A Simple Scenery Makeover!

[falcon409]

I made this up a week ago and then before I was able to post, the site went down. This is something I thought some would find interesting. If you're curious about SBuilderX and what it can do. This is a series of images going from the default airport to a photoreal makeover. Total time expended: Approx. 3 hrs.

[falcon409]

The last two:

[Roger]

What a difference! Wouldn't it be great if there was a simple kit to change all those default green oblong strips into something like Ed's created?

[P38man]

Now that was very very interesting.

I demand you post no further so I will not learn the masters tricks how to make an airport from scratch.

My wife is already upset with all the time I have spent converting FS9 airports to FSX.

Cease I say!

Edit: please change the title from "Simple" to "Difficult" - it is better for me and others in the long run.:rolleyes:

[trucker17]

EXCEPTIONAL work their Ed....Looking forward to it.

[MCDesigns]

Nice work Ed!
Guess I don't have to release my version now (now known as Charles G Kalko airport)

[Walter]

Wow! I want to do this for my home airport! (Have absolutely no idea how, though).

[falcon409]

Nice work Ed!
Guess I don't have to release my version now (now known as Charles G Kalko airport)
Oh no. . . .lol. . .I'm not releasing this one Michael. It was an "in-house" release only. Something I did just to show this little demo.

[falcon409]

Wow! I want to do this for my home airport! (Have absolutely no idea how, though).
Walter, my other thought was to do a video, showing the steps it took to get the satellite image, making the "blur" and water maps and so on.

[MCDesigns]

Oh no. . . .lol. . .I'm not releasing this one Michael. It was an "in-house" release only. Something I did just to show this little demo.

it's cool Ed. You know me, picky as usual and until I can get the winter texture just right and solve the runway flickering I have on the custom ground poly, it's not going anywhere and with the holidays and me in retail management, been pretty busy as of late.

It would be great to find someone to contribute some ORBX quality generic hangers and houses and then we could tackle a state together doing these mods as it'a what I like to do also.

[Dimus]

OK, hijack opportunity here.

Ed's projects was an inspiration and I was also bitten by the photoreal bug. I recently flew a RL Super Cub to a grass field north of Athens, Kopaida. I have done the nearby "Ikaros" field some time ago so really needed to add this in FSX. Now grass really means photoreal so I managed to obtain some good images but the colour was dreadful. My textures are GEX so the colour matching was optimised for them. The following twopics show the initial placing, and then the colour correction and the editing out of the parked planes and buildings that are going to be added as 3d objects later:

160

159

Autogen and seasonal variations will also be done.

OK hijack over, apologies Ed and thank you for the inspiration!

[sepp666]

Very very nice falcon, i like what you have done very very much! If only i could do so for 2 of my most liked airports! EDSB and EDKN...:(

[Bushpounder]

Walter, my other thought was to do a video, showing the steps it took to get the satellite image, making the "blur" and water maps and so on.
YES! Please do a video! That looks GREAT, Ed.

Don

[greenie]

Thank you Ed . Caught my attention, as I seem to be drawn and getting closer to learning scenery design myself

[KellyB]

Sheesh, what a difference! You make it look easy, even though I do know better.

How low and slow can one fly in photoreal sceneries? Does it take a supercomputer?

[falcon409]

Sheesh, what a difference! You make it look easy, even though I do know better.

How low and slow can one fly in photoreal sceneries? Does it take a supercomputer?
Actually, "Low and slow" suits photoreal scenery to a "T". Doing over 200kts over photoreal would probably have the same effect it does on default textures. . .the faster you fly, the more the system is taxed to write the ground textures and autogen based on your slider settings and how much CPU/GPU speed you have. I wouldn't say that photoreal as a whole is taxing, but if your sliders are maxed and there's a lot of autogen and scenery objects to display, it may slow it down it bit, again, depending on CPU/GPU speed.

[JoeW]

Heaven forbid ............... Orbix quality?
Their testers need to stay away from the Fosters. They miss too much.

[full]

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you to Ed who made the tutorials for this ! I've always wanted to put my hand to photoreal airports. Here is what I've done so far. This is a small glider airfiled here in the UK (London Gliding Club) Dunstable, its far from complete but it looks pretty good I think. I managed to get the colour correct for FTX Global summer at the moment then I'll move onto the other seasons, I hope you like it. Again many thank Ed for doing the tutorials.

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More in next post...

[full]

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[Daube]

I just love these small airfield.
They really come to life once you add these photobackground, and then they go to level+1 once you add add autogen buildings, and trees. Very impressive, guys.

[airattackimages]

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[fsafranek]

I made this up a week ago and then before I was able to post, the site went down. This is something I thought some would find interesting. If you're curious about SBuilderX and what it can do. This is a series of images going from the default airport to a photoreal makeover. Total time expended: Approx. 3 hrs.
The end result is night and day better than the default -- as are most addons.

From looking at the curved road in the foreground of the first set of images it looks like you changed the location and orientation of the runway. Any nav aids, published charts, etc., to contend with if that was the case?

[Dimus]

The only issue I found while making seasonal variations in my project is the fact that you can not assign hard winter variation that is applicable only dynamically when it snows. The seasonal variations are only assigned to months of the year. This way when it snows the surrounding textures become white but the photoscenery part remains green.

