Another model / texture question?

[Duckie]

Ok, here's the deal. It's an older native FSX model that doesn't use diffuse alpha, but does use bump and specular files. The finish on the model is so unrealistically glossy (to me) that it totally defeats any attempt at adding details in the diffuse or the bump files, and I am unable to affect this condition no matter what I've tried. After testing extreme ends of the color scale with the spec and spec alpha, I've found there is no affect to the shine or intensity of the shine on the model.

Now, my question, is it possible for me to modify the model for the defuse textures to use alphas so the textures can control the shine using available free tools/utilities. (I realize that texture techies do not like to use the word shine but it's the only term the make sense to me!) ?

Thanks,

Steve

[huub vink]

Steve,

Isn't this what the utility "shine" was made for? I have never tried it on an FSX model and it doesn't run on any Windows version later than XP.

But perhaps somebody still has "shine" installed and could give it a try. You could post your question in the FS9 forums as well as there a several persons modding model files.

Cheers,
Huub

[Duckie]

Steve,

Isn't this what the utility "shine" was made for? I have never tried it on an FSX model and it doesn't run on any Windows version later than XP.

But perhaps somebody still has "shine" installed and could give it a try. You could post your question in the FS9 forums as well as there a several persons modding model files.

Cheers,
Huub

Hi Huub, I used Model Shine quite a bit in FS9 and it's a good utility. Never tried in X mainly because of the XP issue. But it's a thought. I still have XP on a dual boot so might give it a shot unless anyone KNOWS it won't work. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Duckie]

No joy Huub! It was worth the try though. Thanks again for the tip.

Steve

[bazzar]

It is likely that your model was built with a high degree of reflectivity in the material settings. This can come from the colour of the base specular channel and the level of gloss set. Without alpha you have no chance of controlling it. It is doubtful whether putting in a white alpha channel in your textures will cure it either. The only way is to go back into the source model and change the material settings.

[Postbaer61]

This should be possible with the Material Editor in MCX.
Provided, the FSX SDK is installed.

[Duckie]

It is likely that your model was built with a high degree of reflectivity in the material settings. This can come from the colour of the base specular channel and the level of gloss set. Without alpha you have no chance of controlling it. It is doubtful whether putting in a white alpha channel in your textures will cure it either. The only way is to go back into the source model and change the material settings.

Thanks Baz. You are correct, which is why I'm asking if a non-modeler (me!) can modify the model to use diffuse alphas to control the gloss/shine.

This should be possible with the Material Editor in MCX.
Provided, the FSX SDK is installed.

Hi Postbear61. I do have the XSDK installed and I've tried changing the properties using MCX to match some examples of other models with, what are to me, good texture parameters. Unfortunately I can't get it to compile without errors. I'm kinda flying blind here looking for a hole in the clouds.

[Mach3DS]

Duckie, email sent.

[Postbaer61]

Hi Postbear61. I do have the XSDK installed and I've tried changing the properties using MCX to match some examples of other models with, what are to me, good texture parameters. Unfortunately I can't get it to compile without errors. I'm kinda flying blind here looking for a hole in the clouds.

If that's an default native FSX model, it should be no problem to compile.
If that's an converted FS9 model, you have to go through the conversion process
and all his steps before you can compile without errors.
If you like, you could send me the model or tell me which one you use and i will
take a look.

[Duckie]

If that's an default native FSX model, it should be no problem to compile.
If that's an converted FS9 model, you have to go through the conversion process
and all his steps before you can compile without errors.
If you like, you could send me the model or tell me which one you use and i will
take a look.

Thanks Pb61. It is definitely a native FSX model. I haven't thrown up my hands just yet. Still fiddling. I guess I need to learn how to do this if I'm gonna keep painting. So, back to salt mines for some more T&E!

[Postbaer61]

That's how I learned it and i still learn.
You'll made it definitif too, I'm pretty sure.

[DaveWG]

What errors are being thrown up?
If it's warnings about degenerate polys, you can ignore those.

[Duckie]

OK, everyone, between your comments and suggestions and my T&E I got the texture parameters changed in the model. For Some reason v1.3 of MCX wouldn't accept the changes. I installed v1.4 and everything worked like a charm.

Thank you all for taking the time to comment.

Steve

[Duckie]

Well folks, as stated above the exterior texture shine/gloss situation has been remedied ...to a point...

[IMG]-2018-aug-23-002 by Steve Bryant, on Flickr[/IMG]

...since I modified the textures in the model I have lost the textures as viewed from the VC!

[IMG]-2018-aug-23-001 by Steve Bryant, on Flickr[/IMG]


Any tips?

Thanks,

Steve

[Shessi]

Hi Steve,
That's strange, as I expect the VC tex's are taken from the same external tex's. Maybe not and there is another tex set for the VC view?

Are they DDS or 32 bit BMPs? or if so, have you converted them to BMP's?

You could go back to MCX and see if there is a VC material parameter that you also need to change, as that it much shinier than the external view setting. But that would not account for the lack of tex???

What model is it?

Cheers

Shessi

[Duckie]

Hi Steve,
That's strange, as I expect the VC tex's are taken from the same external tex's. Maybe not and there is another tex set for the VC view?

Are they DDS or 32 bit BMPs? or if so, have you converted them to BMP's?

You could go back to MCX and see if there is a VC material parameter that you also need to change, as that it much shinier that the external view setting. But that would not account for the lack of tex???

What model is it?

Cheers

Shessi

Hi Shessi,

It is the native FSX RF/Vertigo F6F.

I converted the BMPs to DDS to adde diffuse alpha to control gloss/shine

The entire stock model is as shiny as that exterior wing view before the mod.

Aside from converting bmp to dds I only modded the external texture files for alpha and spec. After I made this conversion and mod is when the exterior textures went away.

Steve

[DaveWG]

The interior VC model will still have it's materials set up for the original textures, so any changes you made to them could well result in the problems you see. You'll have to modify the interior mdl in the same way as the exterior.

[Duckie]

...
You could go back to MCX and see if there is a VC material parameter that you also need to change...

Cheers

Shessi

The interior VC model will still have it's materials set up for the original textures, so any changes you made to them could well result in the problems you see. You'll have to modify the interior mdl in the same way as the exterior.

Nail on the head! That did it. If I keep learning stuff like this I might become a real repainter one day!

Thank you both, Shessi and Dave, for taking the time to teach and old dog new tricks!

Steve

[Shessi]

Cheers

Shessi