trucker17
April 25th, 2016, 10:12
This information was and is always helpful to me. Maybe it will be helpful to others.
By robystar
Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX
- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import
A newly made object does not have a Guid number and an altered object should have a different name and Guid otherwise either the changes don’t show or the original object is gone. So do not forget to go to the object information icon and edit name and Guid or set new Guid.
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings
Go to Country settings and edit the decimal sign to read ‘.’ Instead of ‘,’.
E.g. 135,000 US dollars i.o. 100.000 Euro (at the moment).
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS
When importing textures from say GE you end up with a jpg texture format. You have to convert this format into a BMP or DDS format for FS to be able to use it. It is not a matter of simply changing the extension but converting the texture file with a paint program or with DXTBMP. MCX can now do this for you through its mass texture editor.
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures
If you open the material editor to check on your textures and you have a texture that needs some transparency, do not forget to click on the texture in question and click on the ‘Set Default Transparent’ tab at the bottom of the pop up screen.
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl
If you make a new bgl out of your mdl and you do not put it in the scenery file of an activated Scenery Object Library, your object will not show up. So you either place it in a previously activated scenery or make sure you activate your new scenery.
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model
At present (Feb 2010), MCX cannot read FS8/9 aircraft files (although it can sometimes read FS9 AI craft files). In FSX there is no longer any difference between scenery and true FSX aircraft models so both can be read by MCX.
- Not using the latest development release
In the Tools/Tools Support/ModelConverterX/ Sticky: download ModelConverterX/ thread, I suggest you download the latest development release.
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations
More info on these settings and the prerequisites for running the program can be found in the ModelConverterX manual in the Wiki section of this site.
- When using Google Sketchup for modelling, forgetting to size the texture in GSU to the size of the polygon to be textured.
- Not having installed the latest Microsoft.NET framework version 2.0 or later.
- Forgetting (in the MCX options) to fill in the paths to your respective SDK's if you have FS9, FSX and/or P3D.
(Make sure you use the correct ones).
E.g. FSX mdl's (especially when with attached effects or objects) may not work as they should in P3D when not converted/recompiled with the respective tools found in their SDK.
And if you want to work in FS9, it is easier to avoid mistakes when you point MCX to FS9 as your favorite FS. Same goes for FSX or P3D.
- the first thing not to forget when opening MCX is go to its settings dialogue and check if everything you want to do is enabled or disabled depending on what you will use it for.
(For instance the draw call batching: make sure you have draw call batching enabled in the settings or otherwise whatever you do will be a waste of time.)
And please make sure you download the latest Development Release from http://www.scenerydesign.org/development-releases/.
- If importing from SU and having used standard SU textures that later have to be replaced in MCX by your own, forgetting to UV map the SU ones correctly.
By robystar
Some of the common mistakes on creating or converting mdl’s with ModelconverterX
- Forgetting to change name and/or Guid after import
A newly made object does not have a Guid number and an altered object should have a different name and Guid otherwise either the changes don’t show or the original object is gone. So do not forget to go to the object information icon and edit name and Guid or set new Guid.
- Not having set the decimals to dot in the country settings
Go to Country settings and edit the decimal sign to read ‘.’ Instead of ‘,’.
E.g. 135,000 US dollars i.o. 100.000 Euro (at the moment).
- Forgetting to convert texture format to BMP or DDS
When importing textures from say GE you end up with a jpg texture format. You have to convert this format into a BMP or DDS format for FS to be able to use it. It is not a matter of simply changing the extension but converting the texture file with a paint program or with DXTBMP. MCX can now do this for you through its mass texture editor.
- Forgetting to click on set default transparent for transparent textures
If you open the material editor to check on your textures and you have a texture that needs some transparency, do not forget to click on the texture in question and click on the ‘Set Default Transparent’ tab at the bottom of the pop up screen.
- Forgetting to activate the object library in the FSX settings/scenery library after adding xml and compiling into bgl
If you make a new bgl out of your mdl and you do not put it in the scenery file of an activated Scenery Object Library, your object will not show up. So you either place it in a previously activated scenery or make sure you activate your new scenery.
- Trying to convert a non-scenery object or a non true FSX model
At present (Feb 2010), MCX cannot read FS8/9 aircraft files (although it can sometimes read FS9 AI craft files). In FSX there is no longer any difference between scenery and true FSX aircraft models so both can be read by MCX.
- Not using the latest development release
In the Tools/Tools Support/ModelConverterX/ Sticky: download ModelConverterX/ thread, I suggest you download the latest development release.
- Not having the MCX various path settings (under options) adapted to your FS and SDK file locations
More info on these settings and the prerequisites for running the program can be found in the ModelConverterX manual in the Wiki section of this site.
- When using Google Sketchup for modelling, forgetting to size the texture in GSU to the size of the polygon to be textured.
- Not having installed the latest Microsoft.NET framework version 2.0 or later.
- Forgetting (in the MCX options) to fill in the paths to your respective SDK's if you have FS9, FSX and/or P3D.
(Make sure you use the correct ones).
E.g. FSX mdl's (especially when with attached effects or objects) may not work as they should in P3D when not converted/recompiled with the respective tools found in their SDK.
And if you want to work in FS9, it is easier to avoid mistakes when you point MCX to FS9 as your favorite FS. Same goes for FSX or P3D.
- the first thing not to forget when opening MCX is go to its settings dialogue and check if everything you want to do is enabled or disabled depending on what you will use it for.
(For instance the draw call batching: make sure you have draw call batching enabled in the settings or otherwise whatever you do will be a waste of time.)
And please make sure you download the latest Development Release from http://www.scenerydesign.org/development-releases/.
- If importing from SU and having used standard SU textures that later have to be replaced in MCX by your own, forgetting to UV map the SU ones correctly.