Problem Problems with exporting textures in Anim8or.

[JonnyBGoode]

I'm working on an addon, an addition to Martin's Antelope Valley pack. Martin forgot to add the iconic Lockheed Site 10 building!

Here's a reference image to start with:

So. I'm building the mesh in Anim8or, with Urwumpe's msh export plugin. And it's just about done. With one minor problem.

No textures when I export it!

I'm sure I must be doing something wrong (either that or this doesn't work on Windows 10?), but I'll be buggered as to what.

So, let me recap my steps, and maybe someone will be adept enough to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

First, I created two 512x512, pixel 24 bit bitmap textures. Called them lockheed.bmp and blueline.bmp.

In Anim8or, double clicked on New material.

Click on the button next to Diffuse.

Select the texture that I want to use, and click OK.

Slide the color slider to the top, and click OK.

Now select Object/Point Edit, and Face Select, and click on the face I want...

Then select the Texture UV tool and resize and position as required.

Then export my mesh to the sim. Except... the materials don't get added to the mesh when I export it.

Can anyone spot where I'm going astray here? Much thanks!

 

[DaveS]

Does each element of the mesh use one or two materials? Each element can only have one material assigned to it.

The export script uses the material used the most (example, a cube, 6 sides where material01 is used 4 sides and material02 is used on 2 sides. This will cause the script to apply only material01 to all sides of the cube).

The solution is to only have one material/object and never apply them on a face-by-face basis.

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Anyone know where I can find a copy of Vinka's script? I don't recall having difficult with that so much...

 

[paddy]

daft question but you have converted the texture to a DDS file?

 

[DaveS]

Anyone know where I can find a copy of Vinka's script? I don't recall having difficult with that so much...

Have you tried something else besides Anim8or? It's rather simplistic and doesn't quite lend itself to advanced 3D modelling. Orbiter compatible options right now are:

• GMAX (free slightly less capable sibling of 3DSMAX)
• Blender (free)
• AC3D (Commercial advanced 3D modeling at par with GMAX)

I personally use both GMAX and AC3D. I started with Anim8or back in 2002 abandoning it in favor for GMAX in 2006. First tried out AC3D in 2008 and bought shortly after that.

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Ok, so something Dave said gave me an idea. I textured the entire blocks I was doing a side panel in, and it worked! Except... it crashed more than half the time. Couldn't figure out why, until I realized Martin was using a high res texture and a lot of other buildings, so I reduced my texture res from 512x512 to 256x256, which made it a lot more stable.

 

[gattispilot]

Great. So will the doors open up? If you need help with that email me

 

[jacquesmomo]

the materials don't get added to the mesh when I export it.

Can anyone spot where I'm going astray here? Much thanks!

Yes : the UV's textures are ok when you export to a msh file, but you have to edit the msh file and add like that :

 (...)
  552  547  555
 552  555  564
 564  565  552
MATERIALS 1
Blanc_
MATERIAL Blanc_
 1  1  1  1
 1  1  1  1
 1  1  1  1  0
 .18  .18  .18  1
[COLOR=red][B]TEXTURES 3
[/B]my_texture1.dds [/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]my_texture2.dds[/COLOR]
[COLOR=red]my_object\my_texture.dds[/COLOR]

... and you have in adition to add the n# of the texture to the right group(s)
like this (at the begining of the group(s)

 (...)
 LABEL <name of your group> optional
MATERIAL 1
[COLOR=red][B]TEXTURE 1
[/B][/COLOR]GEOM 566 486 ;Group 0 Kourou\Kourou_Bat-01.dds Blanc_
 18.041  4.00003E-05  31.195  .707107  0 -.707107  .61104  .54983
 (...)

In this case, this groupe has the texture n#1
(if TEXTURE 0 => no texture)

With MeshWizard, it is easy to do that...

You know what ? I use anim8or to make meshes, then export to OBJ, then I use UVMapper to apply textures, then import again in anim8or and finaly export to msh.
Then I add the line with the textures, then I use MeshWizard to affect the texture....

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Great. So will the doors open up? If you need help with that email me

No, it's just static scenery.

 

[Trekkie]

No, it's just static scenery.

would look cool if the doors would open but then it would have to be a ship i think right?

 

[4throck]

...

• GMAX (free slightly less capable sibling of 3DSMAX)
• Blender (free)
• AC3D (Commercial advanced 3D modeling at par with GMAX)

...

Another good option for buildings is Sketchup, but harder to import/export from it and limited for other uses.

I'd recommend Blender. Takes a little time to get the interface, but it's really powerful with good import/export scripts. Also lots of support and up to date versions.


Regarding the open doors, it's a good idea if you model the interior ;-)
For simplicity of having it as a base object, I'd keep the doors open.

 

[Trekkie]

Another good option for buildings is Sketchup, but harder to import/export from it and limited for other uses.

I'd recommend Blender. Takes a little time to get the interface, but it's really powerful with good import/export scripts. Also lots of support and up to date versions.


Regarding the open doors, it's a good idea if you model the interior ;-)
For simplicity of having it as a base object, I'd keep the doors open.

i never got anything i tried importing out of sketchup to work, only like parts of the models appeared... blender is really good though

 

[JonnyBGoode]

I'm considering making it a ship, and having the doors openable. But I've got no idea what the interior looks like (other than one old pic from the L-1011 days), so it may just stay untextured inside if I do.

