Celestia Forums

Hi all,
I'm trying to create a simple, default model for satellites. I know each satellite is different, but with 1160 satellites from NORAD, I need a default model to represent the vast majority of them in Celestia.

I'm using Blender to create my very simple models (i.e. a cylinder for now). However when I export the model as 3ds and set it as the mesh in my ssc file, the satellite always comes up invisible. One thing that I have noticed is that other 3ds meshes (from other Celestia addons) also come with a texture folder, but I don't know how to create those texture files, or save the textures that I've created in Blender. I was hoping there might be other Blender users here that can point me in the right direction.

Oh, and I have about 1 hour of experience using Blender, so I'm sure I'm doing something that is very basic, worngly. Thanks!

- Jeff

jdavies wrote: I'm using Blender to create my very simple models (i.e. a cylinder for now). However when I export the model as 3ds and set it as the mesh in my ssc file, the satellite always comes up invisible. One thing that I have noticed is that other 3ds meshes (from other Celestia addons) also come with a texture folder, but I don't know how to create those texture files, or save the textures that I've created in Blender. I was hoping there might be other Blender users here that can point me in the right direction.

Oh, and I have about 1 hour of experience using Blender, so I'm sure I'm doing something that is very basic, worngly. Thanks!

- Jeff

Jeff,
You need to post an example of your SSC code, for anyone to be able to help you properly.

A few things to check though:
1. Check that the "normals" in your blender model are facing outwards.
2. in the directory where your SSC file lives, you need a subdirectory called "models" - this is where the meshes must live.
3. textures live in textures\medres, textures\hires, or textures\lores (Just use medres which is the default)

I always find an example is the best way to learn, so here's one "I prepared earlier"...



noradsatellites.ssc:
"GLOBALSTAR M001" "Sol/Earth" {
Class "spacecraft"
Mesh "Globalstar.3ds"
Radius 0.004999999888241291

noradsatellites.ssc is in: extras\Earth\satellites
The mesh is called Globalstar.3ds and sits in: extras\Earth\satellites\models

No textures on this one.

Thanks CC. I have the model visible now. I'm in the painful process of learning Blender to see how to take an external texture and apply it to a Blender model. I suppose it's not really that painful, it's just been a while since I was at the bottom of a learning curve.

- Jeff

What version of Blender are you using?
My older system uses Blender 2.45. My newer one uses 2.48a. I haven't used the newer one yet so the following is with version 2.45.
To use a texture on a model,
1.Select a texture to use after the model is somewhat finished.
2.Enter "UV Face Select" mode. With version 2.48a, there is no "UV Face Select" mode. You can type "u" from Edit mode and skip step 3. The tools at the bottom of the screen have a "tab" section for UV Calculation. You may need to experiment with settings there.
3. To the left of UV Face Select Mode you'll see Face. Clicking on this opens a menu and you want to unwrap UVs. You can also type "u".
This will bring up another menu. You'll have to experiment with these options to see which is best for your spacecraft.
Click on one of these, "Cylinder from view" for example.
These following steps look the same in both versions.
4.To the far left, click on the icon and choose UV/Image Editor.
5.Click on the Image tab and open an image, the one you selected in step 1. You should now see the image on the screen.
6.Click on the far left icon again and choose 3d View.
7.Enter Object Mode.
8.To the right of the spot for Object Mode is an icon. Click on that and select texture.
9.You should now see the model with the texture applied. Depending on what you see, you may have to calculate the UVs again. If you like what you see, export it to 3ds.
cartrite

Cartrite,
You rock! I'm using 2.48. I'm going to try this later on tonight. Thanks a ton!

- Jeff