Scenery Help

[MenendezDiego]

Hello,

I'm looking for somewhat of a mentor if you will

I've been tasked with updating the local flight school airport (KEZM - Heart of Georgial Regional Airport) where I attend school, here in Eastman Georgia at Middle Georgia College.

We have 8 systems running FSX Accel. It's a lab for pilots so they can practice approaches, using GPS, etc. when the real simulators are unnavailable.

My task is to add a working ILS, and possibly build custom scenery objects (hangers, tower, correct taxi ways, parking, etc.)

I have zero experience, and would love if I could get a few night of lecturing/helping via Skype or MSN

If anyone can help, that'd be a great help to me, and the pilots training at our school.

Regards, Diego Menendez

[falcon409]

Well, you were doing ok with the ILS approaches, rwy's taxiways, etc and taking a few nights via MSN or such to chat about the how to's, but then when you mentioned custom buildings, etc. . . .ummmm no, lol. Basically I'd be pretty angry, if you could, in a few night's of conversation, master GMAX to the point of making your own custom buildings, lol. I can't even get past the tutorials, lol.

The first requirements can all be done (and this will start an exhaustive list of "favorites") with a nice payware product called AFX or Airport Facilitator X. It's the expensive equivalent to the freeware utility called AFCAD and I like it because I can work on both FS9 and FSX airport, yes, there are freeware utilities that will also work as well, but I have no experience with those.

[MenendezDiego]

lol guess the building will just have to wait. As long as we have a working ILS and taxi way system, that's a start :)

I'll talk to my instructor and see about getting this AFX.

Thanks for the response! Will keep you posted

[Meshman]

Do you have the Deluxe version of FSX (SDKs)? And how detailed are they looking to make the buildings? It sounds as if you have plenty of access to be taking pictures?

[MenendezDiego]

Yes I have the delux version, along with Accel. Honestly, the hangers/tower can just be hangers and towers from other default sceneries.

As of right now, KEZM in FSX has a water tower...and that's about it lol. Doesn't resemble our place at all.

But yea, details can wait. Heck, buildings can wait lol. ILS is the main goal, then afterwards I'd love to learn how to build static objects, or simply learn how to place previously built objects.

As for access, I have unlimited. I attend and work for the school, it's a great gig :)

Regards, Diego

[kjb]

I wouldn't be able to do tutorials, but I could help you build it.

[MenendezDiego]

Kjb, that'd be a great help.

I'm going in early tomorrow to talk to my boss about the project, we'll take a look at AFX which Falcon409 mentioned, prioritize what we need done, and we'll go from there.

Thanks again guys, so far this is looking dooable

[harleyman]

I am no help..

BUT...good luck in your project.....

[Snuffy]

ADE (Airport Design Editor) works good too ..

find it here ...

http://www.airportdesigneditor.co.uk/

[JoeW]

I'll throw my hat in the ring on the help side.

[MenendezDiego]

update

I've gone ahead and installed Snuffy's suggestion, ADE

Looks to be a very simple user friendly program. I was able to add the ILS in short fashion, howerver, getting it into FSX is another story.

Compiling and Saving, I've never done this before, and the readme's are somewhat confusing because of this.

If anyone has some spare time tonight, would you mind chirping in and helping me out?

I have AIM, MSN, and Skype.

Just send me a pm with your addresses on any of these programs if able to, it'd be a great help.

Thanks again, Diego

[JoeW]

Diego ... you have mail!

[MenendezDiego]

Diego ... you have mail!

Thanks for the pm. I will also post my response in here incase someone else has experienced this problem

"Just place the AFX file after compiling in the scenery folder or ..... in the FSX\addon scenery\scenery folder. It would be better to keep all files together in a common folder."

and my response

"Thanks for the PM.

However, I'm not too sure what AFX file is, and whenever I do compile, no matter where I compile the airport to, I get multiple errors:

Error: Name = Heart of Georgia Regl
Error: ident = KEZM
Error: City = Eastman

All these errors are pretty much what the airport should be.

I'm trying to edit an already existing FSX default airport KEZM, but it seems that when I try to compile, the program says 'all this stuff exists already"

Thanks again, Diego"




Thanks again JoeW

Diego

[falcon409]

Yep, I know snuffy and crew have done a lot to get ADE where it is now, but I tried it early on, it was not at all user friendly and I opted for AFX which was more like the AFCAD program that everyone had almost grown up with. Very familiar in that it looks and feels like AFCAD and that's what I needed. ADE is, I'm sure, an excellent freeware program, I just couldn't grasp it at the time.

Looks like you've found a partner in Joe so best of luck with your project.

[MenendezDiego]

Still looking at getting AFX, so hang in there Falcon ;)

Just have to talk some things over with the boss.

