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SketchUp: easy to use, but the full version was still too expensive. I still hear the groans of my poor old brain trying to understand that "terrible" interface. It was almost impossible to import/export to X-Plane.Ĭinema 4D: yes, powerful, but again too expensive and with an overwhelmingly long learning curve.īlender: well yes it is free, but so cryptic that I had to abandon it after days of trying to learn it. Lightwave: too expensive and I found it really hard to familiarize myself with it. After about three years Chris stopped work on the application when the X-Plane 3D file format changed.Īs I was consequently stuck on developing 3D objects, I started to research a new 3D application that would meet my needs At the beginning I used Object-Maker, a simple free tool created for X-Plane by Christian Franz.
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I tried several Mac-friendly 3D applications. However, for 3D objects I had spent years trying to find an application that was not too expensive, yet was easy to use, had a short learning curve, was customizable, and fully documented, so that it would be simple to create plug-ins for the X-Plane object format. I work on a Macintosh platform and X-Plane uses the png format for textures (to allow alpha blending) and has a unique 3D object format.įor textures I have found over the years that Photoshop, although expensive, is the best tool for this task. In brief, I am responsible for textures and 3D objects.
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This includes the interface, global world scenery, sky, weather effects, light effects, buildings, towns, airports, terminals, forests, trees, ships, trains, cars, bridges, roads, and of course, (being a flight simulator), airplanes, helicopters, cockpits and instruments and so on. My role within X-Plane is to create everything that is "visible" in the flight simulator.
BEST X PLANE FREEWARE SIMULATOR
I have been the artwork chief for the X-Plane flight simulator for almost 9 years. "AC3D is the best and definitive application for any game or simulation developer."
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Possibly one of AC3D's most prolific users, he builds all X-Plane scenery, vehicles and aircraft using AC3D. Sergio Santagada is the chief graphics designer for the X-Plane flight simulator.
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