I have a long ways to go yet.....

[rdaniell]

....but, I'm beginning to slowly learn how to use Google SketchUp. Maybe in two or three years, I can give Dimus a run for his money....LOL.

RD

[Dimus]

It looks good and you are very proud of it I'm sure because you made it as you want it to be and you can keep making it better.

My first was nowhere near yours. It can be addictive and the learning curve is steep so we are expecting a lot from you in the near future.

[rdaniell]

It looks good and you are very proud of it I'm sure because you made it as you want it to be and you can keep making it better.

My first was nowhere near yours. It can be addictive and the learning curve is steep so we are expecting a lot from you in the near future.

LOL.....only if I can figure out what I did right to get it to show up in FSX. My short-term memory is horrible. I did a lot of modifying this terminal and now I can't seem to get it from SketchUp format back into a usable bgl file. I know I'm skipping a step somewhere along the path. Maybe later this evening or night, I'll remember all the steps I took. Hey! I'm having fun........I really, really am.

RD

[roger-wilco-66]

Nice work, just keep on going. :ernae:
Did you save it as dae (collada) and read it into ModelconverterX and export it into a mdl/bgl there?

For some reason I can't make friends with Sketchup. I tried several 3D programs with MCX compatible export formats, but I always came back to GMAX.

Cheers,
Mark

[rdaniell]

Nice work, just keep on going. :ernae:
Did you save it as dae (collada) and read it into ModelconverterX and export it into a mdl/bgl there?

For some reason I can't make friends with Sketchup. I tried several 3D programs with MCX compatible export formats, but I always came back to GMAX.
Cheers,
Mark

Thanks for the imput Mark but, to be competely honest, I can't remember exactly what I did. I'm going to try again today. This time, however, I'm going to write down each conversion step as I take it. When I get it right hopefully I'll be able to keep the sequence correct. And yes, I saved it first as a dae (collada) file. I think it then needs to be saved as a mdl file; then xml file; and finally as a bgl file. Anyway, there is a correct path and I have all the programs on my computer.

RD

[gp183601]

Export from Sketchup as a collada file.
Import into MCX
use the mass texture editor to convert the textures to the required format for the sim you are using (I use either DDS for FSX or DXTBMP for FS9)

Then export as a mdl, or bgl. or you could use an interim step and export as an mdl then use a bglcomp outside modelconvertorX.

All my models are created using sketchup and these are the general steps I use to create a useable mdl/bgl in my sim. (see HMS Invincible thread - I created using sketchup and MCX)

there are also youtube tutorials in using modelconvertorX to create from sketchup.

Good looking model - vastly better than my first attempt...my texturing was all over the place!!

Keep it up!! :applause:

[rdaniell]

Export from Sketchup as a collada file. Import into MCX use the mass texture editor to convert the textures to the required format for the sim you are using (I use either DDS for FSX or DXTBMP for FS9) Then export as a mdl, or bgl. or you could use an interim step and export as an mdl then use a bglcomp outside modelconvertorX.

All my models are created using sketchup and these are the general steps I use to create a useable mdl/bgl in my sim. (see HMS Invincible thread - I created using sketchup and MCX) there are also youtube tutorials in using modelconvertorX to create from sketchup.
Good looking model - vastly better than my first attempt...my texturing was all over the place!!
Keep it up!! :applause:

Thanks for the kind words gp. I somehow lost my original terminal building that I posted earlier so I just modeled a simple box building with a shingle roof and brick siding. However, I'm having another problem now that I can get the model to show up in FSX....None of my textures are showing up. The only thing that shows up is the parts of the building that I painted.....Your post has got me wondering about mass texture editor...

Gotta love computers....I'm going to master this process of modeling buildings and using them in FSX. I may not ever get but one right before I quit but, I'm determined to get at least one looking like I want it.

I'll post again next year...LOL..

RD

[rdaniell]

....to show up properly in FSX. Here's two screenshots. The first one shows what it looks like in FSX. The second is a rendering from SketchUp.

RD

[roger-wilco-66]

That looks like a texturing problem. How does the object look like when you open it in ModelconverterX? Did you convert the textures to dds? Remember, FSX needs bmp, bmpdxt or dds formats (dds preferred).

Cheers,
Mark

[Dimus]

Yep, no textures are shown, just the flat colours. The textures need to be converted using the MCX mass texture editor and rightly assigned using the MCX material editor. Randy, check the email I sent you and you will succeed. There is a bright future of creativity ahead!:cool:

[rdaniell]

....both Dimus and Roger-Wilco-66 for your helping me in my endeavor to learn how to make FSX scenery objects. Thanks to both of you also for your more detailed e-mails. I was a little confused about what the heck "mass texture editor" was but, now I know it's called "material editor" in the latest version of Model Converter...

To the rest of you'll here at the Outhouse I have a warning for you: This stuff is highly addictive. I started working on this hanger project yesterday afternoon around 5:00 P.M. It is now 8:40 A.M., here in South Georgia.

RD

[Dimus]

Be careful, they are both there. Mass texture editor converts your textures, material editor assigns filenames to them and edits material properties (shine, reflection, transparency etc.). They are not the same thing and you need both to properly convert your model to mdl.

[rdaniell]

Be careful, they are both there. Mass texture editor converts your textures, material editor assigns filenames to them and edits material properties (shine, reflection, transparency etc.). They are not the same thing and you need both to properly convert your model to mdl.

Thanks again Dimus. I just found that out. I have just redone the hanger scenery object and thought I'd post the latest version here at the Outhouse.:running:

RD