How can I flatten the underground of a building?

  • Nothing to fix on the model I linked I assume, it was on the model you had, there were transparent polygons and such. New model looks fine I think.

    I don't know how to go from sketchup to model converter, someone may chime in. All I know is you have to get rid of "alpha channels" in model converter.

    Apply texture on both sides, there is a plugin: https://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=30107

    Of course this is for a sketchup a stand alone software, if you're using the web version I don't know how that works.

    You can download standalone from here: https://help.sketchup.com/en/downloading-older-versions

    Sketchup make 2017, that should work (I don't know because I use older versions)

  • You have to export (I think it's not include in the free online-version - use Sketchup make 2017) the modell as Collada (*.dae). Then you are able to import it in ModellConverterX.

    Converting objects with ModellConverterX has a lot of hints. To get better results watch first the video-tutorial "Aerofly FS2: Import 3D models" form Rodeo on YouTube.

    Just I always add an object-placement and export it directly as "*.tsc"-scenery (instead of an IPACS-object "*.tgi"). It's much easier.

    Regards,

    Christophe

  • Christophe,


    just for your information:

    I use AC3D, because IPACS added an aerofly export program to it.

    We can define an absolute mesh instead of a relative mesh for the airport.

    Great - I'll try it!

    I had already a first look on your scenery:
    So "<[int32][autoheight_override][0]>" makes it absolute (with the altitude over sea-level in meters as level). Correct?

    I have one more question regarding the level-correction. Even after having flatten the ground of the airport (runway & apron) using AC3D, objects like a hangar still need to have a level-correction. It seems that the level refers still to the original ground-mesh.

    It doesn't make a difference, if I place the object on the ground-mesh within the airport-model in AC3D, compiling it with the correct airport-reference point or just compiling it as single-placed object. I also tried to set the boolean [autoheight][false] without any effects.

    What I'm doing wrong? Is where a way that the level of my airport-objects refers to the flat runway/apron-ground?

    And what is impact of setting [bool] [autoheight] to [false]?

    Regards,

    Christophe

  • Please find the converted model from the 3D Warehouse by dbortola, https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/eb2a5c78…nna-di-San-Luca attached. I flipped some inverted faces.

    Dear Thomas,

    Thank you so much for your help! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: You did a great job for me. I really appreciate that. The model fits perfectly. I use the 19 m mesh for Italy.

    I thank even all overs for their support. Inserting 3D models into FS 2 really seems to be a thing for the pros among us, and I'm definitely not one of them ;)

  • there is a plugin: https://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=30107

    Of course this is for a sketchup a stand alone software, if you're using the web version I don't know how that works.

    You can download standalone from here: https://help.sketchup.com/en/downloading-older-versions

    Sketchup make 2017, that should work (I don't know because I use older versions)

    Hi Michael,

    Thank you! I installed SketchUp Make 2017 and wanted to include the plugin, which you mentioned. Could you please kindly tell me, where I have to put this file "FixReversedFaceMaterials_v1.8.rbz"?

    Thanks

    Luca

  • Hi Michael,

    Thank you! I installed SketchUp Make 2017 and wanted to include the plugin, which you mentioned. Could you please kindly tell me, where I have to put this file "FixReversedFaceMaterials_v1.8.rbz"?

    Thanks

    Luca

    You go into preference, extension or something similar (I have an older mac version, so different), then install, or point to the rmz folder somehow. That should take care of it.

  • What is important in the end of the day is

    - the surface material should be named according to the __airport__outside structure (see airport tutorial) => soft flattening

    - vertices must be painted black for the flatten to be transparent in AFS2

    Is there a tsc setting to make the area completely flat without sinking deep into the ground?

    With autoheight set to "false", my ground poly is indeed now flat and smooth. However it has to go underground to do so.

    Perhaps with this method, a larger ground poly needs to be created to help hide the abrupt sinking look?

    With autoheight set to "true" it seems to not flatten the ground at all?

  • Autoheight true moves all scenery objects up and down by the elevation at the object's position. If you provide a ground mesh it also makes the terrain smoother and removes and smaller size bumps, leaving you with a nice curvature but without ugly bumps. The algorithm uses the assigned vertex weight to transition from a "100% smooth" to "rough" terrain. It requires a ground mesh to do this. If you don't provide one the objects are just following the "natural" roughness of the terrain. Advantage: Objects stay on the ground even if the ground mesh is changed. You can model them flat on height zero in your modelling software.

    When you set autoheight to false you have to provide a custom ground mesh and also place all objects on the necessary height above the mean sea level. The default terrain is then pushed down (which you can see in your first screenshot) leaving enough room for your custom mesh so that the default terrain no longer pokes through your mesh. You're objects are hovering in the air because there doesn't seem to be a ground mesh here?

    Regards,

    Jan

  • Thank you, this is extremely helpful. I will try this, maybe even on my block island build since I still have uncompressed toc files. I'm simply adding your code to the toc with appropriate exclusion coordinates?

    Edited once, last by Verserage (April 3, 2021 at 1:42 PM).

  • Here it is for the tile cult_10_4cc0_a040 (Mountauk):

    Exclusion of vegetation_cult_10_4cc0_a040.zip

    Since you have already compressed the TOC files, I have made the exclusion in a separate TOC file and additionally referenced it in your TSC file accordingly (coordinates in "...excl.toc"-file only approximately for the level10-tile).

    Does it also work for you?