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Microsoft Flight Simulator - SDK's question

Ronald

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Since i'm rather new to flightsimulator modeling and development I was wondering:

Since when started Microsoft shipping official supported "flightsim SDK's" with their products?
So far i've only found the FS2004 SDK's (on flyawaysimulation.com)
- https://flyawaysimulation.com/downl...soft-flight-simulator-2004-sdk-pack-all-kits/

and the ESP / FSX-SDK's (on M.S.D.N.)
- https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff798293.aspx

Question:
Have there been any other ways to create add-ons / gauges software for Microsoft flightsimulator in the past?

Update: (29-1-2017,05:12) I've found some more of them online, going back to FS98:
- http://files.fsnordic.net/Flight_Simulator/Miscellaneous/SDK/
- http://www.byteforge.com/simworld/msfs_files.htm
 
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I think the first SDK was shipped with FS5, whiich I seem to remember was the first one to be released on CD.
I could be wrong...
 

arno

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I think the oldest SDK I have is from FS98. But the older ones were not as complete or detailed as the FSX one.
 
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I think the oldest SDK I have is from FS98. But the older ones were not as complete or detailed as the FSX one.
Agree with the 'not as detailed' but my little orange jet weighing 5lbs and generating 1,000,000lbs of thrust could lift off in five feet and be in space in 30 seconds. Also the buildings didn't have textures, you could just colour them. I had the whole of Pump Station 3 (Saudi Arabia) modelled in yellow and grey buildings. I'm sure it was FS5 as I left Aramco in July 94 and 5.1 wasn't released until 95.
 

arno

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There were tools for fs4 and fs5 indeed, but I'm not sure there was an sdk as well.

I made such experimental aircraft in fs5 as well :)
 
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I think you're right. Looking through the manual for 5.0, there's no mention of scenery building or SDK.
The 4.0 manual (I assume it is, there's a section titled "Flight Simulator 4.0 - Changes from 3.0") says nothing about an SDK either.
The 3.0 manual (I assume again, the Welcome section says, "Flight Simulator is a third generation, real time, flight simulator program" I'm pretty sure never had anything.
The only other manual I have says on the front cover, "Now taking off in color on RGB monitors". Probably 2.0
Certainly no SDK :)

So was 5.0's "SDK" third party programs?
 
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So Ronald. You must have a master plan? Lots of good questions these last few weeks. What's the end-goal (if I missed it in another thread, I apologize)

I'll be heavy into gauge animations, and texture mapping in Blender in the coming week or two. If you wanted to follow along in Screenshare.

- Joseph
 

Ronald

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So Ronald. You must have a master plan? Lots of good questions these last few weeks. What's the end-goal (if I missed it in another thread, I apologize)
No real "master-plan"(yet) Joseph..
I am merely exploring the "Blender 2 FSX" production-pipeline and FSX development landscape through building my (own) favorite jet the "F-16 Viper". First the building, modeling, 3D animation, and later create my own gauges too, the works
I'm starting - just as General Dynamics did in real-life - with the first one the "YF-16" #01567
- http://www.codeonemagazine.com/gallery_slideshow.html?gallery_id=170
- http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=44
- http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article25.html

If you want, you can see some screenshots of my first F-16 versions on the B2FSX production line over here:
- http://s304.photobucket.com/user/indigowarrior9/library/BLENDER/F16-Project?sort=9&page=1
 
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Well Ronald, I certainly wish you the best in your mission! It's an ambitious one, but the good news is, we're all here to help.

- Joseph
 

Heretic

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I'm starting - just as General Dynamics did in real-life - with the first one the "YF-16" #01567

Keep in mind that the cockpit of the early models looked quite different than the one you've modeled so far. I think the transition to two CRT screens came with the "C" models or MLU upgrades while LCDs were only introduced with the block 60s or so.
 

Ronald

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Keep in mind that the cockpit of the early models looked quite different than the one you've modeled so far. I think the transition to two CRT screens came with the "C" models or MLU upgrades while LCDs were only introduced with the block 60s or so.
[v] - Check Heretic, thanks for the comment. The cockpit i've modeled as practice-run was in fact created from an F16 Charlie variant. I've already found the famous "F-16 (A/B/C/D) Handbooks" and many beautifull home-viper-pit-builders website with lots of materials:
- http://publicintelligence.net/?s=f16+
- http://meriweather.com/flightdeck/16/16-layout.html
- http://www.xflight.de/pe_org_doc.htm']http://www.xflight.de/pe_org_doc.htm']http://www.xflight.de/pe_org_doc.htm
And on Flickr and F-16.net i've already found pictures of the actual Yf16 fligthdeck:
- http://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album11/album12
 
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YF-16 was really standalone. No other like it. It had a very basic VFR navigation platform for display use. When it was ferried to Paris it had to be escorted for navigation.

If you want to model an A/B version, I'd do the Block 15......which cockpit which was very popular. No MFDs on that one. It had a munitions display unit (a very cheesey, Iron Eagle looking) on LHS cockpit panel, and analog gauges on the right, and a monochrome radar CRT between the legs.
Next major change was the Block 30, which was retrofitted to a lot of A/B models as part of the MLU. This one had monochromatic MFD's, one on each side, and the radar CRT went away, as it was now incorporated into the MFD's. Also the HUD control panel changed because of the "new" availability of air to ground ordnance "smart" ordnance.
Then the Block 50+ Export versions incorporated fully colored MFD's with basic graphic generators (similar to LCD's). When you fire up the Avionics shelf on an Israeli Block 50, the Star of David pops up followed by a message in hebrew. Yes, that stuff sells!!
Lastly the Block 60, which is the basis for the 70 and the "V", saw the addition of a third colored, graphical MFD at panel center. This one is the coolest by far. If I remember correctly, when the MFD's start....a UAE flag displays with a holy message (in color, with dyamic effect), and an aural comes alive in the helmet reciting something like Alahu Ackbar.

Hope that short summary helps. Good luck on your project.
David
 

Heretic

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http://www.f-16.net/g3/var/resizes/f-16-photos/album11/album12/abv.jpg?m=1371899750

Wow, the YF-16 pit really looks nothing like the production models.


When you fire up the Avionics shelf on an Israeli Block 50, the Star of David pops up followed by a message in hebrew. Yes, that stuff sells!!
...
If I remember correctly, when the MFD's start....a UAE flag displays with a holy message (in color, with dyamic effect), and an aural comes alive in the helmet reciting something like Alahu Ackbar.

Is cheesy, overly dramatic and pathetic music also included? And does LM sponsor some wives standing crying on the sidelines, begging the pilots not to go?
 
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