FSX Making a landable mountain using ADE for FSX

[Tomt478]

I am trying to make PR imagery, but the tutorial says to draw a square over my area, well, there is no "square or rectangle" tool in SbuilderX, so how do I draw a square if there is no tool to do it?

 

[Tomt478]

I've tried everything, there is no way to draw a square. That tutorial must have been written for some other version of SBX or he's using some kind of addon that I don't have. There is no selection in my tools that allows drawing a square. So what do I do, just skip that step and go to the next? I have my image, but can't go any further.

 

[GaryGB]

I am trying to make PR imagery, but the tutorial says to draw a square over my area, well, there is no "square or rectangle" tool in SBuilderX, so how do I draw a square if there is no tool to do it?

Assuming you are working with Make photo-real ground textures in FS X... by Luis Feliz-Tirado (aka "LFT")

Are you referring to the section dealing with selection of aerial imagery tiles to be downloaded via:

...Add Map From Background ?

"You can draw a selection rectangle directly over the image to select the area desired, and also choose the zoom level you want"

I've tried everything, there is no way to draw a square. That tutorial must have been written for some other version of SBX or he's using some kind of addon that I don't have. There is no selection in my tools that allows drawing a square. So what do I do, just skip that step and go to the next? I have my image, but can't go any further.

If so, author 'LFT' is referring to drawing a rectangular selection "frame' (in RED) around the tiles you want.

BTW: Generally speaking, the in-memory work set size of SBuilderX will max out at 88 x 56 at zoom level = 18.

Press {F1} Key > Slowly set your zoom level at no more than 15, then SBuilderX Menu > Add Map > From Background

If you wish to gather more than that, it will require multiple download sessions, then a multi-source INF must be made.

[EDITED]

PS: I must depart shortly, but tile download steps workflow are summarized in this older post to help with clarification:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/maps-for-sbuilder.453170/post-887795


1.) File > Add Map > From Background

a.) Tick: Number of Tiles radio button to set Grid size

b.) Click+Hold Left Mouse Button to draw a Red rectangle over Green grid lines to select desired tiles

c.) < Tile download status message appears > after initial download is done > [OK] button again


2.) Selected Background Map appears in SBuilderX Work-space

3.) SBuilderX writes a BMP and a TXT file into:

[SBuilderX install path]\Tools\Work sub-folder

NOTE: [ alpha-numeric name prefix ] of BMP and TXT may vary with world location and Zoom level of Background Map.

[END_EDIT]

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

Ok, got it, but, no scenery, just the regular background scenery shows. I can probably figure it out, what I want to know is how can I take a scenery photo of Mars, and import that into Sbuilder then apply a map to it when obviously, there isn't a "google" map of Mars. Also how could I place the "map" over the particular area of KWR1 that I want? I can get the coordinates of KWR1, but without a "map" of Mars, how the heck would I place the scenery over the correct area? What LOD should I even use that FSX can display, I know it has its limits.

 

[GaryGB]

IIUC, by "regular background" scenery shows, you mean the aerial imagery tiles from Earth.

IMHO, it would be preferable to 'color tint' as desired, the Uinta Basin or a comparable desert area using Earth aerial imagery as source data.

There is a way to Add Map From Disk rather than from Background of SBuilderX' workspace, by using the "Calibrate" feature if the imagery is not already Geo-referenced.

I have not looked at various Mars imagery sources to see what is available, but it would likely be low resolution compared to what we have for Earth.

You could look at Google Earth in "Mars" mode to see if it might be useful (there is a Earth / Moon / Mars mode in Google Earth).

Generally speaking imagery looks poor if it is less than 1 Meter on the ground mapped per pixel in the aerial image source (FSX default resolution).

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

The images are Hi-Res (or as Hi-Res as NASA can get), but you're right, they may not work too well, the images look 'ok' but really not "sim" material. I'll look into the Mars mode on Google Earth and see how that works. I'm having trouble getting the PR imagery lined up with the coordinates of KWR1 though. I use the coordinates with KWR1 overlayed onto the "ranch" area, but when I create the imagery, it winds up completely in a different location. I may not be entering them right, the tutorial said something about having to convert the google coordinates to decimal, I may not be doing that right. I need to find an online source for converting GPS to Decimal for coordinates. I figured out the PR problem not showing up. It appears that I put KWR1 at 5000ft, but a lot of the area is either slightly higher than 5000 or slightly below 5000, so I have to adjust the area accordingly for it to show up. Not too much of a problem since I know now what it was. I am satisfied with the better texture res I get with PR compared to GP textures, plus I don't have all the "headaches" I had with GP textures. PR is so much easier once you have it down correctly.

