CFS3
Now here's an interesting tidbit (though the explanation is rather lengthy):
When I started this project, I didn't know how to add a *_r.dds or *_s.dds map to the model as simply copying one of those files into the CFS3 folder of the model clearly didn't work (I was hoping it would be picked up automatically by the sim, as *.+nm.dds files are). Then I remembered hexediting .m3d files to create standalones, so the reference to those files was in the .m3d file, which in turn meant that they should be added in gmax. Looking through gmax I found a series of map options in the material editor. Adding my *_r map to the material did work and the texture was picked up ingame. But adding the *_s.dss to this material resulted in an error when I exported the P-47 model, telling me that the '4th channel couldn't be used and this texture would be ignored'. That seemed consistent with the SDK that stated that having both files simultaneously wasn't possible and with the stock P-47 that had both textures in its folder but with just one reference in its .m3d file. But that was on my laptop...
When I tried the same thing on my desktop, I was able to export a .m3d with both files added to the model without the error message. I checked the .m3d with a hexeditor and both references are there indeed. Weird, isn't it? Maybe it has something to do with the gmax settings or other alterations I made to the two installations?
Now I haven't tried what the model looks like ingame as I created my *_s file quickly by copying the *_r.dds and renaming it to *_s.dds (so they are basically the same - but so do the stock P-47 files appear to me). Also, gmax quickly runs out of memory when adding the *_s file to all materials - having three 4096 files per material (*_t, *_r and *_s) clearly is too much but I think that could be resolved by replacing the *_r and *_s files with small placeholder files for export purposes, as they are not practically used in gmax anyway. But it also has me a bit confused because if this works it would appear I now have four variables to control to get the looks quite right: The gmax material settings and the *_t, *_r and *_s. texture maps!
To be continued?! (Hopefully...)
Oh, and I could be going about this completely the wrong way but then I'm sure someone will correct me
Bookmarks