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Daube
January 9th, 2010, 05:25
Hi all,
Arnaud Clere might be a well known name to some of you already. He is one of the most famous french freeware addon creator for FS.
Recently, he has released the beta version of his next project: a modification of the landclass used for the mountain areas, along with some specific textures. The result is a modification of some of the surfaces. The mountains textures are more varied, more similar to what they used to be in FS9 for example.
I have made some comparative screenshots to show you exactely what we are talking about. For each pair of screenshots, the first one is the default FSX, and the second one is with this new addon. The region is Switzerland, around Interlaken and Meiringen, with the freeware mesh from the c30s website ( http://c30s.alpes.gratisim.fr/ ).

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image921.jpg
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image922.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image923.jpg
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image924.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image925.jpg
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image926.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image927.jpg
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image928.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image929.jpg
http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image930.jpg


I hope the screenshots are explicit enough. I didn't have enough time to test it so much, and I have flown only in the Alps for now. However, I can already say that I'm quite pleased with those modifications, the mountain areas definitely look more realistic.
You can download the addon on the c30s website:
http://www.gratisim.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85:textures-rocheuses-des-montagnes-pour-fsx&catid=4:newflash&Itemid=53 (http://www.gratisim.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85:textures-rocheuses-des-montagnes-pour-fsx&catid=4:newflash&Itemid=53)
(use google translation if you cannot read french)

guzler
January 9th, 2010, 05:32
looks promising, thanks

Z-PurpleBubble
January 9th, 2010, 05:33
Download link isn't working for me, anyone else have this problem??

chaders
January 9th, 2010, 05:56
Download link isn't working for me, anyone else have this problem??

Nor me which is a shame as it definately looks promising.

Daube
January 9th, 2010, 05:57
You're right.
I've been informed by C30s that the webmaster is currently working on the site, so the old links do not work at the moment.
Please try again a little bit later, I'm sure the content of the site will be updated very soon :)

GT182
January 9th, 2010, 06:02
That new mountain terrain of Arnauds looks great! :applause: It's a "must have" me thinks. Thanks for the screenshots Daube. :salute:

FAC257
January 9th, 2010, 06:32
I wonder if this is actually further development of his earlier lclookup.bgl work.

I've been using Arnaud Claire's, original FSX Terrain Patch ever since it showed up back in 2006. Check Tesco Offers (https://www.ladysavings.com/publix-weekly-ad/?tesco/) and Lidl Offers (https://www.ladysavings.com/publix-weekly-ad/?lidl/). It's been the very first file I install after every re-install of the default FSX/Acceration combo and before I install any other terrain or scenery modifications.

When I was doing some before and after screen shot test back then, I instantly decided it was not an optional file for FSX because of the changes it made to land class usage and mesh changes.

I tried some before and after testing again, when Acceleration was released and still decided it was a must have mod.

If he's made improvements to his original work that would be excellent.

FAC

Daube
January 9th, 2010, 06:53
I believe it's exactely what you are talking about.
The archive contains a new lclookup.bgl file, along with some new textures.

FAC257
January 9th, 2010, 07:44
I just did a side by side file compare.

The lclookup.bgl file is much newer than the one I've been using. The texture files are the same from the orginal set, but there are more of them The readme file is still the same one from the original 2006 mod.

Dang, it sure looks like an excuse to do another FSX reload to me. :)

Slightly OT, but along the same lines of must have pre-custom scenery mod files......

There is another file that I install at the same time that I install Arnaud's terrain fix and that's the original "fsx_modified_terrain_cfg.zip".

The terrain/mesh/landclass problems it fixes were "accidently" still left in Acceleration. From what I remember, the issues were appearantly fixed at one time and then made it back into the final Acceration version of FSX.

The question was asked several times, after Acceration was released, if this terrain fix file was still needed and I never saw any official reply other than "yes it is".

Anyway, whenever I do a full FSX re-install these are the two "must have" mods that get installed, before anything else goes in. It's nice to have an improved version of one of them, after all this time. :)

FAC

PZL Belfegor
January 9th, 2010, 08:00
It looks way better than FSX default mountains, is it compatible with landclass addons (such as Ultimate Terrain)?

Snaker
January 9th, 2010, 08:05
It looks way better than FSX default mountains, is it compatible with landclass addons (such as Ultimate Terrain)?

I am wondering that also - what about Ground Environment X ?

Thanks

FAC257
January 9th, 2010, 08:45
I've been using this terrain fix file with FSG & UTX all along. I don't believe I've ever seen any negative issues caused by the use of Arnaud's fix, with these or any other custom scenery.

