Blender Problems with my transition to the Microsoft GLTF Extension

[Ahunterg95]

Hi everyone,

Last month I was creating some fencing for a scenery I have been working on. I had reached an outcome that I was really quite satisfied with and it looked half decent in the Simulator. Anything that's rounded off has a subdivision modifier applied to it (posts and gate).

However, I was using the "MSFS toolkit" instead of the more recently released "Microsoft GLTF Extension", so I decided to do a switch across as I was eying off doing LOD's. I feel like I followed the instructions properly and transitioned my textures across.

Now I am having issues more broadly, concerningly with brand new custom models exported entirely with the Microsoft GLTF Extension (ensuring that "Apply Modifiers" is selected)...

As far as I can tell the issue seems to be associated with the Subdivision Modifier? The models and texturing look identical in Blender, but models without the Subdivision Modifier like the signs, small storage shed and the wire show as they should.

I'm kind of at a loss now, I really hope someone knows what's going on?!

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Anthony31]

Now I am having issues more broadly

I think you may need to be a bit more specific here. What exactly is the problem you are having? What should people be looking for in your screenshots?

Is there any reason you can't simply apply the Subdivision Modifier rather than relying on the exporter to apply the modifier?

 

[Ahunterg95]

Hi Anthony,
By "more broadly" I was referring to my following point that even the new models I am exporting (which haven't had to have their textures migrated from the MSFS Toolkit format) are seemingly displaying improperly after they are exported.

The first screenshot is of the fence textured and exported using the "MSFS Toolkit" the second two screenshots below show the very same fence after it was exported using the Official "Microsoft GLTF Extension".

The surfaces with the Subdivision Modifier don't look the same, that is after migrating the textures and even re-texturing the model of the fence post.

I believe that I have applied the Subdivision Modifier but for it to be exported in the model data, the "Apply Modifiers" option must be selected, from my limited experience.

 

[Anthony31]

I still don't understand the point you are trying to make.

To me it looks like the textures are being rendered very differently, namely it doesn't seem to have the same metallic as the first picture. To me that sounds like a texture issue but you are talking about surfaces and subdivision modifier which implies you are seeing something different with the geometry.

So I don't know, is it a geometry or a texture problem you have?

If it's a texture problem (which is what it looks like to me) then I can understand that as the MSFS Toolkit and the Microsoft extension set up the shading materials differently and this can lead to the metallic texture not being used (which is what it looks like to me is the problem).

Does this material have a Occlusion, Roughness, Metallic (comp) texture (see MSFS Material Params - Textures)? The MS Extension, by default, will be setup to have a comp texture and if you don't include one you may get unexpected results. A more detailed explanation would only be possible by you posting a screenshot of the Shading layout for the material (click on the Shading tab at the top of the Blender menu and ensure the texture is selected.

 

[Ahunterg95]

You are onto it Anthony, that is essentially the point I am trying to make... The textures look very different for textures that are the exact same and on the exact same model as the first photo in my first post.

Albedo, COMP, Normal.

I know the documentation for the Official "Microsoft GLTF Extension" mentions the potential for having to adjust some of the parameters, however, while those change the appearance in Blender they output the same broken-looking outcome to the model in sim.

It sounds like this isn't a problem you have come across yourself.
I might have to see if installation is the problem... A clean install of Blender and the extension

 

[Anthony31]

I have certainly had my fair share of texture problems with the exporter. It's a lot better than it used to be.

Your shading material seems to be OK.

Have you gone into the Settings of the Multi-export glTF 2.0 and ticked Custom Properties in the Include - Data section? It needs to be ticked otherwise the extra details of the material will not work. Someone else had a problem with exporting textures before and I believe this was the problem.

 

[Rotornut44]

When using the official blender exporter, first make sure you don't touch any of the nodes. Always make your changes in the material sidebar.
Did you press the material migration button when coming over from the other exporter?

