What tools to create detailed airports (FS9)?

[FirmamentFX]

Hi guys,

I have read a lot of threads in these forums, and while many things have become clear, others have become more murky (as is always the way with software development...)

I am trying to piece together a definitive list of applications and tools I need to have in place before starting my first major airport design for FS9.

I want to use ground polys, not "default" taxiways/runways/aprons and land classes etc.

So, there is GMax (or probably in my case 3DS Max 8). What else is there? Airport? Groundmaker? Afcad 2.21? SceneGenX?

I now have the FS9 SDK, but I also read somewhere that you need something from the FS2002 SDK as well for FS9, which confused me further

As a 3DS Max developer in a previous existence, I obviously have Photoshop and GIS tools already.

I can't work out what is used for "default" texture creation and what is needed for custom ground textures...

Many thanks for any help and your patience!

Martin

 

[fsintegral]

Hello.

Tools :
GMax is the tool to make 3D Buildings, Structures and Objects like Cars, Bin, Fences... Those models should be exported usin the FS2004 MakeMDL as scenery objects.

Airport will let you place old fashioned scenery objects, using API models (scasm type code), and create ground polygons, runways... but quite obsolete. However, some functionalities are nice to use in Airport. For example : locating precise lat/lon positions, placing series of objects regularly (Custom RunwayLights) or drawing TaxiwayLines using the Road element... and many more. It's the tool I use in place of FSSC or GroundMaker. The main purpose of Airport is to place objects in scenery.

SceneGenX is the FS9 version of Airport. However, it does not allow you to use th OldFashioned objects or models, and draws elements like Afcad already does. By the way, it usually adds an airport data in its xml type BGL, which overrides your airport when you open it in Afcad. I use SceneGenX only when I want to set Excludes with exact coordinates (using a map, something that is missing in Afcad)

Afcad, you already know will build the path of your aircraft. However, if you do not plan to make custom Ground (Runway, Taxiways, Apron, Grass, Dirt..) Afcad is the tool to make them.

I advice you to use CompileHelper by Arno Gerretsen to compile all your XML and ASM sources. Very usefull as you can place a small shortcut in your source folder, and drag-n-drop the files over..

Easy Object Designer is an old (but very good) tool. Even if all it can do is almost possible to do using newer tools like GMax, there are still some cases where it can be easier to use EOD (RotateToAircraft, IlluminatedGround, Platform...)

LWMViewer is not really a DesignTool, but a Viewer. For example, you can use it to locate the default FS files contening the flattens and VTPGrass around your Airport.

SBuilder can be used to (re-)generate the LWM or VTP polygons you located with LWMViewer. You can build Photoreal textures as well, but personnaly, I think the Microsoft SDK is better for that (the visibility distance is greater)

Some other tools like Rwy12 or ObPlacer are used only to place 3D objects. However, I think that placing objects with simple XML files using a tool like Context for edition is a very good practice.

You will also have the need of the BGLC compiler from the FS2002 SDK to compile your GMAX made GroundPolygons. A bit of knowledge in ASM code is required. You will need MDLCommander or Middleman to "intercept" the MakeMDL dialog box while exporting from GMax. That will allow you to enable the "Keep (source) Files" checkbox. The resulting bgl is useless as your Ground will badly flicker in FS9. You'll have to edit the ASM sources to remove shadows, and replace the ADDOBJ command with an ADDCAT command (with a layer data). And re-copile them using CompileHelper.

If you plan to add some nice features to your airport, such as opening hangars, moving cars - let's call it Animation - GMax is the tool to make them. However, GMax alone is powerless. the CAT tool (very very good tool) can set display conditions for your object.

I would advice you also to read the (entire) Scasm help. There are inside so many old fashioned commands (but still working very well in FS2004). I really think that so many scenery designers are missing a MustHave here. Did I say Pilot Controlled Runway Lights ?

Other tools : ImageTool could be used to quicky view your compressed bitmaps. However, they should be compiled using DxtBmp as it produce better looking textures with less artifacts. I didn't mention the FS2002 and FS2004 Scenery SDKs as it's where I started before understanding that I were going to have the need of other tools. But that was a good practice to learn the how and why..

