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FSX How to make an object file (BGL) from a simple texture (BMP)

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Colin Gray

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149
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ca-britishcolumbia
Evening,

I’m trying to add an airline logo to an apron. I have added a ground poly using a bmp of the logo. I thought I was done at this stage, but after compiling and running FSX, nothing showed where the logo was supposed to be. Realized I hadn’t added an object file of the logo to the scenery file.

What is the best way to do this? I’ve found some older posts that suggest using either resample.exe (found in SDK) or Instant Object Maker. The SDK is free, but IOM is payware. Or is there another way to do this from a bmp?

Thank you.

Colin
 
G

gfxpilot

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unitedkingdom
If this is a logo you are creating then it would be best served being created and used as a custom ground poly (if you are using ADE)

ADE requires the graphic to be placed in Two area of ADE One in the folder called TEXTURES_DPY - this will be a BMP which will be saved as a 24bit
and one then in the TEXTURES folder same area of ADE - this will be saved as a DTX1 file, you can use the same BMP image from TEXTURES_DPY and just opening it in DTXBMP just save it to the TEXTURE Folder.

One is so you can see it the other so FSX can see it (assuming your using FSX)

Now you will open the text file also found in the main ADE directory (ROOT) named Texture_Def_Base.txt. In here you will enter gp_LOGO_NAME_GROUND|20F|20F|20F|true
This in effect is the GP=ground poly - LOGONAME = the name of the airline _ Ground = its on the floor. The rest is the size effectively the ground area the sign covers.

NOTE: if you have multiple airline logos then you DO NOT need to make a graphic for each of them! - create one sheet, place on there all the logos you want using spaces around each (margins) so that you have limited chances of over laps.

When placing the entry in the Texture_Def_Base.txt you can call it simply gp_AIRLINE_LOGOS_GROUND and then the size as stated. It will make for easier placement and cut down on multiple Ground poly entries in both graphics folders and text file.

Open your AP and place a customer ground polygon the apron concerned - if you want to be more creative you can use a copy of the existing ground textures (i.e. concrete) and place the logos on that and then save it UNDER THE NEW NAME using SAVE AS. BE CAREFUL you dont just save as you;ll overwrite your default concrete in ADE or you may use any ground based texture that is free to use off the net.
 
C

Colin Gray

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149
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ca-britishcolumbia
Gfxpilot-

Thank you for your help with this. That makes sense. So I DO NOT need to create an object file (BGL) of the logo that I’d like lace in airport’s scenery logo?

Cheers,

Colin
 
G

gfxpilot

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If you've created the airport then you can add in what you want when you want as you have the orchestral points. once you compile the airport you'll have 2 subject areas, the scenery and the textures. If you haven't used customer ground polys before then practice and used the explanations in the ADE manual - it does take a few trial runs but once you get the grip of it you'll want to use it for more aspects
 
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gadgets

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So I DO NOT need to create an object file (BGL) of the logo
Click to expand...
That file is created for you (file name same as ADE file name suffixed with "_GP") and placed wherever you directed ADE to place the airport .bgl. It must (eventually) go into the airport's \scenery folder - and the texture into the companion \texture folder. If ADE doesn't place it there, then you must.

Don
 
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gfxpilot

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Sorry Colin - I read the questions again - just realised I miss interpreted the 2nd Q - Thanks Don for the extras
 
C

Colin Gray

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ca-britishcolumbia
Gentlemen,

Thank you both for your help. Seems I was over thinking it. Your suggestions did the trick. Not sure why I thought I needed to make an object bgl.

Is there a way to make make the ground poly transparent? Where I’ve placed the logo, it covers some of the centre lines. I didn’t think BMP’s can be transparent, so I’ve probably answered my own question.

Thanks again.

Colin
 
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gfxpilot

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Not from my experience directly in ADE.
https://iblueyonder.com/wp-content/uploads/iby_ground_poly_tutorial.pdf
That has the basic concept

Ive placed a ground poly previously , f12 (in fsx) for over top view and grabbed a screen shot. this allowed me to see exactly where lines were generated by the FSX engine and also where my GP sat. I then cheated a little by using Photoshop (gimp can do it also) and I then took my BMPs Id created and added in some masks and layers where lines broke across the ground poly. I then replaced the ground poly and simply refreshed it in ADE - it wasn't perfect, but I dint push for perfection anyway, with timeId have made it reasonable -
 
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gadgets

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Colin, do you mean opaque? Have you tried adding an alpha channel to your texture?

Don
 
C

Colin Gray

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ca-britishcolumbia
Don - yes, opaque is probably the correct word. I’ve used Alpha Channels for night textures when painting aircraft, but didn’t think about using them to allow the underlying textures to show through the GP. I’ll look into that.

Gfxpilot - that’s what I was thinking of doing. A little more time consuming to get everything lined up correctly, but at the same time pretty straight forward.
 
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gadgets

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Actually, "opaque" (which I suggested) isn't the correct word, either. It's "translucent".

I wasn't clear whether you wanted the logo itself to have "transparency" (another good word), or if you were referring to the background of , say, a rectangular GP containing a non-rectangular logo. In either case, an alpha channel will do the trick and will still be OK should you move the underlying lines.

Don
 
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gfxpilot

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Colin if Dons suggestion works let us know please...... Any little tip to speed up and improve is greatly appreciated - its seems pretty common sense now Im looking at it. if it does work; whoppy I'll be just the think for my EGLL layout
 
tgibson

tgibson

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I've used alpha channels to create transparent (black alpha channel) or translucent (gray alpha channel) ground polygons and it's always worked fine for me. The translucent ones also let the lights shine through, if a bit dim. Creating small transparent spots for the lights works better.
 
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