 

[GaryGB]

The images are Hi-Res (or as Hi-Res as NASA can get), but you're right, they may not work too well, the images look 'OK' but really not "sim" material. I'll look into the Mars mode on Google Earth and see how that works.

I'm having trouble getting the PR imagery lined up with the coordinates of KWR1 though. I use the coordinates with KWR1 overlaid onto the "ranch" area, but when I create the imagery, it winds up completely in a different location. I may not be entering them right, the tutorial said something about having to convert the google coordinates to decimal, I may not be doing that right. I need to find an online source for converting GPS to Decimal for coordinates.

I figured out the PR problem not showing up. It appears that I put KWR1 at 5000ft, but a lot of the area is either slightly higher than 5000 or slightly below 5000, so I have to adjust the area accordingly for it to show up. Not too much of a problem since I know now what it was. I am satisfied with the better texture res I get with PR compared to GP textures, plus I don't have all the "headaches" I had with GP textures. PR is so much easier once you have it down correctly.

CAVEAT: All imagery and CVX vector content in source files must be in EPSG:4326 GIS cartographic projection when compiled via FS SDK.


I have previously posted info on how to ensure one makes background imagery and/or textures for ADE or 3D modeling applications etc.

In that scenery workflow, imagery and 3D model content in source files must be in EPSG:3857 GIS cartographic projection.


Do not attempt to change Geo-referencing for imagery tiles; instead, move other scenery content into alignment with imagery tiles.


In SBuilderX, create and save a *.SBP 'project', then export a *.SBX 'exchange' file in:

[SBuilderX install path]\Tiles\Work sub-folder.

Make a copy of those 2 SBuilderX project data files for archival purposes in the same ZIP file.


In SBuilderX workspace, download imagery tiles from the server of your choice.

In the SBuilderX workspace, select the imagery tile 1-piece composite 'object' so its vertices are Red, then compile that to BGL.

In SBuilderX, save the *.SBP 'project', then export another *.SBX 'exchange' file.


Immediately access that group of files:

*.BMP imagery tile 1-piece 'object', *.TXT Geo-referencing, *.BGL compiled by SDK Resample

...as well as the:

*.SBP 'project' and *.SBX 'exchange' files

...then:

Save all the above selected files together in (1) ZIP.

In SBuilderX, Append all ESRI *.SHP files for KWR1


In the SBuilderX workspace, select the entire extent of all CVX vector *.SHP objects so all of its object vertices are Red

In the SBuilderX workspace, Zoom the view out so you can see both the current and new locations in the Background Map

Drag-and-Drop to Move the selected entire extent of all CVX vector *.SHP objects to the desired new project location.

Repeat the latter (3) steps Zoomed in as needed, to incrementally fine-tune the final position of all CVX vector *.SHP objects at the desired new project location.

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

From what I understood from the tutorial, you go to the coordinates where you want the scenery, add your background, add 'map from background' , (usually have to this step twice), select your map, compile bgl, move bgl file to your scenery folder in FSX, start FSX and go to the coordinates where you placed your scenery, and it should show up at that location. I didn't do all of that stuff you just said. I did exactly what it said, I got it to show up one time, but now I can't get it to show up at all. Do I have to remove the "land Class" from the area in KWR1? Or will the new scenery replace that?

 

[GaryGB]

The aerial imagery BGL is a type of custom PR 'land class' compiled via SDK Resample instead of a CVX Vector type compiled via SDK SHP2VEC; but it is type of 'land class', nonetheless.

In this case, the aerial imagery custom PR 'land class' BGL 'should' have display priority over FSX' own default land class terrain textures, provided that the downloaded tile zoom level written into the BGL during compilation by Resample was LOD-13 / QMID-15 or higher (ex: LOD-14 / QMID-16 or a larger numeric value).

Open the BGL in question using SDK TMFViewer to see what the actual LOD values were that Resample concluded it could / should write out into that BGL.

