• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

Qgis users? Qgis saving my Float 32 and/or int 16 files as 8 Bit

I had started to do Alaska terrain mesh once 1/3 arc-second data became available, but without good data to create custom waterbodies (default P3D hydro data was really bad for Alaska) and some issues that developed with P3D's shp3vec program I just lost interest in the project. If you're wanting to fly up there I can pick that back up, but it is pretty disappointing on the coast.

Don't know if Lockheed Martin will bother fixing anything now that MSFS is blowing the competition away, but I hope so.
 
Yes, my original Qgis installation allowed me to chose drives. The OSGeo4W just takes off andd installs!😒

I found how to change my default installation drive. All better!
 
Chris,

Alaska be of interest bit later. One battle at a time! LOL.

What you said about MSFS. I doubt I will go there. It looks like eveything about the platform has changed. Dont know how much i want to relearn. Plus I noticed everything has went payware. Always felt we had enough to spend our hard earned money on, without having to spend it on addons.

I was very active, several years ago, in FSX, with Milton Shupe when, at that time, we were building a lot of freeware aircraft. I have been away for some years and just recently started fiddling around with FSX again. Started rebuilding all my xml gauge files. (I have 5 drives because I wont throw anything away! :rolleyes:). I did do a couple of 2d panels for some older aircraft models that were still freeware. And now I started doing scenery just as a creative outlet. Never thought about uploading anything anymore. Wasn't sure if anyone was even flying the older platforms. Figured if there still was, I would share what i do with anyone that may want it.

I did download P3d, a while back but my machine wouldnt run it. Just did a bunch of computer upgrades. So it most likely will run it now. But, again as I was saying...one battle at a time!

Looking forward to having a look at the Flyover Country tomorrow.

Scott
 
Chris,

Alaska be of interest bit later. One battle at a time! LOL.

What you said about MSFS. I doubt I will go there. It looks like eveything about the platform has changed. Dont know how much i want to relearn. Plus I noticed everything has went payware. Always felt we had enough to spend our hard earned money on, without having to spend it on addons.

I was very active, several years ago, in FSX, with Milton Shupe when, at that time, we were building a lot of freeware aircraft. I have been away for some years and just recently started fiddling around with FSX again. Started rebuilding all my xml gauge files. (I have 5 drives because I wont throw anything away! :rolleyes:). I did do a couple of 2d panels for some older aircraft models that were still freeware. And now I started doing scenery just as a creative outlet. Never thought about uploading anything anymore. Wasn't sure if anyone was even flying the older platforms. Figured if there still was, I would share what i do with anyone that may want it.

I did download P3d, a while back but my machine wouldnt run it. Just did a bunch of computer upgrades. So it most likely will run it now. But, again as I was saying...one battle at a time!

Looking forward to having a look at the Flyover Country tomorrow.

Scott
I don't know if there are any problem areas left in my scenery but if you do come across something that isn't right let me know and I'll fix it. I think there are a lot of older folks still using FSX and even FS9, so you're not alone!

Best regards,
Chris
 
Been looking around the NC Mountains with the Flyover Country Both SE installed. I can see a lot more terrain elevation detail than with default! So much more realistic!👍

Pics of issue at the airport I am working on. So far i have not created any mesh of my own. Only the .CVX and .GP files and the Airport BGLs, all in ADEX;
 

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Hi Scott:

With the Flyover Country SE 2 terrain mesh BGL loaded into SDK TMFViewer, it shows the appropriate range of elevations for 2NC0.

Thus, in your screenshot above entitled "woflycountryactive-jpg", FSX' default CVX airport boundary flatten is still being rendered.

Below is a screenshot in Google Earth Desktop Edition with that flatten as FLX2619.shp derived by CvxExtractor ...loaded at 2NC0.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/cvxextractor-exporting-vector-data.432918/post-699542


https://www.google.com/earth/versions/

https://dl.google.com/tag/s/appguid%3D%7B65E60E95-0DE9-43FF-9F3F-4F7D2DFF04B5%7D%26iid%3D%7B65E60E95-0DE9-43FF-9F3F-4F7D2DFF04B5%7D%26lang%3Den%26browser%3D4%26usagestats%3D1%26appname%3DGoogle%2520Earth%2520Pro%26needsadmin%3DTrue%26brand%3DGGGE/earth/client/GoogleEarthProSetup.exe


2nc0_fsx_0302_cvx2619_cvxe_shp_ge-jpg.85163


The default FS2Kx CVX vector BGL airport flatten must be excluded by a CVX vector Exclude polygon to reveal underlying terrain mesh.

