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FSXA About to jump in...quick question

C

Chris Hewitt

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I've been retro designing an airport (OLBA) for the last three years using ADE mainly but never got around to SBuilderX.

Here's my question then.....Can SBuilder use a bgl from my ADE work as an image guide template to begin with instead of using satellite images? That way, I can lay new landclass over the bgl image and everything new will fit to scale.

I can't use sat images because too much has changed over sixty years and besides, I've done all the coastal remodeling and the terrain with ADE.
I ask this because I believe that I can improve the landclass quality and bordering with SBX. As good as ADE is, the poly borders are so jagged.
 
I'll throw out this idea. First, I don't believe you can use a bgl in SBuilder. I know they have a few other type files SBuilder can use but it has been too many years so I would not be able to explain about those. What I would do is open up ADE with your airport and take a screenshot of the airport in a TIFF format. You would then need to geo-reference the image into tiff's metadata and then you could use that as a map inside SBuilder.

Just did a quick check in ADE and you can save an image of the airport but it is a jpg. Perhaps you can import that into SBuilder as a base map and move it around?

Good luck.
 
Clutch Cargo...thanks for your advice. I will try that. It's not too different from how I constructed this airport and surrounding terrain using ADE. I just thought SBUILDERX might allow me to use a higher quality of terrain than ADE does. I will keep persevering. Currently redesigning the terminal using SketchUp. That's the thing with a flight simulator programme like FSX, always learning new third party software to improve the general look.
 
Hi Chris:

You can extract the data from the CVX vector BGL(s) compiled by ADE for your FSX project using Patrick Germain's CvxExtractor utility:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/cvxextractor-exporting-vector-data.432918/

Set the output to ESRI Shapefile, and that can be imported into SBuilderX via the "Append" feature in the File menu.


On a practical basis, if you are working with fitting in LandClass Polygons alongside GP's made in ADE, you might best stay in ADE.

You are seeing that posted by a hard core SBuilderX enthusast, who also appreciates ADE for what it does so well.

Other than Freeway Traffic, ADE and SBuilderX can achieve comparable results with manually drawn LandClass vectors.

SBuilderX would let you import scenery content using ESRI Shape (*.SHP) files; ADE has limited import abilities.



PS: When you refer to "As good as ADE is, the poly borders are so jagged", are you referring to low resolution background images ?

If so, one generally must cut high resolution background images into smaller tiles that fit within the limited ADE memory address space.

That would absolutely be required working at OLBA due to its extended size.


So one can link numerous high resolution small tiles of background imagery for use in ADE that is 'non-jagged" / 'non-aliased'.

The minor inconvenience is that one must swap between them as one works at various locations around large airfield projects.

With SBuilderX, it is a uninterrupted scrolling experience with no swapping of the background imagery tiles.


It is true that one could create a large Geo-referenced "GeoTiff" image of the ADE workspace that can be calibrated for use in SBuilderX.

But that would probably require some meticulous work in a graphics application to create a composite of screenshots.


In theory, one could do that in Sketchup by importing screenshots as Textures, then map them onto Faces on the ground plane.

After all images are aligned using Texture > Position, one can 'Make Unique', then 'Combine Textures' to make a 1-piece object Face.


One could then Geo-Reference the corners of that Face object using trial and error in SBuilderX 'calibrate' feature.

Alternatively one would have to use a GIS application to do a proper Geo-Rectification.


Just a few additional ideas.

GaryGB
 
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Gary, so sorry for my late reply. I hadn't realised there were any further messages so I've just seen this.
Regarding 'jagged borders' when I refer to landclass, I find the borders too linear where a blend between different landclass would look far more natural. I've tried zooming in and working with lots of poly nodes to break the borders up a bit but it still looks too geometric.
You make a good point in regard to SketchUp texture combination. It's a programme I'm still learning but getting there slowly.
I did think about using Photoshop which I'm proficient with and actually creating the landscape and have done so to a point with unique roads which works.
 
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