Newest EDM Model Tools

[Tanuki44]

Hi,

I have a cockpit model under 3ds max 2021, and the latest edm plugin.

I added a dummy box type="bounding_box"; although apparently this is no longer necessary with the latest plugins. (I have no problem my other models)

I also added a bone, the problem is that this bone (maybe depending on its position) disturbs the model, either distorts it, or some args don't work normally anymore.

Sometimes the model doesn't even load in ModelViewer2...

The question is how to integrate a bone without disturbance, does anyone have a link to an older version of the plugin?

Thanks for any help

[uboats]

On 9/9/2022 at 4:31 AM, joey45 said:

Depends on what it is??

 

The public build hasn't been updated since May

 

 

On 9/13/2022 at 11:39 AM, SVKSniper said:

Sorry to reply,last weekend i go to the museum. Now  i back....if i make animation in 3ds i make standard from 0 to 100 and for 0.001 step animation button define in clickabledata.lua....

Float aniamtion doesnt work?

 

On 9/14/2022 at 12:46 PM, SkateZilla said:

if it's that small of a movement, a visibility argument might work better and just have 2 instances of the button, 1 depressed, 1 not.

With current edm plugin, visibility (transparency) animation of a texture is for on/off boolean only, and cannot be set with a gradual change. Correct me if I was wrong.

[No1sonuk]

On 6/7/2022 at 9:51 PM, Automan said:

Asked to the dev a couple of months ago, I would say that for now is still a no-go...
 

Looks like it doesn't work right for 3dsmax 2022 either.

[Automan]

14 ore fa, No1sonuk ha scritto:

Looks like it doesn't work right for 3dsmax 2022 either.

We are using version 198146 with 2022. The one available in ftp is probably buggy, since Evgeny told me that the compiler stopped months ago and he is focused in another task.
The 198146 is also one of the latest that doesn't ask for bounding box in export. 
edm-plugins-198146.exe

[joey45]

Thanks for the plugin...

Shame the compiler has stopped working.

[No1sonuk]

Thanks for the plugin.
It exported without the bounding box, but I still can't get my simple model to appear in-game, and can't get the modelviewer to work.
Attached is the simple box I'm trying to get to show up before I do anything more complex.
It appears in the mission editor selection, but no visible model there or in-game.

DCS_mod_test.zip

[Automan]

33 minuti fa, No1sonuk ha scritto:

Thanks for the plugin.
It exported without the bounding box, but I still can't get my simple model to appear in-game, and can't get the modelviewer to work.
Attached is the simple box I'm trying to get to show up before I do anything more complex.
It appears in the mission editor selection, but no visible model there or in-game.

DCS_mod_test.zip 75.88 kB · 1 download

To make your edm visible, the materials must be set properly: you must change from Physical Material to Standard (Legacy).
Then for every new material introuced, you must set EDmodelTool from Utilies Panel and apply MakeCool before export edm.
For Modelviewer, use the one inside DCS/bin folder and put the texture in DCS/Bazar/TempTextures or mount them via menu. 

Edited October 1, 2022 by Automan

[No1sonuk]

40 minutes ago, Automan said:

To make your edm visible, the materials must be set properly: you must change from Physical Material to Standard (Legacy).
Then for every new material introuced, you must set EDmodelTool from Utilies Panel and apply MakeCool before export edm.
For Modelviewer, use the one inside DCS/bin folder and put the texture in DCS/Bazar/TempTextures or mount them via menu. 

 

 

Thanks! The material was exactly the problem.
AND I now have working model viewer, too.

[No1sonuk]

Not sure if it's common knowledge, but arg based position controllers work for animation, too.

[VanekK30]

01.10.2022 в 20:40, Automan сказал:

To make your edm visible, the materials must be set properly: you must change from Physical Material to Standard (Legacy).
Then for every new material introuced, you must set EDmodelTool from Utilies Panel and apply MakeCool before export edm.

 

Hello. I'm modeling in 3D Max 2020, but I don't have the "Standard(legacy)" material. I use just "Standard". When exporting EDM models, in the game an object with a white texture actually turns out to be pale, and when the "local reflections" option is enabled in the DKS graphics settings, the object also starts to glare. Although the models from the mod "VPC Airfield Equipment" the models do not glare, and they are normal white with the same texture.
Tell me what's the problem? Or share some sample of any 3d model with the correct parameters of materials and textures.

Edited October 11, 2022 by VanekK30

[Automan]

4 ore fa, VanekK30 ha scritto:

Hello. I'm modeling in 3D Max 2020, but I don't have the "Standard(legacy)" material. I use just "Standard". When exporting EDM models, in the game an object with a white texture actually turns out to be pale, and when the "local reflections" option is enabled in the DKS graphics settings, the object also starts to glare. Although the models from the mod "VPC Airfield Equipment" the models do not glare, and they are normal white with the same texture.
Tell me what's the problem? Or share some sample of any 3d model with the correct parameters of materials and textures.

