• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Blender 2.70, Blender2FSX Tools (Video Tutorials)

Hal Dale said:
Kris

I am brand new to designing aircraft for FSX and working with Blender. As everyone has said there is a pretty steep learning curve using Blender. I had already struggled through learning Blender somewhat and creating an airplane before I ran across your videos. Once I found them and started following them things have gone much better. I decided to use the plane I had created to follow along with your videos. Here is my problem. The plane has a V-Tail which creates a strange axis for the elevators. I can't figure out how to make them rotate properly. I found a video describing using a locked track constraint with plain axes as the pivot hinge but I still can't seem to make them work. Am I on the right track with that constraint?

Thanks for going to the trouble to create these videos. I probably would have given up on the project if I hadn't found them.

Hal
Click to expand...
Hi Hal!

What you need to do is to make a "Transform Orientation" using another object as the the pivot point. I will make a short video showing you what I am talking about.

Thanks, Kris:)
 
I think that's very clear Kris! Thanks for making that.

I would advice you however to switch on the transform manipulator. That makes it better visible what these Local and Custom transform orientations are.

You're a king Kris; tutorials on demand, well that is pretty cool stuff ;)
 
Thanks Mr. Daan!

This tutorial was requested by Doug Adkins. He asked me to please make a video showing how to import an obj file into Blender and then re-texturing it.

Here is the link:

Thanks, Kris:)
 
Thanks Kris. It worked! I have one question. I am a little unclear on the origin. If the origin is moved to another object it does not rotate properly? Is that something I am doing wrong?

Hal
 
Hi Hal!

You do not move the origin to another object, you move the object's origin to a new location for the same object. If you do not use a dummy object for a pivot point, then you must move the origin of the object to the location that you want the object to pivot.

I hope that makes it a little clearer.

Thanks, Kris:)
 
Hello Kris!

Thanks! I haven't seen it on a full screen yet (only from smartphone). Might have a few follow up questions when I finally do.

Thanks again!
 
krispy1001 said:
Hi Hal!

You do not move the origin to another object, you move the object's origin to a new location for the same object. If you do not use a dummy object for a pivot point, then you must move the origin of the object to the location that you want the object to pivot.

I hope that makes it a little clearer.

Thanks, Kris:)
Click to expand...

Thanks Kris. That makes sense.

I have one quick question. When you selected the front vertices of the elevator did you use a speed key? I have been using the B key and selecting a certain area but I noticed in your video you didn't seem to do that. I thought I saw in a video some where there was a way to do it but I may have been wrong.
 
Pyscen said:
Hello Kris!

Thanks! I haven't seen it on a full screen yet (only from smartphone). Might have a few follow up questions when I finally do.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...


You are very welcome Doug (Pyscen)!

I will do my best to answer your questions.

Thanks, Kris:)
 
Hal Dale said:
Thanks Kris. That makes sense.

I have one quick question. When you selected the front vertices of the elevator did you use a speed key? I have been using the B key and selecting a certain area but I noticed in your video you didn't seem to do that. I thought I saw in a video some where there was a way to do it but I may have been wrong.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can hold down the "ctrl" key and then choose a vertices and that will select a chain of vertices. But in the video I cheated, I had the vertices already selected. So I am sorry that I did that. I did not think about that confusing any one at the time. I will not do that again in my video's.

Thanks, Kris:)
 
Kris

I hate to keep bothering you with these questions. I followed your video step by step and everything works as it should until I try and play the animation. Rather than rotating up and down it rotates in a circular motion with some up and down movement. Did I miss a step?

Hal
 
Hi Hal!

Make sure that your elevators have a scale of 1.0. If the are any thing other than 1.0 they will not animate correctly in FSX.

I am uploading my Blender file that I used to make the tutorial. It should help you to see what I have done.

Thanks, Kris:)
 

Attachments

krispy1001 said:
Hi Hal!

Make sure that your elevators have a scale of 1.0. If the are any thing other than 1.0 they will not animate correctly in FSX.

I am uploading my Blender file that I used to make the tutorial. It should help you to see what I have done.

Thanks, Kris:)
Click to expand...

They are all 1.00 but still does not rotate p
krispy1001 said:
Hi Hal!

Make sure that your elevators have a scale of 1.0. If the are any thing other than 1.0 they will not animate correctly in FSX.

I am uploading my Blender file that I used to make the tutorial. It should help you to see what I have done.

Thanks, Kris:)
Click to expand...

Thanks for all your trouble. I downloaded your file and mine is set up exactly like it but is still does the same thing. I have checked the scale and they are all 1.00. I ran your version and it works fine so it doesn't seem to be a bug in the program. I'm at a loss for what the problem is.

I attached the file. If you have time maybe you can tell me what is wrong.

Hal
 

Attachments

Hi Hal!

I setup your elevator animations for you and I did a little work on your fuselage for you. It will give you a head start on your model.

I think you are doing very good Hal. Keep up the hard work.

Thanks, Kris:)
 

Attachments

krispy1001 said:
Hi Hal!

I setup your elevator animations for you and I did a little work on your fuselage for you. It will give you a head start on your model.

I think you are doing very good Hal. Keep up the hard work.

Thanks, Kris:)
Click to expand...

That is really neat! Now all I need to do is figure out how in the world you did it.

I don't know how long you have been at this but I can see I have a long way to go. I was going to try an make an instrument panel, retracting gear and a canopy that opens but I'm wondering if that is biting off more than I can chew. I bought John Blain's book "The Complete Guide to Blender Graphics" and have been reading it. Are there other books you would recommend for a beginner?

Thanks again for all you have done.

Hal
 
Hi Hal!

I have "The Complete Guide To Blender Graphics 2nd Edition". It is a very well written book. Myself I would not buy any others book. I would watch lot's of video's on YouTube on Blender and practice, practice, practice. That is what I have been doing. And I have been improving with each thing that I have modeled.

One very important thing that I would keep in mind. Baby Steps! Do not tackle anything that is going to stress you out. Set goals that are with in your reach. In that way you will built your confidence as a modeler and have fun doing it.

I have learnt when starting a project, do not look at the object that you are trying to model in it's completed state. Lets say like an aircraft. It takes a lot of smaller objects (parts) to make the aircraft. An old saying comes to mind: "you cant see the forest because of all the trees". Well the same thing is true when it comes to modeling an aircraft. You look at the aircraft in it's completed state and all of the detail over whelms you. Model one part at a time and add it to your aircraft in that way it is not over whelming.

I hope this will help you and encourage you to keep your hard work going. You will make it! And it is a lot of fun!

If you need any more help let me know.

Thanks, Kris:)
 
Kris

I know what you mean about taking it a little at a time. I have been building and flying RC aircraft for years and that is the way I have always approached it.

I was wondering where my mistake was? I don't have FSX on the machine I have been working on. Could that be why I was having the problem? One other question, how did you move it up so it is centered on the grid?

I'll keep at it. I hope you won't mind if I ask questions from time to time.

Thanks for your invaluable help.

Hal
 
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