MSFS2024 glTF FORMAT

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 currently supports glTF 2.0 models, and your model assets should be created using this. Before starting, however, it is important to note that there are a number of differences between the general glTF format and what is supported by Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024:

 

 

Model Data

Currently there is no support for the following features in the model data:

• hierarchical non-uniform scaling
• morph targets
• sparse accessors
• secondary UVs
• custom tangents

 

Additionally, for skins, the inverse-bind matrices are ignored.

 

 

Images

The following caveats should be respected when adding images:

• Only URIs to external images are supported
• The mimeType parameter is ignored, unless the image.uri does not have an extension

 

 

Materials

When creating materials for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 you should follow these rules:

• normal maps must use DirectX conventions for normal vector packing instead of OpenGL conventions
• texture values for roughness, metal and occlusion must be packed into the same texture

 

The following is also worth noting:

• double-sided materials do not modify the normals when viewing the back-face of materials (i.e. the normals will always be point outwards)
• texture sampler information is ignored (wrapping method is always CLAMP_TO_EDGE)
• animation sampler interpolation method is ignored (interpolation method is always LINEAR).

 

Finally, note that there is no support for the following:

• No support for a primitive.mode other than TRIANGLES
• No support for the Occlusion Strength parameter.

 

 

Custom Materials

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has support for a custom material type, which allows access to a few render-specific techniques. It is therefore recommended to use the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Plugin for 3D Studio Max or Blender, especially for aircraft. You can find out more information about these plugins on the following page:

• The 3DS Max Plugin
• The Blender Plugin

 

 

Animation Groups

When working with animations, it's very important to ensure that all your animations are correctly grouped for exporting in the glTF. With 3DS Max, this is done from the Babylon Animation Groups window, which is opened from the right-click menu: Right Mouse Button > Babylon > Babylon Animation Groups.

As you create each set of animations - for a wheel, for an aileron, etc... - you then need to define this animation within the Babylon Animation Groups window. This will then include the animation groups in the glTF when you export the file for use with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 using the Babylon Exporter.