Assuming you did, for your materials, clear out any custom properties. When coming from the old exporter, there will be a ton. Also click on the green triangle above the materials tab and the orange square and clear out any custom properties there.

Also, check that Metallic and Roughness are set to 1 since you are using a COMP. For anything with transparency, make sure to use mask instead of blend. Then make sure all of the material settings were updated in the node by going to your MSFS material type dropdown (which should be set to "Standard" and just click on standard again. The materials will most likely flash real quick on the model.

See if any of that does anything. To me it sounds like a screwy material or setting that didn't carry over right from the old material node structure.

 

[Rotornut44]

I have certainly had my fair share of texture problems with the exporter. It's a lot better than it used to be.

Your shading material seems to be OK.

Have you gone into the Settings of the Multi-export glTF 2.0 and ticked Custom Properties in the Include - Data section? It needs to be ticked otherwise the extra details of the material will not work. Someone else had a problem with exporting textures before and I believe this was the problem.

Just want to add to this that I have been told by multiple people that custom properties shouldn't really ever be used and have always exported with out them. It's possible that it could make it work with one of the custom properties from the old exporter, but this would only be a work-around as the issue is likely elsewhere. It should function correctly without the need for a custom property.

 

[Ahunterg95]

Thanks guys, I'll get back to it later this afternoon!

Did either of you have issues installing the Official "Microsoft GLTF Extension" I know I had it throwing errors at me when I installed it the first time and it's doing it to me again! I got it from here and am following the listed instructions: https://github.com/AsoboStudio/glTF-Blender-IO-MSFS

 

[rhumbaflappy]

Out of curiosity, what version of Blender are you using?

 

[Ahunterg95]

Out of curiosity, what version of Blender are you using?

3.1

 

[Anthony31]

Just want to add to this that I have been told by multiple people that custom properties shouldn't really ever be used and have always exported with out them. It's possible that it could make it work with one of the custom properties from the old exporter, but this would only be a work-around as the issue is likely elsewhere. It should function correctly without the need for a custom property.

I posted this back March of this year showing the difference in the material definitions once exported by the MS exporter. when setting the custom properties switch. It may be that since then the exporter has been updated. I'd have to check. But at the time there was a very real difference between custom properties ticked and unticked.

MSFS - How to prevent materials reflecting the sun - SOLVED (Custom Properties parameter)

Maybe I should go back and try and work out how to use MCX as I have only ever used it to convert models and extract textures mainly from .mdl format. I will start by looking for youtube tutorials on MCX and of copurse re reading what you have been explaining to me. One thing to understand...

www.fsdeveloper.com

It is indeed possible that the metallic, roughness and/or normal map scales have been set to zero instead of one (I've seen that before too).

I've also just deleted a material and made a new one from scratch because I couldn't figure out why the original material didn't work. There's certainly a lot of potential reasons why the material isn't exporting properly.

 

[Ahunterg95]

When using the official blender exporter, first make sure you don't touch any of the nodes. Always make your changes in the material sidebar.

Did you press the material migration button when coming over from the other exporter?

Assuming you did, for your materials, clear out any custom properties. When coming from the old exporter, there will be a ton. Also click on the green triangle above the materials tab and the orange square and clear out any custom properties there.

Also, check that Metallic and Roughness are set to 1 since you are using a COMP. For anything with transparency, make sure to use mask instead of blend. Then make sure all of the material settings were updated in the node by going to your MSFS material type dropdown (which should be set to "Standard" and just click on standard again. The materials will most likely flash real quick on the model.

Sooo.... Say we forget about the "Legacy" export transition just for a quick moment.

What I am somewhat confused about is; the fact that even a new model using only the official blender exporter is exporting out and looking like a dog's breakfast in sim.

The messed-up effect is quite similar to what I'm experiencing with the fence that I was trying to migrate.

