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FSXA FSXA SDK Installed but ... RESOLVED

Milton_Shupe

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My FSX Gold package SDK was installed with Acceleration some years ago and came with Gmax 1.2 (not yet installed).

I use Gmax 1.2 that came with FS9 for FS9 development on my C: drive.

FSX and its SDK are installed on my E: drive.

If I install the FSXA Gmax 1.2 on the E:drive, can I do that safely without affecting my FS9 installation of gmax 1.2?

If I can do this, I can get started with some native FSX conversions.
 
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hairyspin

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All you need is in the Wiki, Milton, under Tools. For Gmax, it's run from a shortcut which loads the necessary scripts for FSX tools and doesn't bork your FS9 tools. So much for retirement, lol!
 

Milton_Shupe

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Thanks Tom. My priority is to protect the current development environment and its gmax installation. If I can then proceed with the FSXA gmax install, I'll be good to go. Thanks; will check it out.

EDIT: Tried the gmax install but it wants to remove my existing gmax install from the C: drive.
Had to blow it off. It doesn't ask about what drive to put on even though its running from the E: Drive.
 
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n4gix

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Milton, you don't have to install another copy of GMax at all. Simply setup separate folders for your FS9 and FSX Gamepacks. Then have the desktop shortcuts point to the FS2004 or FSX_GmaxGamePack folders:

uVZje.png


I have my project folders organized according to the sim versions as well:

uVZsm.png
 

Milton_Shupe

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Hi Bill :)

Yes, I thought that from the beginning, but, I thought or was hoping that the installation would satisfy all the various FSXA plugins and paths to the FSX SDK, not fully understanding what those differences may be. At any rate, I will give that a try and work through the process. Thanks :)
 

n4gix

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Milton, here is a screenshot of my FSX_GmaxGamePack folder. Note the highlighted file FSX_Gmax. Drop a copy of it on your Desktop. It is already set up to load GMax for FSX automatically:

uW017.png
 

Milton_Shupe

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Thanks Bill; that is very helpful.

EDIT: Could you share the contents of the Plugins folder for the gamepack
 
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Milton_Shupe

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Okay, some progress here. This is what I get when I attempt to start gmax:

No Plugin Folder Was Found: 3DSMax

Not sure why it needs this with gmax but ...

Closest thing I have in the E:\Microsoft Games\SDK\Environment Kit\Modeling SDK is the 3DSM7 folder that contains scripts and plugins which I copied to the appropriate folders.

Any ideas?
 

Milton_Shupe

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Based on my review of the SDK installation Wiki Troubleshooting, I determined the SP2A SDK install was not done properly based on the fact that I had html's instead of chm's.
"If your SDK is still in HTML format, rather than the Windows Help File format, (CHM),
then you have not installed SDK SP2."
So, I have uninstalled the SDK through the control panel and will re-install it per the WIKI installation instructions.

So, this thread issue is closed.
 

Milton_Shupe

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Just an update: I reinstalled the FSXA SDK per the WIKI instructions, used the troubleshooting guide to get the FSX Tools menu to show, got a separate gmax installation on the E: Drive just for FSX, ran the ADE tests, tested gmax exports and tools, and all is well on the home-front.

Now to get familiarized with the tools and the ways of FSX modeling. Thanks to everyone who provided guidance.
 

n4gix

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Closest thing I have in the E:\Microsoft Games\SDK\Environment Kit\Modeling SDK is the 3DSM7 folder that contains scripts and plugins which I copied to the appropriate folders.
Although you have now sort-of gotten things working, I wish to point out that copying the contents of the 3DSM7 folder to the GMax\gamepacks folder was a mistake. That folder and its contents are only used if you have Max7 installed!

Now the next question is are you still able to launch and use the FS2004 (FS9) version via the desktop shortcut? The reason I ask is because the Desktop Shortcuts use the %GMAXLOC%gmax.exe command to read the Registry to determine the absolute path to your gmax folder.
 

Milton_Shupe

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Hi Bill, no I pulled everything out of the FS9 side and created a new gmax setup on the E: drive just for FSX. The FS9 side is unmolested at this point and works fine.
Yes, I knew those folders were for Max but was trying to resolve the error message at the time.
That's when I realized that the SDK for FSXA was not properly installed.
So, with the SDK now properly installed, the new gmax setup works beautifully, all neat and orderly. All the tools work, exports fine, as does FS9.
I also have the modeldef.xml set up for my custom additions, the first 100 GUID's generated and ready, have a process setup to begin converting the Marauder to FSX native.

Thanks
 

n4gix

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Ah so! You have indeed then gotten everything organized. Just to add this addenda to my personal setup, I actually use P3Dv3.4 SDK's xtomdl.exe to compile FSX compatible models. :wizard:
 

Milton_Shupe

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Hi Bill; yes, it is going well. I have completed all the exterior animation changes, animation manager setups, attach points for visibility of props and tires, and that all works well. Moving focus to
ms-2017-mar-25-004.jpg
exterior materials now.
 

Milton_Shupe

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ms-2017-mar-26-012a.jpg
ms-2017-mar-26-008a.jpg


LOL Paul; it may not be what it seems. I have established an FSX modeling capability that now works. Just between me and you (shhhhhh), my main objective is to get "HMS Victory" in the sim. It has over 200K polys and not possible in FS9. This was a freeware download from the web and looks good as an exterior model with a good deck. It has possibilities.

I am a bit burned out with twin radial projects now wrapping up 2 of them plus the xp-54 Vultee. Need a change of pace.

So, once these projects are out the door, my focus will likely turn nautical for a bit to honor this great ship.

The screenshots from FS9 show a stripped down version of a static model. The other 190K polys wait in the background. :)
 
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Milton_Shupe

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It is Bill, and although a challenge for me with respect to materials using gmax, I am hoping to work through it.

The Marauder test bed exterior has gone well w/respect to animations and attach points, but gmax materials are already souring my taste for the conversion to native.
As an FS9 completed project, these views in FSX of the native progress is disheartening.

EDIT: Hmmmph! Seems it was the FS9 materials causing the weirdness. Once I discovered that the material editor was missing all the "FSX goodies below the slots", I figured there must be a FS9/FSX difference. After merging in a true FSX material, the export complained about the FS9 materials ... so today I start replacing all the materials. Doing a straight conversion to native is almost as bad as going through a .obj. :)
 

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Milton_Shupe

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Just wanted to update the status on this FSX development environment and the project.
I have successfully now converted the B26B/C Marauder to FSX native with all exterior and interior animations, attach points, and only FSX materials. Everything is working well.
Thanks to all of you for your assistance, and to Larry "Tacho_Kichi" for his insight in using FSTools and for some material settings for glass, chrome and standard parts.
Here are a few screenshots (without texture artists embellishments). The FS9 model has quite a few artists working on that side so I kept the mapping the same for the FSX native model.
I deselected bump and spec maps until we get some basic paint kit in place.
 

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