NAS Fort Worth Scenery

[falcon409]

Several threads in the last month or so have made reference to the scenery I started on Carswell. I was making great headway until I realized it was growing too large and much too fps intensive, so I stopped until I could get a better handle on it. I started again and divided the military side and the LM side as separate files, thinking it would keep the frame rate a bit more manageable.

After much consideration and soul searching, I've dropped the project. I spent 21 years at Carswell and have great memories of the aircraft, pilots, maintenance folks and crew dogs I met and deployed with over that time. However, hard as I try, I can't do it justice using default buildings and objects. Not only does it not look correct, but the sheer numbers of objects makes the scenery unusable for all but the most powerful of systems.

It requires custom objects to do it justice and I just don't have the knack for that. Surprisingly, no one, not even MAIW has picked up on Carswell and it's significance as the original model for the JRB Base concept, one of only a handful of F-16 Reserve bases to have survived after numerous BRAK(?) Commission cuts, shares the runway facilities with Lockheed Martin and home to 10th AF.

Anyways, before I go all "nostalgic. . ." Hope someone with some real scenery ability picks up on my "Home Base" and does it proud. "Spad to the Bone".:salute:

[frankwi]

Sorry to heat that, but I understand.

I work at Lockheed Martin as the dedicated onsite Xerox Tech supporting 450+ copiers.
I made some FWNAS scenery a few years ago, since the default was taxiways and runways only. But it's not good enough to release. Now that I have the MegaCity DFW I think I could do a better job, and I also have Instant Scenery, which is pretty cool.

About how close were you to being finished ?

[crashaz]

Always hardest to model the things you love.... mine was Pearl Harbor and Oahu.

[tigisfat]

Always hardest to model the things you love.... mine was Pearl Harbor and Oahu.


I agree that it was hard on FPS. I made it too and it sunk my machine once I got the hills in the middle of the field in and the massive lockheed buildings too.

[Dimus]

Although my experience is peanuts compared to yours I can sympathise with your wish to make it look right. I am facing this dillema right now with my first and only project so far of my home base in which you have helped me a lot.

I was close to starting learning Gmax in order to produce custom buildings but I stopped as this would totally destroy my family life:icon_lol:. I have however found a piece of freeware software at the FSDeveloper site that you might know about, SbuilderX. The one useful function that I got from that was the option to create kind of custom generic buildings by giving the length width and height, type of roof and select a texture from a collection. It might be possible to also create custom textures which would be great too and I need to investigate on that. This kept me on track and I can now complete my project using buildings that are quite close to reality. The program compiles them into bgl files which I could import to ADE.

SbuilderX can be found here if you don't already have it but I'm sure most of the talented developers in this forum know about it:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5596

[falcon409]

. . . . .I have however found a piece of freeware software at the FSDeveloper site that you might know about, SbuilderX. The one useful function that I got from that was the option to create kind of custom generic buildings by giving the length width and height, type of roof and select a texture from a collection. It might be possible to also create custom textures which would be great too and I need to investigate on that. This kept me on track and I can now complete my project using buildings that are quite close to reality. The program compiles them into bgl files which I could import to ADE.
I use SBuilderX and AFX for the scenery I do and while I was aware of it's ability to place default buidings, I don't think that it has any ability beyond that (ie, custom texturing). If you find anything in your investigation I would be interested as well.

[Dimus]

It can certainly customize the building by hitting a button called "detail" and by defining dimensions and roof shape as well as selecting a texture for three height levels (lower, middle and upper) and the roof and gable if existing. The textures are selected from a list and the result can be observed with a viewer. I have seen that on the end of the list there are empty placeholders for textures so I intend to search the program's folder structure to see if there are textures that can be altered or added. I will let you know asap.

Even without customizing the textures, the existing ones offer a broad selection that actually covered most of my needs. I guess that more complex shapes than rectangular can be made by making several boxes and combining them together.

[Dimus]

I checked and the textures for the buildings are stored in \\Program (file://\\Program) Files\SBuilderX313\Tools\GenB so I guess they can be altered and used.

Let me know if you need additional info.

[MCDesigns]

Ed, sorry to hear that, was so looking forward to checking out your version. I even d/led the PR part myself just to play around with and that me even more excited for your version.

yep, the ability to create custom objects is both a blessing and a curse as it is the major time consumer on a project. I have a hard time using default objects (and know it is even frowned upon by some), but I see you post about your projects and how fast you get them ready and I can only sigh since I know it takes me much longer doing the same project because I have to make my own buildings.

