NAF El Centro Version 1 released

[Shylock]

Well I finished up version 1. Theres still a lot I'm building and working on to put into the next release. I have included our custom made Airshow Scenery BGL's for use if you desire to use the Airshow version of KNJK.

A very special thanks goes out to John Stinstrom for his previous work of KNJK for FS2004. His masterful work was my desire to create KNJK for FSX. All of his help in my first version of this scenery was huge. So to thank him I have decided to keep with his original hangars that is included in this scenery after some touching up and reworking.

Special thanks goes out to Jim Dhaenens for his input and teachings of the ways of the force. Also for his dedicated service not only to our country, but for always going above and beyond the norm to help us wanna be scenery creators.

Big thanks goes out to the folks at airshowbuzz.com forums for their coverage and pics of the Blues at El Centro.

I would like to thank my partner in crime on this project, Jamal "Spins" Ingram for his hard work, dedication and all of his help in teaching me to create most of the 3D models included in this scenery. Who would have thought that you would be really putting your 3D Models up on a stick. Jamal is by far one of the best 3D Modelers out there and his professionalism sets a standard by which others will follow. I sure did.

4 Hangers- John Stinstrom recompiled for use in FSX By FSX Blue Angels

Aircraft Shelters- Jim Dhaenens

FLOLS Trailer- Sylvain Parouty

Air Park, New Hangars- Jamal "Spins" Ingram

Airport Design,layout, photoreal and 3D Objects- FSX Blue Angels

You can download the scenery here:

http://fsxblueangels.com/downloadsNAFElCentro.html

Any questions or issues please feel free to hit me up here or at my email, shylock@fsxblueangels.com

Theres some little inside joke strewn about in the scenery. One of them if you place the air show BGL's in, you'll find one of the porta potties is knocked over. While at El Centro this past March for the Blue Angels first show of the 2010 season, it was so windy that one of them had gotten blown over just like it is in the scenery.

[warchild]

Thanks shylock. it looks really great. went to make a pic for you but the P-61 aint so great at knife edges.. Awesome job, and even a hangar where i can park my bird.. Love it :) :)

[Navy Chief]

Thank you so much for the newly revised scenery, Shylock!

In the details, 3D Blue Angel models are listed. Should I be able to see the Blue Angels on the ramp, or are you talking about the ones on pedestals?

Thanks. NC

I did see the F/A-18s of other squadrons on the flight line.

[Shylock]

NC the planes are on a stick near the main entrance to the base. Where did you see the F/A-18s of other squadrons on the flight line??? I didn't put any in there. Do you have a traffic download installed?

[airattackimages]

Oh man... it's beautiful. Almost brings a tear to my eye. :wiggle:

Hard to imagine you could improve upon it, but you sure as heck did. The realism and attention to every detail is flawless. From the meatballs and their positioning to the arresting gear and associated hardware it's just meticulously reproduced. Having now stood out there myself next to those very objects for many hours I can attest to how well you've recreated the base. I can't imagine it getting any better than this... though I'm sure you'll do something to surprise us. I really love the fact that you have all the correct fields around the base, and it even looks like you put the farm houses and trees where they all go!

Still cool to see my truck in there! :jump: (this is Nate) :ernae:

Just to throw another obstacle at you the base went and made a new addition since we'd seen it in March. I was there 2 weeks ago for another awesome day at the LSO shack (RWY 8 this time) and they've constructed a gigantic steel shelter (cover) over the main gate. Probably 200ft x 200ft and 25ft high. Covers the entire base entrance and associated inspection lanes, etc. I'm sure it's gotta help the guys manning the gate on those typical 125 degree days.

[Navy Chief]

NC the planes are on a stick near the main entrance to the base. Where did you see the F/A-18s of other squadrons on the flight line??? I didn't put any in there. Do you have a traffic download installed?


Shylock, you are right, it's a traffic program I have! The cool thing is, I had completely forgotten about it. The Hornets are parked on the main tarmac, and all different VFAs too!

Thanks again for your scenery. I love it!

NC

[Warrant]

Thanks, mate!

I have been deployed to NAF El Centro in 2002 (F-16AM/BM), and had a very great time there!
Will enjoy this one very much!

:salute:

Edit: will it have enough military parking space? I programmed a lot of AI, home-and outbound KNJK (also programmed in my AI RNLAF VIPER upload for FSX).

[Shylock]

Nate my buddy went out there a few months ago and had taken tons of more pics. When he went there the main gate was closed so I know when I head back out there with the boys, I will take in more of the new goodies around there. I still have to do the rest of the housing, Commissary, trailer park, correct fuel tanks both on the south end and the western end. I will be putting more trees in, completing the theater, sports/tennis building, baseball diamond fencing with all the signs, plane park will be finished with flag poles, benches etc. gas station, LSO shacks and the A-7 thats on the stick near the gas station. I'm about 50% complete with the A-7 on the stick. Also I want to repaint the FLOLS to the correct Orange color that are there. Also built "TED" (Only Blue's fans know who Ted is) and he'll be placed in the next release lol.