I think I have managed to package up the model and materials through Blender: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ag3iNt0-lzinxWaBxRjgyZ-oOOFN

 

[rhumbaflappy]

You can keep using the old toolkit and the earlier version of Blender for projects started with them. No real need to switch if it's giving you a problem. That said, you might want to compare the .gltf files with a text editor, to see any difference between the old and new.

 

[Anthony31]

Sooo.... Say we forget about the "Legacy" export transition just for a quick moment.

What I am somewhat confused about is; the fact that even a new model using only the official blender exporter is exporting out and looking like a dog's breakfast in sim.

The messed-up effect is quite similar to what I'm experiencing with the fence that I was trying to migrate.

I think I have managed to package up the model and materials through Blender: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ag3iNt0-lzinxWaBxRjgyZ-oOOFN

Holy crap.

This is not how you make models for flight simulator. Oh my word there is so much wrong here. I will explain everything wrong with this model in my next post.

I was wondering why the generated model was 33MB in size and it's because you have a ridiculous amount of subdivision going on. The attached picture is after applying the subdivision modifier. You do not need this amount of subdivision.

Like I said, I will get onto the problems with this model later. For now, Tick the Custom Properties box like I told you.

Here is the gltf without the box ticked

{
    "asset" : {
        "extensions" : {
            "ASOBO_normal_map_convention" : {
                "tangent_space_convention" : "DirectX"
            }
        },
        "generator" : "Khronos glTF Blender I/O v1.8.19 and Asobo Studio MSFS Blender I/O v1.1.6",
        "version" : "2.0"
    },
    "extensionsUsed" : [
        "ASOBO_normal_map_convention"
    ],
    "scene" : 0,
    "scenes" : [
        {
            "name" : "Scene",
            "nodes" : [
                0
            ]
        }
    ],
    "nodes" : [
        {
            "mesh" : 0,
            "name" : "Cylinder"
        }
    ],
    "materials" : [
        {
            "doubleSided" : true,
            "name" : "Galvanised Upright",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 0
            },
            "occlusionTexture" : {
                "index" : 1
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorTexture" : {
                    "index" : 2
                },
                "metallicRoughnessTexture" : {
                    "index" : 1
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "doubleSided" : true,
            "name" : "Chrome Lid",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 3
            },
            "occlusionTexture" : {
                "index" : 4
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorTexture" : {
                    "index" : 5
                },
                "metallicRoughnessTexture" : {
                    "index" : 4
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "name" : "black rubber",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 6
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorFactor" : [
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    1
                ],
                "roughnessFactor" : 0.6100000143051147
            }
        }
    ],
    "meshes" : [
        {
            "name" : "Mesh",
            "primitives" : [
                {
                    "attributes" : {
                        "POSITION" : 0,
                        "NORMAL" : 1,
                        "TEXCOORD_0" : 2
                    },
                    "indices" : 3,
                    "material" : 0
                },
                {
                    "attributes" : {
                        "POSITION" : 4,
                        "NORMAL" : 5,
                        "TEXCOORD_0" : 6
                    },
                    "indices" : 7,
                    "material" : 1
                },
                {
                    "attributes" : {
                        "POSITION" : 8,
                        "NORMAL" : 9,
                        "TEXCOORD_0" : 10
                    },
                    "indices" : 11,
                    "material" : 2
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "textures" : [
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 0
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 1
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 2
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 3
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 4
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 5
        },
        {
            "sampler" : 0,
            "source" : 6
        }
    ],
    "images" : [
