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rhumbaflappy
June 4th, 2010, 10:19
Hi all.

I'm hosting my CFS2 mesh on SkyDrive.

My website:

http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/

A new map-based download page:

http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/CFS2_DEM/CFS2_DEM_Home.html (http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/CFS2_DEM/CFS2_DEM_Home.html)

Dick

MaskRider
June 4th, 2010, 10:44
Very nice, Dick!

That MapShaper tool is very intriguing. I am going to have to play with that.

Thanks,
Chris

Cody Coyote
June 4th, 2010, 10:53
Excellent! Love the map based download method. :salute:

Jagdflieger
June 4th, 2010, 12:13
Thanks Rhumba. I've got the site bookmarked.

mariereid
June 4th, 2010, 13:38
Wouldn't ya know it, "drowning out your mother in law" is not available in Canada. What did we do to deserve this? Oh well, time to explore the site, thanks Rhumba.:salute::ernae:

rhumbaflappy
June 5th, 2010, 04:01
Downloading the mesh might require a MSLive account to download the files. I would advise downloaders to signup for MSLive , and log in in order to take advantage of SkyDrive ( 25gb storage for free ).

My website ( x10hosting, also free, adfree, unlimited bandwidth) provider is going to allow me to host the files there... but they will also boot me out if it becomes a problem for them. So, I'll need a bit of time to make an alternate set of pages for the x10hosting files.

Please let me know if you have problems.

EDITED:

Done... process went a lot faster than I thought it would. The alternate downloads seem to throttle when over 6 tiles are chosen ( or maybe it's my browser? )... just wait it out and they will continue allowing downloading.

The x10 hosting is very quick for me, but I live only 90 miles from the Chicago servers.

Dick

voyager
June 7th, 2010, 11:44
Rhumbaflappy,

I can’t open these two files with 7ZIP;
DEM4910c_8.7z.002
DEM4910d_8.7z.002

Tried with and without the “.002” Even re-downloaded them, same results.
I get a “cannot open file as archive” message.

The other two (DEM4910c_8.7z.001 and DEM4910d_8.7z.001) files opened just fine.

voyager

rhumbaflappy
June 7th, 2010, 13:19
The 002 files are the second part of the multifile 001 files. Only the 001 files will be able to be opened, and the 002 part is automatically unzipped with the 001 part.

As long as they download, you're OK.

Dick

voyager
June 7th, 2010, 16:20
Learning stuff all the time!

Thanks,

voyager

Fibber
June 7th, 2010, 18:36
Rhumba
I am going to stick my neck out here and probably ask a very stupid question:kilroy:. Is there any difference in these files than the ones you originally posted before the hack? I have those saved and was just wondering if I should d/l these to replace them.

rhumbaflappy
June 7th, 2010, 18:41
I did make some corrections to some of the files regarding the bounds in the file headers.

There is a bug in the early version of resample used to create the files, and I had to use a hex editor to correct the header. The older version may work OK, but it wouldn't hurt to download these files and destroy the originals.

Dick.

trasno
June 8th, 2010, 05:45
Hi Dick.

I have a few questions about your mesh.
I want to upgrade some zones around the world. For instance, the Aleutians islands. Did your mesh change the coast profile in this zone, so it is not polygonal?
Is the mesh compatible with Javier´s Japanese airbases?
Is compatible with MaskRaider airbases?

Thanks.

Trasno.

miamieagle
June 8th, 2010, 07:08
Thank you!:jump:

Fibber
June 8th, 2010, 08:41
Thanks for the reply and clarification. I guess I am now on my way to downloading and installing.:running: Thanks for your work on this.:salute:

Rami
June 8th, 2010, 08:50
Rhumbaflappy,

This is outstanding. Thank you! :wavey:

rhumbaflappy
June 8th, 2010, 09:03
This is just mesh... it does not change the coastlines. It should be compatible with any other addon.

The DEM5 files should be copied right into the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\SCENEDB\world\scenery folder. You can overwrite the default files as these are better... based on newer SRTM data.

