Converting FS9 Trackers to FSX DX10

[malibu43]

I originally posted in the FS9 Grumman Tracker thread (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?56148-SOH-Team-Project-Grumman-Tracker-Trader-Tracer&p=832256&viewfull=1#post832256), but it was suggested I might have better luck posting here...

I have a question about using these CDF tankers (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?63290-Grumman-S2A-CDF-Tankers-for-FS9) in FSX with DX10 turned on (They work fine in FSX in DX9). I used DXTBmp to convert all the textures to DDS DXT5. After fumbling my way through it a few times, I got the exterior skin of the aircraft to display fine.

However, the left, center, right, and overhead panels don't display, and neither do any of the gages. I'm not familiar enough with FSX aircraft/panels to know where to start. Does anyone know what I need to do to get the panels and gages to display correctly?

I also tried the demo version of Addon Converter X and the FS9 version of the tankers show up fine when using DX10. My understanding was that Addon Converter X mainly converts textures to different formats, so, if that is the case, I was thinking I could just convert the textures on my own instead of paying $20 for a program that does the same thing.

I tried contacting the Eagle Rotorcraft guys, but I don't get the feeling they're actively working on the tanker conversions when I look at their forums.

Also, the reason I'm giving DX10 a try is because there is supposedly a "DX10 Fixer" being released soon that is kind of like the DX10 patch that FSX never got.http://stevesfsxanalysis.wordpress.c...scenery-fixer/ (http://stevesfsxanalysis.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/dx10-scenery-fixer/) How well it will really work I don't know. But if it works well, I was thinking of switching to DX10, and I really want to bring some fire tankers with me!

[MCDesigns]

That is the main issue with DX10, you have to use pure FSX material settings in in, unlike DX9 mode which lets you have some backward compatibility. If you have the source files it isn't that big of a deal to make it DX10 compliant, but many have the weird mindset that DX10 is not a viable option and as such don't ensure their designs will work in it. Granted some things won't work in DX10, but the list is small and getting smaller daily.

Since these were converted to FSX native, I would think they would work. I don't have many ports so I haven't seen the panel issues, but there is probably a fix for it. try contacting the guys that did the conversion again

[Dumonceau]

Malibu,

From what I have read so far, most if not all of the Tracker/trader/Tracer models will eventually be converted.

So maybe a wait is in order here. What you can always do is try to swap the gauges of the FSX native models to the VC of the model you're interested in. I think that it should work.

Dumonceau

[malibu43]

Thanks guys.

I think I'll just wait for the DX10 Fixer to come out to see if that does it for me. If not, I'll just wait for the Eagle Rotorcraft guys to get around to it.


Malibu,

...What you can always do is try to swap the gauges of the FSX native models to the VC of the model you're interested in. I think that it should work.

Dumonceau

I did give that a try (I actually copied over the entire panel folder), but the result was the same. That makes me think I'm just missing another simple step somewhere, but I have no idea what.

[Dumonceau]

Thanks guys.

I think I'll just wait for the DX10 Fixer to come out to see if that does it for me. If not, I'll just wait for the Eagle Rotorcraft guys to get around to it.



I did give that a try (I actually copied over the entire panel folder), but the result was the same. That makes me think I'm just missing another simple step somewhere, but I have no idea what.

Just doing that won't do the trick, because the exact modelling is not there. What I meant is using the FSX gauges in the FSX panel cfg. You'll loose a lot of functionality though. I doubt that the clickable area's would be working, but the gauges would be readable. Like a lot of the portovers on simviation.

Dumonceau

[malibu43]

Just doing that won't do the trick, because the exact modelling is not there. What I meant is using the FSX gauges in the FSX panel cfg. You'll loose a lot of functionality though. I doubt that the clickable area's would be working, but the gauges would be readable. Like a lot of the portovers on simviation.

Dumonceau

The panel.cfgs from both the FSX and FS9 versions are identical. So are the .bmps in the panel folder, and they both have their own ST_Tracker.cab.

edit - and just to clarify, when I say "panel", I'm talking about the panel and gages in the VC. I haven't tried (nor do I really care about) the 2D panel.

[Bjoern]

I was thinking I could just convert the textures on my own instead of paying $20 for a program that does the same thing.


Heh. I did the same with all my AI aircraft, but to no avail.

DX10 isn't that great anyway. And paying money just to have it pseudo-fixed...? Nah.

[Dumonceau]

The panel.cfgs from both the FSX and FS9 versions are identical. So are the .bmps in the panel folder, and they both have their own ST_Tracker.cab.

edit - and just to clarify, when I say "panel", I'm talking about the panel and gages in the VC. I haven't tried (nor do I really care about) the 2D panel.

Are the contents of the ST_Tracker.cab files of both versions exactly the same? If not, try swapping them!

[malibu43]

Are the contents of the ST_Tracker.cab files of both versions exactly the same? If not, try swapping them!

I haven't checked the contents of the .cab file, but I did swap the entire panel folder (panel.cfg, bmps, .cab) from the FSX version into the FS9 tankers and still got the same result...