FSX - RealNZ Auckland City - Install Procedure

[Adamski]

I'm having "issues" when trying to install Robin's AucklandCity in FSX (worked fine in FS9). I realise that AucklandCity is due for updating/patching, but I'm wondering whether to what extent it can work even now. I've trawled the forum here and couldn't really find an answer - apologies if it's already been covered ... somewhere!!

The issues I'm having are:

1) No textures on any of Robin's objects (would converting the bmp's to dds files fix this?).
2) Whenuapai is seriously screwed - elevation-wise and the objects don't seem to appear properly.

Here's my install procedure (on an otherwise pretty "virginal" FSX install).

RealNZ - Auckland City - FSX Install
====================================

Pre-install: Freeware 75m NZ Mesh Topo and activate. Then set to Settings\Display\Scenery\Mesh Resolution to 76m.

1) Unpack to a temporary directory eg. AucklandCity_RealNZ .
2) Move to X:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X (where X is your drive)
3) Put the 2 exclude files (exclauckcity2.BGL and exclauckcity.BGL) into the AucklandCity scenery directory.
4) Go to FSX Settings/Scenery Library: Add the scenery area, pointing to:
X:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X\AucklandCity_RealNZ\AucklandCity
5) Ensure the AucklandCity is top priority (slot 1).
6) Exit/restart FSX.

Questions:
1) Do you need to disable any sceneries? ie. Default FSX "Addon Scenery" or "Oceania".
2) Do you need to *separately* enable the content in the AucklandCity directories (that contain the AF2 and Oceania bgl's)?
3) At what priority should the 75m RB Topo be set?

TIA

Adam.

[toprob]

Do you mean the city buildings have no textures? Do the ground textures show ok?
The extra 'addon scenery' and 'oceania' files shouldn't be installed, as you will have elevation problems with them. Only the AucklandCity folder should be installed and activated.
FSX is pretty good at managing the mesh, but you probably need to be more careful with the topo -- I normally suggest that this is tucked up before the Addon Scenery folder in the library.
Converting textures wouldn't make a difference.
A recommended Auckland City install shouldn't change any elevations.

[Adamski]

QUOTE (toprob @ Apr 12 2008, 07:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you mean the city buildings have no textures? Do the ground textures show ok?
The extra 'addon scenery' and 'oceania' files shouldn't be installed, as you will have elevation problems with them. Only the AucklandCity folder should be installed and activated.
FSX is pretty good at managing the mesh, but you probably need to be more careful with the topo -- I normally suggest that this is tucked up before the Addon Scenery folder in the library.
Converting textures wouldn't make a difference.
A recommended Auckland City install shouldn't change any elevations.

Thanks Rob ... yes - that's right - the city buildings don't have any textures - and the odd texture at the end of the harbour bridge shows as grey. Otherwise - I don't see any obviously missing textures (ie grey squares) but I may be seeing the default FSX tiles instead <?>.

As to the Mesh/Topo ... I may be confusing myself here ... I've only installed the latest (freeware) 75m mesh. I see that installs some AF2 files in a directory, but I haven't activated them. Neither have I activated any of the "addon" and "oceania" in the AucklandCity directory.

I'll see if I can do a few screenshots.

I'm also having problems with a few of the newer aircraft - textures not working - yet I see screenies of people here with them working. Harvard, Chipmunk etc. Looking at the files, they all seem to be .bmp's - whereas other [working] aircraft seem to be .dds. Could this be related?

Thnx.

[Adamski]

Update ... SUCCESS!!!

After a complete reinstall (without FSX Acceleration or the 75 Mesh) it seems that my FSX requires AucklandCity scenery to live inside the"Addon Scenery" directory. Maybe this is a requirement after patching SP1 SP2 ... <??>. Either that or there's a line somewhere in the default FSX.CFG that needs adding/editing.

As to the Whenuapai madness - it looks like the 75 Mesh is the culprit. I haven't [yet] installed it, and all elevations seem OK. I'll install it and see what happens. Maybe there are some AFCADS that need disabling.

Anyway - it's GREAT to see your AKL scenery working in FSX!

[Adamski]

Well ... BAD NEWS, I'm afraid.

After installing the 75 mesh, my textures disappeared. Even after disabling/removing the RB mesh (and checking that all references to it in scenery.cfg had gone) I still have no textures.

I've tried placing AucklandCity in all sorts of places (inside and outside of Addon Scenery), recreated the .idx files and still no go.

Here are some pics - the first two from before installing the RB mesh:






HELP!!

[kimz28]

Just a quick note here, your aircraft, are they FS9 or FSX, and you should have 20460 texture files (Mr Rob will correct me if I'm wrong here) in your Real auckland Texture folder.

