Looking for a panel design tool

[XLR8]

Hi all. I have been trying to learn how to design and update flight simulator aircraft for a while now. I pretty much got the sounds figured out and even desugned a few . I have even learned how to repaint aircraft. My next obsessen is the panels. I know how to change 2D panels out. I need to know if there is such a tool to modify 2D and 3D panels .I would like to update fs9 3D panels to work in FSX (gauges and such . Mainly for my own personal use.

My goal is to beable to in the future build freeware aircraft for the flight sim comunity.

[Lionheart]

The most AWESOME brilliant, easy to use program in the world for this is FSPS or FS Panel Studio. It should be available online at the Flight1.com shop.

Most all developers use this. It can even edit gauges.

About $20.00 USD.



Bill

[Kavehpd]

Exactly. FSPS is the best. I've been using it for years now.

Get the demo and try it for yourself: http://www.fspanelstudio.com/

[XLR8]

Thanks guys I downloaded the demo and have been playing with it. One question ? Can it be used with 3D panels ? The demo so far is very limited.

[n4gix]

Thanks guys I downloaded the demo and have been playing with it. One question ? Can it be used with 3D panels ? The demo so far is very limited.

That is a question with no "simple" answer! It can be no, mostly no, possibly, maybe somewhat, or yes...

...depending on just how the modeler designed the 3d cockpit... :eek:

[falcon409]

Thanks guys I downloaded the demo and have been playing with it. One question ? Can it be used with 3D panels ? The demo so far is very limited.
As n4gix noted, there is no simple answer to that and here's why. If you're lucky (we're talking about FS9 aircraft now), then the VC cockpit textures are included as part of the aircraft textures, if that's the case then you can update the textures, replace them with new ones of your making or retouch the existing textures. They do not show in FSPanel Studio though as the 2D does, so it takes a bit of manipulating to adjust gauges if that's necessary. If you get to that point, I can tell you a relatively simple way to do that.

Now, in the case of other VC's in FS9 portovers, there are many that have the panel bitmaps included as part of the model and those cannot be touched, so if you find an airplane with a poor panel bitmap and you want to replace it and the texture isn't part of the aircraft texture files, you're out of luck without the source code, lol.

Either way, you can still remove, swap or add gauges to most any VC, but there are instances where you are limited and those you just have to discover on a panel by panel basis.

Hope that helps!

[XLR8]

As n4gix noted, there is no simple answer to that and here's why. If you're lucky (we're talking about FS9 aircraft now), then the VC cockpit textures are included as part of the aircraft textures, if that's the case then you can update the textures, replace them with new ones of your making or retouch the existing textures. They do not show in FSPanel Studio though as the 2D does, so it takes a bit of manipulating to adjust gauges if that's necessary. If you get to that point, I can tell you a relatively simple way to do that.

Now, in the case of other VC's in FS9 portovers, there are many that have the panel bitmaps included as part of the model and those cannot be touched, so if you find an airplane with a poor panel bitmap and you want to replace it and the texture isn't part of the aircraft texture files, you're out of luck without the source code, lol.

Either way, you can still remove, swap or add gauges to most any VC, but there are instances where you are limited and those you just have to discover on a panel by panel basis.

Hope that helps!


Thanks for the info. A lot to learn here.