I wouldn't think it would cause much in the way of problems in any event. In my simple brain, the main idea behind the files is to make FSX use it's default landclass textures more intelligently in certain specific situations.

I would think that a custom add-on that uses landclass textures that are already improved in quality and in their placement, over the default FSX landclass shouldn't show any ill effects.

The also installation comes with a set of full default FSX back-up files in case you had to go back.

FAC

PZL Belfegor
January 9th, 2010, 09:45
Thanks, with the backup there's nothing to loose, I'll try try it - I hope that my mountains will look as spectacular as on the screenshots! Did you notice the side effect of this addon? It kills the Jungmann's engine :jump:

Daube
January 9th, 2010, 09:53
It's because I saved some flights before installing the addon, to be able to take the comparative screenshots before/after. When I loaded my flights after the addon installation, my engine was OFF because of my default flight. If I would have unpaused the sim, the engine would have been running... but the shot would have been different (happened in the first screenshot, I don't know why)

Holger Sandmann
January 9th, 2010, 10:09
Hi guys,

just a heads-up for people that also use ORBX FTX region packs: we're doing similar things with the global lclookup.bgl file so you need to make sure that you don't replace it while FTX is active. The correct approach is to use FTXCentral to switch to Default and only then replace the restored default lclookup.bgl with Arnaud's version. That way Arnaud's lclookup.bgl is active while you're flying outside the FTX coverage area and the FTX version gets re-activated when you're switching to FTX on.

As for what Arnaud's edits do: they don't actually edit textures or land class files but rather change the thresholds at which rocks show instead of snow or grass. FSX has slope-dependent texture switching built in by default but some of the classes change only at very steep gradients or not at all.

Cheers, Holger

CrisGer
January 9th, 2010, 10:35
Les nouvelles montagnes sont belles, vraiment fantastique. Ce qui est grand travail Arnaud. Merci beaucoup.

thanks for that explanation Holger, Arnaud's work really does shine, and I am going to add it to my installs right away, i had his old work and this is even better. As i also use ORBX FTX that heads up is much appreciated.

The links are working now.

the new set is here:

http://www.gratisim.fr/annonces/85-textures-rocheuses-des-montagnes-pour-fsx

Daube
January 9th, 2010, 10:44
Hi guys,

just a heads-up for people that also use ORBX FTX region packs: we're doing similar things with the global lclookup.bgl file so you need to make sure that you don't replace it while FTX is active. The correct approach is to use FTXCentral to switch to Default and only then replace the restored default lclookup.bgl with Arnaud's version. That way Arnaud's lclookup.bgl is active while you're flying outside the FTX coverage area and the FTX version gets re-activated when you're switching to FTX on.

As for what Arnaud's edits do: they don't actually edit textures or land class files but rather change the thresholds at which rocks show instead of snow or grass. FSX has slope-dependent texture switching built in by default but some of the classes change only at very steep gradients or not at all.

Cheers, Holger

Thanks for the explanations Holger !
As for the slope-dependent textures, I believe FS9 had exactely the same system. In fact, once the addon from Arnaud is installed, the mountains start looking as they did in FS9.

CrisGer
January 9th, 2010, 11:00
this all looks great.

PZL Belfegor
January 9th, 2010, 12:20
It's because I saved some flights before installing the addon, to be able to take the comparative screenshots before/after. When I loaded my flights after the addon installation, my engine was OFF because of my default flight. If I would have unpaused the sim, the engine would have been running... but the shot would have been different (happened in the first screenshot, I don't know why)
Yeah, I supposed something with loading saved flight was the case ;) I took a short flight along a mountain chain and I'm impressed - the visuals have greatly improved, thanks for heads-up!

Snaker
January 9th, 2010, 13:24
o.k. - I downloaded but am hesitant to overwrite the textures. Will the textures overwrite the ones from Ground Environment X ? Can I use the .bgl file by itself ?

Daube
January 9th, 2010, 13:40
They will most likely overwrite the textures.
Just save the originals in a little folder. You'll be able to set them back in case you spot any conflict :)

GaryGB
January 10th, 2010, 08:01
Heads-up: :engel016:

For those doing the swapping of files manually and are not using the FTX utility referred to by Holger:

In Arnaud's backups of FSX files to be replaced, he overlooked including (1) of the FSX original files this package will over-write.

