Making scenery - Am I on the right track

[ChrisL]

Hi,

Please excuse my total ignorance as I am a total noob (newby) to this but I am wanting to incorporate the landscape of the wider Whangarei area into Flight Simulator. I know nzcoaster is working on this and looks like he is doing a fantastimal job but as far as I know there is no part finished work of his to download and try.

I am downloading gmax12.exe, which I understand is a replacement for the gmax that shipped with FS2002pro (that's the sim I'm using - fs2002 although I also have fs2000pro).

I've downloaded a trial version of Global Mapper 4.78 (I downloaded the oldest version I could find hoping it might be a trial version but fully functioning).

I'm looking at this site: http://www.nztopoonline.linz.govt.nz/ which appears to list different data formats to download.

So should I be able to download some topographical data from NZTopo and load it into one of the two above mentioned programs and output it as scenery for FS2002? I don't mind if all I have to fly around is a wire frame to start off with, or if there are any number of other glitches but it would be a starting point. What data format should I download?

I'm guessing I take the topographical data and lay some birds eye view photos over it basically. Is that right?

I don't have the money to purchase mega expensive software worth thousands of dollars but I don't mind if I have to put up with watermarks or such like because I've used free versions of software.

My son has a free version of Maya 3d animation software. Could this be of any use to me?

[ChrisL]

If I can do just Bream head I'll be happy.

[toprob]

I guess it really depends on what you are trying to achieve -- I suspect that you have looked at a particular area in FS2002, and decided that it wasn't that accurate. Defining exactly what is missing is quite important, as there are a lot of ways you can go with this. And fixing what seems to be the obvious problem may not give the results you are looking for. It is certainly not possible to approach the topo resolution of FS2004 or FSX, so even with a lot of work you may be disappointed.

GMAX is strictly for 3D models -- airport buildings etc. although some people have used it to create some landforms, it should be seen as a small scale modelling tool only, especially for FS2002.

One major lack with FS2002 is the mesh. I don't know if some of the existing STRM meshes for FS2004 would work in FS2002, but it would be worth a crack. If not, you can download STRM data at about 90m/pixel.

The tools you'd need are mostly included in the SDK which comes with FS2002 Pro. Unfortunately there were not any of the flash tools we have come to expect back in the old days, so you won't find much that is really easy, or well-documented for that matter.

One way to get a great high resolution topo data set, mesh etc is to upgrade to FSX. As a developer who started out with FS2002, I can say that I'm so pleased that I don't have to go near it ever again:)

One thing you can do, however, if there are LINZ aerials for the area you are interested in, is create aerial photo scenery. Again, 1000 times easier in FSX, but very possible in FS2002. If you have an aerial image, and want to give this a go, then I can probably offer some tips.

[ChrisL]

OK. So I need to find an aerial photo or two. Then I would need to be taking that from a flat 2d image to 3D.
It appears gmax 1.2 only outputs *.gmax files and I don't know if those can even be used in Flight Simulator, besdies you say it's more for buildings and such.

Are you saying FSX has the tools I would need?

[toprob]

QUOTE (ChrisL @ Dec 29 2008, 07:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK. So I need to find an aerial photo or two. Then I would need to be taking that from a flat 2d image to 3D.
It appears gmax 1.2 only outputs *.gmax files and I don't know if those can even be used in Flight Simulator, besdies you say it's more for buildings and such.

Are you saying FSX has the tools I would need?

Actually, I'm saying that your area of interest already exists with a very accurate topo scenery in FSX, so there's probably not a lot you'd need to do. And of course, you can't use FSX tools for FS2002 scenery, because the rules have changed since then.

In every version of the sim the elevation mesh is separate -- whether you use default textures, custom landclass or photo scenery it will 'drape' over the mesh. Placing elements is the same -- it'll sit on the mesh, so you normally don't need to worry about elevation when you are placing any scenery elements.

Which is why I mentioned the different ways you can get a more accurate elevation mesh, as this is the best addon you can get to increase the realism of FS2002.

Placing rivers/lakes/coastlines etc is a bit different, you'd generally have to set an elevation to this. I've never done that sort of scenery, though, so I'm not much help.

Placing airports has its own set of rules, too, but generally you need to 'flatten' the airport area to get it to work properly with AI etc.

To export to the sim from GMAX, you need to install the Gamepack which comes with FS2002 Pro. The gamepack installs the necessary exporter. But as I said, you'd use GMAX to build hangers, houses, trucks, cars, signs, aircraft, anything like that -- you wouldn't use it to create elevation mesh.

One thing you can do with the FS2002 GMAX Gamepack, though, is to create photo ground textures for small areas, such as an airfield. Many designers still use the FS2002 gamepack for this very purpose, as it is the only way to get ground polygons to act as solid ground, and not a 3D object.

You should really take a look at theFSDeveloper.com site, it has a lot of info on scenery design, including some very helpful forums. However they don't have much to do with FS2002, from memory.

[ChrisL]

QUOTE (toprob @ Dec 29 2008, 08:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, I'm saying that your area of interest already exists with a very accurate topo scenery in FSX, so there's probably not a lot you'd need to do. And of course, you can't use FSX tools for FS2002 scenery, because the rules have changed since then.

I want to be able to fly over an area and say to myself that's the ridge I was walking along and I looked down from that highest point to that beach.
Does FSX offer that level of detail?

[toprob]

QUOTE (ChrisL @ Dec 30 2008, 07:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I want to be able to fly over an area and say to myself that's the ridge I was walking along and I looked down from that highest point to that beach.
Does FSX offer that level of detail?

Yes.

[ChrisL]

QUOTE (toprob @ Dec 30 2008, 08:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes.

OK That's awesome.