Europe\Desert Airfields--which files do you propose?

[jinx]

Hello again,

I would like to install European airfields and also those of Africa, from Suez to Gibraltar, on the north coast of Africa with a view to flying there and making some missions, esp. for RAF Beaufighters and Typhoons and also some western desert battles.
Do you have any sceneries to suggest with airfields, or even just airfields?

Now I have downloaded all the rhumba files, the ones named DEM8_01.zip up to DEM8_22.zip inclusive, but I am under the impression that these do not cover North Africa.

I have also seen a series of files named LOD5_NW.zip, LOD5_SE.zip, LOD5_SW.zip, LOD7_06.zip, LOD7_07.zip., etc--all beginning with LOD-xxx by rhumbaflappy.

Do these LOD FILES clash with the DEM files or is it possible to install both? What does LOD mean?

A final request, since I am Greek, is there are scenery with Greek airfields and do the DEM and LOd files cover the terrain in Greece?

I know I am asking a lot.

Thanks for any help you be able to give.

Nick

[Rami]

Jinx,

I have created two installation guides to deal with the process of setting up ETO / MTO scenery. The installation guides have hyperlinks that explain Rhumbaflappy's LOD meshes and Sander's files, especially how they interact.

Additionally, especially for the MTO, the installation process for the Malta scenery by Brunosk and the other scenery packages by Jean Bomber can be challenging, and the guides I created help the user through the process.

For the ETO, I would recommend the following airfield scenery packages...

JHS_Norway
JHS_England
JHS_France_North
JHS_Germany
CFS2 BoB airfields (Manual)
JHS_BENL
JHS_Denmark
Dams (For Waddington - UK)

Canion: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...d=11674&sort=d
Gary20: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=267&sort=d
Achim27619: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=584&sort=d
Guide: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=49&id=2931

For the Mediterranean...

JHS_Albania
JHS_Greece
JHS_Romania
JHS_Bulgaria
JHS_Italy
JHS_North_Africa
JHS_Middle_East
JHS_France_South

BSK_Malta_V2

Afnor - Pantelleria and the Pelagic Islands
Afnor - Morocco scenery
Afnor_scenery_Part_I

Jean Bomber: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...d=58072&sort=d
Bruno's Malta: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=45&id=6060
Achim27619: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=584&sort=d
Guide: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=49&id=2932

[jinx]

Rami,

Thank you for the help. These are too many files for me to download, but I can try anyway. In fact I downloaded 4 or so and will study them but at first look they propose too many files and that will take too much time.

Another question I have is that I have downloaded rhumba files and I do not know what LOD files are.
For example, I see files named
LOD5_NW.zip, LOD5_SE.zip, LOD5_SW.zip, LOD7_06.zip, LOD7_07.zip, and LODxxx etc zips
by rhumbaflappy
and I have downloaded all the files named
DEM8_01.zip to DEM8_22.zip inclusive.


I have not downloaded any of the LOD zips.
Now in simple words:
Can you tell me what the difference is between the DEM zip files and the LOD zip files?
And will I get the terrain mesh if I only install only the DEM files?
What I want is get something to improve my east asia scenery (East Asia World War II scenery fw by Xavier Berdaguer) which is flat--I want it contoured with hills etc. My ultimate aim is to make Burma theater missions. Will the DEM files alone give me that? The airfields are there already from the Berdaguer file..--they just sit on flat ground.)

Nick

[Rami]

Nick,

LOD refers to the level of terrain detail found in the mesh used to provide realistic elevation and terrain features to areas of the CFS2 world. The higher the level of detail in specific areas, (Such as Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific) the more accurately the CFS2 universe mimics the earth's actual topography.

[jinx]

Thanks Rami.

That answers the question on LOD.

However, I would still to know if I install ONLY the 22 DEM files I downloaded, shall I get the hills or not in the areas they cover?

That is the main issue for me.


Thanks

[Rami]

Jinx,

The files are designed to work as a "layer cake," so they will work best if you have all three layers.

I will point out that if you download the files once, there are ways that you can connect all your sims to run off of this one set of mesh files. That's what I do.

[jinx]

Rami,

Thanks,

But you still do not answer my basic question, which was:

"I would still to know if I install ONLY the 22 DEM files I downloaded, shall I get the hills or not in the areas they cover?"

Could we have an answer to that please?

By other sims, do you mean cfs1, fs2004 and fsx?

[Rami]

Jinx,

Fair enough. The answer is that I really don't know with certainty. I've never tried them in isolation.

[UncleTgt]

Jinx,

I'm with Rami, I don't know for sure if LOD 8 on it's own will give acceptable results.

LOD means Level Of Detail. THe higher the number, the more detailed it is.

Out of the box CFS 2 came with LOD 8, with a few detailed areas in LOD 9.

More detail means larger file sizes, slower load times (perhaps).

I do know that Rhumbaflappy spent a lot of time creating this layer cake:

new more accurate dem4km.bgl
new more accurate LOD 5 mesh - whole planet
new more accurate LOD 7 mesh - whole planet
new more accurate LOD 8 mesh - all areas fought over in WW2

He stopped at LOD 8 as he thought a combat sim didn't benefit from tying up the PC processor trying to render LOD 9+ just for the eye candy.

So I think there will be areas outside the WW2 conflict zones that will rely on the LOD 7 mesh for hills.