And if I decide to make the doors open, then yes, gattispilot, I'll need some assistance with the animation.

 

[martins]

Nice work! If you want me to include it in the next update of the Antelope Valley scenery pack (whenever that materialises) I would prefer it as simple as possible, i.e. static mesh, not as a vessel, no animations, lowest possible polygon count, smallest possible textures.

If you want to provide it as a separate addon, then of course feel free to make it as elaborate as you like.

 

[JonnyBGoode]

Thanks for the praise, Martin!

I'm working on optimizing it as a static mesh right now. It's currently basically a bunch of long blocks with a large block on top. Seems to be a bit rough on the processor though. I'm seeing if I make the doors actual doors with a lot of empty inside, rather than long blocks that go all the way through, if that will make a difference, more stable.

I might release it both ways. Send it to you to add in as a static mesh, and put it out as a movable addon for those that want to open the doors. (I need the animation practice, lol.)

---------- Post added at 07:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:56 PM ----------

Minor issue; it tends to crash the sim a lot. Not quite sure why. Anyone care to take a look at it and see if they might be able to pinpoint the cause?

It is possible my install has gone over the edge. I'm going to try a fresh install and see if that changes anything.

---------- Post added at 09:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 PM ----------

Progress report: I created a new instance of Orbiter to test, with just the AV pack and my mesh in it. Still crashed.

I removed the textures from the mesh. No crash. It's the textures that are causing most of the problem.

I'm using a web-based conversion tool to create the dds textures, and apparently it's not up to the task. I can't get the nvidia conversion plugin to run on my system. Anyone else know of a dds conversion tool I could use (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg)? I'm soooo close to having this work!

Martin: I can send you the no-texture version if you like, and update you later when I get my texture issue worked out. Here's the building w/o the texture, it still looks pretty legit.

---------- Post added at 11:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ----------

I found this program: http://www.easy2convert.com/bmp2dds/

I can't tell if it added mipmaps, but it did convert textures that didn't crash the sim. It also wasn't consistent (white came out a bit grey, had to change some of the white materials to match the textures) but hey, it worked!

Final view:

Here's a picture looking north from the 14 Freeway, at approximately the site of the Aerospace Valley Monument, a distance of five miles, showing how this building has dominated the valley skyline (such as it is) for decades.

---------- Post added 11-28-16 at 12:25 AM ---------- Previous post was 11-27-16 at 11:24 PM ----------

Edit: I spoke too soon. Still testing. Stand by...

---------- Post added at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 AM ----------

Hmmm. Must be a glitch that worked into my primary folder. Test folder with just the mesh works fine, but my "big" folder with all the addons I've tested so far, glitches. I'm willing to drop it on a couple of people to beta test, I think...

 

[4throck]

...lowest possible polygon count, smallest possible textures....

Even with a low end computer the impact of having an interior wall with minimal details (more 30 or 40 polygons?) and 2048x2048 textures is close to zero.
Of course it all adds up but still... if we have high resolution terrain + textures why not some medium resolution buildings?


Another thing:
For a better integration, the buildings should have the roofs textured with the ground texture (or at least take those colors into account).

---------- Post added at 09:35 ---------- Previous post was at 09:22 ----------

Seems to be a bit rough on the processor though

....
Minor issue; it tends to crash the sim a lot. Not quite sure why.
...
I removed the textures from the mesh. No crash.
...
It also wasn't consistent (white came out a bit grey, had to change some of the white materials to match the textures)

Some things you can try:

If your mesh is acting funny, then you have a geometry problem. It's impossible for such a simple geometry to act heavy.
Check your model for duplicate geometry, for example. Do you have unneeded subdivisions ? All that will cause trouble on export.

Also it makes texturing harder. Probably it crashes on textures because the geometry is not right.

Material properties will certainly need to be tweaked after export.
To get better results texture the entire model. Solid white wall should be textures with a solid white part of your texture, and so forth. Remember, one texture per material on Orbiter.



Anyway, looking good, keep at it and you will find a workflow that works for you!

 

[Notebook]

I'm using a web-based conversion tool to create the dds textures, and apparently it's not up to the task. I can't get the nvidia conversion plugin to run on my system. Anyone else know of a dds conversion tool I could use (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg)? I'm soooo close to having this work!

Have you tried this:
http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/

"DXTBmp" converts between most formats, and lets you open the alpha channel in your paint program.
I mostly use it for converting from .jpg to .bmp then .dds(various flavours) for surface tiles.
That's on hold till I get a grip on Orbiter 2016 format, could be a while...

N.

 

[gattispilot]

Have you tried this:
http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/

"DXTBmp" converts between most formats, and lets you open the alpha channel in your paint program.
I mostly use it for converting from .jpg to .bmp then .dds(various flavours) for surface tiles.
That's on hold till I get a grip on Orbiter 2016 format, could be a while...

N.

This is what I use to convert bmp to dds textures

 

[JonnyBGoode]

I'm working on the outbuildings surrounding the main hangar on site 10. PM me if you'd like a beta test copy.

Also... I just realized, when I put out the winnebago, I had one main mesh with a different texture on each side. Why is it now only one texture per mesh? Was that because I was using Vinka's tool? (Also still can't find Vinka's msh tool...)

 

[4throck]

Orbiter meshes only support one texture per material, and one material per face.
Unless there's some trick I'm unaware.

Still, for a simple export/import to/from Orbiter, stick to that limitation. Your life will be easier