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FSX Mesh Help

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42
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portugal
Hi everybody, new about mesh creating, I read the FSX Terrain SDK and I have some doughts about it.

1. FSDEM 1.1 with the resample from FSX doesn't work does it? I already try it and it didn't worked, I'm not sure if I did it right.

2. I downloaded from AVSIM the Easy_Terrain_Edition_Tutorial, it's for FS2002 and 2004, will the same steps work for FSX?
2.1 Does the SRTM_to_BGL work for FSX?

3. Where can I get good DEM's for Europe, for free? I already got some from SRTM but it's on HGT format.
3.1 In FSDEM, can I open the files from SRTM, then save it as BMP, then in photoshop or something, save as TIFF and finally transform to GeoTIFF?
 
Hi Joao.

FSX mesh is different and the old tools won't work... your old FS9 mesh should still work in FSX.

I believe the default mesh in FSX should be equal, or superior, to the SRTM data. So there would be no gain in using SRTM data with FSX.

Dick
 
Yeah... you're right if you're talking about US or UK, but go check Azores (Portugal) in google earth and then check it in FSX...

Still talking about FSX, but now landclass, check Madeira (Portugal) in google earth and then in FSX, in FSX Madeira looks like a desert...:eek: lol

I think that's problem in FSX, they focus in more popular parts of the world. I understand that they can't make everything 100% real in all world. Still they should give more detail to other places...:D
 
Hi Joao.

I'll check the areas you noted for the mesh.

Landclass is a different story. FSX was to have had a significant upgrade for landclass, but it got offtrack in the process, and was left as essentially FS9 landclass. I can understand a decision NOT to delay the release of FSX due to the landclass, as we can change it ourselves, along with seasons, and regions.

Dick

EDITED:

Hi again Joao.

You're right!

I looked at the dem0502.bgl with TMFViewer. That dem does need reworking for the Azores. It was compiled as LOD 2,6 ( 2 thru 6 ), so the mesh is quite course. The mainland of Portugal and Spain look OK. So what you'd want is to mesh the outlying islands with your data. I'm surprised the Aces member that compiled the mesh did this. Now I'm a bit suspicious of all the default DEMs.

I'll see if I can make an FSX Resample INF file for you to use SRTM version 2 data. You can use the SRTM data... you don't need a geotiff.

Dick
 
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Mainland looks ok besides some errors on Tejo river, it's a river near LPPT. I trying to work on the river and on the landclass for Lisbon.

About Azores, Jose Maia already did a very good job and create a mesh and landclass for it. But if you still can make the INF file for Resample that would be create, I could try to create the mesh for madeira islands.:D

Many thanks

Best Regards

P.S. I'm going to use FSX KML to create the landclass, just something, does anyone know where can I a picture of the diferents landclass there is? I only got the names of them...
 
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Hi Joao.

Here's where I got my data:

ftp://e0srp01u.ecs.nasa.gov/srtm/version2/

I used N32W017.hgt, N32W018.hgt, N33W017.hgt from:
ftp://e0srp01u.ecs.nasa.gov/srtm/version2/SRTM3/Africa/

and as a filler, I used W020N40.DEM, from:
ftp://e0srp01u.ecs.nasa.gov/srtm/version2/SRTM30/w020n40/

Here's my MadeiraIslands.INF:

Code:
; Resample INFormation file
;
[Source]
Type = MultiSource
NumberOfSources = 4

[Source1]
Type = Raw
Layer = Elevation
SourceDir = "SourceData"
SourceFile = "N33W017.hgt"
ULXMAP = -17.0
ULYMAP = 34.0
XDIM = 0.000833333333333333
YDIM = 0.000833333333333333
BandLayout = BIL
ByteOrder = Motorola
nCols = 1201
nRows = 1201
SampleType = SINT16
NULL = -32768

[Source2]
Type = Raw
Layer = Elevation
SourceDir = "SourceData"
SourceFile = "N32W018.hgt"
ULXMAP = -18.0
ULYMAP = 33.0
XDIM = 0.000833333333333333
YDIM = 0.000833333333333333
BandLayout = BIL
ByteOrder = Motorola
nCols = 1201
nRows = 1201
SampleType = SINT16
NULL = -32768

[Source3]
Type = Raw
Layer = Elevation
SourceDir = "SourceData"
SourceFile = "N32W017.hgt"
ULXMAP = -17.0
ULYMAP = 33.0
XDIM = 0.000833333333333333
YDIM = 0.000833333333333333
BandLayout = BIL
ByteOrder = Motorola
nCols = 1201
nRows = 1201
SampleType = SINT16
NULL = -32768

[Source4]
Type = Raw
Layer = Elevation
SourceDir = "SourceData"
SourceFile = "W020N40.DEM"
ULXMAP = -20.0
ULYMAP = 40.0
XDIM = 0.00833333
YDIM = 0.008333333
BandLayout = BIL
ByteOrder = Motorola
nCols = 4800
nRows = 6000
SampleType = SINT16
NULL = -32768

[Destination]
DestDir = "Output"
DestBaseFileName = "MadeiraIslands"
NorthLat = 34.00
WestLon = -19.0
SouthLat = 32.0
EastLon = -15.0
LOD = 6,9


It produces a multisource DEM BGL. I can see from the TMFViewer that the SRTM data has big holes in it!!! That's probably why MS chose not to go to higher than LOD6. The W020N40.DEM fills the holes... but not well. And there are some negative elevations misplaced.

I'll check out some other data:

http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/SELECTION/inputCoord.asp


Dick
 
Hi Joao.