Also Nate if you go out there again and get to the LSO shack could you take some pics of it so I could build it to 100% accuracy and use the pics as Textures???

Warrant I will be adding in the rest of the parking in the future. I was wanting to make a AI traffic for Hornets to be doing touch and goes, all according to true to life flight schedules. Then have a few hours where there is no traffic due to the Blue's being up for practice. Our FSX Blue Angels team is working very hard on maybe creating a FRC that can be downloaded and played by the user if they like to just kick back and watch the Blue's practice just like Nate and the boys do during winter training.

NC what traffic program are you using I'd be interested in knowing and maybe buying/downloading it.

[Navy Chief]

....NC what traffic program are you using I'd be interested in knowing and maybe buying/downloading it.....


Shylock, it is the PlusPak - Military Aircraft 1, by Just Flight. On second look up close, their AI models are not that good. Ok from the air, but not on the ground. Along those lines, the aircraft models on Javier's aircraft carrier are beautiful in comparison. Are those available by themselves?

NC

[Z-AZ1USN]

I've been exploring the area of NAF El Centro via ultralight to take in all the detail
and it is very good however, When I added the airshow goodies to your scenery
folder, I failed to find a few of the airshow goodies. I cannot find the Porta potties
nor the speakers. I did find a white pickup with a blue angles flag and a dude outside
the fence standing by a chair and a couple other dudes waving as I flew by.
Where do I fine the "potty" and airshow speakers and trailer in relation to the
main tower; or from any point of reference on the field? Not sure if the ski fence
is the fence that is around the parameter of the base.
Thanks........

[Shylock]

The air show objects are in the Blue area I have outlined in the attached photo. You'll need to have your scenery cranked up for them to all show up. If you like I could redo the complexity settings for you so they show up with lower settings if you like? Shoot me an email at shylock@fsxblueangels.com and I will fix it for you.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd171/scottyboy39/elcentro.jpg


EDITE: AZ1USN I have updated the 2 BGL's of the field with the complexity settings changed for the air show objects to show up under the normal setting. I have attached it here in the post. Just move those two files into your scenery folder that is in the main "KNJK_V_1" folder.

[Bone]

I DL'd it yesterday and used it for awhile. I also "drove" around the base. Very nice work, Shylock. I do have a question. The base is in the middle of a large square of photorealistic farmers fields. Did you build the base on top of custom photoscenery? If you did, my only recomendation would be to enlarge the area of photorealistic surface...but I'm not saying that in a critical way, your work is fabulous.

[airattackimages]

I DL'd it yesterday and used it for awhile. I also "drove" around the base. Very nice work, Shylock. I do have a question. The base is in the middle of a large square of photorealistic farmers fields. Did you build the base on top of custom photoscenery? If you did, my only recomendation would be to enlarge the area of photorealistic surface...but I'm not saying that in a critical way, your work is fabulous.
He did add all the correct fields around the base, you're right. It's awesome, because the default landclass/scenery is totally incorrect. Really helps you get a visual for the way the Imperial Valley looks from the air around the base!

To expand on what Shylock has taught about Rwy 30/12 being the airshow runway, and the runway used by the Blue Angels all through Winter Training -- Runway 30/12 is also the runway used by range aircraft (T-34C). Otherwise it is rarely used. All other combat aircraft and other traffic uses Rwy 26/8 at all times. Traffic pattern is left traffic for 26, and left traffic for 8 as well. Pattern altitude is 800 feet.

[airattackimages]

Shylock, I'll definitely do that! I may even be able to find some shots that I've already taken. I have literally 3000 or 4000 shots from the LSO shacks. If I can't find a good one, I'll ask around with the other photogs that were out there with me, because I remember a few guys specifically shooting the RWY26 LSO shack (it has a bunch of squadron zaps plastered to it).

[Shylock]

I DL'd it yesterday and used it for awhile. I also "drove" around the base. Very nice work, Shylock. I do have a question. The base is in the middle of a large square of photorealistic farmers fields. Did you build the base on top of custom photoscenery? If you did, my only recomendation would be to enlarge the area of photorealistic surface...but I'm not saying that in a critical way, your work is fabulous.

Bone thanks for the compliment. As for the photo real that was my first attempt at doing it. I had the entire area of El Centro covered but all the surrounding tiles would vanish and flash like crazy so I just left the basic square around the field. The Photo real was done using SBuilderX and its a separate file named Photo01.BGL in the scenery folder that can be removed by the user.

I had put out numerous requests in the development community asking for anybody with experience in making photo real to help out if they liked. Nobody got back to me. I am working on enlarging the photo real, but thats a whole new monster to get into and is wayyyyy beyond my skill level.

I'm working on finishing Pensacola Beach that our team used for the beach show we did back in July. Big thanks to Jim Dhaenens for helping us out with making the photo real for that one.

[Bone]

He did add all the correct fields around the base, you're right. It's awesome, because the default landclass/scenery is totally incorrect. Really helps you get a visual for the way the Imperial Valley looks from the air around the base!