You have no idea the amount of high resolution photoreal projects I have on my HD and in my sim that need custom objects. for example, I stumbled on Provo Utah the other day while flying and thought what a great setting, mountains around it, water to one side, so I went and checked the sat imagery for it. Now I have a great looking Provo Municipal that is just crying out for non default buildings, LOL

if you ever revisit the base Ed, just know you have at least one person that would like to see your finished version.

[jdhaenens]

OK, folks, I've had a couple of email exchanges with the Lockheed people and the Air Power Expo is on the 24th and 25th, so it seems to be the perfect time to do reconnaissance.

[thetford569]

Falcon,

I live here and spend lots of time at NAS Ft. Worth (on the outside of the fence) photographing aircraft. I had desires to design scenery for the base myself however I'm still in the learning stages of scenery design and I probably couldn't do it to the level that Jim would be able to. I'm trying to learn custom building design using Google Sketchup which is easy to use however the texturing right now is giving me fits! :)

If Jim could give NFW his magic touch that would be awesome! Jim, I am also going to be at the air show that weekend and if you need some recon photos I can try to sneak some in while photographing the statics. I also have many photos taken from outside of the fence that might be helpful and I know alot about the activity and parking areas on the base. Let me know if I can help you in any way and I would be glad to help with whatever you need!

Brandon

[frankwi]

This is one of my favorites ...

[falcon409]

Jim anything you might want or need to know about the base let me know. I'd like to make the Air Show, just to see the guys in my shop and hang out for a while but it ain't in the budget so I'll pass til next time. I do have a lot of shots of our hangars and some of the buildings, nothing that could be used for texturing, but good reference material.

thetford569, you didn't have a relative stationed at Carswell did ya?

[jdhaenens]

Thanks Ed, Brandon, and Frank. If you have any pictures at all, please send them my way. If they're too big, just put 'em in a folder, Zip 'em up and send 'em by usendit dot com. You will probably have to register for a free account.

Once I have everything located, I'll be able to develop a shooting plan to make sure I'll have what I need for textures.

You know, there are probably eight or so SOH folks that live around the metroplex, me being the out-of-towner, maybe we should all meet somewhere.

[Navy Chief]

Wasn't Carswell the base featured in the movie, "Strategic Air Command", with my favorite actor, Jimmy Stewart?

NC

[thetford569]

Jim anything you might want or need to know about the base let me know. I'd like to make the Air Show, just to see the guys in my shop and hang out for a while but it ain't in the budget so I'll pass til next time. I do have a lot of shots of our hangars and some of the buildings, nothing that could be used for texturing, but good reference material.

thetford569, you didn't have a relative stationed at Carswell did ya?

Falcon,

My dad was at Carswell for a few years as an Air Force mechanic. I believe he worked on B-52s. I can't remember exactly when he was stationed there but I can find out. His name was Ronnie Thetford although he also goes by James.

Brandon

[thetford569]

Thanks Ed, Brandon, and Frank. If you have any pictures at all, please send them my way. If they're too big, just put 'em in a folder, Zip 'em up and send 'em by usendit dot com. You will probably have to register for a free account.

Once I have everything located, I'll be able to develop a shooting plan to make sure I'll have what I need for textures.

You know, there are probably eight or so SOH folks that live around the metroplex, me being the out-of-towner, maybe we should all meet somewhere.

a meet up would be cool sometime. I didn't realize there were so many that lived in the DFW area on SOH! I was at Carswell yesterday to catch some Danish F-16s that dropped in on Tuesday night headed to Nellis. They left just in time for a cloud to come over and ruin our shots!!! Oh well, that's how it goes!!! An S-3 showed up yesterday from one of the Navy test squadrons. It was painted in retro black and white colors...I was in a great position to catch it on final but unfortunately they turned their base right over the lake and I missed them. Needless to say it wasn't my lucky day yesterday!!!!

Brandon

[falcon409]

Hmmm, small world then. You would think the name Thetford would be a bit unique, but I knew a Jack Thetford from the 301st FW. He retired back in the late 80's I think. He and his wife maintain an online site for current and ex-301st members. They live in or around Ft Worth somewhere.

[thetford569]

Hmmm, small world then. You would think the name Thetford would be a bit unique, but I knew a Jack Thetford from the 301st FW. He retired back in the late 80's I think. He and his wife maintain an online site for current and ex-301st members. They live in or around Ft Worth somewhere.

Nope, not a relative of mine. I used to think that the name Thetford was pretty unique but more and more I hear of them that I am not related to so I guess it's not as unique as I once thought!

Brandon

[XLR8]

Thers a airshow at carswell the 24th and 25th.