Meshing Question Flickering models in Orbiter?

[Saturn V]

Hi all -

Reworked a few launch pads with higher detail,and all looks fine in anim8or, but once I get the model into Orbiter, the model flickers. Or rather, parts of it do.

I've tried everything I can think of to eliminate it, to no avail.

It might be worth noting that it only happens from very low level ground perspectives. Elevating the camera eliminates the issue. Very annoying never the less...

Is there any way to get it to "behave" like the existing portions of the model? A few of the meshes overlap others, and some don't, but neither flickers more or less than the other.

Been using anim8or (and Orbiter) for several years and don't recall having this issue before.

What am I missing?

 

[Donamy]

You may have double meshes or faces with 2 sides, Orbiter only allows 1 sided polys.

 

[Saturn V]

There are definitely no double meshes and most of the additions to the original model are copied and reshaped from existing meshes in the model.

I've also noticed that if I change the focus to the hold down clamp instead of the Atlas, the flickering also disappears.

I just can't understand what I've goofed here because everything looks fine depending on the angle I'm viewing it from, or which vessel I'm focused on.

If it were the model itself, wouldn't it be messed up from all angles? Is it a glitch or software limitation, or as I suspect, something I'm overlooking?

I've compared it to other models I've built (I tried matching specularity & other values) and this is the only one that exhibits this effect.

Quite maddening becuse I can't locate the issue. Any help much appreciated.

 

[Donamy]

If you would like me to look at it in AC3D, I would be happy too.

 

[streb2001]

Try lifting them very slightly off the ground:

SetTouchdownPoints (_V(0,0.01,2), _V(-1,0.01,-1.5), _V(1,0.01,-1.5));

This is from a dll but I think you can do similar in a config file. This stopped my launchpad from flickering.

sk21

 

[Saturn V]

Thanks for the replies...

streb,

The issue is with the pad & the buildings, not the rocket itself, so there are no landing points per se. However, if I'm understanding the configuration file correctly (specifically the position line: POS 3317.5 15.5 12550.3), with the middle bold face numbers being the values for the pad height, then it is well above ground level and I have indeed tried all values between 0.0 and 25.5. Due to the established height of the booster, there's a fairly narrow window where the rocket isn't floating above the pad or burried in it, but I've even tried those extremes and have not as yet been able to address the problem. The pad's relative height does change, but does not eliminate the flickering regardless of the height. The only cure at this point is changing the viewing angle or which element in the scenario I'm focused on.

The confusing thing is that the original parts of the model are not affected in the least (they look fine from all angles). Only the parts I've added or changed seem to be affected, and yet I've reworked many pads over the years and never had this problem before. I'm pulling out my already thinning hair trying to figure out what I'm doing differently!

Donamy,

Thank you for the kind offer. I'd be honored if you wouldn't mind taking a look at it for me. Let me know which files you need.

EDIT: I tried converting the entire launch complex to a spacecraft3 vessel instead of an object in the configuration file and oddly, it appears to work. The flickering is gone, though the pad is now casting shadows...:blink:

It is what it is, as they say. I guess I'l just have to accept it as is.

Thanks again...