The other files can be placed into scenery folders, and activated as any other scenery. I have folders named DEMLOD7 and DEMLOD8... and these have scenery and texture subfolders, with the texture folder empty and the scenery folder with the corresponding mesh files. In CFS2's Scenery Library, I move them down the list as far as possible, so other files will lay over them.

There are areas of the sim that already have mesh of greater resolution than these files... but they are not more accurate. In fact, the default mesh files are in error in some areas. That's because they use data created before the availability of SRTM data.

If you are willing, and after you install the LOD7 and LOD8 mesh, you could inactivate the default hi-res mesh. This is best done by renaming the filename extension from .bgl to .old

Search the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Combat Flight Simulator 2\SCENEDB\world\scenery folder for the files ending in ?????9.bgl, and change that to ?????9.old, and they are deactivated. The '9' means they are LOD9 mesh.

With the new mesh installed and the old mesh replaced or deactivated, you have the most current mesh available through LOD8 that you can get.

There are commercial mesh sets that may be better than this freeware mesh, such as Justin Tyme's FSGenesis mesh. That's because Justin was financially able to spend the time to correct mesh errors in his sets, and had lots of customer reports that he could followup. Justin's complete mesh set for FS2004 and earlier is about $60. For $16, you can get his world LOD7 and LOD8. Installation would be the same as what I described above.

Google FS2004 mesh and you'll see what's available.

AVSIM might have good LOD9 -> LOD11 mesh available. There are probably other sets out the, both freeware and commercial. I would advise against using the Simviation mesh sets. They are the reason I made these available. For optimum performance CFS2 needs LOD7, and high-end machines can use LOD8. LOD9 and over is too FPS intensive. The simviation mesh has glaring errors in every file, and should not be used.


Dick

Wulf190
June 8th, 2010, 10:43
Hi Dick.

I have a few questions about your mesh.
I want to upgrade some zones around the world. For instance, the Aleutians islands. Did your mesh change the coast profile in this zone, so it is not polygonal?
Is the mesh compatible with Javier´s Japanese airbases?
Is compatible with MaskRaider airbases?

Thanks.

Trasno.


Hi Trasno. Rumba's mesh is newer then most of Maskrider's airbases, and all of Javier's bases, so there are issues with some airfields. But over all the mesh works out really well with the older fields. I do know that Maskrider has been revising many of his airfields to fit Rumba's new mesh though.

Jean Bomber
June 8th, 2010, 13:08
Thanks Dick for the updates ,the maps will help to locate the files to use them on the diverses ETO

JP

CrisGer
June 9th, 2010, 12:08
so we can and should download and install all of the files? DEM5, 7 and 8? DEM 5 directly into the World folder and the others as scenery? thanks.

CrisGer
June 9th, 2010, 18:07
some of the DEM7 files end in bgl and some end in psid=1 do we have to take off the psid part of the name for them to work? there is not an explanation with the files...

thanks

rhumbaflappy
June 10th, 2010, 04:24
No files should end in psid=1

The primary download site does have some files that end in .7z.001 and .7z.002 The 7z.001 is the file to decompress with 7zip ( it will automatically find and add 002 to the decompression ). It was necessary to split those files as SkyDrive only allows files up to 50mb

The alternate download site has only .bgl extensions. x10hosting has allowed me to have larger file sizes and unregulated space for files.

Dick

voyager
June 10th, 2010, 06:19
rhumbaflappy,

The LOD7 bgls that I downloaded from the 'map' showed up like this;

dw060n90.bgl&psid=1

I deleted the &psid=1 from it and it converted to a bgl from an unknown file type.

Hope this helps anyone else who had the same thing happen. Saves a lot of re-downloading time!

voyager

rhumbaflappy
June 10th, 2010, 07:44
OK.

It seems the primary map download is going to have problems because SkyDrive has changed it's file redirect format. I'll have to get rid of it. :(

But we can still use the alternate map download.

Dick

Boatz
June 10th, 2010, 08:44
The Mesh On Skydrive links are all dead as well.


Boatz

rhumbaflappy
June 10th, 2010, 08:51
Hi all.

