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FSX - trees with seasons

Fern

Fern

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537
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canada
Hi,

This is for FSX.

I need to place some trees in a small area.

Can't really use a "terrain" thing with SBuilderX, because those only place few trees and I need more density.

I used SBuilderX to place library trees there, but they do not change with seasons...

So, how can I place trees in FSX that change with seasons?

Thanks

Fern
 
I *think* this will work OK. I just did a quick check on part of the process and it didn't crash FSX.

Use SBuilderX to make a small photo scenery of the area. Make a blendmask that is 100% BLACK. Use SBuilderX to compile the file (it could be done manually via an INF file) and move the BGL file into FSX. Should be nothing there. So here's the part that may or may not work, will the Autogen Annotator place trees or whatever onto a completely transparent photo file and will they show inside FSX? Dunno, but it takes a few minutes to see if it does or doesn't.

Otherwise, Dick (Rhumbaflappy) posted a while back about seasonal trees as scenery objects. But it involves some work. A search should reveal that thread.
 
Black blend mask (in fact any greyscale colour except white) inhibits autogen.
 
Hello:

Perhaps the threads linked below may prove to be of interest: :idea:


Blend Mask Bit Depth and Format Issues:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21253&highlight=auto


http://www.fspassengers.com/forum/read.php?f=9&i=4634&t=4634&page=19


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18702&highlight=compression



Seasonal Object Display:

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?p=121042#post121042


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18848


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?p=118799#post118799


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18695&highlight=effect+seasonal


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8512&highlight=AUTOGEN+TREES


http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12414


Hope this helps stimulate further discussion, as well as more shared insights and innovations !
santahat.gif


GaryGB
 
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FSX - Trees with seasons

Thanks, fellows

It looks like we can't do trees with seasons in FSX.

Well, we can, and the only solution is to use SBuilder X to create a tiny patch of terrain with autogen. The trees do show up, and they do change with the seasons.

Only problem is that, depending on what is near it (and in my case it is an airport), the autogen is dramatically decreased in density and only a couple of trees show up.

Thanks.

Fern
 
Hi Fern.

One of the problems is the small area.

You can clump trees as photoreal autogen, but small areas of photoreal seem to block out autogen to some extent. Autogen trees just never seem to go where you put them. And you need to set your fsx.cfg file to show maximum autogen trees, which is a global setting that may destroy your FPS.

But... it can be done to a certain extent. The blend mask controls the placement of autogen as well as what's seen. The blendmask is a grayscale TIF file with black as no-showing and white as complete showing. The blend is the values in between.

If your final mask is all black ( value 0 ) where you don't want autogen, and mostly black ( value 1 ) where you want autogen, then it will work. You won't see any photo image, but autogen will show in the value 1 area. Also, default autogen will be excluded in the value 1 area, but not in the value 0 area. Your autogen will show up in all mask areas except black.

Palm trees in Wisconsin winter:

LXHO454D1BAE2V1ANJ4AZC576USH6YKV----Palm.gif


The only other way to get seasonal trees is to make effect-objects, and have them show seasonally. That process is complicated and mostly works... but, as the refpoint ( center ) of the effect-object leaves the viewport, the object abruptly disappears.

Dick
 
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FSX Trees with seasons

Hi, Dick

Yes, you are right, that kind of works. And that is the way I will try.

I always make my scenery in such way that can be uploaded to Simiviation and the like, so I make everything I can so that installation does not require any complicated arrangements. Sometime (apron lights) I do include effects, but they are optional and, if the person doesn't install them or makes mistakes, the rest of the scenery still works.

I experimented with the SBuilderX replacing a patch of ground textures and it works. Only problem is that the patch is small (around a house which is withing the airport's footprint) and the autogen trees are too few.

But I'll keep trying. If anyone has better ideas, please let me know.

Thanks

Fern
 
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