FSXA FS9 -> FSX aircraft model conversion (an experiment)

[AnkH_82]

Hi all,

I am new to MCX and as I think that my question fits best here in this thread, I give a go: I am still working on my FSX AI traffic using exclusively FSX native models. So far, with the help of some others I managed to have almost all (important) AI planes in a FSX native format, what is missing is the GA AI traffic. Now I downloaded the FTX NA GA AI traffic package for this purpose, reassigning all UT2 general aviation traffic to those models there. Advantage: more diversity and true AI models (UT2 uses otherwise the FSX standard GA planes such as Cessna, Maule, Learjet, which is a huge performance hit on GA traffic rich airports). BUT: as I use DX10 in FSX and "aircraft cast shadows on ground" option ticked, I depend on FSX native models. I realized, that some of the FTX AI traffic models are displayed correctly, some are invisible. Now I wanted to convert them myself into FSX native models using MCX.
I started of with the HTAI Cessna 177 Cardinal Free model. I successfully converted 99% of the plane, I even managed to assign the flaps animation correctly to the FSX modeldef variant so that the flaps are working now inside FSX correctly. BUT: my prop does not move at all. I used the animation "prop_blurred", but somehow, there is no movement at all. What am I doing wrong? Should I use another animation assignment (such as "prop_slow")? And what is the difference between the numbers, e.g. "prop1_blurred", "prop2_blurred" and "prop3_blurred"? I know that there won't be a nice prop disk displayed even using the correct animation, but I would already be happy if the prop moves at all... Thanks for any hint,

regards
Chris

 

[tgibson]

FS2004 models do not use any keyframe animations at all for prop rotation; the sim handles that automatically. You only need to assign the prop parts the correct names. I assume that MCX only handles keyframe animations, not ones created automatically by the sim. I guess that would be possible (intercept the object name and generate keyframes for the object) but I don't think MCX can do that (yet).

Hope this helps,

 

[AnkH_82]

Hi Tom,

I now managed that the prop turns at least using "prop0_blurred" animation. As far as I know, that is the best you can get unless you go deeper into the model with GMAX or other tools. Now, my Cessna has at least some prop movement, even if it still looks rather silly. We will see if another animation results in a better way of displaying the propmovement, who knows.

 

[AnkH_82]

Wonderful. My conversion is progressing. If I would not mind about a specific detail, I could have all the FTX GA aircraft models converted in some hours, everything works as expected, with one BIG exception: the props. I simply do not get them animated nicely, the best I achieve so far is a constantly moving prop but with all the propblades visible all the time, like you use a fast shutter on your camera. Is there any way how to improve this without going to much into the modeling thing via GMAX for example? Is it not possible to simply assign a propdisc texture as a workaround? Would that be possible using MCX only?

 

[tgibson]

I believe that MCX would need increased capabilities to do that. I addressed that in my original message:

"I assume that MCX only handles keyframe animations, not ones created automatically by the sim. I guess that would be possible for MCX (intercept the object name and generate keyframes for the object) but I don't think it can do that (yet)."

 

[jont]

It is a shame that this is being left at the moment (I do understand that there are other priorities) - but I for one, would greatly appreciate the ability for MCX to convert FS9 ai aircraft to the (now) more dominant FSX simulator.
Cheers
Jont

 

[Essex]

It may be possible to delete the prop then merge in a prop from a fsx native mdl, rescale as required.
Time consuming.

 

[jont]

Hi
With the help of this excellent thread, I have managed to convert a great deal of my FS9 ai jet aircraft. However - I am struggling to sort the aia B747-400 (RR) - no matter what I do with MCX and the object and animation editor - on conversion to FSX, I end up with odd protruding slats even though the animation and the rest of the aircraft, including the boundary boxes, are fine. Can anyone test this to see if you get the same thing please. (Interesting - this RR version seems to have been left out of all the native FSX ai traffic packages that I have - so the long-haul BA fleet is a bit wanting at the moment!!).
Cheers
Jont

 

[AnkH_82]

Now I have another issue: some of the AI planes have ground attachment ropes, they are removed in FS9 when the engine is started. However, MCX reads this animation as "unknown" and it is not shown within the graphic window when playing the animations. Like this, I was not able to assign a new FSX animation to it. How do I find out, which of the "unknown" animations is the one removing these ropes? At the moment, they stay attached to the plane even if it is moving.

Maybe related to this issue is another one: some AI planes fail to take off. They taxi correctly to the runway, line up and then they are stuck. Surprisingly, they are not regarded as traffic anymore, as the following AI aircraft line up, float through the one sitting on the runway and take off correctly. Something went wrong with those models in the conversion process, but I have no idea what it could be. Any hints?

