Blender: What combination of SDK, Blender, and Plugins?

[Android]

Using Blender 3.3.11, SDK 0.22.3.

Installed the Blender plugin io_scene_gltf2_msfs dated 9/27/2023.

I can’t seem to load the XML file created by exporting from blender - just get a popup with the message
“The project could not be loaded.”

I am following the tutorial shown here.

No clue how to troubleshoot this… any help appreciated.

 

[Anthony31]

I can’t seem to load

Load into where?

The XML exported by Blender IS NOT a project file. It sounds like you are trying to load a project file in MSFS but instead of loading the project file you are loading the .xml file that Blender generates which isn't going to work.

41:42 in the video you can see on screen that tutorial-scenery-library.xml is the project file.

But not exactly sure what you are loading into where.

 

[Android]

Load into where?

The XML exported by Blender IS NOT a project file. It sounds like you are trying to load a project file in MSFS but instead of loading the project file you are loading the .xml file that Blender generates which isn't going to work.

41:42 in the video you can see on screen that tutorial-scenery-library.xml is the project file.

But not exactly sure what you are loading into where.

Sorry, I mean I can't open it.

 

[mamu]

Sorry, I mean I can't open it.

You are not supposed to open the .XML created by the blender exporter

In the game you need to open the project file .xml that is created aroun minute 30 in that tutorial

 

[Android]

Thanks!
Ok, that's part of it - Everything was named so similarly that I must have missed it.
However, after what I thought was successfully opening and building the package, and putting everything in my Community folder, neither the package nor the object I made show up.
Here is my folder structure, showing the .BGL, assuming that's what's supposed to be in there after building it.

I did notice that in one other scenery objects folder in my Community folder there is a "global" folder, under which the "scenery" folder resides. I don't know if that's relevant.

So... again, not sure what I'm missing. I know there are a lot of steps to get this set up, but I went through it about 5 times so far.
Is there a different tutorial (especially a written one) or guide, or just a list of steps you'd recommend?

 

[Android]

Found this when Building my existing scenery. FYI my object name is "Pyramid". Tried googling this error, but haven't found anything yet:

 

[lionheart]

I think you are making a scenery?

For me, with planes, I create a mesh project (airplane in my case) and save as a blender file. I can then 'export' the 2 part version scene/plane, which is a glTF and Bin file set. That then goes in (exported to) the Model Folder, and is linked into the project XML. In MSFS, I 'open recent file' and find my Project I want to open. Then in the project editor, I click Build and update the files. Then it should show up in MSFS if everything is correct. I do not know how this goes with scenery, if you have to export to a Community file package and then load that into the folder structure of MSFS and reboot the sim.

I would think you could boot up the project in the sim while its loaded in the editor, the virtual model pack, as like you can with planes.

 

[lionheart]

There are quite a few YouTube videos showing how this is done. They are quite good. Some very good basic tutorials for Scenery makers in MSFS. You might search some of those and check them out.
Getting the project to show up in the sim, the arrangement of the folders, names, file types, the project XML file, etc, is so so so difficult. One small thing is off and it doesnt show up.

When first learning this, I would take a tutorial plane, rename a copy of it, make it into my own, then delicately change all the names of the parts, and part names, into my own plane. I could check if it was still loading up after a few changes. If it didnt, then I would back step to see what I did wrong. Then continue till my own plane was showing up in the sim. Same for scenery. Copy/clone one, convert it to your own, change the bits that need renaming, etc, diff GPS, etc, and soon you'll have your own showing up.

 

[mamu]

Found this when Building my existing scenery. FYI my object name is "Pyramid". Tried googling this error, but haven't found anything yet:
View attachment 89971

Hi, the error is not relevant, and is due to using a sample from the SDK as a base for your project
It will go away with a proper project initialization, that you can EASILY obtain with the in game wizards
(Very old tutorials using the copy/paste from other projects may lead to errors). The tutorial you have linked above follow the right path, using the wizards



Here is one from my channel using the wizard to create the base project and later on adding the ModelLib AssetGroup to host models

The "global" folders you are seeing in your community is, again, a reminescence from the past. It is not wrong, just makes, today, little to no sense

 

[Android]

I think you are making a scenery?

For me, with planes, I create a mesh project (airplane in my case) and save as a blender file. I can then 'export' the 2 part version scene/plane, which is a glTF and Bin file set. That then goes in (exported to) the Model Folder, and is linked into the project XML. In MSFS, I 'open recent file' and find my Project I want to open. Then in the project editor, I click Build and update the files. Then it should show up in MSFS if everything is correct. I do not know how this goes with scenery, if you have to export to a Community file package and then load that into the folder structure of MSFS and reboot the sim.

I would think you could boot up the project in the sim while its loaded in the editor, the virtual model pack, as like you can with planes.