IIRC, one must also place the custom PR 'land class' BGL into a new Area layer at the top of the Scenery library GUI; DO NOT put it into [FSX install path\Add on Scenery\Scenery sub-folder., as that is inherently intended to be a default low-display priority Area layer in Scenery Library stack of layers.

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

I tried to add the "work" folder with the BGL in it, just like it said to do, but FSX won't let me add the folder, to the library, it tells me there are no BGLs in the folder so it won't add it. I've never been able to add a folder to the scenery library, why is that? I go to scenery library, Add Area, select the folder, ".....work/scenery" (My project folder on my desktop) , but when I select the folder, it says "no items match your selection" There are no other settings that I can find. So why won't FSX find the BGL file in the directory? It won't let me do anything from that point. That's why I have been having to use my default ...addon.scenery folder, because I can't add a new area to the scenery library. I've tried everything and can't get FSX to let me do it.

 

[GaryGB]

FSX will not find BGLs that are not inside a \Scenery sub-folder nested under a top folder.

That folder chain must be linked via Add Area and be entered as an active listed item within the Scenery Library stack of layers in order to be displayed in FSX at run time.

Pre-create the new folder chain inside [FSX install path]\Add on Scenery sub-folder ...as I have previously shown in other posts.

Then copy the custom PR 'land class' BGL into that nested \Scenery sub-folder.

Now Scenery Library should allow you to Add Area and link to that new folder chain containing the custom PR 'land class' BGL.

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

I got it to work, now I have another question, what is the MAX zoom level that FSX can display. I tried it at 13 but it only shows up at high altitudes and not at lower or ground level. I tried at level 15, but nothing shows period. So what zoom level should I use for FSX to show the PR at high altitude and at ground level? I'm getting closer to making it work like I want. Also my roads seem to be vanishing except for the road vectors I made in SBX, the roads used to show up, but suddenly they quit. Could it be a problem with the compiled AD4 file and I need to delete and re-compile? Windows still has that "File Manager" problem with not updating files, I thought that might be the problem. I'll try re-compiling the AD4 after deleting the current files. If that don't do it, I'll let you know.

 

[Tomt478]

Didn't fix it. My roads are simply vanishing after a certain point, they didn't used to do that.

 

[GaryGB]

I got it to work.

I'm getting closer to making it work like I want.

Congratulations.

Now I have another question: what is the MAX zoom level that FSX can display.

Technically, Zoom level tends to correlate more with QMID than with LOD, so Zoom-29 = QMID-29 / LOD-27

See: https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/flattens.425495/post-633002


However, it is rare to see public tile servers offering aerial imagery that is truly higher resolution than Zoom-18.

Google Earth Zooms up to 23, but typically anything over Zoom-18 is over-sampled / is only bogus 'MIPMAPs.'

In Google Earth once I saw an airport under construction that was actually Zoom-21; it was truly SHARP imagery.


See: rhumbaflappy's treatise on why it is impractical to use imagery with LODs higher than 19 as terrain textures:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/3-5cm-per-pixel.21121/

I tried it at 13 but it only shows up at high altitudes and not at lower or ground level.

I tried at level 15, but nothing shows period.

So what zoom level should I use for FSX to show the PR at high altitude and at ground level?

Sorry, but that does not "compute" with known behavior of custom PR land class BGL display.

Highest LOD's / resolutions display (only) at closer distances from the user aircraft / ground vehicle camera.

I can only sort out what you are describing by looking at the file set personally; ...so, ZIP it and Link it !

Also, my roads seem to be vanishing except for the road vectors I made in SBX; the roads used to show up, but suddenly they quit.

Could it be a problem with the compiled AD4 file and I need to delete and re-compile?

Windows still has that "File Manager" problem with not updating files, I thought that might be the problem. I'll try re-compiling the AD4 after deleting the current files. If that don't do it, I'll let you know.

Didn't fix it. My roads are simply vanishing after a certain point, they didn't used to do that.

I can only sort out what you are describing by looking at the file set personally; ...so, ZIP it and Link it !