It is called "074i2wi1.bmp", and in his ZIP file, the replacement is seen here:

lclookup.zip\lclookup.bgl\FSX\backup\fsx_backup_2\ 001b2m11.bmp

This file must be manually backed up FIRST to avoid over-writing it when installing Arnaud's package.


FYI: Unlike FS2004, which allowed browsing to install disks to restore files, FSX requires a "repair" (or at worst a "full) re-installation to restore original files that have been inadvertantly over-written.


So, before installing his package, go into your [FSX install path]\Scenery\Texture folder and manually make a backup of "074i2wi1.bmp" somewhere outside that folder (or better yet, into a ZIP file).

After installing Arnaud's package, just copy your "original" backed up FSX "074i2wi1.bmp" file into the "[FSX install path]\Scenery\Texture \<code></code>FSX_backup<code></code> folder created when you install this otherwise outstanding replacement package.


Many thanks to Arnaud for providing us with this excellent freeware innovation ! :applause:


Hope this helps ! :mixedsmi:

GaryGB

dswo
January 10th, 2010, 08:23
Thanks, Gary.

CrisGer
January 10th, 2010, 09:38
thank you Gary for that update.

Daube
January 10th, 2010, 09:44
Ow... I think I'll have to go for a repaint then since I didn't save this file before...
Anyway, it's not a problem. I just love the new textures and don't feel any need to go back to previous ones. :)

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image934.jpg

http://sapdaube.free.fr/fsx/daube_image935.jpg

Stan V.
January 10th, 2010, 10:06
Heads-up: :engel016:

So, before installing his package, go into your [FSX install path]\Scenery\World\Texture folder and manually make a backup of "074i2wi1.bmp" somewhere
GaryGB

Just a short correction...

modelr
January 10th, 2010, 18:54
Just found this thread, and have an important question.

I have an almost new FSX load. "Almost" meaning I've added FSG full world terrain, Landclass and Hawaiian waterfalls. I've also installed UTUSA. SO FAR, this is all the scenery add ons I've installed, altho' I have many ready to go, including all the Megasceney X titles, Blue Sky FSX titles, and FSScene, among many.

Should I uninstall these before I install the FSX Modified Terrain cfg.? I looked in my original terrain.cfg and I see that it has been modified by UT. Also, will Arnaud's package interfere with Justin's FSG landclass?

I've been using a basically stock FSX setup until now, as my previous comp would just barely run it. This one, so far, is the "cat's meow".

TIA

NoNewMessages
January 10th, 2010, 20:24
Should I uninstall these before I install the FSX Modified Terrain cfg.? I looked in my original terrain.cfg and I see that it has been modified by UT. Also, will Arnaud's package interfere with Justin's FSG landclass?


No need to uninstall.

The only item that would be affected by adding the modified Terrain.Cfg file is UTX. UTX adds many entries to the Terrain.Cfg file that it needs to display properly. The solution is simple. First, backup the existing file by naming it something like Terrain.Cfg.UTX. Add the modified Terrain.cfg file to the main FSX folder. Start the UTX Setup Utility. One of the feautures of the utility is that it will always check the Terrain.Cfg file for the entries that it needs and if they are not present (which they won't be in the modified version) then the Setup Utility will readd what is required. Close the UTX Setup Utility, fire up FSX and enjoy the benefits of the modified Terrain.Cfg file.

When you get to the Mega Scenery X installs they may make additional changes to the Terrain.Cfg file, but it should not interfere with any of the other existing software.

I'm not familiar with the FSG waterfalls, but I can't envision any changes to the Terrain.Cfg file for this type of add on.

modelr
January 11th, 2010, 02:59
Thank you for that info. With a rig that will finally run FSX, I want to take advantage of as much of the good stuff as I can.

GaryGB
January 11th, 2010, 05:37
Just a short correction...

Thanks for that correction of the error I made working in haste ! :redface:


Now I'm a bit concerned I might steer some folks wrong if they don't read past the first page of this forum thread.

I'd edit my post above, but like AVSIM (sorry to have to make that comparison, but this really bugs me !) now SOH is also not allowing posts to be edited by author after a certain period of time.


Perhaps the forum admins here could allow me to edit my error above to save folks some confusion ? :engel016:

Or if the forum admins are unwilling to do that for some reason (and I don't know what would possibly necessitate disallowing editing of posts by the author since other forums ex: simFlight and FSDeveloper allow edits after any period of time), perhaps they could exercise their greater forum software privileges and edit the above corrected path into my post on my behalf ?

Hope everyone sees Stan's kind clarification here (sort of a "Heads up on my Heads Up") ! :jump:

GaryGB