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Experiences with FS2004 aircraft import/export

I replaced the FSX flyable DC-6B model with the converted AI model and the slow and blurred props still do not rotate. I tested the AI model that had been converted to FSX using older versions of MCX (only one LOD though) and the props all rotate. Also tried the original FSX flyable model and the props are OK.

So there is something in the AI model converted to FSX by the current MCX that is causing the slow and blurred props to be static.
 
A couple of things I would look at as I ran into this issue before when doing the RWAI A-10 package...

1. Check the engine section of the aircraft.cfg make sure it contains the correct number of engines and the correct engine type... For example the Fans on the A-10 I had to use N1_0 and N1_1 for the correct fan animations to work since the aircraft.cfg stated it to be a twin jet (as it should)...

2. Make sure each prop (or fan if jet) disk (three parts per engine):

a. Has both an animation and vis cond attached to the individual part (still prop, slow prop, and blurred prop); that is when you click on that individual part in the hierarchy editor (shows on the right side of the window)

b. Make sure that animation is the correct one Prop (0,1,2,3) (still, slow, blurred) as well as the visibility condition matches... So for example on a slow prop disk for engine four I would have two items on the part itself a vis condition of Prop3_slow and an animation with type Prop3_slow


If you do not have that what I would do is copy the animation off the still prop and paste it on to the slow and blurred props respectively then just change the animation types once copied and pasted....
 
Hi,

1. The engine type is 0, piston engine. Set for 4 engines, which is correct.
2. They all have correct animation and visibility tags. I also tried assigning prop still animation (which works with the still props) to slow and blurred props and it made no difference.
In the FSX model there is a difference in the hierarchy though.

For still props: (that work OK):
SceneGraphNode (SGN) - contains animation
ModelPart - contains visibility condition

For blurred and slow props (that do not rotate):
SceneGraphNode
SceneGraphNode - contains animation
ModelPart - contains visibility condition

So for the prop3_slow object I moved the second SGN to the top SGN, then deleted the first SGN. When I exported the plane the slow prop rotates, but is rotating in the Z axis instead of the Y axis. So I Edited the Transformation by changing the X axis from 0 to 90. Now the slow prop rotates as it should. I did the same thing with the prop3_blurred prop and it now rotates correctly.

It appears that all that extra SGN does is transform the rotation from the Z axis to the Y axis. The still props contain this transformation in the single SGN, along with the animation.

So it appears that this extra SGN is causing the props not to rotate.

Hope this helps,
 
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Ok... So what I did... Is put the animations on the parts themselves, not on the scenery node... What you can try is copy the animation for the respective prop disk say for example slow directly from the node onto the part itself then delete the animation from the node... Here are a couple of screenshots from an Il-38 I did so you can see what I am referring to...
 

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Hi,

Thanks for your help. I understand what you did and it does work. I'm just hoping Arno can make this process automatic. :)
 
Thanks for all the info on the props, let me see what I can find....
 
Hi Tom,

Now that I have added the textures that you send me to the model I see more than a fully black model in the sim. I do now see what you mean with the props and right wheel not rotating. So I can reproduce the issue.

Like you say when I simplify the scenegraph structure by collapsing the two scenegraph nodes above the model part together it works. But I don't understand yet why that would matter. The structure looks valid as it is to me. But there must be an issue somewhere there that confused XtoMDL. I'll try to find what that is.
 
Glad to help. I also had to add the textures to see those issues when I tested in the flyable DC-6B folder.

I was surprised that worked as well. I thought I had seen that hierarchy in other planes, but perhaps not.
 
I also checked the right main wheels and it is the same problem - an extra SGN. The left main wheels do not have that extra SGN and rotate OK. I removed the extra SGN and the wheels rotated, although they were rotating on the wrong axis and were displaced.

That said, the nose gear wheel has the same hierarchy and works fine. So I don't know why it causes a problem in just these few cases.
 
I am working on the scenegraph optimization now to see if I can get rid of those extra nodes. I think that should get us a step closer once again.
 
I have succeeded in modifying the optimization and now the animations work. But it seems I broke a few test cases, so I need to check if everything else still works :)
 
Arno,
I was reading the above and tried to see if I could narrow down the issue with the Andover props rotating around the aircraft. If you remember this was an FSX to FS9 conversion.