I'm sorry, I can't tell about FSDS, Instant Scenery, Ground2k4 (as I use SBuilder), FS Architect...

Voilà
Carl

 

[FirmamentFX]

That's amazing! Thanks so much

Martin

 

[scruffyduck]

I hesitate to mention Library Object Manager This is a tool that can catalog your ibrary objects and also has some tools to do things that are difficult or time consuming in FS9 like building joined up fences, lines of objects such as tree lines or buildings, Area fills for things like woods and a bridge builder using sstandard default bridge components.

 

[FirmamentFX]

I hesitate to mention Library Object Manager This is a tool that can catalog your ibrary objects and also has some tools to do things that are difficult or time consuming in FS9 like building joined up fences, lines of objects such as tree lines or buildings, Area fills for things like woods and a bridge builder using sstandard default bridge components.

I'm a little confused over library objects - can they be anything (like GMax models) or are they only simple XML defined shapes?

Could I, for example, put all my buildings in a library? Is there a performance hit (or gain) to be had by reusing library objects (like identical hangars / lights) multiple times in a single scene?

Area fills for things like woods

As models or textures?

Thanks,

Martin

 

[scruffyduck]

I'm a little confused over library objects - can they be anything (like GMax models) or are they only simple XML defined shapes?

These are 3D models that are usually created with GMax or FSDS. Xml does not come into it except as a way of defining things like placement and scale. They need to be in Mdl format. There are older models in other formats that still work in FS9 - APIs for example, however these are pretty much obsolete technology and unless you really need to use them you should use the FS9 mdl type objects that GMax can create with the Game Pack.

Could I, for example, put all my buildings in a library? Is there a performance hit (or gain) to be had by reusing library objects (like identical hangars / lights) multiple times in a single scene?

Yes and that would be the sensible thing to do. That way they can be reused. Up to a limit of several thousand it is probably more performance friendly to have one object placed many times. The jury is out where the numbers get big because of the time taken to render them in the Sim.

As models or textures?

Models.



Martin[/QUOTE]

 

[FirmamentFX]

Thank you!

M

 

[FirmamentFX]

Does MDLCommander intercept the MDLMake dialog box in 3DS Max as well as GMax?

Regarding animation - is all animation done in CAT, or does that just define when the animation plays? Is the animation keyframe (ie, can I do animation using 3DS Max keyframing)?

I only ask because I am used to 3DS Max animation...

Cheers,

Martin

 

[scruffyduck]

I can't answer that one Hopefully someone else will

 

[gsnde]

I can't answer this neither, but Jon is not giving you the right inside on Library Object Manager - probably he is a bit shy since it is one of his own programs

Although mainly designed as a tool to allow you to get the overview of all objects you have available to place - EZ-Scenery, Rwy12, or plain FS9 - it has a scenery design component which has some unique abilities.

If you are looking frustrated at that sloppy line of fences you just placed or exhale deeply after realizing that you still need to plant a good hundred trees before this area is reflecting a wood - then LOM can really do wonders for you. This and much more...

A happy LOM user

 

[gsnde]

Regarding animation - is all animation done in CAT, or does that just define when the animation plays?

I think I can answer this one... You have to define the animation in GMax. CAT is used to create a trigger for the animation to happen (e.g. distance to object, certain times, ...)

If I am babbling nonsense here, please somebody correct me

 

[arno]

Hi Martin,

Does MDLCommander intercept the MDLMake dialog box in 3DS Max as well as GMax?

I don't think so. MDLCommander "pauses" the export process when MakeMDL is called so that you can set some options. But as far as I know 3DS Max can not call MakeMDL directly, so I don't think that will work.

Regarding animation - is all animation done in CAT, or does that just define when the animation plays? Is the animation keyframe (ie, can I do animation using 3DS Max keyframing)?

CAT can tweak animations, but you will have to define them in GMax already. CAT uses the ASM source code to make the needed tweaks. So I think it should be possible to define them in 3DS Max as well, as long as you get the ASM file in the end that CAT needs.