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MSFS20 Is it possible to create a building which doesn't 'leak' light inside?

jgarnold

jgarnold

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Firstly my apologies if this should be in the Blender forum however I don't know if this problem affects buildings created with other 3d editors.

I have created a simple small square building (using Blender) with geometry inside to be seen such as a cathedral roof with beams and rafters. I started with a cube mesh and added modifier solidify to give the walls thickness and allow a different material on the inside walls than the outside walls. At the corners inside (where the walls meet each other and the walls meets floor) daylight/sunlight leaks through (depending on time of day/angle of sun). I have experimented unsuccessfully to correct this.

Any ideas?
 
Thanks Gary,

I only searched in fsdeveloper but still missed your second link.

I checked my model and all faces are coloured BLUE and so face orientation is correct.

Before I continue I di NO see and light leakage in Blender yet it is seen in MSFS!

I changed the render to between Evee and Cycles and don't see any light leakage in Blender.

In one 'link' the author talks about 'shadows' settings but I would have thought that MSFS handles/controls shadows itself?

I do not see any light leakage in Blender only in MSFS.

Mamu (in his Discord channel) suggested that the model needs to be 'water tight' and one link suggested overlapping adjacent 'walls' to ensure it is 'water tight' however simply adding (modifier) solidify to the original faces sure would retain water tightness. There was no light leakage before I added solidify and I need to have the walls with a certain 'thickness' (like all normal walls do) so that I can have a different material on the outside of the walls from the inside of the walls.

I have spent hours on this experimenting without (obviously) success and feel that I should just place it in the 'too hard basket'.

I know that you don't use Blender otherwise I would upload the blender file but is there another way I could upload something for you to look at eg .fbx?

Thanks
 
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I would be glad to take a look at the 3D model in question in some 3D export file format that MCX can handle.

I would plan to also run a Sketchup plugin Ruby script on a MCX export that reports on 3D model "Solids" and helps fix them.


However, you may still be able to fix this in Blender with some further inquiry.

"Water-Tight" is an older term still used for solids; the more recent term is "Manifold".

IIUC, "Manifold" infers that one has "Welded" all adjacent Edges of 'flat' Faces.


One may need to "Weld" adjacent Edges to seal off gaps between Faces that allow Sun light to leak through from outside a 3D model.


Considering what you have already tried, you may now wish to test the methods cited in these queries:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ble...HoAbCBwYyLTEyLjHIBzqACAE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp



https://www.google.com/search?q=Ble...uAelAcIHBTItMi4xyAcQgAgB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

GaryGB
 
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Thanks I will look at that soon.

I just noted that when I apply a 'normal' texture to the model all faces are opaque looking from inside out and from outside in yet when I set the MSFS2020 material params (from disabled) to standard the walls are transparent looking from inside out.

I am using MSFS2020 material params so that I can use textures which have roughness, normal and base (albedo?). Maybe I should try not using MSFS2020 material params (ie set it to disabled) and place the 'normal' texture file in the Base Color.

Looks like there is light leakage not only where adjacent walls connect and walls to floor but also roof rafters (hadn't noticed that before).

What format can I export to for you to be able to look at?

1781745489969.png
 
You can ZIP and link folders containing a:

* .BLEND

* Khronos 2.0 (generic) glTF

* MSFS-2020 (compiled / 'packaged') glTF

...each of the above would need to include all textures mapped to the 3D model.


Mega (NZ), DropBox, MediaFire, Google, OneDrive offer free upload / anonymous download multi-GB accounts to link.

GaryGB
 
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Hi John:

I just tested the MSFS glTF imported to Sketchup 2017 Make (Free) via (Free) Ruby plugin scripts:

Samuel Tallet Universal Importer:

https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=universal_importer


TIG SolidSolver:

https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_solidsolver


...and after I told the script to ignore '8 coplanar Edges', it immediately fixed the 3D model and inserted a face in the (2) openings in the walls.


sketchup_2017_tig_solidsolver_seair_waiting_shed_for_gary-jpg.100097


I previously tested the 3D model with the same problems reported as the TIG script ...by:

thomthom Solid Inspector v1.3.0

https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=tt_solid_inspector


FYI: The areas flagged / fixed by the above Sketchup Ruby plugin scripts appeared to be the same ones seen in your screen shot above.

