Just wanted to share

[XLR8]

After getting some great advise from this site about AI traffic (military planes )I tryed the MAIW,and could not get it to work (3 days and my head was hurting ) I got AirtrafficFX .

Most here are veterans with AI plans and such. So don't bash me to much . But for the noobs its pretty easy to use and so far having a blast .

[falcon409]

After getting some great advise from this site about AI traffic (military planes)I tried the MAIW, and could not get it to work (3 days and my head was hurting). . .
I know it does actually work, if you jump through hoops. MAIW puts out terrific Military AI packages, but unfortunately have no desire to move to FSX and their 32page (it might actually be more than that, lol) PDF manual describing how to convert to FSX is so tedious to sift through that it makes you say the heck with it. Too bad really, but I don't blame you for going on to something else.

[NoNewMessages]

I tackled the MAIW conversion in one long session. So on my HD sits all the traffic files converted to FSX. But many reinstalls of the OS and FSX have left me needing to redo all the work on the planes and scenery. Some day, some...day...


And from what I can recall of AirTrafficFX, isn't much really! Let's hear it for old age! :salute:

[expat]

PDF manual describing how to convert to FSX is so tedious to sift through that it makes you say the heck with it. Too bad really,

I had a similar reaction. However, having done a bit of custom/manual military AI - particularly carrier ops - I just use TTools and the FSXbgl converter thingy and have got a couple of bases to be operational, e.g. Charleston and Elmendorf with the C-17s and Miramar with the Tomcats.

Here is what I have not figured out: how to fix the invisible/opaque canopies on e.g. the MAIW F-15 and Tomcats. Also, there is a great AI F-4 by Fernando Martinez for FS9 that ports to FSX/SP2/Accel except for the canopies.

[Bjoern]

The canopy textures might just need a new, black alpha channel.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a "How To" in a quick google as to how one can change the alpha channel of a texture and I'm not really eager to start writing an extensive (as this would involve screenshots et al) tutorial.
Someone else maybe?

As for the rest of the elements in the MAIW packages, the flight plans and AFCADs might just need to be converted for FSX which isn't *that* complicated itself.
I wonder if there's more that needs to be done or if the MAIW team just managed to blow those things up into 32 pages...

I've tried to locate that conversion manaual on their page, but couldn't find it...and their forums are of course just accessible with an account. :rolleyes:

[JimC1702]

Here's what I do:

I install the MAIW packages to a dummy FS9 folder. Then I copy the AI planes over to an AI Planes folder that I created within the Sim Objects folder of FSX (and made the appropriate change to the FSX.cfg file so it will find them.

Then convert the MAIW traffic .bgl files and copy them to FSX. I do not use the MAIW afcad files because I've seen too much weirdness. Planes stuck in the side of a building, taxiway signs in the middle of the taxiway, etc. I use my own military base files which provide much more military parking.

In addition, I also use Just Flight's military traffic Plus Packs. Gives me plenty of military traffic.

Jim

[Bjoern]

I do not use the MAIW afcad files because I've seen too much weirdness. Planes stuck in the side of a building, taxiway signs in the middle of the taxiway, etc.

Sounds like the AFCAD's excludes for FSX's default sceneries are not working properly.
Either MAIW has shipped some seperate exclude .bgl files which you forgot to copy or you need to redraw the exclusion rectangles in ADE.

[NoNewMessages]

Maybe some one can clarify this for me, if there are no spots for the traffic to originate from does the flightplan get flown? 99% of any military base in FSX is devoid of parking, easily correctable with one of the airport tools for FSX, but if the plane is to fly from Luke AFB to Beale AFB and Luke has no parking spots for the flight to start from, what happens?

I'm setting up my Kalifornia military airports with parking, so that if the plane does get there it will have some place to go, rather than just disappear.So I don't mind using the AFCAD files from MAIW for outside my work area, I'll never go visit the location.

[XLR8]

Here's what I do:

I install the MAIW packages to a dummy FS9 folder. Then I copy the AI planes over to an AI Planes folder that I created within the Sim Objects folder of FSX (and made the appropriate change to the FSX.cfg file so it will find them.

