Additional Hangers For Library Wanted

[GaryR]

I recently got into airport modding in P3D v4.5. However, it seems that the selection of available hangers in the ADE library is somewhat limited. Basically, I am looking for a variety of modern Manufactured steel building hangers which the local airport I'm modding has plenty of.
Can anyone point me to additional 3d object libraries I might download.

Thanks.

 

[Tim Collins]

MAIW (militaryaiworks.com) has several libraries and complete airfields for download. Many of them date back to FS9, but are perfectly acceptable for most background work. They may not be used for any distributable work without permission, however.

 

[GaryR]

I will look at their work. Been to their page before. I plan to dress up KDOV and Oceana, and Norfolk Naval in the future. In my own searching I have also found Emerald Design.
Now, if I download a package can you please explain to me how to link the library manager to those files. New to ADE here. Please assume I'm a noob and I ask patience.
Thank you for you help.

Gary

 

[Tim Collins]

When you have downloaded the library folder, it will have at least two folders within it: scenery and texture. These hold the models and their surface treatments. There may, rarely, be other folders such as ‘effects’. Place the library folder wherever it best suits you. In ADE, go to the Tools menu and select Library Object Manager. When the dialogue box opens, near the bottom you will see Add: folder. Click on that and direct it to your saved library folder. Once the algorithm has done its magic, it will tell you how many files have been imported. You must now Save to make these new scenery objects available to you in ADE.

If you want a thumbnail of these objects to refer to in ADE, you need to download Arno’s Model Convertor X application (you’ll probably need it anyway). I’m on a phone right now, so I can’t take you through it, but I’ll do that tomorrow when I can get to a computer.

 

[Tim Collins]

I should add that MAIW have done all of those airfields already, and the easiest way to get them into P3Dv4.5 is to download their Matrix application, which will give you a full suite of military AI aircraft and airfields for them to operate from, worldwide. You can, of course, select which airfields you wish to have represented.

 

[GaryR]

Okay. Thank you for the tips. I am working on my home GA field where I take lessons. It is both the easiest and hardest. Easy because I know it and hard because I know it. If you know what I mean.

 

[GaryGB]

Hello:

There are certainly an abundance of 3D models in FSX / P3D compatible library BGLs freely available for use in enhancing scenery.


When it comes to making a replica of one's own local airfield around which we fly IRL, it is even more realistic to use custom 3D models in FS.

If you are interested in doing that for your project at Penn Valley KSEG, it looks like it would be fairly easy to make the relatively smaller number of buildings there as custom 3D models, and texture them using digital photos.

Such photos can be taken with a quality cell phone or other consumer grade digital camera ...on a bright overcast day with skylight shadows.

IMHO, most digital cameras are best positioned at the center of an object at a normal to short-distance telephoto zoom (not close) ...for good results.

If one must use a wide angle zoom level at very close distances, step to each side of an object center, taking multiple images to slice / combine later; this helps overcome inevitable "fish-eye" edge distortion of shorter focal length lenses for smaller CCD sensors in consumer-grade digital cameras.


In my experience as a P3Dv4.x user, a free version of Sketchup can easily make 3D models to export into FSX / P3D via Arno's ModelConverterX.


A useful tool to use when making FS scenery is Google Earth Desktop Edition, which is free to use from this URL:

https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#download-pro

Google Earth Desktop Edition Street View can prove quite helpful when creating a local scenery object.


There are some interesting and unique buildings at KSEG which might be fun to have in one's scenery during flight in FS.

Other enhancements which some may wish to consider for use exclusively on one's own computer include captured Google or Bing Satellite Imagery for ground textures that are draped onto a high resolution terrain mesh that uses freely available elevation data files.

Custom autogen annotations can be placed on such custom photo-real textured scenery for more realistic vegetation, buildings etc..

Most modern computers are likely to still run FS/ P3D adequtely well, if one has not placed too many scenery library objects via non-autogen methods.


Of course there are many enhancements one might make, but at the least, having a few buildings that match IRL make flying in FS more fun.

I hope this info helps with making your KSEG scenery project even more enjoyable.

GaryGB

 

[GaryR]

Indeed. I am going to investigate these apps. I have already created and tested four different versions. One big challenge was keeping the airport buildings off of adjacent Airport Road. I use UTX NA for geography and roads underneath FTX Global and Global NA but UTX routed Airport Road straight through one of the default row hangers. I had to edit the eastern boundary of the field by about 50 feet.
I actually have a Penn Vally scenery for FSX with custom buildings but I couldn't get everything to display in P3D. Turns out there is a file that goes in FSX World Scenery with it and I don't know if I can add it in P3D V4 due to XML writing.