I checked the FSX Hierarchy and found that there were 3x prop0_still MPs under the main SGN.

MAIW_0714.jpg


What the conversion did is create another SGN and move all 3 under that, for FS9.
MAIW_0715.jpg


Just for completeness here is the added SGN
MAIW_0716.jpg



Now I tried to move the 3x MPs to the top SGN, and delete the seemingly superfluous one and it took it. I checked the animation slider and the problem was fixed.
However, I then exported it and MCX again moved the 3x MPs under a newly created SGN again.
Exactly the same setup and experience with prop0_still.

I hope this helps.

Can I actually manipulate the SGNs and MPS like I was trying to do or was I being a bit optimistic?
 
arno said:
I have succeeded in modifying the optimization and now the animations work. But it seems I broke a few test cases, so I need to check if everything else still works :)
Click to expand...
I have fixed everything again, so I will push a new development release somewhere this morning that should hopefully export the animations correctly.
 
Firebird said:
I was reading the above and tried to see if I could narrow down the issue with the Andover props rotating around the aircraft. If you remember this was an FSX to FS9 conversion.
Click to expand...
Given that this is a FSX to FS2004 conversion, instead of the other way around, I am not sure if it is the same issue. Let me check that later. I have added this information to the bug report.
The additional node should only matter for XtoMDL, not for MakeMDL. So when you say removing the node fixes the issue, is that in MCX or is that in the sim?
Firebird said:
Can I actually manipulate the SGNs and MPS like I was trying to do or was I being a bit optimistic?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can. But if these nodes have transformations or animations you need to be carefull to copy them over as well or else you can easily mess things up.
 
Moving the MPs back to under the master SGN and removing the excess SGN fixes the issue in MCX, i.e. the slider results are what you would expect - that the prop remain static, but when you then export the amendment it again sets it back.
For some reason MCX feels the need to alter the setup in FSX for the conversion to FS9.

I imagine that a lot of it could be down to the way an individual modeller goes about things plus the tool that they use. I have checked some other models by the same author and they all have the same issue as well.
 
Let me make sure I understand the issue correctly. This is a FSX model. When you import the FSX model into MCX it shows up correctly. Then you export it to FS2004. When you load that FS2004 model back into MCX they props are displaced. Manually moving the nodes fixes that in MCX again. Did I get it right?
 
The new development release is online now.
 
arno said:
Let me make sure I understand the issue correctly. This is a FSX model. When you import the FSX model into MCX it shows up correctly. Then you export it to FS2004. When you load that FS2004 model back into MCX they props are displaced. Manually moving the nodes fixes that in MCX again. Did I get it right?
Click to expand...

Yes you are on the right track there. When the converted model is loaded back into MCX the props are in the right place UNTIL you move the animation slider when they rotate horizontally around the aircraft datum point.
When I then then move the MPs back to being directly under the master SGN and delete the child SGN created by the conversion process, so returning the setup back to as per pic1, and then move the animation slider the props stay in their correct prop0_still positions.

However, when you export it again MCX re-introduces the issue by again creating a child SGN and placing each prop0_still back under it, as per pic2.

When the converted aircraft is in FS9 everything seems perfectly fine, until the aircraft shuts down the the props rotate around the datum point as they do in MCX.

I can provide the original mdl, the converted one and all of the files created in compilation should they be useful.
 
Using 1/27 release.

Test 1: FS9 AI DC-6B to FSX
Props and right main wheels now rotate properly. Good.
That only leaves the passenger door, door opening, and animated panel of the airstairs - they are displaced and do not animate.
And the taxi lights do not get the fx_landing effect, they get an MCX generated effect instead. They should be given the fx_landing effect, just like the landing lights.

Test 2: FS9 AI Britannia to FSX
Airstairs do not appear at the parking spot.
Flaps are visible when they should not be.
(unchanged from the previous version export)
 
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Hey Arno,

So I just tried the AN-10 again with the latest dev release from this morning... I know in one of your previous posts you mentioned that the export was failing because of the textures using the "&" character, and I think remember it being mentioned that issue was going to be fixed in this release...? Anyway, I tested it twice again and it failed on me twice.. First test I just did "raw", second test I went into the material editor and re-named the textures to get rid of the "&" character it still failed... files attached. Thanks,
 

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