Tomorrow I plan to test the *.BLEND file in the version of Blender you created the file in (so, which numeric Blender version was that ? :scratchch )


If you provide a MSFS 2020 package with the MSFS glTF in it, which displays the Sun light leak anomaly, I'll test that in MSFS 2020.


I will have to use a different computer to do the latter (2) tests, as I am presently on an old laptop using Windows 7. 😉

GaryGB
 

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Thanks Gary.

You are the only responder and so I am wondering if there are no other readers of my thread who know the answer or if it is impossible to fix.

I used Blender 3.6 (and Windows 10 - yes haven't upgraded yet)).

Also meant to mention that I tried most if not all of the possible fixes in your links (eg weld modifier, 3D Print Box (for 'manifolds', which doesn't work with 3.6 so I opened the blender file in v4.5 and it found no problems), merge by distance etc etc) and so I am not 'sitting on my hands' waiting for someone else to solve this.
 
Windows 10 is a good place to be... I use it on all my computers except the current laptop.

If I need to use Windows 11 for something, I boot from a "Windows-To-Go" high speed USB drive install I created with a MS 'official' ISO and Rufus.

Then, when I'm done, I pull the Windows 11 USB, and back to Windows 10 I go ...ASAP. :stirthepo

GaryGB
 
BTW the two openings that sketchup filled need to be there as they exist in real life. Here one opening has a sliding door closed preventing entry by people -

1781763204895.png
 
Hi John:

I have not yet seen a Blender 3.6 compatible plugin which automatically "fixes" non-manifold meshes.


However, I did see a few things you may wish to take a look at for assisting a manual fix of Blender's mesh:

https://keramsbookreport.com/index....make-non-manifold-meshes-manifold-in-blender/

https://blenderartists.org/t/meshlint-like-a-spell-checker-for-your-meshes/539105

https://github.com/rking/meshlint


UPDATE: A possible contender for a plugin that both ID's non-Manifold mesh, and offers scripted quick-fixes:

https://github.com/vesper-astrena/blender-mesh-analysis


BTW: Do you have a compiled MSFS 2020 Package you wanted to share that shows the "Sun light leaks" ?


GaryGB
 
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Pretty much the only thing you can do is make the walls thicker. It's just the way MSFS renders shadows. They try to get away with them being as least detailed as possible (because it saves FPS) which can lead to leakage.
 
Thanks Anthony. I seem to be getting somewhere hopefully.

Watching a YouTube tutorial on creating a house the author used archimesh addon and then used Solidifier HOWEVER he set the Mode from Simple to Complex (no explanation why).
Looking at the Blender manual I find the following -

Complex:
This is a solidify algorithm which can handle every geometric situation to guarantee a manifold output geometry. This algorithm is able to solidify shapes like Möbius strips, Klein bottles, architectural wall layouts and many more which the Simple Mode isn’t able to do. If the special cases are not present it is recommended to choose Simple because the extra logic makes this algorithm much slower.

Now Gary mentioned manifold earlier and although I opened the blender file in blender 4.5 (as 3.6 doesn't support addon 3D Print Box) it didn't report any 'holes' HOWEVER I now plan to try using solidify with Mode set to Complex to see if that fixes the light leakage.
 
The 3D-Print Toolbox is part of the default Blender 3.6.x addons that come with Blender, so it is available. However, when dealing with glTFs, they are never manifold. On export to the glTF standard, the solidity of the mesh is 'ruined'. glTF doesn't support the concept of manifold objects. In Blender, export an object to glTF, then start a new scene and import the glTF... now not manifold. Not Blender's fault. Any glTF in non-manifold.

Let us know if Solidify helps with the light leak.
 
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