Using the CIGAR SRTM data:
ftp://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/srtm_v3/SRTM_Data_GeoTiff/srtm_33_06.zip

and cleaning the data a bit with Global Mapper, I then use:

Code:
; Resample INFormation file
;
[Source]
Type = GeoTIFF
Layer = Elevation
SourceDir = "SourceData"
SourceFile = "Z_33_6_altered.TIF"

[Destination]
DestDir = "Output"
DestBaseFileName = "MadeiraIslands"
NorthLat = 34.00
WestLon = -19.0
SouthLat = 32.0
EastLon = -15.0
LOD = 6,9

And it works well to produce a mesh of LODs 6-9.

http://webpages.charter.net/ludowr/MadeiraMesh.zip

Dick
 
Besides LandClass, Azores and Madeira are in wrong regions (same as North Portugal and Spain).

I think that you will gain very litle by making a FSX mesh over using the Azores Mesh that you can find at Airsim. However the lakes need some adjustments specially the ones at S. Miguel

José
 
Many thanks for the help. Now going to check it with the Terrain SDK to understand all of it.

I'm not going to make a mesh for Azores, but for Madeira and then try to correct the landclass. And with more pacience, LPMA.

Best Regards

João Godinho
 
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Ok, I guess that the filler is about thoose blanks in the SRTM data. I can use SRTMFill too right? I tryed it on the thoose files. I kind of got some strange changing of altitudes, so I guess that using that .DEM file will get bether results no?

Best Regards

João Godinho
 
I just finished it. I built it again but I changed LOD to LOD= 9,10. I'm still going to get it up with the maximum possible, but that will be on other pc. Going to try out in FSX.

João Godinho
 
Hi João,

my thoughts on mesh design with SRTM data are summarised here: http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=2698&mesg_id=2698&page=

I haven't checked whether Jonathan has uploaded corrected SRTM tiles for the Azores. If he hasn't you may want to send him an email and ask him whether he is working on them or has plans for doing them.

If the SRTM data have major void areas then SRTM2BGL or SRTMFill won't give you good results. Try Blackart - http://www.terrainmap.com/ - or Slartibartfast instead.

Cheers, Holger
 
Hi Holger, many thanks for the help:D
I downloaded from http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/ the Madeira Islands HGT already corrected and also downloaded Slartibartfast. Going to try it out later to check the results.
The files from viewfinderpanoramas have some little voids on the costline but nothing important, going to use Slartibartfast to correct them.

Best Regards,

João Godinho

Once again, thanks for the help:eek:

P.S.: I'm trying to create a little program, in VB, to help creating mesh. Some little thing that you just need to select the files and them you get the BGL in the end. I don't promise anything because I'm not a very experienced programmer, I'm using VB because I know it better that C++. But I'll try to learn C++ too. Got the "feeling" it's better... lol:p
 
Hi, the files I got from viewfinderpanoramas, I exported them in Global Mapper as GeoTIFF then I compile it in resample, when I test it I got some weird elevations, looks like at a certain altitude there's flatten and the hills don't go over...

http://jgodinho.phpnet.us/Madeira_Mesh.rar

Here's the BGL file, if you want to check how I have it. I can't post screenshots right now:(

Best Regards,

João Godinho
 
Hi João,

sorry, I get a file not found error.

Something I noticed with resample is that negative values, from interpolation of void areas, can result in pretty bad spikes in the final version, though your issue sounds different. In my case, I used Global Mapper to set all negative values to 0m before using resample and the spikes disappeared.

Cheers, Holger
 
I already solved it. The file I was compiling was in GeoTIFF because in Global Mapper I saved the HGT files as GeoTIFF. So I tryed with the HGT files, I compile them and then it was ok. Now I already have a LOD=10,15 file with 100mb. I HOPE IT'S GOOD:D
 
Hi João,

sounds good.

Make sure that you check your mesh file with TMFViewer for potential isues. Also, compiling 3-arcsec (90-meter) source data at LOD10 or higher doesn't make much sense because you don't gain any detail. The reverse-priority bug of mesh display in FS9 seems to have been fixed for FSX. My own mesh files overwrite the default mesh files of the same LOD with a scenery library entry above (i.e., at higher priority than) the default entries.

Cheers, Holger
 
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Hi Joao.

Good for you. :)

I agree with Holger that with SRTM, we should stay at LOD9 or less, so using:

LOD = 6,9

In effect uses the default terrain mesh up through LOD5, and then your new mesh will take over. This will add you changes in a close-up view, and leave the default for the rest.

Of course, now you'll need to make new shp files to exclude and replace the water and the shorelines... :stirthepo

Dick
 
Hmm.... I see... ok... thanks for the tip guys, really helped.:)

The BGL is working and I'm going to see if I can post some pictures here.


Best Regards,

João Godinho


P.S.: The only way I can get better mesh data is buying some no?
 
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Hi, it's me again:cool:

Here's what I got in FSX with that Mesh:
attachment.php


See the problem...? I'm wondering why is it...

Check out what I should get, this is from Global Mapper
attachment.php


By the way I see it, looks like the airport has a flatten with that height.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0931403&WxsIERv=-&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=-&

As you can see in this airliners picture of madeira airport, seems like the altitude that FSX has is wrong.

Now the hardest part. How can I correct it?
Can I use FSX KML and put a flatten over the one that exists? will it overwrite correctly?
And as you can see in the airliners picture, the airport is closer to the sea, so, is it the mesh that is in wrong coordinates or is it FSX...?:rolleyes:
 

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