Then convert the MAIW traffic .bgl files and copy them to FSX. I do not use the MAIW afcad files because I've seen too much weirdness. Planes stuck in the side of a building, taxiway signs in the middle of the taxiway, etc. I use my own military base files which provide much more military parking.

In addition, I also use Just Flight's military traffic Plus Packs. Gives me plenty of military traffic.

Jim

Are you using Just Flight's military traffic Plus Packs in FSX Acceleration ? I can't find a base that has any . In plain FSX it worked great,but no go in Acceleration .

[JimC1702]

Are you using Just Flight's military traffic Plus Packs in FSX Acceleration ? I can't find a base that has any . In plain FSX it worked great,but no go in Acceleration .

Yes, I'm running Acceleration.

Jim

[Bone]

I had a similar reaction. However, having done a bit of custom/manual military AI - particularly carrier ops - I just use TTools and the FSXbgl converter thingy and have got a couple of bases to be operational, e.g. Charleston and Elmendorf with the C-17s and Miramar with the Tomcats.

Here is what I have not figured out: how to fix the invisible/opaque canopies on e.g. the MAIW F-15 and Tomcats. Also, there is a great AI F-4 by Fernando Martinez for FS9 that ports to FSX/SP2/Accel except for the canopies.

Bert Dekker did a number of repaints for the F-4 by FM, with the canopy correction that works in FSX Accell. Also, if you have the Alphasim Bien Hoa or Alconbury sceneries, they have corrected repaints for the F-4 also. I haven't had any issues with the MAIW F-15 or F-14 in Accell, but I have in SP1. If you're using SP1 only, then you can get Mark Walsh's F-15 textures for the Iceland/Reykavik 57th FIS and use the reflective texture file to make the other MAIW F-15 paints work. You can find the Bert Dekker repaints at AVSIM, and the Mark Walsh repaints at flightsim.

[guzler]

MAIW have a texture replacement set for the Tornado's due to the textures not showing in FSX, they may have them for the F-15 too.

A great little tool they have as well is something that searches through your AI aircraft files and replaces any FS9 prop textures with FSX ones. This solved quite a few issues on both civvy and miltary props in my AI world.

[expat]

Here's what I do:

I install the MAIW packages to a dummy FS9 folder. Then I copy the AI planes over to an AI Planes folder that I created within the Sim Objects folder of FSX (and made the appropriate change to the FSX.cfg file so it will find them.

Then convert the MAIW traffic .bgl files and copy them to FSX. I do not use the MAIW afcad files because I've seen too much weirdness.

Ditto here. More or less gets you there.


Maybe some one can clarify this for me, if there are no spots for the traffic to originate from does the flightplan get flown? 99% of any military base in FSX is devoid of parking, easily correctable with one of the airport tools for FSX, but if the plane is to fly from Luke AFB to Beale AFB and Luke has no parking spots for the flight to start from, what happens?


My experience has been the same, i.e., I go in and quickly add enough parking to get the flightplans to work using ADE. If I have time later will play around with some Library Objects. I use quite a lot of flyable a/c for AI - have a pretty strong system - and therefore only populate bases/traffic enough to have some visible parked a/c and planes in the pattern. I am not one of those AI guys that has endless rows of squadrons parked on the apron and a ga-zillion flightplan entries.


Bjoern The canopy textures might just need a new, black alpha channel.




Bert Dekker did a number of repaints for the F-4 by FM, with the canopy correction that works in FSX Accell. Also, if you have the Alphasim Bien Hoa or Alconbury sceneries, they have corrected repaints for the F-4 also. I haven't had any issues with the MAIW F-15 or F-14 in Accell, but I have in SP1. If you're using SP1 only, then you can get Mark Walsh's F-15 textures for the Iceland/Reykavik 57th FIS and use the reflective texture file to make the other MAIW F-15 paints work. You can find the Bert Dekker repaints at AVSIM, and the Mark Walsh repaints at flightsim.

Exactly what I was looking for. Some very useful info on this thread. Thanks everyone.