 

[Tim Collins]

If the XML scenery entry method doesn't fully work in this case, you can insert the relevant file directly into P3Dv4's Scenery\World folder exactly as in FSX.

I echo Gary's recommendation of SketchUp Make 2017 for scenery creation. It's very easy to use and can give excellent results - though avoid the temptation to make your buildings too complex. I've fallen into that trap several times! There are a number of addons to SketchUp that can keep the load on your sim under control, and if you want to follow this route I recommend you research GaryGB's remarkable oeuvre of contributions to this forum.

 

[GaryR]

I just want to do a great little airport well. Look it up. In the rolling mountains along the Susquehanna River it's beautiful flying.

You said about manual insertion of a file to p3d 4 worl scenery. Would I be able to do scenery and texture then with Lorby?

 

[Tim Collins]

I just want to do a great little airport well. Look it up. In the rolling mountains along the Susquehanna River it's beautiful flying.

You said about manual insertion of a file to p3d 4 worl scenery. Would I be able to do scenery and texture then with Lorby?

Yes.

 

[GaryGB]

If the XML scenery entry method doesn't fully work in this case, you can insert the relevant file directly into P3Dv4's Scenery\World folder exactly as in FSX.

I echo Gary's recommendation of SketchUp Make 2017 for scenery creation. It's very easy to use and can give excellent results - though avoid the temptation to make your buildings too complex. I've fallen into that trap several times! There are a number of addons to SketchUp that can keep the load on your sim under control, and if you want to follow this route I recommend you research GaryGB's remarkable oeuvre of contributions to this forum.

Many thanks for the kind words, Tim.

I had to laugh, though, at the word "oevure", as it reminded me of these scenes in "Airplane"

Indeed. I am going to investigate these apps. I have already created and tested four different versions. One big challenge was keeping the airport buildings off of adjacent Airport Road. I use UTX NA for geography and roads underneath FTX Global and Global NA but UTX routed Airport Road straight through one of the default row hangers. I had to edit the eastern boundary of the field by about 50 feet.
I actually have a Penn Vally scenery for FSX with custom buildings but I couldn't get everything to display in P3D. Turns out there is a file that goes in FSX World Scenery with it and I don't know if I can add it in P3D V4 due to XML writing.

Hi again, GaryR:

I was curious what you alluded to above with regard to "UTX", which is widely used as an abbreviation for "Ultimate Terrain X - USA, by Allen Kreisman of Scenery Solutions sold via Flight1.

Flight1.com - Flight Simulator Add-ons for FSX and Prepar3D

www.flight1.com

When I inspected UTX CVX vector RDX road lines for KSEG and adjacent Airport Road at KSEG in SDK TMFViewer, I found that there was indeed an apparent misalignment of the Airport Boundary / Background Polygon and a Road vector in:

[FSX or P3D install path]\Scenery\UtUsaRoad\Scenery\RD22717.bgl

NOTE: I superimposed a FSX default CVX file to show a KSEG Airport Boundary / Background polygon; thus, some vectors are duplicated.


Of course, one could Exclude and Replace the "default row hangar" to effectively 'Move' it and/or other objects to match IRL.


But, if desired, there is a way to edit a copy of CVX vectors and recompile a corrected version for use with FSX / P3D.


If one uses custom photo-real land class satellite imagery, that covers up vector textures, but vectors 'should' be corrected for road flattens.


But if high resolution custom terrain mesh is used under custom photo-real land class satellite imagery, most road vectors are optional.

GaryGB

 

[GaryR]

I knew there was a duplication because I know my region. That airport is a 35 minute drive north from my home but I take lessons there and the fiance and I shop at the nearby Susquehanna Valley Mall and along the US 15 "Strip" there at least once a month.
I wonder how the road routing would look under FTX Vector? If it would be duplicated also? It is the same with FSX. I might buy FTX Vector next time Orbix runs a sale and disable UTX on P3D and install Vector but leave UTX on Steam to compare. Actually, with the UTX and the FTX Global and NA FSX Steam actually looks better than P3D save for the sky and weather depiction.
Go figure.
My treatment of the row hanger was to resize it. I then shortened the apron slots and edge lighting by drag.
All that excluding and such sounds complicated compared to dragging and resizing. What I do when I finish an edit is drop the pertinent files in my projects folder into a folder in my Addon Airports folder named Penn Valley. I Then use Lorby to add it. No layer. Just on top. A little mouse clicking but it works.

 

[GaryR]

In an earlier post I mentioned a KSEG enhancement with custom hangers and office that mirrors RW appearance. It is actually part of a three airport package called Sunbury Airports by John Loney. I don't know if he is know here or not. He has done a number of sceneries
I would love to know where he got the hangers.