[KellyB]

Would someone explain to me how exactly to get Google to work in SbuilderX.

I have downloaded various versions of Google Server zips, but can't figure out how to put which pieces of those files where in SbuilderX. In the zip, there is a folder called Code and a separate file called GoogleServer.dll.

I haven't a clue as to what to put where and which to ignore.

Thanks for any pointers will be truly appreciated.

[falcon409]

Would someone explain to me how exactly to get Google to work in SbuilderX.

I have downloaded various versions of Google Server zips, but can't figure out how to put which pieces of those files where in SbuilderX. In the zip, there is a folder called Code and a separate file called GoogleServer.dll.

I haven't a clue as to what to put where and which to ignore.

Thanks for any pointers will be truly appreciated.
I'm not at my computer right now, but I did a video tutorial on that as well. Its in the SOH downloads area. Just search falcon409...or SBuilderX may also bring it up.

[Roger]

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you to Ed who made the tutorials for this ! I've always wanted to put my hand to photoreal airports. Here is what I've done so far. This is a small glider airfiled here in the UK (London Gliding Club) Dunstable, its far from complete but it looks pretty good I think. I managed to get the colour correct for FTX Global summer at the moment then I'll move onto the other seasons, I hope you like it. Again many thank Ed for doing the tutorials.

447 448 449 450 451
More in next post...

Looks great Craig!

[Matt Wynn]

yup i too got back into Scenery making... been working on my local farm strip, which select friends have been testing... Falcon included... strangely everyone has seemed to avoid the hedge/treeline on the dogleg so far (i will catch one of you in it!), still got seasonal variations to do... that could be fun :)

567568569570571

here's that Dogleg from a Departure...
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x270/mattwynn/2013-11-22_17-19-50-756_zpsa3f22736.jpg~original

[KellyB]

I'm not at my computer right now, but I did a video tutorial on that as well. Its in the SOH downloads area. Just search falcon409...or SBuilderX may also bring it up.
Found it!!

Guess where? Right in front of me after search -- too close to see.
The real irony: I was the one who requested the tutorial but didn't see that you had had the chance to do it yet.

Also got four other tuts of yours.
Thanks.


UPDATE: Watched and learned. Apparently, I had it sort of ok, but the latest 140 dll for google with the https did the trick for me.

Now, I can begin to watch the rest of the tuts and see how much trouble I can get into.

Many thanks for your work.

[MCDesigns]

Found it!!

Guess where? Right in front of me after search -- too close to see.
The real irony: I was the one who requested the tutorial but didn't see that you had had the chance to do it yet.

Also got four other tuts of yours.
Thanks.


UPDATE: Watched and learned. Apparently, I had it sort of ok, but the latest 140 dll for google with the https did the trick for me.

Now, I can begin to watch the rest of the tuts and see how much trouble I can get into.

Many thanks for your work.

keep in mind that with google, the tiles are watermarked and you will see "Google" all over them.

[falcon409]

keep in mind that with google, the tiles are watermarked and you will see "Google" all over them.
Yep, I don't really use Google anymore. Actually even Yahoo is kinda worthless, but Virtual Earth and ArcGisImagery have pretty nice resolutions. Also, if you can figure out "how", the USGS Seamless Viewer has what appears to be some excellent satellite images. . .so far it's figuring out how to make sense of the data I download, and then, what to do with it once I do, lol.

[KellyB]

So Google thinks you shouldn't be able to use their stuff, huh? Pity they don't feel the same way about our stuff...

Ever had any luck Photoshopping the watermarks out? I know it's a pain, but their imagery is good in Bangor area.

Will have to try the others, when I can do it reliably...

[falcon409]

So Google thinks you shouldn't be able to use their stuff, huh? Pity they don't feel the same way about our stuff...
Ever had any luck Photoshopping the watermarks out? I know it's a pain, but their imagery is good in Bangor area.
Will have to try the others, when I can do it reliably...
Usually the ArcGisImagery is very close to what Google presents. . .sometimes better.

[spatialpro]

Usually the ArcGisImagery is very close to what Google presents. . .sometimes better.

Do you use ArcGIS?

[falcon409]

Do you use ArcGIS?

Yes, sometimes. Just depends on which server has the best imagery. I rarely use Google though .

[Bushpounder]

Hi, Ed. I just grabbed ALL of your tutorials. Let's see how much trouble I can get into! :) I appreciate the time and effort you put forth to do this for us all to use.

Don

[KellyB]

I just looked at the New York City X thread and wondered how they got all those buildings done. They are quite accurate, and look for all the world like photos.

So, how do we do that?? Or do we not....

[jmbiii]

Ed;
I've now finished viewing all of your videos and want to thank you for pushing me to give it a try. Looks not as difficult as I had imagined. In the past I've been content to use the instant scenery programs, but now I believe I can develop my home field and the other close by ones to more accurate versions. Between using SBuilderX and learning how to use the object maker programs my indoor winter FS time will be full. I only hope there will be some time left over to actually fly some of the AC I've accumulated. Thanks very much for the videos and if you would do one on how to do "seasonal" it would also be appreciated.
Thanks again;
Joe

[HighGround22]

.
Ed:

This series is a most gracious gift you've produced for us, and I want to thank you so very much for putting so much time and effort into expanding our capabilities. I, for but one, will be putting these new-found skills to much good use.

Cheers, Mate.