Please feel free to use the CVX vector Exclude polygon I previously attached for you above in any test \Scenery folder to achieve this. ;)

However, if use of A.I. Traffic is essential to your flight simulation experience, you would need to use flat / level RWYs as in FSX default.

Technically, P3D had implemented sloped RWYs, but I have yet to see any examples of where / how that works (...if at all) with A.I. Traffic.


I would be glad to show you how to implement a replacement 2NC0 airport flatten BGL that matches the terrain IRL using either a:

* 1 Meter LiDAR-derived terrain mesh DTM / DEM

...or:

* CVX sloped flatten multi-faceted TIN

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulated_irregular_network


I would also be glad to show you how to utilize custom photo-real imagery for 2NC0.


FYI: Here is a new ultra-high resolution terrain mesh "Bare Earth" DTM derived from LiDAR ...without photogrammetry TIN 'monoliths'; :cool:

(NOTE: I corrected a LiDAR DTM Filter setting before export to eliminate a need to manually flatten photogrammetry TIN 'monoliths'): :coffee:

2nc0_1-13_arc-sec_dems-sub-meter_dtm__lod-19_pr_fsx-3-jpg.85168


2nc0_1-13_arc-sec_dems-sub-meter_dtm__lod-19_pr_fsx-4-jpg.85169


I am considering modeling a Bungee-jumping attraction at the SE end of FSX' mis-placed default RWY for a bit of fun ...before I exclude it. :laughing:


Let me know if / when you may have an interest in pursuing these additional enhancements. :)

GaryGB
 

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Hi Gary,

Reading some of that link you sent me, has my head spinning! Guess I never realized how complex this can become. I really feel lost! :oops:
I really envy the screenies you sent showing the Lidar derived terrain with the photoreal texturing! I would very much like to learn how to do this, but as i think I stated in my original post...Am I too far behind the learning curve to have someone spend their time trying to help me learn! Or have I started down the rabbit hole just far enough to be a danger to myself and others! o_O

This looks and sounds more complex than I imagined. But if it is something a layman, such as myself, can become reasonably proficient, I am most interested in learning to create this level of mountain scenery! (I guess at one time I learned to muddle thru xml gauge programing!)

In a nutshell... I have taken images from google earth and started to recreate the airport. Having learned some of the Exclude and Flatten functions, Ground Polys, and Land Class polys, I started to create the scenery near the airport. Minimized the FSX airport background textures hoping to do more texturing with the Land class Polys, etc. I had just started to try to add all the terrain elevations right around the airport, using flatten ploys, and then trying to create slopes, or smooth transitions between the "terraces". :banghead:

That's when I started my research into..."could I create those elevation changes the way it is supposed to be done in FSX"!

So after all of that, I am very interested in help learning how to do this. :wizard:

Let me know what I should do to get started!
Thanks,
Scott
 
Hi Scott:

Considering your existing experience, you are likely quite capable of enhancing 2NCO using some FS utilities that make the tasks easier.


Once we have the terrain mesh, we can drape custom photo-real imagery land class textures onto it in the immediate area of 2NC0.

Then custom photo-real imagery land class textures can be downloaded, edited where needed, and compiled to BGL via SBuilderX.


FYI: Custom photo-real imagery land class textures totally cover up any standard land class textures, and require custom autogen annotation

So, if you instead wanted to use custom photo-real imagery land class textures, you might wish to focus on that first, rather than creating un-blended default FSX land class textured polygons ...that will be totally covered up later.


While I confer briefly with Chris on few matters, you may wish to download and install SBuilderX.

A SBuilderX high resolution imagery background 'image' can be used both in SBuilderX, and in ADE ...for precision alignment etc.


