Improving Photoreal Resolution for FSX

[Skydvdan1]

Bob,
I totally see what you mean now. I corrected the scaling issue and the imagery showed up as expected. Thank you so much for all of your help. I hope to do the same for you someday.

 

[bob5568]

<<I hope to do the same for you someday>>


You'll have many opportunities as we figure out the new stuff together! Glad its working now.

I had to chuckle at your filename. I've used that same filename at times!

Cheers,
Bob

 

[jetrc]

hi all,

I'm just coming to the new fsx resampler, and I've got some problems.

I only use bmp images, each represent a lod8 cell. all is ok but the photo sceneries are all bordered with a black line, and there's a lot of problems with transparencies.

I've been using a simple .inf with xdim and ydim coming from fs2004 sceneries, and a second source containing the white/black progressive alpha channel that is called the blend mask.

when I fly in fsx at a far distance, all the alpha channel becomes black, and many pixels are electric red/blue all around the sceneries, exactly in the alpha channel area.

I'm using 3 photo textures layers, blending each other, but it's not the problem, because with only one of them it's the same.

I've notice that in tmfviewer, my image is exactly in the lod13/lod8 cells, but a small "grey" part appears on the left, overlapping a small part of the lod13 on the left.

an idea ?

 

[bob5568]

no, but I'm interested....

Please describe better how you've blended images into each other. I'm trying to come up with a way to do that.

Can you attach some images of the problem, and perhaps your inf file?

Best,
Bob

 

[jetrc]

So here are all the explanations

For fs2004, I've created a lot of large photo sceneries (about 15000 km2 each) with the fs2004 resampler to create the bgl and fs2000 resample to slice 256x256 textures. All these sceneries work perfect in fsx. The resampling typical areas are lod8 cells, so each image is 8192x8192 pixels large.

Then I was waiting for fsx to be able to create such sceneries but in a best resolution (2.5m/pixel and more...). So I've tried the fsx resampler to do the same. First I've created the base layer for one example area image, a lod8 cell in a standard 4.75 m/pixel resolution. Ok it fits perfectly, but now I'd like to create a smaller area into this lod8 project. So I've created the same type of fsx project, with a 2.375 m/pixel resolution, and placed it in the same directory that the 4.75 m/pixel bgl. This project is resampled with a blend mask to get a smooth transition with the underlaying 4.75 project. It works but there's a problem all arround the alpha channel area : black stripes, electric blue/red pixels and large black areas replacing the alpha channel when distance from aircraft is increasing !

I've crated another 1m/pixel project in the same way, and it's the same problem.

It seems like the fsx engine cannot recognize the ontop layer, and mix all the layers underlaying !

A solution still exists with keeping fs2004 projects and replacing desired textures in a higher resolution ! it works perfectly without any bug, but the main problem is to slice image (do you know a software that could slice a 24 bits 8192x8192 image in multiples smaller images) and work with dxt3 equivalent transparency.

I'm using bmp files with .inf example descripted here. All the projects except the 4.75 one use a blend mask :

[Destination]
DestDir = .
DestBaseFileName = scenery\img_240
DestFileType = BGL
UseSourceDimensions = 1
LOD = Auto

[Source]
Type = MultiSource
NumberOfSources = 2

[Source1]
Type = BMP
Layer = Imagery
SourceDir = .
SourceFile = img_240.bmp
Variation = Day
ulyMap = 45.285644531250000
ulxMap = 5.786132812500000
xDim = 0.0000286102294921875
yDim = 0.0000214576721191406

Channel_BlendMask = 2.0

[Source2]
Type = BMP
Layer = None
SourceDir = .
SourceFile = img_240_blend.bmp
Variation = Day
ulyMap = 45.285644531250000
ulxMap = 5.786132812500000
xDim = 0.0000286102294921875
yDim = 0.0000214576721191406
SamplingMethod = Gaussian

I'll post screenshots later.

 

[bob5568]

ahh yes, now I understand. My findings confirm yours.

I hadn't tried a new fsx layer above fs9 layer, so your results are interesting, but the same type of unacceptable problem occurs layering fsx over fsx images, which I tried to do to have photoreal replace airport polygons.

in the blend mask area in my experiements, the land turns to water.

I've tried to include both images within one inf file, but that produced one of the images in just red channel.

Still hoping, but the hope is dying.

Good luck, and please keep in touch! I'd like to find this answer also.

Best,
Bob Bernstein

 

[arno]

The problems you are seeing with the alpha channel might be due to a bug in FsX. Currently it is not capable of showing the alpha channel of DXT1 images correctly. You will always see a black border around them. Hopefully MS is going to fix this for us.