Microsoft has changed Windows Live and SkyDrive overnight. I've noted they have changed my files links, so this will take a few days to sort out.

The mesh is still available by map... but only from x10hosting... so I'm not sure about how that site will hold up. We'll see.

Meanwhile, the files are all ther, just at a new location:

http://cid-f3950c5bbd2bcfa1.office.live.com/browse.aspx/FS%20Addons/Mesh

Dick

Boatz
June 10th, 2010, 09:21
Well, got two more Dem8 files and now those links are broken as well.

I say broken, they are being re-directed like this:
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pYbI_GqafkSeLeaKZ2qq4HoNfjz0arFJCv0Nx27xUlrEWVXO 0Eo9T-qh2sLOP19n3FjRfEb60tEbJucaVBiB2Ww/DEM4m00a_8.bgl?download&psid=1

rhumbaflappy
June 10th, 2010, 10:41
As voyager wrote above, the files will download, and would need to be renamed to delete the &psid=1.

Dick

Boatz
June 10th, 2010, 11:13
Nope, I don't get the "&psid=1." file extension, I get one file downloaded and then the next link I try the link gets re-directed to the bad public.bay.livefilestore address.

Fibber
June 10th, 2010, 15:04
Rhumba
When I downloaded EVERYTHING from the map I got that extension ( &psid=1.
)on all the BGL files and the sim won't run them. When I went to the other site I got all the BGL's plus the zips. Now since I am having a problem unzipping ( never was a problem when I was young, single, and a definite target in sight:icon_lol:) what is in the zips? Is it the BGLs that are also listed or do them contain some additional criteria.
I have since used the visible BGL's from the site in the game, as before, with no problem. I don't have 7zip but winrair and that is on another computer. Just wondering if I should copy and convert or just zip the viewable BGLs.

CrisGer
June 10th, 2010, 16:09
I will delete what i downloaded...and wait for the dust to settle. I was unsure of what was going on so i thought i had better ask :)

Boatz
June 10th, 2010, 18:18
rhumbaflappy,

Just a FYI, links started working again for me about two hours ago, so I'm a happy camper, I guess something with the host, but they've got it sorted now.:applause:

Boatz

Wulf190
June 11th, 2010, 12:30
I seem to have mess something up. When I download the files I can't open them with 7zip. I've tried selecting 7zip and other options in the 7zip file, but now the downloaded files do seem to work as all. Any way I can fix this?

Pips
June 28th, 2010, 17:31
Fascinating topic to read, but a lot of it is over my head.

I've never d/loaded or used any mesh before, so am a little unclear as to what's the right thing to do. Looking at Rhumba's site I see there are three mesh - DEM 5, DEM 7 and DEM 8. As I am only interested in the Pacific, does that mean I only need to d/load the various maps in DEM8?

And once d/loaded and installed, I gather that I should move them down the scenery list so that all other scenery lies on top? Is it as simple and straightforward as that?

If perchance there is a tutorial covering this feel free to point me in the right direction! :)

Wulf190
June 28th, 2010, 23:50
I'm a little confuzzed about the .7z extension on some of the files. How do I get these files to show up as bgls?

Shessi
June 29th, 2010, 00:16
Wulf,
If you have tried to extract them with 7z, try with WinZip (I know it shouldn't work but...).
If the files have extracted but just have the wrong extension, change the file extension from .7z to .bgl and see if that works.

Cheers

Shessi

bearcat241
June 29th, 2010, 03:24
You can get 7-zip here: http://www.7-zip.org/

rhumbaflappy
June 29th, 2010, 05:34
Fascinating topic to read, but a lot of it is over my head.

I've never d/loaded or used any mesh before, so am a little unclear as to what's the right thing to do. Looking at Rhumba's site I see there are three mesh - DEM 5, DEM 7 and DEM 8. As I am only interested in the Pacific, does that mean I only need to d/load the various maps in DEM8?

And once d/loaded and installed, I gather that I should move them down the scenery list so that all other scenery lies on top? Is it as simple and straightforward as that?