Regards, Diego

[Meshman]

If you're using FSXA then you must make sure that the SDKs are properly updated to that level. The RTM version of the SDKs had... problems and went through a couple of upgrades. If you're seeing error messages relating to boundary fences , then you're still on the SDK from the Deluxe version.

Getting ADE setup takes a few moments, primarily making sure all the DELETE commands are checked, along with the corresponding WRITE commands.

And I would create and activate a new scenery layer for any of the work you're doing. The Addon Scenery folder has been hit and miss within FSX since release.

[Snuffy]

Yep, I know snuffy and crew have done a lot to get ADE where it is now, but I tried it early on, it was not at all user friendly and I opted for AFX which was more like the AFCAD program that everyone had almost grown up with. Very familiar in that it looks and feels like AFCAD and that's what I needed. ADE is, I'm sure, an excellent freeware program, I just couldn't grasp it at the time.

Looks like you've found a partner in Joe so best of luck with your project.

I actually have nothing to do with the writing and dispensing of the ADE program. I'm just a casual user ...

All the real credit goes to Scruffy Duck ...

If you need real help from real people who know the program better than others, you can find Scruffy Duck over here ...

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=95

[MenendezDiego]

Getting ADE setup takes a few moments, primarily making sure all the DELETE commands are checked, along with the corresponding WRITE commands.

And I would create and activate a new scenery layer for any of the work you're doing. The Addon Scenery folder has been hit and miss within FSX since release.

Can you talk to me outside of SOH, say on MSN or Skype about this?

I'm currently updating the SDK and Microsoft.Net Framework

Thanks, Diego

[Meshman]

Here's a helpful link to updating the SDKs, a turturious process brought upon unsuspecting designers;

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDK_Installation_%28FSX%29

I looked at the airfield briefly yesterday. It's layout is pretty easy to work with. You should have a background image to work with in ADE, so if you want to PM me an email addy I grab an image and how to insert it in ADE.

You've mentioned adding an ILS, but AirNav only shows a localizer approach to whatever the runway was (they all look alike after a while...). Just trying to clarify what you're adding in or planning to add in?

I'll have to see what the mesh/plateau effect looks like, as I'm not that familiar with the area.

Don't have Skype or MSN, but i'm in and out of the forums during the day as I await FSX to finish it's latest "Alt-W-S" refresh.:icon_lol:

[MenendezDiego]

Thanks everyone for the help! ADE is working perfectly now! No more errors! :ernae:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm206/MenendezDiego2008/ILS-2.jpg

ILS!!!

Now to edit the taxiways and start building the hangar!

Regards, Diego

[falcon409]

I actually have nothing to do with the writing and dispensing of the ADE program. I'm just a casual user ...All the real credit goes to Scruffy Duck ...
My mistake, snuffy. . .scruffy. . . .oh well. No help needed though as I don't use ADE.

[Meshman]

Thanks everyone for the help! ADE is working perfectly now! No more errors! :ernae:
ILS!!!

Now to edit the taxiways and start building the hangar!

Regards, Diego


Yeah, this scenery stuff is a piece of cake, as you found out over at the ADE forums... :isadizzy:

Word of advice, Diego. This is a nice, friendly place without too many egos gone wild. I'd be asking questions of the nice people here before you go wading into the deep part of the pool. There's some sharks at that end! But nothing a few stitches can't help to heal.

[GypsyBaron]

I'd also have a look at SBuilderX and Whisplacer in
addition to ADE.

With SBuilderX you can create some custom landclass
polys to add those small ponds in the area as well as
acurately shaped forestation. And any plateau effects
can be eliminated with sloped polygons in SBuilderX.

Whisplacer is great for adding hangars and other buildings.

Unfortunately I've got a pretty full schedule of travel
for the next few weeks, otherwise I'd be glad to help
as I've done the sort of things you need with several
FSX airports, using those three tools.

Here isa an example of what can be done. This is "my"
Tokol, LHTL, outside of Budapest. Note the landclass
additions...small lakes, forests and the buildings.

http://www.sonic.net/%7Ecsardas/TEMP/Tokol_1.jpg

And here is an oblique view of the original FSX default Tokol:

http://www.sonic.net/%7Ecsardas/TEMP/LHTL_Stock.jpg

And the same view of my enhanced Tokol:

http://www.sonic.net/%7Ecsardas/TEMP/LHTL_Enhanced.jpg

I used a Google Earth image for reference when placing the various landclass
polys that define the ponds and forests. Also all the other elements that
are missing in the FSX default airport.

There appears to be a pretty good image of your airport in Google Earth and
looking at the 'street view' on the hiway to the south that large hangar
resembles one of the 'stock' FSX hangars so you should be able to add
that one and another similar one further north with Whisplacer.
Also, it looks like the GA sheds can be done with FSX stock buildings.

Paul