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_normal",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_normal.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_COMP",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_COMP.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_albedo",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_albedo.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_SteelRusted_1K_normal",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_SteelRusted_1K_normal.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_COMP",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_COMP.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_diffuseOriginal",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_diffuseOriginal.png"
        },
        {
            "mimeType" : "image/png",
            "name" : "TexturesCom_Paint_MachineDirty_1K_normal",
            "uri" : "TexturesCom_Paint_MachineDirty_1K_normal.png"
        }
    ],
    "accessors" : [
        {
            "bufferView" : 0,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 245742,
            "max" : [
                0.1467292755842209,
                2.0004050731658936,
                0.14672385156154633
            ],
            "min" : [
                -0.1467292606830597,
                0.18483880162239075,
                -0.14673613011837006
            ],
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 1,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 245742,
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 2,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 245742,
            "type" : "VEC2"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 3,
            "componentType" : 5125,
            "count" : 368640,
            "type" : "SCALAR"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 4,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 495348,
            "max" : [
                0.15239810943603516,
                2.3186633586883545,
                0.15239253640174866
            ],
            "min" : [
                -0.15239818394184113,
                1.978855848312378,
                -0.15240530669689178
            ],
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 5,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 495348,
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 6,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 495348,
            "type" : "VEC2"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 7,
            "componentType" : 5125,
            "count" : 743040,
            "type" : "SCALAR"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 8,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 157440,
            "max" : [
                0.1771446317434311,
                0.18483884632587433,
                0.17712785303592682
            ],
            "min" : [
                -0.17714464664459229,
                -0.00728168711066246,
                -0.17716319859027863
            ],
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 9,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 157440,
            "type" : "VEC3"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 10,
            "componentType" : 5126,
            "count" : 157440,
            "type" : "VEC2"
        },
        {
            "bufferView" : 11,
            "componentType" : 5125,
            "count" : 236160,
            "type" : "SCALAR"
        }
    ],
    "bufferViews" : [
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 2948904,
            "byteOffset" : 0
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 2948904,
            "byteOffset" : 2948904
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 1965936,
            "byteOffset" : 5897808
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 1474560,
            "byteOffset" : 7863744
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 5944176,
            "byteOffset" : 9338304
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 5944176,
            "byteOffset" : 15282480
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 3962784,
            "byteOffset" : 21226656
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 2972160,
            "byteOffset" : 25189440
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 1889280,
            "byteOffset" : 28161600
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 1889280,
            "byteOffset" : 30050880
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 1259520,
            "byteOffset" : 31940160
        },
        {
            "buffer" : 0,
            "byteLength" : 944640,
            "byteOffset" : 33199680
        }
    ],
    "samplers" : [
        {
            "magFilter" : 9729,
            "minFilter" : 9987
        }
    ],
    "buffers" : [
        {
            "byteLength" : 34144320,
            "uri" : "AHG_Metal Chimney_TEST.bin"
        }
    ]
}

