The SOH P-61 thread.

[warchild]

OK, by now most of you know that the P-61 development thread was deleted. I apologize for that. I assure you it was not the doing of either myself or any of the P-61 team.

The bottom line is, the P-61 is alive and well, and moving forward. We have run into some technical issues with exporting the model due to poly count ( its quite hefty ) but we are looking for ways to overcome the limitations of GMax so that we can complete the model.. Please stay tuned and we will bring this model too you as promised..
Thanks
Pam

[elcamino]

Oh wow!! That sound terrific . . We need a good black widow in the hangar.

[stovall]

Great news Pam, you know I will be flying the P-61 off Iwo Jima. Thanks for the update.

[mjahn]

We have run into some technical issues with exporting the model due to poly count ( its quite hefty ) but we are looking for ways to overcome the limitations of GMax so that we can complete the model.

You have heard about ULE, Unlimited Export from Gmax? Edit: delete this. Sorry, for a moment I thought this was FS9. Still, at FSDeveloper they have a compiler that can handle huge numbers of polies.

[Pips]

Very kind of you to post an update Pam. Really appreciate it. Shame that the development thread was moved, belongs here in FSX.

[hairyspin]

... at FSDeveloper they have a compiler that can handle huge numbers of polies.

OpenXtoMDL, a 64-bit MDL compiler by Sean Isom. Assuming the export from Gmax to .X and .XANIM succeeds it might help. It reportedly gets around the problem if using 3ds Max, so worth a shot.

[warchild]

You have heard about ULE, Unlimited Export from Gmax? Edit: delete this. Sorry, for a moment I thought this was FS9. Still, at FSDeveloper they have a compiler that can handle huge numbers of polies.

can you give me a link?? I imagine zRob has already tried, but who knows.. anything i can do to help this dream come true ya know :)..
Pam

[warchild]

OpenXtoMDL, a 64-bit MDL compiler by Sean Isom. Assuming the export from Gmax to .X and .XANIM succeeds it might help. It reportedly gets around the problem if using 3ds Max, so worth a shot.

Indeed it may be.. I'll pass this along as well.. Thank you..

[warchild]

Very kind of you to post an update Pam. Really appreciate it. Shame that the development thread was moved, belongs here in FSX.

Afraid it wasnt just moved. for reasons I dont know, it was completely deleted..

[warchild]

Also, does anyone know how i can contact Michael Davies??
Thanks
Pam

[mjahn]

FSX & Gmax, I am fairly sure you don't get the .x file, you'd need max for that.

But owls to Athens dept. probably, have you tried the usual trick, i.e. move all texture maps to a different folder so that gmax can't find them AND use a single wire frame window only ... that should give you a massive mem boost. If that is what's needed ...

[warchild]

FSX & Gmax, I am fairly sure you don't get the .x file, you'd need max for that.

But owls to Athens dept. probably, have you tried the usual trick, i.e. move all texture maps to a different folder so that gmax can't find them AND use a single wire frame window only ... that should give you a massive mem boost. If that is what's needed ...

to be honest, i'm not sure what techniques Rob employes. I can be fairly certain he's tried everything reasonable and a few things that arent, cuz after working with the man for two years, i can unequicably say that the man knows GMax inside and out.. he's one of the very best..
Franly, if we need Max to get the x file then we need to look at another way of possibly do this. Max costs 5000 dollars and more, and is not an option for us at this time..
Thanks though.. great suggestions :)
pam

[N2056]

Regarding the export issue...I am aware of using wire frame mode and not loading textures to save memory. I am also aware of the new exporter as I followed that discussion over at FSDeveloper. It is only for Max as Gmax does not allow access to the .x file for user manipulation. That was part of the agreement between Discreet and Microsoft to allow a Gmax game pack for FSX. I have not actively worked on the project for some time, but I occasionally open it up and fiddle with things, and I am constantly pondering how/what I can simplify in the model to keep it exporting. Right now it is doing fine (after removing the 3d engines and going with a textured disc), but I still have a fair amount of parts to build in the vc. I am also hoping for an update from the MAAM on their restoration site. The photos there have been invaluable to me on the project.

[Sundog]

Have you guys tried contacting Lionheart and seeing if he would put in 3DSMax and export it for you?

[N2056]

It's not really an option for many reasons, not the least of which being the number of times I need to export the project to check things in a session. :eek:

[Roger]

I am going to stick this thread here in the FsX forum which I believe is the right place for it. If the problems become insurmountable then we can unstickie it later.

[jimjones]

Warchild, thanks for your commitment to the p-61 project. Your efforts and interest in the project will be appreciated when it is completed.

[akira.shimada]

Did someone eventually think to use Blender with the plugin to import and export .x directx files ?

I know using blender means a long learning curve but it could be of any help.

[N2056]

Blender would be a huge step backwards for more reasons than I care to list. It really just boils down to knowing and accepting that there is indeed a "limit" to what Gmax can do, and then working within that. For this project that has meant that I am faced with simplifying a lot of things already done to make room for parts not made yet. It's just a matter of spending the time and effort to make the end product fly.

[hairyspin]

FSX & Gmax, I am fairly sure you don't get the .x file, you'd need max for that.

I'm forgetting that Gmax compiles straight from .gmax to .mdl without leaving an .X file lying around. However Gmax also uses the XtoMDL compiler as part of that process, so it might be worth trying Sean's compiler instead of the FSX version, just rename it from OpenXtoMDL.exe to XtoMDL.exe and see if the Gmax exporter will use it.

Worth a try... :isadizzy: