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FSX:SE Trying to understand the Ground Polygon problem I'm seeing

B

BlueSox14

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45
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australia
Hi all,

I'm trying to convert a FS9 airport to FSX:SE. One of the clear issues early on was ground polygon flickering. This particular airport has 13 BGL files that each appear to contain a layer of the Ground Polygon.

I've converted them all and tidied up the layering through the Ground Polygon Wizard in MCX. Results are vastly improved.

There is one outstanding issue which I'm having real trouble understanding. Refer to the attached screenshot.

I just don't understand why as I get closer to the runway, the part of the runway underneath me appears to have the 'noise texture' layer disappear. You can see it in the distance, but not underneath me. I don't think there is any underlying terrain that is poking through because when I fly away, turn around and have a look at the section of runway I was hovering over, well then it's ok. But of course the runway now underneath me has had that 'noise texture' layer disappear. The issue seems to be related to distance and drawing, but I don't understand what I'm seeing and what may be the cause.

Confusing me even more is that one side of the runway displays the 'runway edge texture' layer, but the other side doesn't? How can this be when they're part of the same polygon in the same layer?

I'm looking for some help in interpreting what I'm seeing so that I can begin to try to rectify it. Any input is appreciated.

For what it's worth, I have 13 BGLs allocated to 12 separate layers (this wasn't my choice of course, just how the scenery was made). These layers range from between 8 and 52. The 'noise texture' layer is assigned to 28 and the 'runway edge texture' layer is assigned to 20.

The tire marks layer that you can see in the attached screenshot is layer 44 and as you can see, there is no problem with the visibility of that layer.

Also, I had trouble with these two BGLs when using the GP wizard first time around as it split the BGLs into separate polys, but it all wound up messed up. Second time around, I unticked the option to slice polygons and group polygons and it works much better in FSX, with of course this issue that I'm trying to describe.

I'm scratching my head with this and thank the community in advance for any help provided.

Trent
 

Attachments

  • Ground Poly.jpg
    Ground Poly.jpg
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Have you merged the various mdl's first into just one model and then tried the GPW?
Each layer is one mdl depending on how it is made and in MCX each material is one mdl.
You would have to assign different materials (or a copy with a different name) to each layer if you want to use the GPW.
 
Thanks Roby for your input.

I'm a bit of a beginner at all this. What is the easiest way to merge these mdls? I'll have to 1) extract the models from the BGL files and 2) merge them together. What is the software I can use to do that?

I've tried things like Bgl2Xml but I get a warning saying that as these files weren't compiled with bglcomp.exe, that they can't be decompiled. Any tips?

I'd really like to try and use the Ground Poly wizard on these two large ground polygons. The fact that it was these 2x files that were too large for the GP wizard to slice seems to indicate a relationship. Can anyone give me some easier/simpler methods for slicing my polygons into smaller ones manually before trying the GP wizard on them again? Perhaps point me to any clear and helpful tutorials you know of?

Thank again in advance for any help provided.

Trent
 
How (with what program?) were the bgl's made?
The problem you are facing is that you would have to more or less redo the whole stuff if you want to use ModelConverterX to make the ground polys for you.
Like I tried to explain, if the one that made these ground polys did it in Don Grovestine's add-in ADE GP a long time ago and you want to use MCX to make the ground poly, then you would have to assign different textures (or texture names) to each layer if you want to use the MCX Ground poly Wizard.
You could try to use the newest GP editor of Don (Gadgets) and see if that would work out? Have you updated his GP editor?
If that is (and it is:confused:) a bit a a hassle, then I guess the best thing I can advise it to make your own ground poly once again with another tool (be that 3DS, Gmax, Blender or Sketchup or something else).
That way, at least, you learn how to do things and can choose between making ground polygons with other tools and use MCX to make them into real earth curvature improved ones.
Me, I am still doing it the old fashioned (but FSX) way by using Don's Groundpoly editor and compile for FSX/FS9, but then go from these mdl's to merge them into one big model that I run through the GPW of MCX (to make it work also in P3D4).
But because I no longer use FSX anymore, I cannot tell you if it will work with only ADE+ its GP editor.

PS;): you have too many layers anyway. And layer 52 seems to be a bit on the high side.
PS2:): at FSDeveloper we try to encourage people to make their own scenery and though there are a multitude of threads that try to help out those that want to update FS9 sceneries, aircraft, effects, etc. the idea is still to make your own:eek:!
 
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Thanks again Roby for the advice.

Blender is now installed, Blender2FSX toolkit added and now I'm staring at the base of a steep learning curve! Oh well, getting there is half the fun.

If anyone knows of any really helpful ground poly tutorials in Blender, aimed at beginner level I'd love for you to point me to them.

Ta.

Trent
 
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