FS2004 Scenery

GMax Installation

GMax 1.1 was included on the FS2002 CD set together with the converter files (MakeMDL) and other useful items to allow designers to create scenery and aircraft for FS2002/4. Both GMax and MakeMDL have subsequently been revised - the former to GMax 1.2 (available from the Discreet web site) and the latter in an Microsoft SDK.

Ideally it is best if everyone uses GMax 1.2 because there were some major changes to the program. This is especially true of the texturing tools and the methods of applying textures to objects. Tutorials or discussion about this topic will assume that GMax 1.2 is being used.

For compilation of scenery for both FS2002 and FS2004 you should use the version of MakeMDL as supplied in the FS2002 SDK (which replaces that on the CD). You can check this by looking at your MakeMDL.exe file which should be 904K and dated 05/04/2002. I can supply this if required.

Designers producing for FS2004 only should obtain the latest MakeMDL files.

GMax - Correct Install

GMax does not install correctly when you run it from the FS2002 CD's. GMax will be installed to a folder of your choice but the MakeMDL and gamepack modules get dropped into a sub folder of FS2002. This is completely wrong - no GMax files need exist within FS2002 at all and I recommend you move these.

Even though the FS2002 installation is flawed it is probably easier to run this and sort out the problems/updates later. It is an easy matter to drag all the folders from FS2002 into your GMax folder - the problem comes with setting up GMax to recognise where the gamepack items are.

Whatever you do you should end up with a GMax folder structure similar to this:

  The first folder that is important to have in GMax is the Flightsim one with the plugins
  sub folder. The plugins folder should have your MakeMDL files - EXE, CFG and
  FSModelExp.dle.

  Further down you will see the Gamepacks/Flightsim folder. In my copy this just has
  the ImageTool.exe program but this is not critical - it could go anywhere on your
  system.

  Your Help folder should have the Gmax, GMax_T and MaxScript CHM files. These are
  essential for serious work and can be called from within GMax if correctly linked.

  The Plugins folder should contain a bunch of DLU files without which GMax may not
  work properly. You could put the MakeMDL files in here rather than as shown above but
  I'd recommend you keep them separate.

  In the Samples folder you will find some already created GMax files. You have the full
  files for the MD82, PA28 and Dash8 in FS, plus a building (with associated textures).

  Scenes is the word GMax uses for project and all your own GMax files could go here. I
  don't do this because I keep all my creations on a separate drive which is backed up
  frequently.

  Tutorials should be put in the folder as shown. This, like the help files, allows them to
  be accessed from within GMax.

GMax Setup

  You will be presented with the following box.

  Most of the paths point to the logical folder
  that you have in the GMax structure. Here you
  will see that I have specified my own folders
  for gMaxStart, Import, Export and Scenes.
  You should make sure that Help points to
  where you put your help files.

  Next go to the Plugins tab.

  Check the first two plugin paths are correct and
  then add a new entry to point to the folder
  containing your MakeMDL files.

  If you don't get this correct GMax will not be
  able to Export your work to FS.
 

  Next is the location of the bitmaps you will use
  in GMax.

  These are IDENTICAL copies of the textures
  you borrow/create for your objects in FS but
  they cannot be in DXT format. It means you
  must have two copies of your textures on your
  system and in differing formats. You must
  therefore remember to update BOTH bitmaps if   you make any changes.

  The final Xrefs tab you can ignore unless you
  are into VC work for aircraft.

  Back to the Configure Menu and choose Unit Setup this time.

  Set the units to Meters.

  If you set any other value you get an annoying warning box every time you
  compile an object. However annoying for you stick to metres.

  Next on the list is Preference Settings.

  Set 1 unit to equal 1.0 Meters.

  If you are swapping GMax files with other
  people it is sensible to have identical
  values in the Preference Settings. If not
  you may end up compiling a design
  completely out of scale with the original!

  With the changes complete go back to the main screen and click
  on the main File menu.

  If all has gone well you will see that the Export option is available.

  If this is greyed out then check that the path to your MakeMDL
  files is correct and that you have all three files in that folder.