This evening I continued with the FSX MDL reader for ModelConverterX. With the LODs done, my next challenge was to read the transformations correctly as well, as some objects now show displaced parts. This was easier said than done, as understanding the way transformations are assigned, also means understanding how the animations work.

Luckily, after making the CAT tool and doing a lot of animation tweaking in FS2004, I understand a bit how this process is done. In FSX things have been changed of course (bone animations are new for example), but with what I knew I could get started quite well. I think I now understand most of the animation puzzle from the MDL files, there are only some missing pieces that still have to fall in place. But with the progress I made today I am quite pleased already and that gives good hope I can extend the MDL reader soon with more cool features. And of course I will also update the Wiki article about the FSX MDL format once I found those missing pieces.