 

[jetrc]

hi all,

one day testing all features fs2004/fsx and fsx only blending capabilities !

the result : fsx is not able to correctly display an alpha chanel over another fsx image layer. It's the same if the underlaying project comes from fs2004.

If there's only one imagery layer, of course the transparency works very well !

the only way to work with multi layers is to include all around each layer a small part of the image underlaying, that is in lower resolution. It's possible then to create a smooth transition between the two resolutions in the same image. Multi layers without blending work very well but increase files sizes.

Another tips for those who use images coming from fs2004 projects : large black areas could appear outside the project area ! to prevent it just set the PixelIsPoint to 0 (default=1).

It's possible to increase image resolution in a fs2004 resampled project running on fsx by just replacing desired images with the equivalent in a higher resolution (keeping of course the same filename). I've tried with 2048x2048 image size for a 50cm/pixel ground resolution. DXT1 still works but not DXT3, it's the same limitations than fs2004 custom texture display engine. So to use blending capabilities with terrain textures fsx is required ! (except of course for textured polygons).


I've just met a last problem : the watermask does not appear, even it comes with a blendmask or not ! I think I've forgotten something... but I've just added a second source in the .inf file, and the watermask image is black for water and white for land.

 

[jetrc]

I've got a problem with water channel ! it looks like very simple but it does not work !

here is the .inf :

[Destination]
DestDir = .
DestBaseFileName = scenery\img_test
DestFileType = BGL
UseSourceDimensions = 1
LOD = Auto

[Source]
Type = MultiSource
NumberOfSources = 2

[Source1]
Type = BMP
Layer = Imagery
SourceDir = .
SourceFile = img_test.bmp
Variation = Day
ulyMap = 45.230712890625000
ulxMap = 5.830078125000000
xDim = 0.000007152557373046875
yDim = 0.00000536441802978515
PixelIsPoint = 0

Channel_LandWaterMask = 2.0

[Source2]
Type = BMP
Layer = None
SourceDir = .
SourceFile = img_test_water.bmp
ulyMap = 45.230712890625000
ulxMap = 5.830078125000000
xDim = 0.000007152557373046875
yDim = 0.00000536441802978515
SamplingMethod = Gaussian
PixelIsPoint = 0


the watermask only show a line in black color and all the rest in white.

the bgl should display a part of water all along the this line, but nothing display !

something missing ? I do not understand. I've tried with a third channel, blending, but it's the same problem...

 

[arno]

Hi,

Do I understand correctly what you are saying, are you trying to blend with the Fs2004 resample version? You might want to try the FsX resample, as it takes full advantage of the mesh FsX mesh system.

For example in FsX the textures of your scenery are stored inside the BGL file, no longer in the texture folder. Your comments about replacing textures with higher resolution ones make me wonder if you are using the old resample.

 

[jetrc]

???

I'm speaking about the fsx resample. My comments about replacing textures with higher resolution versions was just a tip about fs2004 resampler.

If you just have a look to the .inf file you'll notice that parameters come from fsx resampler. It's not a blending problem, but only a watermask problem. All seems to be ok but the water does not appear. I'm using a simple watermap with the texture.

 

[bob5568]

Just a brief tip...an oddity I found.

My water works fine, and later from home, I'll post an inf. But..........

My water doesn't display in "top down" view. Pretty wierd, but in top down view its not there, in cockpit view its there.

Have you been using "top down" view to determine if your water works or not?

Bob

 

[bob5568]

Here's my working inf file:

[Source]
Type = MultiSource
NumberOfSources = 3

[Source1]
Type = GeoTIFF
Layer = Imagery
SourceDir = h:\fs_design_projects\harvey_fsx\sno2
SourceFile = sno2.tif


Channel_BlendMask = 2.0
Channel_LandWaterMask = 3.0


[Source2]
Type = GeoTIFF
Layer = None
SourceDir = h:\fs_design_projects\harvey_fsx\sno2
SourceFile = "sno2blenda.tif"
SamplingMethod=Gaussian


[Source3]
Type = GeoTIFF
Layer = None
SourceDir = h:\fs_design_projects\harvey_fsx\sno2
SourceFile = "sno2wa.tif"
SamplingMethod=Gaussian

[Destination]
DestDir = h:\fs_design_projects\harvey_fsx\sno2
DestBaseFileName = sno2c
UseSourceDimensions = 1
CompressionQuality=85

And I'll attach some screenies of the results.

 

[jetrc]

yes it works now, even in top down view. it was a problem of multi layers alpha channel.

I'll test it more and reply to your problem if I can find a tip...