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. 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. 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.
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." 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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