[Adamski]

QUOTE (kimz28 @ Apr 14 2008, 05:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a quick note here, your aircraft, are they FS9 or FSX, and you should have 20460 texture files (Mr Rob will correct me if I'm wrong here) in your Real auckland Texture folder.

Hi Kimz - the aircraft were all FSX compatible - and work fine until I install the (new) 75m NZ Mesh. These include the Chipmunk and Antonov An-2. Both work initially, then lose their textures.

My AucklandCity textures directory has files does indeed have the 20,460 files - and I've added to two excl files to the scenery directory.

All seems to work fine until I add the mesh. Weird.

[Timmo]

Very strange indeed- What files are in your 75 Mesh addon? Does it come with an installer? (I cant remember...I usually install to another location and then copy to the FS directory anyway so I know what is being installed)

(oh and increase your mesh resolution- It doesnt affect performance much and youll need a higher setting to see the hi res mesh for my Mount Tarawera scenery)

There must be something else going on....a mesh file cant affect textures?!

[Adamski]

QUOTE (Timmo @ Apr 15 2008, 03:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very strange indeed- What files are in your 75 Mesh addon? Does it come with an installer? (I cant remember...I usually install to another location and then copy to the FS directory anyway so I know what is being installed)

(oh and increase your mesh resolution- It doesnt affect performance much and youll need a higher setting to see the hi res mesh for my Mount Tarawera scenery)

There must be something else going on....a mesh file cant affect textures?!

Agreed - 'tis very strange! Yes - it's an installer package. I may just unpack that exe on another PC (without FS) and see what it puts where. I'll try your approach as well.

My gut feeling is that there's a broken link, a missing file - or a file is being referenced badly somehow - and that's just making FSX lose the plot from there onwards. The weird thing is that de-installing the mesh, removing all traces of it from the FSX directory (and checking whatever .cfg files I could find) doesn't restore Rob's textures. Something's being overwritten somewhere, I think. That's the frustrating bit - as it means a complete reinstall from scratch.

I've got a fairly beefy PC, so I've been running with everything pretty well maxed out (apart from the water quality, which I find a bit OTT). I've always loved slide shows anyway

[toprob]

I have been giving this some thought, but it does have me stumped. I don't think that FSX can't find or use the textures -- when I remove the building textures, some buildings become invisible and some appear black -- the two shades of grey which your screenshot shows is what I see before the textures kick in.
Can you lower some settings and see what happens? What happens if you return the settings to the 'bucket' defaults? (Don't reset these from the main options screen, as this will reset everything -- just from the scenery display screen.)
I'd be interested in seeing your system specs, and what service packs you have installed if any.

[Adamski]

QUOTE (toprob @ Apr 16 2008, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been giving this some thought, but it does have me stumped. I don't think that FSX can't find or use the textures -- when I remove the building textures, some buildings become invisible and some appear black -- the two shades of grey which your screenshot shows is what I see before the textures kick in.
Can you lower some settings and see what happens? What happens if you return the settings to the 'bucket' defaults? (Don't reset these from the main options screen, as this will reset everything -- just from the scenery display screen.)
I'd be interested in seeing your system specs, and what service packs you have installed if any.

Rob, Timmo ... thanks for all your contributions - much appreciated. It seems the problem has fixed itself (or rather never appeared on this new install). I followed Timmo's advice and unpacked the NZ Mesh to a temporary directory. Couldn't spot any weirdness.

Since installing the 75m mesh, I've installed your Tauranga scenery - plus your Taranaki freeware ... all with no problems so far.

As to what caused the problem(s) I'm also stumped particularly now as it's all working! On this [working] install, I've steered completely away from placing anything in the "Addon Scenery" directory. For the sake of completeness, I'll add my specs (below). When I had the problem, I tried every combination of detail setting - and every combination of install paths.

So ... for the benefit of others, here's my install procedure:

1) Install FSX, then update to SP1.
2) Install FSX Acceleration (which updates to SP2).
3) Unpack (install) RealNZ AucklandCity to a directory outside FSX and add the two exclude files for FSX.
4) Copy over the AucklandCity directory (only) to the root FSX directory - and activate in Options/Scenery (top level).
5) Similar procedure for RealNZ Tauranga (and follow instructions as to FSX file placement).
6) Similar procedure for the new 75m NZ Mesh - but set priority to below any of the add-on sceneries.

My specs:
Vista SP1 / Dx10
CPU: 6600 2.4Ghz dual core
RAM: 2GB
GFX: nVidia 8800 GTS 1GB
Drv: 174.74
Saitek X52 Throttle/stick + CH Pro pedals