FSXA gMax / 3DS Max Taxiline problem

[Angelus1971]

Hi

I'm trying to create taxilines within Max and am having a bit of a problem. I can create the lines and can manage to texture them using the loft method.

The problem I have is when I try and merge 2 lines. I don't seem to be able to get the textures to merge correctly.

I've read all the posts on taxiway creating and I've seen pictuires posted on this forum of how to create multiple lines with joins and the textures flow correctly but nowhere does anyone say how they managed to do it.

I would be appreciative of some help in this matter or creating and texturing a multi-line, multi-connect taxiline using the loft method (or any other) if it can be explained please.

 

[jtanabodee]

I think the best way to do taxi lines is leaving it as a loft. You cannot easily apply the texture once it is an editable poly. If you merge two lines together that will change the loft to editable poly.

Looking for Surface Parameter->Apply mapping and click on normalized.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40204&highlight=loft

 

[Angelus1971]

Hi

Yes, I've seen that and I have to agree with you there. What I'm really having trouble with is when I try and join lines but when I do so, the loft functions "get shape" ceases to be available as the loft is not a closed loop.

I have been toying with the idea of creating a loft for the centre 'yellow' part of the line and using the 'edge loft' method for the black borders. This I can get to work with some success but not all the time, depending on the complexity of the line joints.

If I can use the loft method to draw the taxi line as in this real world example then it would be great and that is really what I am having bother with.

Should I continue to use the loft method for something this complex and if so and here the big question, How is multi line lofting done in a way it works please?

Thanks

 

[jtanabodee]

I'm sorry may be I don't understand your question deeply.

However, for your image, I would draw a line for each curve and do lofting one by one. You need to do lofting for each line, one at a time. No way to do lofting two lines at the same time. After you finish one lofting, you need to go back to the pointer to release from lofting function first before you pick the other line to do lofting.


You cannot merge two lines together then do the lofting. Lofting is the way to make model along the single line, not a combine lines.

I also attached the file of line created by your picture. Loft01 is texture already to be yellow. Loft 02 is textured to be white. The other Lofts is not textured yet.

 

[jtanabodee]

Sorry, I forgot to attache the file.

 

[Angelus1971]

HI

I managed to get my texturing to work in Max but havent compiled the BGL yet. Attached is a picture of what it looks like in Max.

I'm using the sweep & edge lofting technique. Its a long winded way but it does allow me to draw complex lines.

If it compiles ok tonight, I'll put up a small tutorial on how I did it.

I've haven't done all the outside lines, just the proof of concept top left one.

 

[Angelus1971]

I've check it and it works - will provide the tutorial later, not enough time right now.

 

[jtanabodee]

Great! I'd love to see your tutorial as well. May be it will speed up the building process.

 

[Angelus1971]

Hi

Just following my Tutorial and refining it a bit before I put it up.

Below is a snapshot of what you can achieve if you follow the easy bit of the tutorial - and by that I mean not adding the Black line edging which does take a lot of time. Ignore the background, this is my testing ground so it just graphics and not designated as an airport.

 

[Angelus1971]

I've done the Tutorial and attached it to this post. Please feel free to check it and make sure I haven't missed a few steps.

If something doesn't make sense, just ask and I'll try to make it clearer.

Thanks

 

[Angelus1971]

OK

So I had to redo the tutorial as there were some 'issues' with the previously posted one.

I've attached v1.2 here so please take it and try and break it. And please tell me where it is broken so I can fix it for everyone.

If its good enough, maybe it could be reviewed by an Admin and after fixing (if it needs it) maybe, maybe, it could be Wiki'd

 

[jtanabodee]

I'm not sure if I understand in right(if you have the picture to explain and label the thing that you are explaining would be nice).
But if I get you wrong, please discard all the comment below.

You are making three parts of a single line using different textures, isn't it?
The yellow one in the middle and the black edges both side of it.

Why don't make two lines? The yellow one over a big black one. Making them different templates and set the layer for yellow to be like 16 and black under that to be 8, something like that.

Doing that will increase the polygons much much more than using a single line. If it is a small airport, it should work. But for a big international airport, I'd like to have a single loft over another than a smooth connecting line the way you do.

However, it is really nice though. I would do for a small airport. It is really neat!

 

[Angelus1971]

Hi

Bit of confusion here. When I make the poly, I'm not compiling using Fs2002 SDK, its straight from 3dsMax to FSXA.

I'm not using layers or anything like that, this saves me a whole lot of time compiling and editing an changing layers and just no.

The reason there is only 1 line is that one you have created the initial sweep - yellow bit - you can use the tools in Max to create all the graphics and do a direct export. This way, when you create the edges (the black stuff), it exactly matches the swept centreline. See attached - it shows

Yes, I agree if you have a complicated airport (you should see my taxiways - really complicated) it will take some time, but we really should be getting away from using old tech (fs2002) when we are running FSX. It might be the current method of fudging what you need but there is really no need when we have tools that do it the FSX way. Anyway, that's just my thinking and I realise its not what most of the devs do, I just dodn't want to faf with all the ASM and stuff when I can do it directly This way, there are no layering issues.

 

[jtanabodee]

Hi Angelus1971,
I think you don't need fs2002 gamepack any more.
Model ConverterX with groundpoly wizard can do tweaking for you without any problem.
But I usually work in Gmax for ground poly and export with FS2004 game pack. Load those mdl to Ground Poly Wizard, set up the layer for each part, that's it.

Exporting with 3dsmax to be X-file then mdl can cause problem as well. You cannot see the shadow and if you place it at 0 height, it will flickering at high altitude. Those are the reasons that we keep using MCX or fs2002 style ground poly.

Try MCX you will like this program.

 

[Angelus1971]

Yeah, I use MCX as well, just to check my stuff. It saves a lot of time loading up FSX.

I found a way of not going from x to mdl, at least I think that's whats its doing as it doesn't seem to access the xtomdl compiler when exporting straight to mdl.

There is a setting in the export function on Max which exports to mdl seemingly missing out the .X bit first.

I saw your problems in the other thread with the self shadowing, hope you managed to get that fixed. I would just like to get some night light effects to work by just putting a light into the scene. But since that's never going to happen I'll just ignore it!

 

[jtanabodee]

I saw your problems in the other thread with the self shadowing

I think it is not fixable since it is hard wired inside the FSX.
The shadow from volume shadow is too dark. I tried that and saw my jetway turn to almost black at noon where the sun is perpendicular to the object. It did look ugly. So, I gave up.

 

[Angelus1971]

New Tutorial - v1.3

I've changed the tutorial slightly to use all sweeps and not a mixture of sweeps and lofts. Its a lot easier and quicker this way now that I've had a chance to test both methods out.