click etc.)?

David

I can only repeat what I wrote previously:

"Create a small object, such as a cube using keyboard entry. This will guarantee that the object is created in your scene at the origin (0,0,0). Select the object, Affect Pivot Only, and click "Align to World."

Now, use that part as your top node and Link all parts to that node."

If you look at the rollout on the right side of the screen, you'll see the button "Geometry." From that, select "Create" and "Box."

In the "Box" rollout, note that you have a choice to create "Cube" or "Box" either of which will work.

Click on the + button next to the "Keyboard Entry" rollout, then type in the size you want for length, width and height. I use 0.25" myself. Click the "Create" button.

Done! Name the new node whatever you like, then select all your other objects and Link them to the new node.

 

[davidio]

Ok, but I was referring to the "linking" part.
Do you mean attaching, resulting in one object?

Thanks for you help BTW.