Introduction

mick1960 · 22 Jul 2012

Hello to all of you!

I am new in this community and I want to introduce myself. Please do not judge my English to harsh, it's not my mother tongue.

My flight sim carrier started with Sublogic Flight Simulator II for AtariST and has ended with FS9. Due harware limitations I never take the step to FSX and so I stop more or less to 'fly'.

So I took care about my second hobby, model railways. Due room limitations I switch over to virtual railways with Trainz. Since some years I am building assets for the Auran train simulator Trainz. If you would like to see some of my creations, please have a look here: http://www.trainzdepot.eu/infusions/pro_download_panel/search.php?stext=mick&stype=user

Lately I took a nice offer to buy FSX and I find it challenging to work out how to build assets for my old passion...

I am working with 3dsMax 2012 (64bit) and I hope I can manage to set it up for FSXA. Some informations I find here already, but I'm sure I will have to ask a lot of newbie questions more

Even I think I am quite experienced in building Trainz assets, FSX seems to be something very different...

Mick!

scruffyduck · 22 Jul 2012

Hi Mick and thank you for the interesting introduction. Welcome to FS Developer!

n4gix · 22 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
I am working with 3dsMax 2012 (64bit) and I hope I can manage to set it up for FSXA. Some informations I find here already, but I'm sure I will have to ask a lot of newbie questions more Even I think I am quite experienced in building Trainz assets, FSX seems to be something very different...

Welcome, Mick! Before trying your hand at asset development for FSXA, be aware of these restrictions:

You will need the (free) SDK from Prepar3D since the FSXA SDK only supports up to Max2008. http://www.prepar3d.com/support/sdk/
You will need to install the 32bit version of Max 2012 because that's the only version supported by the Prepar3D SDK.

lionheart · 23 Jul 2012

Welcome aboard Mick!

Hope its a fun, great stay with us aircraft and scenery nuts.

Any screenshots of your Trainz work? I had Railworks. Loved it.

Bill

mick1960 · 24 Jul 2012

lionheart said:
Welcome aboard Mick!

Hope its a fun, great stay with us aircraft and scenery nuts.

Thank you and all others!

Any screenshots of your Trainz work? I had Railworks. Loved it.

n4gix said:
[...]You will need to install the 32bit version of Max 2012[...]

And here the problem starts. I do not have the intention to install the 32bit version. So I might have to wait until the developers of the exporter will accept that times goes on

Please do not misunderstand this statement as a wish to start a discussion about system preferences.

As far as I can see, my style to model and my passion for details might be for FSX scenery objects a total overkill. It's already for Trainz quite heavy. And I think to create aircrafts I have to learn much more, I doubt I am ready at this time...

Mick!

n4gix · 24 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
And here the problem starts. I do not have the intention to install the 32bit version. So I might have to wait until the developers of the exporter will accept that times goes on

You misunderstand. You can have both installed at the same time! Simply start whichever version you need for the current work. The 32bit version is on the same media from which you installed the 64bit version.

Since the developers of the original exporter are no longer in business, they certainly won't be making any new releases.

Lockheed-Martin, the owners of Prepar3D have indicated that they may eventually recompile their export module to support 64bit Max, no timeline has been indicated...

By the way, I really enjoyed looking through your portfolio of models, especially the exquisite wrought iron railings!

Heretic · 25 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
7.) Some items for the Berliner S-Bahn
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/wr05l.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/wr06.jpg/

1920s S-Bahn items! I'm in love!

mick1960 · 25 Jul 2012

n4gix said:
You misunderstand.[...]

No, I didn't, I know that I could install both versions. i simply do not want to do it. My SSD is limited...

[...]may eventually recompile their export module[...]

See, I can be patient. First there are so many things to learn about how to build this or that asset for FSX and on the other hand I still have so many projects and ideas for Trainz...
Inbetween I will look around here. I really like this place. Looks like here is still a kind of community.

By the way, I really enjoyed looking through your portfolio of models, especially the exquisite wrought iron railings!