Now here it is with the custom properties ticked.

{
    "asset" : {
        "extensions" : {
            "ASOBO_normal_map_convention" : {
                "tangent_space_convention" : "DirectX"
            }
        },
        "generator" : "Khronos glTF Blender I/O v1.8.19 and Asobo Studio MSFS Blender I/O v1.1.6",
        "version" : "2.0"
    },
    "extensionsUsed" : [
        "ASOBO_normal_map_convention"
    ],
    "scene" : 0,
    "scenes" : [
        {
            "extras" : {
                "msfs_extAsoboProperties" : {},
                "msfs_exporter_properties" : {},
                "multi_exporter_grouped_by_collections" : 1,
                "msfs_multi_exporter_lod_groups" : [
                    {
                        "group_name" : "AHG_Metal Chimney_TEST",
                        "lods" : [
                            {
                                "collection" : {
                                    "name" : "AHG_Metal Chimney_TEST",
                                    "type" : "Collection"
                                },
                                "file_name" : "AHG_Metal Chimney_TEST_custom",
                                "enabled" : 1
                            }
                        ],
                        "generate_xml" : 1,
                        "folder_name" : "//Chimney test\\"
                    }
                ],
                "msfs_multi_exporter_current_tab" : 0,
                "msfs_multi_exporter_settings" : {
                    "export_texture_dir" : "Texture",
                    "use_renderable" : 1,
                    "export_apply" : 1,
                    "use_active_collection" : 0,
                    "export_extras" : 1
                },
                "multi_exporter_show_hidden_objects" : 0
            },
            "name" : "Scene",
            "nodes" : [
                0
            ]
        }
    ],
    "nodes" : [
        {
            "mesh" : 0,
            "name" : "Cylinder"
        }
    ],
    "materials" : [
        {
            "doubleSided" : true,
            "extras" : {
                "msfs_normal_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_normal.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_emissive_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_normal_texture" : {},
                "msfs_blend_mask_texture" : {},
                "msfs_double_sided" : 1,
                "msfs_base_color_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_albedo.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_Galvanized2_1K_COMP.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_detail_color_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {},
                "msfs_base_color_factor" : [
                    1.0,
                    1.0,
                    1.0,
                    1.0
                ],
                "msfs_material_type" : 1,
                "msfs_emissive_factor" : [
                    0.0,
                    0.0,
                    0.0
                ],
                "msfs_metallic_factor" : 1.0,
                "msfs_roughness_factor" : 1.0
            },
            "name" : "Galvanised Upright",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 0
            },
            "occlusionTexture" : {
                "index" : 1
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorTexture" : {
                    "index" : 2
                },
                "metallicRoughnessTexture" : {
                    "index" : 1
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "doubleSided" : true,
            "extras" : {
                "msfs_normal_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_SteelRusted_1K_normal.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_emissive_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_normal_texture" : {},
                "msfs_blend_mask_texture" : {},
                "msfs_double_sided" : 1,
                "msfs_base_color_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_diffuseOriginal.tiff",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Metal_AluminumBrushed_1K_COMP.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_detail_color_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {},
                "msfs_base_color_factor" : [
                    1.0,
                    1.0,
                    1.0,
                    1.0
                ],
                "msfs_material_type" : 1,
                "msfs_emissive_factor" : [
                    0.0,
                    0.0,
                    0.0
                ],
                "msfs_metallic_factor" : 1.0,
                "msfs_roughness_factor" : 1.0
            },
            "name" : "Chrome Lid",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 3
            },
            "occlusionTexture" : {
                "index" : 4
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorTexture" : {
                    "index" : 5
                },
                "metallicRoughnessTexture" : {
                    "index" : 4
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "extras" : {
                "msfs_normal_texture" : {
                    "name" : "TexturesCom_Paint_MachineDirty_1K_normal.tif",
                    "type" : "Image"
                },
                "msfs_emissive_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_normal_texture" : {},
                "msfs_blend_mask_texture" : {},
                "msfs_roughness_factor" : 0.6100000143051147,
                "msfs_metallic_factor" : 1.0,
                "msfs_base_color_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_color_texture" : {},
                "msfs_detail_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {},
                "msfs_base_color_factor" : [
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    1.0
                ],
                "msfs_material_type" : 1,
                "msfs_occlusion_metallic_roughness_texture" : {},
                "msfs_emissive_factor" : [
                    0.0,
                    0.0,
                    0.0
                ]
            },
            "name" : "black rubber",
            "normalTexture" : {
                "index" : 6
            },
            "pbrMetallicRoughness" : {
                "baseColorFactor" : [
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    0.004895684774965048,
                    1
                ],
                "roughnessFactor" : 0.6100000143051147
            }
        }
    ],

You see all those extra MSFS parameters? Those are needed to render the textures properly. At least try it with the Custom Properties box ticked.

 

[Anthony31]

Now, onto the model issues. Here is the model without the subdivision modifier. There's still way too much geometry in this so it needs to be cleaned up.

Step 1. Object mode - Object - Shade Smooth. Will get rid of the sharp edges so it looks smooth without needing a subdivision modifier.

Step 2. Object mode - Modifier Properties - Add modifier - Decimate. Select Planar and and set the Angle Limit to 0.1 degrees. Apply. This will get rid of all the extra edge loops you have. They are doing nothing and don't need to be there. You can go into Edit mode to see how much cleaner it is.

