ship models - how to convert to a mdl file?

[RWILLS]

Looking for advice regarding how to arrive at the .mdl file, from a CAD file - I can create/export a wide range of file types/mesh using Rhino6 but not .mdl.

I have tried ModelConverterX_130 so far but this seems to require additional software in order to export a .mdl file?

[Shessi]

Hi RW,
You can export as a .3ds or .OBJ file from Rhino, without any animations.

MCX 1.3 was the original MCX...yeeeaarrrs ago. Get the latest MCX version 1.6 or atleast 1.5 and above, from the FSDevelopers site.

Import 3ds or OBJ file and then choose FS2004 aircraft mdl export choice, there is no CFS2 mdl choice. You will then have to use MDLC (which is prob what it's asking you to use before), get it here in the CFS2 Utils library section, to convert from an Fs2004 mdl to a CFS2 mdl.

Are you trying to make a ship 'flyable', so you can pilot it about on the high seas or? If you just want it as a scenery item then it will have to be a .bgl, which again you vcan export it as a Fs2004 bgl from MCX, but you will not have to convert it to a CFS2 standard, as CFS2 'sees' Fs2004 bgls.

Cheers

Shessi

[RWILLS]

Hi RW,
You can export as a .3ds or .OBJ file from Rhino, without any animations.

MCX 1.3 was the original MCX...yeeeaarrrs ago. Get the latest MCX version 1.6 or atleast 1.5 and above, from the FSDevelopers site.

Import 3ds or OBJ file and then choose FS2004 aircraft mdl export choice, there is no CFS2 mdl choice. You will then have to use MDLC (which is prob what it's asking you to use before), get it here in the CFS2 Utils library section, to convert from an Fs2004 mdl to a CFS2 mdl.

Are you trying to make a ship 'flyable', so you can pilot it about on the high seas or? If you just want it as a scenery item then it will have to be a .bgl, which again you vcan export it as a Fs2004 bgl from MCX, but you will not have to convert it to a CFS2 standard, as CFS2 'sees' Fs2004 bgls.

Cheers

Shessi

downloaded mcx1.5, but doesn't seem to work at all (yet!)

in mcx1.30, the following are in the (default) export settings. - are these paths looking for something that would be in an FS2004 install?


BGLWriter
FS2004BGLCompPath c:\fs2004 sdk\bglcomp sdk\bglcomp.exe

MDLWriter
MakeMDLpath c:\fs2004 sdk\makemdl sdk\makemdl.exe

[Allen]

Those are the default FS2004 SDK tool install paths. For MCX to make an FS04 MDL it needs the MS 04 Make MDL.

[gavinc]

downloaded mcx1.5, but doesn't seem to work at all (yet!)

in mcx1.30, the following are in the (default) export settings. - are these paths looking for something that would be in an FS2004 install?


BGLWriter
FS2004BGLCompPath c:\fs2004 sdk\bglcomp sdk\bglcomp.exe

MDLWriter
MakeMDLpath c:\fs2004 sdk\makemdl sdk\makemdl.exe

Hi,
MCX by itself doesn't compile models or scenery. It uses the Microsoft tools that are included in the SDK.
You can get the FS2004 SDK here
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 SDK Pack (All kits) (flyawaysimulation.com)

I would strongly recommend that you use the most recent release as there are a lot of bugs fixed between 1.5 and 1.6 plus some new features.

Gavin