 

In 3dsmax 2021+ the new "Standard" is Physical material, so the "old" standard has been renamed to Standard (Legacy): they are the same thing but have another name between 3ds versions.
After make cool, your ED material type should be automatically set to Default: in this case of Default, you can simply connect the diffuse map, and a normal map if needed.
The specular system is now obsolete, you can make the graphic engine load your roughness map (define ambient occlusion, glossiness and metallicness) simply attaching _roughmet text to your diffuse map (ie. diffuse texture is XYZ.dds, your roughness texture must be XYZ_roughmet.dds).
For any documentation about creating roughmet maps and channels manipulation, see the guide done by Skatezilla posted here:

 

[No1sonuk]

10 hours ago, Automan said:

In 3dsmax 2021+ the new "Standard" is Physical material, so the "old" standard has been renamed to Standard (Legacy): they are the same thing but have another name between 3ds versions.
After make cool, your ED material type should be automatically set to Default: in this case of Default, you can simply connect the diffuse map, and a normal map if needed.

"Physical material" didn't work for me. I had to set it to "Standard(legacy)".

[VanekK30]

21 час назад, Automan сказал:

In 3dsmax 2021+ the new "Standard" is Physical material, so the "old" standard has been renamed to Standard (Legacy): they are the same thing but have another name between 3ds versions.
After make cool, your ED material type should be automatically set to Default: in this case of Default, you can simply connect the diffuse map, and a normal map if needed.
The specular system is now obsolete, you can make the graphic engine load your roughness map (define ambient occlusion, glossiness and metallicness) simply attaching _roughmet text to your diffuse map (ie. diffuse texture is XYZ.dds, your roughness texture must be XYZ_roughmet.dds).
For any documentation about creating roughmet maps and channels manipulation, see the guide done by Skatezilla posted here:

 

Thank you! The problem is gone.
And the article is helpful!

[VanekK30]

And how to model light sources? (That is, light bulbs and searchlights, so that they illuminate the airfield). Before DCS 2.5, I had models with flashlights and light sources, but now they do not shine

[joey45]

I use the spot and omni lights..

[Rostic]

I'm started creating model and by mistake I did in the very begining I got pivot point in bad position. But for unknown reason after I'm changing pivot point position, expot to EDM file cause 3ds max crash. I have no idea what am I doing wrong?

 

edm-plugins-214085.exe

3ds max 2016 (18.0 SP3)

Edited December 15, 2022 by Rostic

[joey45]

Try using plugin - 213885, That one doesn't crash on me. 

[Rostic]

55 минут назад, joey45 сказал:

Try using plugin - 213885, That one doesn't crash on me. 

Thank you! It works!

[Rostic]

When I have ModelViewer2 (edModelViewer2-2.8.1.34101.exe) running it is utilizing 100% GPU core even when it is not visible or minimized.

Can this be solved some how?

P.S. Sorry if this is not apropriate topic for ModelViewer discussion, but I didn't found appropriate one.

 

[joey45]

have you limited the FPS?

[Automan]

2 ore fa, Rostic ha scritto:

When I have ModelViewer2 (edModelViewer2-2.8.1.34101.exe) running it is utilizing 100% GPU core even when it is not visible or minimized.

Can this be solved some how?

P.S. Sorry if this is not apropriate topic for ModelViewer discussion, but I didn't found appropriate one.

 

 

You can set fps limiter to 30 in the preferences, and check "reduce fps when in background" too. This will help.

Edited December 17, 2022 by Automan

[Rostic]

Any ideas why in ModelViewer2 (edModelViewer2-2.8.1.34101.exe) materials looks inverted to the game. In viewer gears, nose pinup and other elements have glossy effect, while in game not. But polished metal in viewer looks like it is painted, while in game it looks correct?

[RafaPolit]

In Model Viewer, you load manually the order of the textures and which trumps which.  In game, it happens based on certain logic / folder naming / lua definitions.  So maybe it's loading them in the unexpected order?

[Rostic]

Hm. Is it? I used "Tools -> Mount Textures -> Mount ZIP" for loading textures. So all textures loaded in one click. I thought model has enough information to understand what has to be loaded. Also material info packed in separete file. For B-17 it is files with "_S" postfix. If MV load wrong file, because colors looks OK it is only normal map file left, so maperials will change in gradients.

 

I'm quite sure problem in MV, but maybe some one do not have that effect and can tell me what version of MV is working fine

[RafaPolit]

After applying certain textures, I had to reload content in a couple of places to have the shaders take effect:

- Tools > reload shaders
- Tools > reload models (this usually did the trick)
- Tools > reload textures

When that failed, I usually first loaded all textures and THEN went into File > Load Model

I know this are stabs in the dark.  It's just some of the tips that helped me until someone with more knowledge arrives.