Step 3. Object mode - Modifier Properties - Add modifier - Edge Split. You can leave the Edge Angle at 30 degrees. Apply. This will split any edges where the angle is greater than 30 degrees. It creates the sharps edges.

The final result is shown below which exports as a 24kb model instead of as a 33,345 kb model. Pretty much the same appearance with only 1% of the data.

 

[Ahunterg95]

Holy crap.

This is not how you make models for flight simulator. Oh my word there is so much wrong here. I will explain everything wrong with this model in my next post.

I had a feeling you would fall over backwards Anthony... I know you have mentioned too much detail previously, it's clearly now coming from my misuse of the subdivision modifier which is the wrong tool to be using by the sounds of it.

I am familiar with the Decimate Modifier, but it's no drama for me to start fresh with the knowledge of "shade smooth"!

For now, Tick the Custom Properties box like I told you

I will see how I go on a fresh model with less geometry, the use of Shade Smooth and NO Subdivision Modifier!
Maybe I was onto something with my suspicion of the Subdivision Modifier causing me grief in the export... I must have fluked my first export of the fence somehow

It's a long weekend coming up here in Melbourne, so I'll probably be away from the PC for most of the time. I'll get back into it with your words fresh in my mind and I'm sure that will make all the difference!

Thankyou Anthony, I really do appreciate your time and assistance.

I will let you know how I go.

 

[Anthony31]

You mentioned before that the subdiv modifier may have been the problem and yeah, I'm also starting to think that could have been the problem all along too. Maybe it was simply too much geometry.

Just for context, the Tiger Moth I am making is a total of 20MB in size (with the exterior and interior models added together) with 530,000 triangles (which is a lot of triangles) compared to the 33MB model and 450,000 triangles in just your chimney.

 

[Sandro81]

lord that amount of polys is fine for an aircraft not for such a small part of a scenery!

I would suggest to follow some actual fully fledged courses not just here and there on YouTube, the things you mentioned above show limited understanding of how topology works mixed with normals (no offence just to point out the problem).

You can use a shade-smooth and use your sharp as necessary to obtain the same look without crashing someone's sim or bring it down to single digit fps

 

[Ahunterg95]

lord that amount of polys is fine for an aircraft not for such a small part of a scenery!

I would suggest to follow some actual fully fledged courses not just here and there on YouTube, the things you mentioned above show limited understanding of how topology works mixed with normals (no offence just to point out the problem).

You can use a shade-smooth and use your sharp as necessary to obtain the same look without crashing someone's sim or bring it down to single digit fps

Considering I knew absolutely nothing (ZERO!) about 3D modelling or Scenery development this time last year (16/9/2021 was the date of my first package, let alone a 3D model), I'm more than happy with the progress I'm making!

Sure, there are a few models (some water tanks, the fence post, a chimney, shade shelter and gas bottle) I can now go back and refine... But it's not like I have released any of my projects or library to the public thinking they are good enough even for a freeware project

Photography was my area of study, sometimes I wish I had the foresight to get into 3D Design but my passion for Flight Simulation alone was born in the later years of high school once the photography wheels were already in motion.
I did the Donut tutorial twice during lockdown and I'm pretty sure Shade Smooth rings a bell but so does the Subdivision Modifier It's not like it tells you how to optimise it for a game...

It's ok though, I wouldn't be here asking the occasional question if I had a problem with people having a laugh at my early attempts.

All going well this will get me back on the right track

You mentioned before that the subdiv modifier may have been the problem and yeah, I'm also starting to think that could have been the problem all along too. Maybe it was simply too much geometry.

Just for context, the Tiger Moth I am making is a total of 20MB in size (with the exterior and interior models added together) with 530,000 triangles (which is a lot of triangles) compared to the 33MB model and 450,000 triangles in just your chimney.

That's incredible! My library packaging time will presumably improve (not that it's that bad) Each time I put one of those heavily subdivided models in, it wasn't too happy with me and nor was the blender exporter...
I had my suspicions, but it's good to know exactly why.