Thank you!

Heretic said:
1920s S-Bahn items! I'm in love!

I too

I build a Warte-/Dienstraum building, the Wannseebahn toilet building and the so called Fahrsperrenanschlag (punctual train control). But there is still a lot to do...

Mick!

Heretic · 27 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
I too I build a Warte-/Dienstraum building, the Wannseebahn toilet building and the so called Fahrsperrenanschlag (punctual train control). But there is still a lot to do...

I've recently visited the remainder of the Stamm- and Friedhofsbahn. A jaw-dropping experience as there's still nearly a century old rails around here and there.

Are you going to do the Wannseebahn eventually?

mick1960 · 27 Jul 2012

Heretic said:
I've recently visited the remainder of the Stamm- and Friedhofsbahn.

Yes, it is quite impressive, but also sad in a way that this historical part of Prussian railway is going to be lost. I can call myself lucky, because I used the part from Zehlendorf via Zehlendorf-Sued to Dueppel many times. And the most impressive thing was, that there was a an ET165 in use, but the old one with lantern at the roof. And the Triebfahrzeugfuehrer was a very nice guy, who always allowed me to be with him in the cab.

A jaw-dropping experience as there's still nearly a century old rails around here and there.

Nearly? The Stammbahn was opened at 1838

Are you going to do the Wannseebahn eventually?

As a route for Trainz? Even if it might be very interesting, I think this would not be possible for me. Because if, I would like to do the very early stage of this route. And I do not want to think about the hundreds of Buildings which have to be build, even if I would take only those which are directly beside the track. Only the stations and their side buildings are countless...

Mick!

P.S.: It seems to me you are living in my hometown. Are you an native Berliner too?
P.P.S.: Sorry, if this is a little bit off topic...

lionheart · 27 Jul 2012

Awesome work! Goodness man.

Love those little homes as well. Some great scenery.

Bill

Heretic · 27 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
Yes, it is quite impressive, but also sad in a way that this historical part of Prussian railway is going to be lost. I can call myself lucky, because I used the part from Zehlendorf via Zehlendorf-Sued to Dueppel many times. And the most impressive thing was, that there was a an ET165 in use, but the old one with lantern at the roof. And the Triebfahrzeugfuehrer was a very nice guy, who always allowed me to be with him in the cab.

Yeah, I've seen a pic of those on that piece of railway.
Also, they apparently had one of those streamlined 03s(?) pull replacement trains on that track right after WW2.

Nearly? The Stammbahn was opened at 1838

I was accounting for a possible overhaul during electrification works in the 1920s.

As a route for Trainz? Even if it might be very interesting, I think this would not be possible for me. Because if, I would like to do the very early stage of this route. And I do not want to think about the hundreds of Buildings which have to be build, even if I would take only those which are directly beside the track. Only the stations and their side buildings are countless...

I know, but just imagine a 1920s or late 30s Berlin (Nord-Süd-Tunnel!) in Trainz...it would be absolutely brilliant!

P.S.: It seems to me you are living in my hometown. Are you an native Berliner too?

Yeah, but from the "other side and with a long, long time of absence.

If anyone is interested, here's some photos that recent trip:
https://plus.google.com/photos/1113...s/5769918089389125585?authkey=CN_byOS7w-rQ8gE

mick1960 · 27 Jul 2012

lionheart said:
Awesome work! Goodness man.

Love those little homes as well. Some great scenery.

Thank you very much, as we say in Germany "das geht runter wie Oel!" (sorry I do not know how to translate this).

[...]I was accounting for a possible overhaul during electrification works in the 1920s.

Stupid me, you're right

I know, but just imagine a 1920s or late 30s Berlin (Nord-Süd-Tunnel!) in Trainz...it would be absolutely brilliant!

