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FSX Exact steps for ground polygons

TheMrDJJ

TheMrDJJ

Messages
15
Country
belgium
Hi,

I watched a lot aof tutorials about making custom-textured ground polygons for FSX but none of them was really acurate.

Did I get the steps right:

  1. Make a plane in Sketchup with a custom texture and export it as a COLLADA ( .dae) file.
  2. Load the .dae file into ModelConverterX and convert it into a BGL (.bgl) file.
  3. Open AirportDesignEditor and place the .bgl Object on the airport.
  4. Compile the airport

I've heard something about .mdl files, do I need them?
Did I forget anything?
 
Hi,

For a ground polygon you better load the dae into the ground polygon wizard of modelconverterx. In the wizard you already specify the position and the resulting bgl goes in your scenery directly. No need for ADE.

For ground polygons it is better to not use library objects for them. That will give flickering and problems with the shadows.
 
arno said:
Hi,

For a ground polygon you better load the dae into the ground polygon wizard of modelconverterx. In the wizard you already specify the position and the resulting bgl goes in your scenery directly. No need for ADE.
Click to expand...

Thanks!:)

I'll reformulate it then:
  1. Make a plane in Sketchup with a custom texture and export it as a COLLADA ( .dae) file.
  2. Load the .dae file into ModelConverterX and directly place it into the BGL file of the airport

Correct?

What about the texture, will it be included in the .dae file, or do I have to save it separately as .bmp file?

I'm going to try it, and let you know what happens ;)

PS: Now I understand, why High Quality Addons cost so much: because it's so complicated to make them! But I'm not gonna give up :cool:
 
Hi,

The texture is not included in the DAE file, SketchUp will save it as well.

In ModelConverterX you need to use the ground polygon wizard, not save to a normal BGL file. You might also have to convert the textures to another format to work in FS.
 
arno said:
Hi,

The texture is not included in the DAE file, SketchUp will save it as well.

In ModelConverterX you need to use the ground polygon wizard, not save to a normal BGL file. You might also have to convert the textures to another format to work in FS.
Click to expand...

Ok, I made some progress :D

I've exported the .dae file, loaded it into the Ground Polygon Wizard and set everything up (Position, Heading, Altitude...).
When I press on "Convert" it says:

Failed to locate SCASM, please update the path in the options
Click to expand...

But where can I set it in the options? I see many paths (which are all correctly set) but none of them says "SCASM".
 
Tejal Bernardo said:
You need Scasm files http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=scasm%20files&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scasm.de%2Ftxt%2Fdownload.htm&ei=1gTOUIP6IJS1hAfPk4H4CQ&usg=AFQjCNFSZaerkP9Gf9QmjtNCSSTNsnUOJA and set the path to this files in "exporter settings".
Click to expand...

Thx, now it works.

I now get a BGL file, but what do I do with it? I mean, how is the original Airport-BGL file linked to it?

But stay tuned, I will try this tomorrow, and I think that I'll need some more help :p.

Anyways, thank you that you take yourself some time for a noob like me :o.
 
Hi,

This file just goes in your scenery folder. It is in no way linked to other BGL files. Most sceneries contain multiple files.
 
I've done it! :D:D
The ground polygon is now correctly displayed in FSX (although I had to fight with some issues concerning the file format of the texture).

I've also made a totally custom grass texture with Photoshop (using this tutorial: http://www.myinkblog.com/create-an-awesome-grass-texture-in-photoshop/).
The only thing is, that it looks too regular:

30827366mUE.jpg


I think I'll have to add some alpha channels at the corners and maybe also include a second layer containing "dust" (as it is mentioned in the tutorial).
To which format does the "convert textures"-feature (of the ground polygon wizard in the MCX) convert them? DXT 3 or DXT 5? Because only DXT 5 contains Alpha-Information.

Or I'll just stick to real photography-textures.

Or I'll make only one ground polygon of the hole airfield.

Do you have any suggestions or tips for me in order to make it look better?

PS: Now I realise, how hard it is to make a good looking texture (especially for grass).
 
Hi,

The convert wizard converts to dxt1 if your texture has no alpha channel. Else it will use dxt3 for fs2004 and dxt5 for fsx.

Dxt3 can also store alpha channel, dxt5 does it more accurate though, so therefore it is the preferred format for fsx.
 
arno said:
Hi,

The convert wizard converts to dxt1 if your texture has no alpha channel. Else it will use dxt3 for fs2004 and dxt5 for fsx.

Dxt3 can also store alpha channel, dxt5 does it more accurate though, so therefore it is the preferred format for fsx.
Click to expand...

Ok.

(I'm reinstalling FSX at the moment, because at the beginning I installed the .bgl file in the wrong way: I just overwrote the original APX41930.bgl file in the scenery folder and made no backup. Yes that is stupid!:mad:)

If thing we can consider this topic as closed.
If I have any more issues, I'll just start a new one.

I'm currently trying to include a Sketchup-Model in FSX, and I'm pretty sure that I'll have some problems with it :D. Alpha Channels will probably make even bigger problems...
 
kevintampa5 said:
dont modify default files. rule 1
always work from a copy, never overwrite the default.
Click to expand...

Yes I've realised that!

I've just finished reinstalling FSX and now have to fight with a nother problem: my changes are not being shown anymore in FSX :mad:!

I'm gonna try a few things to solve it and also take a look at the FAQ, but if I can't, you're going to hear from me in a new topic.:rolleyes:
 
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