If perchance there is a tutorial covering this feel free to point me in the right direction! :)

The top of page 2 of this thread tells you where to install the files.

The .7z files are 7zip multi-file compressions. Use 7zip to unzip them to a single BGL ( 001 is the file to unzip, and 002 will automatically combine with it ). The SkyDrive storage forces me to split files. If you download with the Alternate Map site, then there are no 7z files, as I have no file size restrictions there... but excessive bandwidth will get me banned form x10hosting, and I would lose my website. :(

Even if you are only going to fly the Pacific, I would download and install them all. It is about 2 GB of files, but CFS2 will look great with it, and you probably will never need any other mesh. If you do want more detailed mesh in the future, just make sure it is LOD9 (76 meter mesh ). This mesh is based on the last SRTM corrections available. It's as good as free sources can get.

Again, the coastlines are not changed by the mesh. Only elevations is changed. I do have a set of LWM ( land-water masks ) available at the outhouse Library. Several people have expressed dislike for them as some areas are flooded, some default airfields are in water, and the default beaches, streams and roads need to be removed, leaving you with a blank world of ocean and land. Those LWMs were experimental, and was an attempt to automate the drawing process from the SRTM waterbody masks. I think they are much better than the default land shapes, but I understand how some might dislike them. We are awaiting Sander's new CFS2 Autocoast program, as it should simplify the process to make LWMs, roads, beaches, etc. But, understandibly, he's busy with real life, like the rest of us.

Dick

Pips
June 29th, 2010, 15:05
Thanks for the explanation Rhumba. :)

dvslats
July 6th, 2010, 11:37
Hi All,
Has anyone been able to d/l any files lately?

The past two days have been a no go on my end. Just curious if it's the site or me.
:ernae: Dave

sc7500
July 6th, 2010, 12:21
...Has anyone been able to d/l any files lately?
The past two days have been a no go on my end. Just curious if it's the site or me...


No problems downloading for ME - MY challenge is being impatient while the Library cycles new items into the Que !!! lol

SC
:kilroy:

rhumbaflappy
July 6th, 2010, 15:22
I generally test the sites once a day, and I've had no problems.

There are three ways to download them. Directly from the SkyDrive, or 2 map-based ways with files hosted at different sites.

The Direct link to SkyDrive:

http://cid-f3950c5bbd2bcfa1.office.live.com/browse.aspx/FS%20Addons/Mesh

Map-Based from SkyDrive:

http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/CFS2_DEM/CFS2_DEM_Home.html (http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/CFS2_DEM/CFS2_DEM_Home.html)

Map-Based from x10hosting:

http://www.ludowise.x10hosting.com/CFS2_DEM/CFS2_DEM_Home_x10.html


Dick

dvslats
July 6th, 2010, 16:37
Hi Guys,
He hee, I have it working fine now. The javascript in my browser was ticked disabled.

Thanks SC and rhumba for checking. It was on my end.

Dave

MaskRider
July 6th, 2010, 17:59
I am really confused. Early last year I loaded up rhumba's cfs2 mesh and masks. At the time, for some reason, I was under the impression that there were no shore lines in the Pacific that fit well with the new mesh and masks. So I just unloaded my pacific coastlines and decided to supply my own whenever and where ever needed.

Can some one please splain to me just what is the best combo of Rhumba's mesh and masks and what set of pacific coastline bgls should I be using to go along with them?

Conceptually I am missing something and I don't know what it is. I feel adrift.

rhumbaflappy
July 6th, 2010, 19:22
Hi MR.

Mesh is just mesh... mine would work with any land-water masking. This mesh-set is SRTM-based with some corrections added for voids and areas not covered by SRTM.

As far as masking, I did like my set here at the outhouse, but some didn't ( some areas waterlogged, no roads, streams or beaches ).

I decided to wait until Sander delivers his next autocoast version, and frees us from Ground2K, before I try a large-scale project again. I haven't heard much about his project lately. :(


Dick

crashaz
July 6th, 2010, 22:02
Oh to do Luzon justice..... my final wish in CFS2 is to get the Philippines done correctly. Hopefully we will hear from Sander soon.