 

[arno]

Hi,

Regarding the ropes. They might not be animations, they could well be visibility conditions. In case you can set their state using the variable window that appears at the start of importing the model.

 

[AnkH_82]

Ok, I will try that one. Thanks

 

[AnkH_82]

Sadly I am not able to work out where those ropes are coded. They are not related to the visibility conditions and I can not find them in the model parts list. Strange...

 

[=rk=]

You can use the hierarchy viewer to replace the prop disc but without 3d software editing ability, it becomes arduous. With the 3d software, you simply export the model to .3ds and create a proper prop disc in the exact location of the original model's disc. Save only the new disc, export to .dae and import and merge in MCX. The slow way is to again use the Hierarchy Viewer, delete everything except the disc (or leave what suits you) then find an adequate disc, possibly the same way (by deleting the rest of the host model). Using the Merge Objects window, the "insert model offsets" and much trial and error, you can place the new disc exactly over the one you deleted. You can even scale and tilt your new disc, but that has to be performed in a separate MCX session. The reason you can not simply assign a new texture to the prop disc that you want to change is because you have no way of telling MCX how to scale, stretch, or orient the image onto the model, instead you have to find a model that already has been assigned.
If you are unable to see the ropes in the render window, you should try what Arno wrote above and set a different visibility state until you do.

 

[AnkH_82]

Thank you so much for this, I will certainly try that sooner or later by using GMAX, as I think it is for free, no?

Regarding ropes: you missunderstand it, I DO see the ropes in the MCX window, I can not get rid of them or assign any animation in a way that they are displayed when the engine is off but removed when it is running (like they do in the FS9 model).

 

[=rk=]

If they appear in the render window, then one of the entries in the hierarchy viewer corresponds to them and based on the conditionality of visibility, they are unique. You can not change the condition upon which they disappear, but you can remove them entirely which should be adequate for AI presentation.

 

[AnkH_82]

That's what I thought. But going throug those entries, I was not able to find the corresponding line in the hierarchy. Using the "highlight" mode, the only moment when the ropes were highlighted was when also the rest of the model was highlighted, obviously resulting in the deletion of the whole model. Maybe I missed some sub-hierarchies, I have to check again.

What do you think about the take-off issue I discribed above?

 

[=rk=]

If you export the model to .3ds and import into SketchUp, it will likely preserve the model parts as individual groups, at least that is my own experience. It will also combine all LOD models into one model, so you'd want to delete those first. You cannot recompile from SU and preserve the animations, but you can delete or hide every group except the one that contains the ropes and you can see the size, shape and dimensions of that sub-model and decide how to proceed. I would also explore the other visibility states.

It is common problem for AI planes to taxi normally and become inert at the runway threshold. While it may be related to MCX editing, it could be as simple as a conditional state that changed parameters between FS9 and FSX, perhaps the width of the runway or distance between hold-short nodes, or something else. I would research that issue separately as I have seen many posts on or related to the subject of AI traffic stalling at the runway.

 

[arno]

Regarding ropes: you missunderstand it, I DO see the ropes in the MCX window, I can not get rid of them or assign any animation in a way that they are displayed when the engine is off but removed when it is running (like they do in the FS9 model).

I think if you play around with the variable when loading the model a bit, you will be able to get rid of them.

 

[AnkH_82]

I tried to play with the variables, but either the whole model was gone or the whole model was still there...

regarding the other issue @rk: the problem is not that the AI plane stops at the hold short node and stays there. It was at the hold short node, got the takeoff clearence, advanced on the runway to the lineup position and there it got stuck. The next AI plane, another model I converted, then also entered the runway and blended into the one already sitting there and taking off normally. The other model was meanwhile still there, not moving anymore.

 

[=rk=]

You do understand that MCX in and of itself does not determine if an AI plane will fly, correct? If one plane flies in FS9 and only works in FSX after converting in MCX and another flies in FS9 and does not work in FSX after converting with MCX; it does not indicate an issue with the MCX conversion process, it indicates an issue with the model. Either the author used non-standard code to write the plane, or, more likely, it is a model from an even earlier sim, FS2002, that barely works in FS9 and not at all in FSX no matter what you do, or it could be something else entirely. I can offer that I examine FS2002 planes in MCX to explore the potential of conversion. I see the flaps pivoting in the wrong axis and the landing gear doing the same and there is obviously no way that plane will work in FSX without complete disassembly and re-animation of all the moving parts.

To my chagrinment you focus on the details of my response, as if stating your case clearly will elicit a proper solution - but that's not the case as I don't know the solution. To be frankly honest with you, I will only Google the phrase:

I would research that issue separately as I have seen many posts on or related to the subject of "AI traffic stalling at the runway"

on your behalf while in a professional capacity. You, however, are welcome and encouraged to research on your own and report the results.