Hi lionheart -

Thanks for the note. In this case, I'm just creating a simple test object in Blender. The goal is to be able to create models that can be loaded into any scenery I'm working on.
Unfortunately, I have yet to find instructions that, when followed, work. I'll keep looking

 

[=rk=]

The one thing that jumps out at me is "misunderstanding" and I feel like more videos to misunderstand strongly suggests a "video watching tutorial." Does anyone here think it would be at all productive to upload the problem package, have one of us sort it about a bit and then offer it back to the OP so he can compare his development to that which works? Or at least be able to compose our replies based on our expert assessment of that insider information.

 

[Android]

There are quite a few YouTube videos showing how this is done. They are quite good. Some very good basic tutorials for Scenery makers in MSFS. You might search some of those and check them out.
Getting the project to show up in the sim, the arrangement of the folders, names, file types, the project XML file, etc, is so so so difficult. One small thing is off and it doesnt show up.

When first learning this, I would take a tutorial plane, rename a copy of it, make it into my own, then delicately change all the names of the parts, and part names, into my own plane. I could check if it was still loading up after a few changes. If it didnt, then I would back step to see what I did wrong. Then continue till my own plane was showing up in the sim. Same for scenery. Copy/clone one, convert it to your own, change the bits that need renaming, etc, diff GPS, etc, and soon you'll have your own showing up.

Thanks again -
As far as the videos go, I haven't found one that works yet for the Blender > MSFS workflow, but, as noted, still looking. Been looking for about a month, on and off... I've watched a bunch of them so far. I have no issue editing default scenery or using other downloaded scenery objects.

Regarding the folder structure you mention - I have also been looking for this "in writing", and have not found, a current, documented, non-video guide to this. These days, people seem allergic to putting anything in writing.
Part of the problem, as you've noted, is an overtly delicate system.

The process should be, from the scenery SDK:
File > Import, with the choice of importing to a project or a library. That's it.

Assuming I've made an .fbx or .obj or other standard file properly, honestly, that's all it should take; then again, MSFS isn't selling a scenery design program...

 

[Android]

Hi, the error is not relevant, and is due to using a sample from the SDK as a base for your project
It will go away with a proper project initialization, that you can EASILY obtain with the in game wizards
(Very old tutorials using the copy/paste from other projects may lead to errors). The tutorial you have linked above follow the right path, using the wizards



Here is one from my channel using the wizard to create the base project and later on adding the ModelLib AssetGroup to host models

The "global" folders you are seeing in your community is, again, a reminescence from the past. It is not wrong, just makes, today, little to no sense

Thanks mamu, I'll check out your video now.

Not sure what you mean by "using a sample from the SDK" - I've created a new project following the video I linked, into which I've exported my Blender file.

As far as that tutorial goes, I've gone through it four times without success. I've been doing 3D for years, and, frankly, have never seen such a convoluted process.
I also, as mentioned above, have not found a documented non-video process for Blender > MSFS. Does one exist?

 

[mamu]

The official documentation has everything written

The Scenery Editor

docs.flightsimulator.com

But because has "everything", or pretty much, it may be overwhelming for newcomers,
So the idea for video tutorials seems to be more appropriate , one can visually see where to click buttons


About the errore mentioned above, your console is showing mycompany-scenery-simple,
That's the signature of the samples contained in the SDK
The tutorial you linked above uses the Wizard, no way it will end up with such package name (infact, his package name is jimmyco-blahblhblah)
And his console is not showing marketplace errors

Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[mamu]

And

This is the masterpiece from @superspud

A very good reading!

A Written MSFS SDK Scenery Creation Tutorial - MSFS Add-on - Flightsim.to

✓ For Microsoft Flight Simulator: A comprehensive written tutorial and sample files for MSFS scenery creation, covering airport and non-airport projects, 3D models, custom textures, elevations, and more. Includes separate guides on model cleanup, DEM...

flightsim.to

Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[=rk=]

Ok, I am going to stop watching this conversation.

 

[superspud]

And

This is the masterpiece from @superspud

A very good reading!

A Written MSFS SDK Scenery Creation Tutorial - MSFS Add-on - Flightsim.to

✓ For Microsoft Flight Simulator: A comprehensive written tutorial and sample files for MSFS scenery creation, covering airport and non-airport projects, 3D models, custom textures, elevations, and more. Includes separate guides on model cleanup, DEM...

flightsim.to

Inviato dal mio Mi 9 Lite utilizzando Tapatalk

That is so old now it's an active menace.

I'm slowly updating it but can't recommend it to anyone until then as it might cause death or disfigurement.

I never expected things to move so fast, but I guess it's a good thing that the improvements are so numerous.

 

[Android]

That is so old now it's an active menace.

I'm slowly updating it but can't recommend it to anyone until then as it might cause death or disfigurement.

I never expected things to move so fast, but I guess it's a good thing that the improvements are so numerous.

Thanks - almost went down that road again...

 

[superspud]

Thanks - almost went down that road again.

Still plenty of relevant Info in there but it would take more time singling what to ignore than rewriting it.