Yeah, I love the photoreal surface the base sits on....and you're right, the default surface is totally incorrect. When I cross the boundry from the photoreal to default, the default just kills it for me. If it would be possible, I think a 20-25 NM photorealistic ring around the base would be the ticket. That way, anyone's homebuilt FSrecorder airshow could stay in the photoreal zone of believability.

But, again, I wan't to stress that I'm not being critical, I'm just throwing the idea up into the air.

[Bone]

Bone thanks for the compliment.

I'm working on finishing Pensacola Beach that our team used for the beach show we did back in July. Big thanks to Jim Dhaenens for helping us out with making the photo real for that one.

No prob.

If only someone could do the entire Pensacola area in photoreal!

[Shylock]

But, again, I wan't to stress that I'm not being critical, I'm just throwing the idea up into the air.

Bone don't worry bud not taken that way all. Trust me I want the entire area covered as well. Just don't understand why when all the other squares were placed in there they flashed and vanished when we got close to them. Its also because I didn't really take the time to learn about photo real.

[Meshman]

I had put out numerous requests in the development community asking for anybody with experience in making photo real to help out if they liked. Nobody got back to me. I am working on enlarging the photo real, but thats a whole new monster to get into and is wayyyyy beyond my skill level.

Huh?

Please check your previous threads for my comments. Especially about the desire for better than 1m resolution and the file sizes involved.

I have a good chunk of SoKali completed from 2009 imagery, but it's all those airports, blendmasks, airport plateaus, clouds, color variations to address before it's finished. Then there's the uploading of 40gb+ to my server...

[Shylock]

Huh?

Please check your previous threads for my comments. Especially about the desire for better than 1m resolution and the file sizes involved.

I have a good chunk of SoKali completed from 2009 imagery, but it's all those airports, blendmasks, airport plateaus, clouds, color variations to address before it's finished. Then there's the uploading of 40gb+ to my server...

Meshman I wasn't referring to those in the forums here, but rather forums dedicated to developers. If you did post up about it in any thread on here I don't recall seeing and even gone back through my posts here in SimOuthhouse and didn't not see anything.

[Helldiver]

It's kinda sad how things have changed in the past 64 years. There was a time when the US Navy Flight Exhibition Team (Blue Angels) were stationed at good old NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Now there spread all over the place, like Pensacola and El Centro, only 8 miles from the Mexican Border.
At that time they flew real airplanes and not oil burners. They would do all their manuvers in front of everybody. Now it zoom and they fly off 5 miles to turn around and then its zoom again.
I miss the good old days when the Bearcats ruled the sky.

23863

[Meshman]

Meshman I wasn't referring to those in the forums here, but rather forums dedicated to developers. If you did post up about it in any thread on here I don't recall seeing and even gone back through my posts here in SimOuthhouse and didn't not see anything.

You must not have gotten the memo about me going back to my "normal" handle? I can always tell you the story about the time I got the MP escort across the active, all for a lousy load of blasting agents... again!:bump:


I'll take a look at what I have done for SoKali. Last airport I was working on? El Centro NAS! :salute:

Only thing about Bone's suggestion about extending the range is that the International border cuts out the bottom and the Salton Sea is a pain to the north. But I will say that for being a native of this miserable state, there's a lot of stuff out there that I never knew existed. Looking at some of the visuals from the Mojave Desert area just make me sit and go WOW!

[Navy Chief]

I miss the good old days when the Bearcats ruled the sky.

23863

Helldiver,

I am only 57 (a whippersnapper, right?), but if possible, I would want to live during that time period. I love the music, the clothes, everything about it. I wish I could have lived back then.

NC

[Helldiver]

Those were the good old days. Where men were men and women were double breasted. Where you had spring steel in your bumpers and cars had frames in them You didn't have to depend on safety belts or air pillows to survive. A damaged fender would not total a car. When you could burn your leaves in the fall, burn fireworks on the fourth of July, and light up a giant bonfire on Halloween. When women were not allowed on Carriers or to take up arms. When you could sit at a bar and have a cigarette with your beer (I'm a non-smoker) but believe in certain inalienable rights. Singers used to stand still and you could understand every word they sang.
As you said, Chief, it was nice to live back then

[Navy Chief]

Those were the good old days. Where men were men and women were double breasted. Where you had spring steel in your bumpers and cars had frames in them You didn't have to depend on safety belts or air pillows to survive. A damaged fender would not total a car. When you could burn your leaves in the fall, burn fireworks on the fourth of July, and light up a giant bonfire on Halloween. When women were not allowed on Carriers or to take up arms. When you could sit at a bar and have a cigarette with your beer (I'm a non-smoker) but believe in certain inalienable rights. Singers used to stand still and you could understand every word they sang.
As you said, Chief, it was nice to live back then

Helldiver, the way you described it is exactly how I imagined it to be. Of course, growing up in the 50s/60s, I still experienced a lot of the same things. The way of life then was much simpler; more carefree, less complicated. All the electronic gadgets nowadays have their benefits, I suppose. But I would give anything to go back in time to the America I knew as a child.

I apologize for changing the course of this thread, but, well, the mood just hit me!

NC