model parts visible in gmax not fsx

[paulkemp]

I am beginner so I'm hoping this is something simple.
I am building a vc in Gmax. Some parts had degenerate polygons. I exported them as .mdl files. Imported them in MCX and exported them as .3ds. I imported the parts into the vc scene in Gmax. I create the new .mdl of the vc but in FSX I see only the new parts. If I select all parts in Gmax and change the material I see the new parts in FSX in the new colour but still not the old ones.
Thanks Paul Kemp.

 

[KL791]

I am beginner so I'm hoping this is something simple.
I am building a vc in Gmax. Some parts had degenerate polygons. I exported them as .mdl files. Imported them in MCX and exported them as .3ds. I imported the parts into the vc scene in Gmax. I create the new .mdl of the vc but in FSX I see only the new parts. If I select all parts in Gmax and change the material I see the new parts in FSX in the new colour but still not the old ones.
Thanks Paul Kemp.

Try to check which materials apply to each part. It could be that some parts are exported with a transparent material. That has happend to me more than once...

 

[Milton_Shupe]

In my experience converting FS9 gmax to FSXA native, I found that a mix of FS9 and FSX materials caused invisible parts for me. So, until I got all objects converted to use FSX materials AND deleted the FS9 "Standard" materials, I did not worry about the invisible parts. Hope you are using the "Select_By_Material" script Created by : Hiroshi Igami

 

[paulkemp]

Thanks for the replies.
Milton, love your planes.
I think I did create an FSX material while blundering around.
I have reverted to an earlier save (with degenerate polys).
The parts containing degenerate polys appear in FSX so my question is do they matter or will they trip me up later?

 

[Milton_Shupe]

Thanks for the replies.
Milton, love your planes.
I think I did create an FSX material while blundering around.
I have reverted to an earlier save (with degenerate polys).
The parts containing degenerate polys appear in FSX so my question is do they matter or will they trip me up later?

Well, thank you Paul.

It would be worth your while to move ahead converting all materials to FSX before worrying with other issues.
Unhide all your scene objects,
use Select by Material,
use the FS9 materials to find the source of the textures used,
note the material properties,
create the FSX material and Apply to the selected parts.
Once all materials are converted, then delete the FS9 materials when done. You can verify no other parts use the FS9 material by checking the Material Navigator (with Map unchecked). It will show all FSX materials, all "Standard" (FS9 materials), and any object associated with each. If none show, they can be deleted.

I do not know exactly what causes the degenerate poly messages but I have not seen a display issue on parts that have the message.
I look at them but typically ignore.

 

[n4gix]

I do not know exactly what causes the degenerate poly messages but I have not seen a display issue on parts that have the message.
I look at them but typically ignore.

This has been discussed many years ago. What a "degenerate poly" actually is, is difficult to explain in words, but one example should suffice.

Imagine that you wanted to create a triangle shape. During construction you accidentally created four vertices instead of just three, and that one of those vertex points had precisely the same absolute x,y,z coordinates as another. That is by definition a "degenerate poly."

Anytime two or more vertices in a single poly overlap becomes a degenerate poly. Generally speaking most of the time it will not be noticeable in the sim, but occasionally they can cause some very noticeable shading issues. They are also notoriously difficult to find in Max/GMax or other modeling program.

 

[Milton_Shupe]

Thanks Bill; that is simple to understand.

My experience with the messages I get are from multiple objects that have been attached, like 3 prop collars on a prop hub. Since they were made as one cylinder, and propagated through use of the Array tool, then attached to make one object, I assume this would throw the warning out there. The three collars intersect so it would likely appear a warn-able situation.

 

[n4gix]

Milton, that is why I create a dummy node to use as the pivot point when creating an Array. Later I can attach the array to my prop spinner and get rid of the dummy node. Just another way to do things.

 

[ErickC]

It should be noted that a fringe benefit of being stingy with triangle counts and heavily invested in optimization is that I spend a lot of time verifying actual vertex and triangle counts on parts with the hypothetical count I make in my head (or on paper in the planning stages). A good way to detect degenerate polygons, incidentally, is to go the perspective view, turn on edged faces (F4), and zoom in far enough to clip through the parts and inspect them from the inside.