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

I got the PR showing, but my roads will not show up anymore. I'll zip up the AD4 and related files and see if you can figure it out, I just can't figure out why they were working, now they aren't. I even removed the PR file to see if maybe the PR was messing with it somehow, that isn't it either. It's either something I did in my FSX settings, or something truly went haywire. I just can't figure it out.

 

[Tomt478]

KWR1_ADEX_TT_ALT_OBJ

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Ok, here is the ADE files, and the PR files, I didn't include the SBP or SBX files, didn't think you would need them.

 

[GaryGB]

I downloaded the ZIP.

I must depart again, but I shall take a look at this tonight upon my return.

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

can you place a land class over the PR scenery and have the PR scenery show but overlay the land class, showing the PR scenery while still allowing the Land class to show? Or is it possible to place a land class over your PR even if it covers up the PR. At least allowing me to place some Land Class in certain areas.

 

[GaryGB]

KWR1_ADEX_TT_ALT_OBJ

MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere.

www.mediafire.com

Ok, here is the ADE files, and the PR files, I didn't include the SBP or SBX files, didn't think you would need them.

All scenery is intact, and can be inspected via ADE, SDK TMFViewer etc.


The Photo01 BGL it is in the Uinta Basin, and is not a part of the other set of files located in Mexico .


The KWR1 ADE BGL was not compiled and located inside the \Work\Scenery sub-folder.


The Altitude of CVX vectors is assigned to the Airport Altitude, thus they display underground:

can you place a land class over the PR scenery and have the PR scenery show but overlay the land class, showing the PR scenery while still allowing the Land class to show? Or is it possible to place a land class over your PR even if it covers up the PR. At least allowing me to place some Land Class in certain areas.

As I stated previously, custom PR land class ("LC") has top priority for display over other CVX Vector land class.

Airport objects (RWYs, Taxiways, Aprons etc.) display on top of custom PR LC, even from a layer below PR LC.


To allow other CVX Vector land class to display in conjunction with custom PR LC, one must cut "holes".

The "holes" are areas in the Blend Mask with 8-Bit Pure Black to form an Alpha channel.

A Blend Mask Alpha channel allows CVX Vector land class to be displayed from 'underneath' custom PR LC.


See the tutorial by LFT on making a Blend Mask.


NOTE: Never change the total number of Rows or Columns of pixels in a source file for custom PR LC.

Open a copy of the custom PR LC BMP file and convert it to a 8-Bit B+W TIF.

Add a suffix "_B" to the file name of the TIF intended to become the Blend Mask.

GaryGB

 

[Tomt478]

Ok, I got the PR scenery to show (it's not going to show on your end because you don't have the necesary files, but it shows on my end with no problem. I just can't get my roads back for some reason. They were working fine until today. Like I said, I thought it might be the PR causing the problem so I removed that file from the directory so FSX won't load it. this should have loaded my DEFAULT KWR1 files. Which it did, but still the roads aren't showing in that area as they were yesterday. I can't understand why they just suddenly vanished. I even went as far as loaded a previous AD4 file set (I always save my working ADE files in a backup before working on things) and low and behold, the roads still aren't showing up. This is with a file set that was working fine yesterday. I'm scratching my head at this point. I even tried placing "road vectors" using SBX, and they don't even show now either. Something has gone seriously wrong somewhere. As for Blend Masking, is there a tutorial on how to do that and can it be done in SBX? I would like to add some forests to the new PR scenery, because the actual real-world area is rather flat and empty, I need to "spice it up" a bit. I managed to tint the landscape for the PR as well giving it that "mars" look I wanted. It looks great, just can't get my roads back nor can I get my "rain forest" land class to "blend" in with the PR. I need some serious help with these two problems. I'm learning a lot about making scenery that looks so much better than just GPs. At least from above I can see the details of the land now. Oh I'm not using a PR_LC, I'm wanting to just use the "stock" LC such as "rain forest". I'll work with PR_LC later, one step at a time. Once I can figure out how to actually create a map of another area (say a real-world forest) and place it in the correct coordinate in my project, then I'll consider using PR_LC instead. On that note, say I did make a map of another location somewhere on earth with a forest, Ok, I know how to manipulate the map file, but isn't that map file going to have the coordinates of where I got it from? If so, how would I place that map at the coordinates of my project? Is all I have to do is add the map then place it at the coordinates in my project,then when it compiles the map, does SBX place the map where you put it?