One issue with the new more accurate mesh is the old game default land masks outside the Pacific area don't match well anymore - you will see this for sure in the CBI theatre. Even within the Pacific theatre there are issues. Until new add on scenery is made that matches the more accurate mesh, it's as good as it gets.

That may be a deal breaker for you, in which case you're better suited with the older inaccurate mesh (from guys like Rolf VF2)put into a stock install.

[Golden Rocket]

The files are designed to work as a "layer cake," so they will work best if you have all three layers.

Then, how should be set the priorities? LOD 5 at lowest?

Bernard

[Rami]

Jinx,I have created two installation guides to deal with the process of setting up ETO / MTO scenery. The installation guides have hyperlinks that explain Rhumbaflappy's LOD meshes and Sander's files, especially how they interact.Additionally, especially for the MTO, the installation process for the Malta scenery by Brunosk and the other scenery packages by Jean Bomber can be challenging, and the guides I created help the user through the process.For the ETO, I would recommend the following airfield scenery packages...JHS_NorwayJHS_EnglandJHS_France_NorthJH S_GermanyCFS2 BoB airfields (Manual)JHS_BENLJHS_DenmarkDams (For Waddington - UK)Canion: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...d=11674&sort=dGary20: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=267&sort=dAchim27619: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=584&sort=dGuide: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=49&id=2931For the Mediterranean...JHS_AlbaniaJHS_GreeceJHS_RomaniaJH S_BulgariaJHS_ItalyJHS_North_AfricaJHS_Middle_East JHS_France_SouthBSK_Malta_V2Afnor - Pantelleria and the Pelagic IslandsAfnor - Morocco sceneryAfnor_scenery_Part_IJean Bomber: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...d=58072&sort=dBruno's Malta: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=45&id=6060Achim27619: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...rid=584&sort=dGuide: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...tid=49&id=2932

Golden Rocket,Please read this response to find your answer.

[TheBookie]

I put in the Rhumbaflappy mesh DEM5,DEM7 and DEM8 to try in Talons AVG campaign and it looks great. The China Burma border hA lot of mountains.

TheBookie

[Kofschip]

Guys, and especially Rami, thanks for this discussion. I think you have given this old guy finally the confidence to try it.
Jinx, this is a very good question.

[jinx]

Well,

Thanks to all. I am trying what I can, one by one.
So I first installed Bali to Timor Mesh ver 1.6 by Rolf Keibel and flew around in a Beaufighter--it looks hilly enough. I will continue with Rolf's meshes one by one and check each one out with flights. I have given my Beau an Autopilot, so I do not have the struggle at the stick all the time.

Two questions that loom ahead are water and rivers and airfields. Bali Timor does not have an airfields and one has to to us GO TO and coordinates to get to the area, given by Rolf, luckily.
I see there are some files called CFS2 water somewhere...Anyone tried them?
I want eventually to get to Burma, and try to make rivers and lakes on the ground, though I do not know with what program yet, and have never done this work in cfs2.

My main aim is to do missions for Burma after General Slim's book, which I am still reading.
I will scan a few pages and put them here for you so you can see how good that book is.

More later,

Thanks again.

[jinx]

Looking over this post, I realize that I do not know much about the inner workings of CFS2, and that I am blind as a bat in most areas...

However, what I find amusing is that certain old and experienced hands at CFS2 among the posters here (and elsewhere in these forums) are also faced with dark mysteries from time to time and occasionally do not have the foggiest about a certain matter or issue.

That in turn leads me to the conclusion that CFS2's intimate details are more hidden than those of other MS sims like fs9 and fsx, where little has remained mysterious and inviolate.

In fact, CFS2 is like a shy young lady who won't reveal any nudities even after insistent and devious courting, though she is past adolescence and not a virgin anymore. And if one considers the many different angles of attack and approach with all sorts of weapons and bombs anf fused software developers of files have used for parts of her like terrain and sceneries, one sees how ingenious and sly the mod-makers have had to become in order to tame certain of her secretive aspects and virginal airs. For that, those developers deserve an esteem and gratitude that is due to them and well-merited.

Certain sims, like IL-2 for example, are snobby and high-brow and do not tolerate any but the most superificial approaches--one can bang on the door for hours and it refuses to open. When it does, you wind up with a ready-made sugar coating that touches the surface only...

Others, like fs9, have been courted and violated till they have become old, wrinkled ladies with missing teeth. They have said to developers and modders "I am yours any time" from day one of their existence. Wild orgies of creativity followed naturally....In fact, not being too difficult, they lent some of their clothes to CFS2, as one can see from the port-overs of terrain and other textures...

Excuse the analogies, but since I have worked as a self-trained writer at times, I thought to give you a jolt by commenting in this fancy style and making a point or two at the same time.


Nick

[dvslats]

Eloquently put jinx. I like it.

The only drawback to CFS2 is that it has no forward compatibility. An example would be that FS9 can use an add on from fs2000 and forward.
So many here use the trial and error (or success) approach. It can be a real time vampire at times, but the results are worth the effort.

The real engine of this sim is in your CFS2 modules folder. Lots and lots of code. If one could write this programming, the impossible becomes a reality.
But speaking for myself, I have no experience in C++. Then there is the legal end of it. ©

So take a dive and start experimenting. When you attain the results your looking for you will be another with his or hers own unique install.

Cheerz, Dave

[jinx]

dvslats,

Thank you.

And thanks for the additional insights you provide.
I did not know the Modules folder contains the real engine of the sim.


Best Regards,

Nick