I don't dare to imagine this! I would love to do it, maybe when I am retired and my grandchildren can continue the work...
My Problem is my passion for all the details and I love exact work. Here is an example for a small and quite simple town villa from that time. Small in comparison to most other buildings which had been standing alongside the route. And at that time they had still all their ornaments ect.
The process of creating the mesh was quite easy, but don't ask me how long it took to find, create and apply the textures. For example the roof tiles had been meshed and then rendered to texture. It was really a project which challenges my patience...

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/h22k.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/97/h21n.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/59/h20r.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/641/h23p.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/829/mvstadtvilla.jpg/

All these pictures are not yet the final stage, the textures are not weathered, still pure.

By the way, talking about the twenties:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/412/testjzp.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/828/tsupload02.jpg/

Yeah, but from the "other side and with a long, long time of absence.

I hope for you, that you like it being back here!

Mick!

P.S.: To the moderation, please let me know if you feel, that this threat is going too far off topic. Especially as a new member here, I don't want to cause any trouble.

n4gix · 28 Jul 2012

mick1960 said:
Thank you very much, as we say in Germany "das geht runter wie Oel!" (sorry I do not know how to translate this).

It's an idiomatic expression for which the closest translation in English is "That is music to my ears!"

lionheart · 29 Jul 2012

Mick,

Those houses are brilliant. You should think of making some of those available to upload into FS scenery. My goodness man.

mick1960 · 29 Jul 2012

lionheart said:
Those houses are brilliant. You should think of making some of those available to upload into FS scenery. My goodness man.

Thank you again!

I would love to do it, but as mentioned before, it will take some time until I can do it myself.

But if somebody likes to cooperate, why not. Means I can give the complete mapped mesh and someone else would have to export it to FSX.

But I am not sure if these models are appropriate for an FSX scenery?

Example one:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/h01zf.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/266/th01i.jpg/

Example two:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/163/h02h.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/th02g.jpg/

You can see they use quite a lot of polygons and rather huge textures. This makes sense for Trainz, because in some cases you come very close to the objects and I absolutely dislike blurry textures. I suppose for FSX the texture size can be reduced because normally you will not come much closer than 100-50 meters to buildings outside of airport perimeters.

I just rendered the second house as an eaxample.

512x512 texture:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/h021.jpg/
256x256 texture
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/h022q.jpg/

Even the 256 texture might be sufficient for FSX purposes, but what about the poly count? What are the standards here?

I suppose there are huge differences for the poly count between autogen and those buildings which are used in specific scenery.

If somebody is willing to work together with me, of course I would like to publish my work for FSX. I have only one condition which is not negotiable, all my assets have to be available for free and only available on web sites which do not need registration for downloading them. For the second condition I would make an exception for AVSIM, because I am a member there for years and they have fair conditions.

Mick!

lionheart · 29 Jul 2012

Mick,

Arno has created ModelConvertorX or MCX which if I am correct, can set up the model to have LOD sub models or sub textures (if I am correct, I could be wrong) on your models, so that when you are close up, the building is high detail, and far away, the model is on the 256bit texture.

You could also create a Library of which people could use those in-sim scenery placement programs. Then they could create little villages of your brilliant buildings anywhere they wanted.

I created some houses long ago for some of my FS packages that came with planes. Mine were nothing compared with yours though. I'll see if I can find some pics of the little italian villa's I did.

Bill

lionheart · 30 Jul 2012

Here are a coupe of my humble, grimmly simple homes I made for FS. Nothing compared to your very well done homes and buildings.

Tejal Bernardo · 30 Jul 2012

Yes it's clear the politic in Fsx is a little different than in Trainz

, but you could convert to fsx your libraries, and in some way your work would have a second life maybe don't like how your object lose quality but it's a flight sim what you have to get is a good airplane, as said MCX can ease the task radicallly. I always have admired the Train sim people,

lionheart · 30 Jul 2012

The scenery packages by ORBX have gained high acclaim. High detail houses and buildings and cabins are in big time. That is the direction scenery seems to be taking, realistic grass, photo ground scenery, photo real buildings and architecture.

I think you would fit right in.

Bill

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