 

[GaryGB]

I knew there was a duplication because I know my region. That airport is a 35 minute drive north from my home but I take lessons there and the fiance and I shop at the nearby Susquehanna Valley Mall and along the US 15 "Strip" there at least once a month.
I wonder how the road routing would look under FTX Vector? If it would be duplicated also? It is the same with FSX. I might buy FTX Vector next time OrbX runs a sale and disable UTX on P3D and install Vector but leave UTX on Steam to compare. Actually, with the UTX and the FTX Global and NA FSX Steam actually looks better than P3D save for the sky and weather depiction.
Go figure.
My treatment of the row hanger was to resize it. I then shortened the apron slots and edge lighting by drag.
All that excluding and such sounds complicated compared to dragging and resizing. What I do when I finish an edit is drop the pertinent files in my projects folder into a folder in my Addon Airports folder named Penn Valley. I Then use Lorby to add it. No layer. Just on top. A little mouse clicking but it works.

Hi GaryR:

Since UTX and the OrbX FTX Global Vector are both derived from modern GIS source data sets, they would likely be similar.

Reportedly, UTX has more features, including a configuration utility to toggle some features on / off for more / less detail.


When I inspected UTX CVX vector RDX road lines for KSEG and adjacent Airport Road at KSEG after Appended to SBuilderX, I found that there was NO apparent misalignment of the P3Dv5 Airport Boundary / Background Polygon and that Road vector in:

[FSX or P3Dv5 install path]\Scenery\UtUsaRoad\Scenery\RD22717.bgl


I have yet to find where the P3Dv4.x Airport Boundary / Background Polygon CVX vector data is located.

This raises a question as to whether the original placement of the row hangar object in question ...was correct.

Regardless, the above cited UTX vector is correct, and precisely aligned to Google Maps imagery.

In an earlier post I mentioned a KSEG enhancement with custom hangers and office that mirrors RW appearance. It is actually part of a three airport package called Sunbury Airports by John Loney. I don't know if he is know here or not. He has done a number of sceneries
I would love to know where he got the hangers.

IIUC you are referring to this add-on scenery:

AVSIM Library

Flight simulators premier web site. Freeware, forums, community; it all comes together at AVSIM.

library.avsim.net

You may wish to review the author's included documentation for info on sources for 3D models he used.

Otherwise. you may wish to contact the author for more info and permission to utilize his objects elsewhere.


FYI: In FSX with that add-on installed, I see 'flickering' on some 3D models; I have not yet found what caused that at KSEG.

[EDITED]

I disabled the above "flickering" on some 3D models via:

FSX GUI Menu > Options > Settings > Display > un-check: Ground Scenery Shadows" check-box

[END_EDIT]


BTW: Try this to ensure that your Penn Valley add-on scenery by John Loney is able to be displayed above OrbX FTX Global:


Here's an edited excerpt from one of my old posts on the FTX Central "Insertion Point" option for OrbX scenery layers in Scenery Library:


By default, FTX Central utility always re-inserts FTX layers to a position at- / near the top of- P3D Scenery Library GUI stack of layers.


By default, when the FTX Central configuration utility runs automatically following installation /configuration of OrbX FTX scenery packages:

* Custom entries are added to the 'active' Terrain.Cfg if they are not already present.

* Several OrbX FTX scenery Area layers are added to the 'top' position of the 'active' FS Scenery Library GUI stack of layers.


Because by default, OrbX FTX scenery Area layers are added to the 'top' position of the P3D Scenery Library GUI, custom scenery may not render properly (if at all), so one should allow for non-OrbX add-on or personally-created custom scenery to be loaded later by placing them above the OrbX FTX scenery Area layers ...at- or nearer to- the 'top' position of the FS Scenery Library GUI.

Each time OrbX FTX Central utility is run OrbX FTX scenery Area layers are again automatically added to the 'top' position of the 'active' FS Scenery Library GUI stack of layers by default.

One can change that default behavior of OrbX FTX Central utility by configuring the OrbX FTX scenery Area layers to be automatically placed at a lower position in the 'active' FS Scenery Library GUI stack of layers by:

OrbX FTX Central Menu > Tools > Scenery Library Configuration > FTX Scenery Library Insertion Points

NOTE: Newer versions of OrbX FTX Central utility may be subject to a different menu / dialog configurations


This results in an assigned position, above which OrbX FTX scenery Area layers will NOT be inserted ...until a new Insertion Point is assigned within that FTX Central utility dialog.


I hope this info helps with the troubleshooting and enhancement process at KSEG.


GaryGB

 

[GaryR]

I found that flysimware has an excellent flat roof GA hanger for freeware. I found some GA hangers on Simviation as well. I will check them out over the weekend. I downloaded maiw's library also.