Airbase help?

[crossram]

No, nothing yet - I hope I can find the time tonight. Right now I am occupied with some pressing RL stuff ...

You take all the time you want. Appreciate you taking a look! btw...the hangar you'll see, I've increased the .dds size, so it looks much better. I'm keeping occupied adding in all the flak, and radar, off a map showing it all.
Have you ever tried placing buildings, or the like, in the facility, but off the groundplane? No matter, I'll see if it will work.

mongoose...I use PSP7, with the added Nvidia dds format (v3.02) plugin. I'm pretty sure the .dds is good, CFS3 just can't find the dang thing. I've also increased the .dds size to 2048 x 2048.

Back to my head-bangin'.

[crossram]

Thanks for the .zips!

Since I can't do it via PM, here's a .zip for you TOW guys.
I've had this stuff for more than 20 years. You can read about what it took, for me to get it. No matter, I'm always willing to share, just like everyone...that's what it's all about.

[mongoose]

Thanks for that. I wouldn't mind your Venlo buildings if completed!

[crossram]

You bet. It's been many years, since I've looked at 'em, so I'll take a look, do what's needed, and export them.

Hope that stuff helps you.

[Frosty]

You take all the time you want. Appreciate you taking a look! btw...the hangar you'll see, I've increased the .dds size, so it looks much better. I'm keeping occupied adding in all the flak, and radar, off a map showing it all.
Have you ever tried placing buildings, or the like, in the facility, but off the groundplane? No matter, I'll see if it will work. ...

Think I got it:
- At first, I couldn't get Gilze-Rijen installed at all which turned out to be the mess Open Office made of the .csv file. After editing the .csv in Notepad I could create a working .gsl.lib
- Then I ran into the same problem you had: no groundtexture
- After creating a simple .mos file, your groundtexture showed up fine .

So, even though I thought it would be possible to create an airfield without a .mos file, it turns out it apparently isn't. Maybe that's something I had forgotten, dunno. But adding one seems to do the trick... Hope it works for you too!

Oh, and adding objects outside the groundplane/texture should work fine (remember not all facilities have a groundtexture). It depends on what the autogen scenery places there. You'll have to experiment a little, I guess, to see if it works for your specific situation.

[crossram]

Come to think about it, I could have ran into the same thing, on AAF_station_121. Remember noticing a simple .mos file for it.

I would have never thought about that (maybe). I sure do appreciate it!!

Now, I'm gonna make a NOTE on that, so I can keep my act together.

[crossram]

Thanks for that. I wouldn't mind your Venlo buildings if completed!

Only that tower, for now. Just uploaded it, under CFS3/other/buildings. If it gets approved. Enjoy!

[crossram]

What would you do?

Airbase groundplane is on top of a railroad. Move the airbase?

[mongoose]

If the airbase is in the correct historical location? I would prefer not but I suppose it would depend where the track ran as some Fliegerhorsten did have railway lines running to them; something I am still having trouble adding!

[Frosty]

What would you do?

Airbase groundplane is on top of a railroad. Move the airbase?

If the railroad is smack in the middle of your airfield (crossing any runways, taxiways etc.), I would move the airfield.
If the railroad is close to the airfield's boundaries, I would try adding a railroad spline to the facility.

IIRC there was a railroad nearby with a branch to the fliegerhorst. Ask James, he knows Venlo only too well!
BTW, that model of the controltower is really good!! .

[Edit: James beat me to it]

[crossram]

If the railroad is smack in the middle of your airfield (crossing any runways, taxiways etc.), I would move the airfield.
If the railroad is close to the airfield's boundaries, I would try adding a railroad spline to the facility.

IIRC there was a railroad nearby with a branch to the fliegerhorst. Ask James, he knows Venlo only too well!
BTW, that model of the controltower is really good!! .

[Edit: James beat me to it]

Thanks for the kind words! (You wouldn't believe how I sized it!) Something about 80" door height. Any port in the storm, eh.

The rail track kinda cuts through the groundplane, which it fairly good size. This is Gilze-Rijen...maps don't show any tracks.
I might be able to get by, since I need to rotate the field a little (via the global layer). Yeah, the field is at the right co-ords, for what that's worth, in CFS3 land. Just bothers me, seeing that dead-end two places at the groundplane.

Gilze-Rijen also sported alot of camo netted a/c enclosures. Placing them now.

Hey, mongoose! Any chance I can tinker with some of your searchlight files? (For a little project I'm working on...60cm)

[mongoose]

You are welcome to tinker away!

[Frosty]

... This is Gilze-Rijen...maps don't show any tracks. ...

Ah, sorry - got Venlo and Gilze-Rijen mixed up . It must have been the tower model (that's definitely Venlo).

Anyway, nowadays there is a railroad linking the cities of Breda and Tilburg. Gilze-Rijen lies between those two. I don't know if the railroad was already there in the war years or what info MS used when constructing the global scenery layer. I know this doesn't solve your problem but just so you know the railway itself could be historical (but maybe not its location...).

[crossram]

Thanks, mongoose!

Frosty. Yeah, I had Venlo in the works, years ago, alot of research, most from 'over there' via emails.
Have quite a bit of info on the buildings, but it's a waste, without having some photos to work off of. Touched base with the
curator at Venlo airfield, asking for some photos. He told me...he didn't have time to fool with such stuff!
He did give me a large photo of the airfield...one that has now been shared. Yeah, there's a few building photos floating around, but not much. Venlo has rail tracks through it.

[mongoose]

Have you checked my Venlo yet?

[crossram]

No, not yet. Have you checked AAF_station_121, yet? Maybe I can install your Venlo, this weekend, and have a looksee.

Majority of my time, is in Gmax, or PSP, right now, besides my endless researching.

[mongoose]

I must confess I haven't but I will put it into ETO or similar as I never use the stock CFS3. What era would you suggest; 4? I will see if other airfields have to be moved in ETO or if they were already placed more correctly. I do note that ACC group did make a new Bassingbourn; 'ACC_Bassingbourn_airbase' as well so I will have to back up and compare!

[mongoose]

Further. I put it into era 4 in one of my various ETO+ installs, and changed the ACC version out for it + all the other suggested changes. WOW! You did a really great job which makes my Deelen and Venlo look pretty amateurish! Especially the way the airfield blends into the surroundings is neat; the extra parts help, although I am not sure how you manged that. Pics below

1. runway




2. 2500ft



5K ft



10Kft

[crossram]

Your comments are greatly appreciated! Thanks! Glad you like it. I put alot of time into 121...actually needs more work, on buildings, and such. Could have tossed a bunch of vehicles in, including a few I'm still working on.

Unfortunately, none of your screenshots show, for me. Probably my wore out PC.

Gilze-Rijen is sort of being made, in the same fashion. I've got to add alpha to my netting .dds, that will help.

I'll check out your Venlo, this weekend. Have to go through the files, and install what is required, and go from there.