How about a community exporter?

[+daddyairplanes 10,235]

given TKs lack of PC support the last few years, and with the skill sets of those in the community (like Mue's LOD Viewer and other tools)  what are the obstacles to creating our own exporter so that folks can use blender or newer versions of Max to add models in to the game?

 

the biggest two obstacles it seems is the dwindling modeler population that has Max 2009 and the communities respect for not tearing apart teh game engine until it's officially abandonware. (yes i know many had looked and tinkered under the hood, but no mods yet improving what you found). if time and effort are the main obstacles to a newer exporter, why not get one going and revitalize the game with new modelling talent? or if there are bigger obstacles then what are they and can we work around them?  its rather doubtful a new patch will come along this year to break the project

 

whats your thoughts?

[+Trotski 936]

I would be up for whatever keeps the series going, I still think the SF/FE series is one of the most accessible and enjoyable flight sims around, yes there are more accurate ones, such as DCS etc. but to be honest, as wonderful as DCS is, I dont enjoy it as much as these sims, half of the enjoyment here is the modding/skinning, and it will be sad to see it fade into oblivion.

[+Trotski 936]

My dream for the TW sims, is to port FE over into SF, I dont know how difficult it would be, certainly the FM's would need to be adjusted, as I have converted a couple of aircraft to work in SF, however the formation keeping and AI behaviour is a little iffy, not my sphere of knowledge, it involves mathmatiky voodoo and calculationz 'n other such arcane and heretical jiggery pokery, but I am sure it is "doable" a big job maybe, but one worth investigating maybe ? As for SF itself, it is super well served by campaigns, and aircraft, a few must have airframes maybe missing, or only available on the Arse Team site. The main problem I see is that the sim needs to be kept in line with up to date operating systems and graphics, but I am sure this has all been discussed elsewhere at some time.

[+Trotski 936]

Hmmmm the sound of silence, I would have though more peeps would want to jump on the bandwagon here, maybe the sim is losing pilots to shinier and prettier stuff........C'mon guys 'n gals ( are there any gals ? ) surely more than just a couple of us want more from the sim here !! 

[Daniel Borau 3]

I would like to help too, last year I was to put me into modding in a serious way but some Real Life events put me aside to do it, from one of them (a 4-month course for the unemployed and 164+ hours of internship in a company) I became familiar with GIMP and to the decal creation, so on those kind of things I can lend a hand (and I'm in some kind of trouble with the F4U-5N/NL for the KAW mod, VC3 I hate you!!). Also if test pilots are needed i can volunteer to not crash the aircraft on the take off

 

A must have to do is to fix the odd behavior of the 4 engine prop aircraft FM on hard.

 

IMHO the sim needs some changes (especially on the loadout options screen, 6 weapon stations ID's and the Tornado says it all), and to add some things to make it more complete, yes, I plead guilty, I am one of those who likes to fly big slumbering bombers, tankers and AEW planes .

[+Nyghtfall 2,154]

Hmmmm the sound of silence, I would have though more peeps would want to jump on the bandwagon here, maybe the sim is losing pilots to shinier and prettier stuff........C'mon guys 'n gals ( are there any gals ? ) surely more than just a couple of us want more from the sim here !! 

 

Well, the topic came up several times in the past with no substancial changes since then. I guess that's one reason.

[+Trotski 936]

Aye you are most probably right

[Spudknocker 241]

I dont think its a lack of interest I just dont think many people have the skills to make what is proposed... (Yes Im a gal)

 

I wonder at what point people will just say screw it and mess around under the hood anyway

Edited February 19, 2017 by Spudknocker

[+Sundowner 4,818]

I don't think a new max exporter is top of a lot of folks lists of "improvements" as the current exporter works fine, max 2009 is readily available if you really want it, secondhand etc.

Somebody with the talent needed to make a new exporter would be far better off fixing or improving some of the many issues/wishful thinking threads that can be found on here.

 

Biggest problem is everyone wants summat different, it needs folks like Mue and Gerwin to just go off and do/make summat without asking for anyone's opinion as once everyone chirps in the whole idea either gets bashed to bits or is buried under piles of requests which invariably put off the proposer from even starting something.

 

Just my thoughts after watching these sorts of topics since day one of the SF series.

 

Spudknocker has hit the nail on the head really with the last sentence.

Edited February 19, 2017 by Sundowner

[+daddyairplanes 10,235]

well also unfortuneatly Spudnockers first sentence is also likely accurate for the active players that are left.  i've been working on learning what i can but the skill to create that sort of thing are in a galaxy far far away.  and my name isnt Luke!

 

and trotski,  as i've seen not even so much newer shinier toys as much as RL and totally other genres.

[+swambast 722]

 

 

Biggest problem is everyone wants summat different...as once everyone chirps in the whole idea either gets bashed to bits or is buried under piles of requests which invariably put off the proposer from even starting something.

What he said...

 

In my opinion, too many "I wants..." and lack of taking more ownership to get the desired results or at least coming together to rally around a smaller, "common", achievable goal where members can put aside their differences at least for a while... 

[+Nyghtfall 2,154]

What he said...

 

In my opinion, too many "I wants..." and lack of taking more ownership to get the desired results or at least coming together to rally around a smaller, "common", achievable goal where members can put aside their differences at least for a while... 

 

Just out of curiosity, what do you think is a "common achievable goal"?

[+mue 715]

The main technical problem is, that thirdwire hasn't published the lod file format(s). I asked thirdwire about it already but got no answer.

With the help of 3dsmax guys (thanks logan4 and angelp) I could already reconstruct 80 percent of the lod format. And I'm quite optimistic to reconstruct further 10 - 15 percent. I think that should be sufficient to write an exporter (e.g. for blender).

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

The main technical problem is, that thirdwire hasn't published the lod file format(s). I asked thirdwire about it already but got no answer.

With the help of 3dsmax guys (thanks logan4 and angelp) I could already reconstruct 80 percent of the lod format. And I'm quite optimistic to reconstruct further 10 - 15 percent. I think that should be sufficient to write an exporter (e.g. for blender).

 

That would be so great Mue!

[Stratos 3,191]

Amazing news Mue, thanks for all the work you're doing on SF!!

[Spudknocker 241]

Ya for sure thanks mue!!

[PFunk 198]

I would rather see some inroads being made to improve the avionics files so that we had full functionality of the RWR for modern environments instead of having to engage in various dances in order to fly anything older than 1992.  Or the AI.  Or the player control of AI through the radio commands.

[+daddyairplanes 10,235]

awesome mue! i didnt want to ask given how much you've done already, but i have to admit you name was on my mind when i posted