conversion of ms-flightSim style textures to worldwind using 3dsmax/maxscript

[antdavison]

attached is a 3ds max maxscript to port photoreal ms-flightSim textures to ww.data.pyramid format, maybe someone could write an executable to do the same, or a plugin to read flightsim mipmapped dxtBMPs

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--- maxscript requires FORWARD SLASHES (rather than normal backslashes) to be used in DOS / file paths
--- NO SPACES are prefered for path or file names, spaces may cause commandline programs not to work
--- first calculated level is level 14 (32768 x 16384)
--- fs grid is a non double square 24576 x 16384, base4 quadkey, origin -180w, +90n
--- multiple folders with multiple *su.bmp can be accessed to create a combined worldwind layer set
--- 3ds max dds plugin has bugs - doesn't release memory so memory ramped up and script crashed after some use
--- also 3ds max dds plugin save/format options aren't configureable via maxscript
--- replaced max dds plugin with commandline nvidia tools, NVDXT.EXE and READDXT.EXE
--- dxt3 (66kb per 256*256 tile) used for coastal area, ie includes both land and water, even though alpha is clamped to 0, 255 (ie clamped to 1 bit ... antialising against water colour is good
--- dxt1 (33kb per 256*256 tile) used for land only areas
--- water only area's not converted
--- tested on fs2004 style textures (4.8m/pixel)
--- _levelProgress.txt created file shows progress, and allows fast restart from last converted tile if script aborted / interrupted
--- useful if converting large area, and script execution must be interrupted so computer can be used to do something else
--- copy _levelProgress.txt to desktop or elsewhere to check progress, then open the copy as the original it is being written to after every tile conversion
--- _levelProgress.txt can be edited, requires level, yTile and xTile separately in the first three lines
--- to restart a layer, enter level INTEGER on first line, enter out off extent INTEGER in both lines 2 & 3, eg, zero, -1, 99999999999
--- _stopConversion.cmd allows script to abort, as pressing ESC key doesn't reliably abort script
--- _stopConversion.cmd deletes commandline.EXE's (copied or checked at every script execution)
--- if commandline EXE's are deleted / aren't present, script aborts
--- once levels generated, manually move / rename folders and create configuration *.xml
--- xml requires 'tricky' <LevelZeroTileSizeDegrees> setting ... calculate number of tiles that wrap longitudinally around the globe
--- if level 0 is 512 tiles high (n-s) * 1024 tiles wide (w-e) then <LevelZeroTileSizeDegrees> equals 360./1024 = 0.3515625
--- if level 0 is 4096 tiles high (n-s) * 8192 tiles wide (w-e) then <LevelZeroTileSizeDegrees> equals 360./8192 = 0.0439453125
--- recommended to create 2 or more distinct layers ... put highest 2 to say 4 resolutions/ levels on one layer, the lower levels on another
--- converts a big sized city in about 3 hours on a 3ghzP4
--- last revision 2009.02.18
--- future changes ... check fsX compatibility, fade out alpha on lower levels
--- for research / private /non-commercial/ open-source use only, paypal me for commercial use :-)
--- conversion of commercially sourced flight sim photoreal textures may breach end user licence agreements


ant in nz :-)