In ADE you can 'move' a copy of the existing default airport into alignment, and edit it to match 2NC0 IRL as closely as you may wish.

If you are not already using the latest ADE version 1.78x, I recommend downloading and installing it ASAP:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/development-version-1-79-7475-available.448076/


CAVEAT: I believe it would be best to get the P3Dv1.4x SDK installed and configured properly first, before attempting to install SBuilderX.

Note that the P3Dv1.4x SDK is both FSX SP2 and P3D compatible; its auto-installer is less problematic than the FSX DVD SDK installers. :pushpin:


I suggest: :idea:

1.) Download the LM-P3Dv1.4x SDK installer (required for SBuilderX use with either FSX DVD or FSX Steam version) ...here:



a.) Install the P3Dv1.4x SDK installer executable by right-clicking and choosing "Run as Administrator"

b.) Follow any / all prompts to allow it to run to completion and configure its whereabouts in the Windows Registry


2.) Download and install some MS VB6 files SBuilderX requires for use in Windows 10:


NOTE: The above MS VB6 installer automatically "registers" the included code libraries with no need to manually run 'RegSrvr32' etc. :wizard:



Important info for Installing the "Full" SBuilderX ZIP file:

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/sbx-install-problem.443859/post-808690


A SBuilderX install requires Dick's "Full" ZIP package SBuilderX version 3.15 for Windows 10 (64-Bit):


...from this thread:



NOTE: This is a stand-alone package, and is NOT to be used to over-write any prior existing SBuilderX installation folder chain. :alert:

1.) Un-ZIP the SBuilderX315.ZIP file / folder archive to a folder outside C:\users folder chain (ex: C:\SBuilderX315 or D:\SBuilderX315)

2.) Follow any / all prompts to allow it to run to completion and configure its whereabouts in the Windows Registry

3.) Configure the "Full Path" to the various files as required by the SBuilderX configuration dialog box.

4.) When that installation / configuration is finished, run SBuilderX as Administrator to see if it is able to run properly

5.) Report any SBuilderX errors in this thread.


You may need to install FSUIPC; the web page for updated modules shows the current version to be used with FSX:

https://forum.simflight.com/topic/80977-updated-modules/


Note: the above updates may require an existing full install of FSUIPC to work; get those here:

http://www.fsuipc.com/


FSUIPC FAQ's are here:

https://forum.simflight.com/forum/141-faq/


Links on troubleshooting FSUIPC with SBuilderX:

https://www.google.com/search?biw=9...&ved=0ahUKEwjjk62xyN7pAhUZCs0KHQgVDusQ4dUDCAs


That should get you started until sometime (tomorrow ?) after I confer with Chris. ;)


Next, I can explain how to use SBuilderX to download / composite imagery tiles for your background image to be used in ADE. :)

GaryGB
 
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Photo scenery is pretty easy once you grasp the basics. I use SASPlanet to grab Google Earth scenery then there's a pretty simple process to turn that into scenery and blend it into the stock FSX/P3D textures. My only issue is that somehow my process excludes adjacent autogen trees and buildings.

You could also learn Ortho4XP, which is probably a bit easier and you can have large swaths of photo scenery. Scenery design is a slippery slope, but fun.
 
I made you a 15-minute grid of scenery for the area around 2NC0 to enjoy while you're working on your project if you're interested.

untothebreach.net/dump/scenery/35082 03.bgl

That's just imagery; no buildings, trees, or waterbodies.

Also, Gary found a terracing issue with the scenery, so here is an updated version. Find n36w083.bgl in the Flyover Country folder (either in SE 1 or 2), delete it, and replace it with this one:

untothebreach.net/dump/scenery/n36w083.bgl
 
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Hello Chris n Gary,
  • Already have ADE v1.78. This is one I have been using.
  • Have now downloaded and installed P3Dv1.4x SDK.
  • Already have SBuilder X v3.15. Haven't ventured into this one yet. Any reason I should uninstall it and re-install now that I have P3D SDK? (integration, etc?)
  • Downloaded and installed MS VB6.
  • Already have FSUIPC. IIRC it is a registered version.
  • I "think" I have Ortho4XP downloaded ! There is also a mess of related files. 😵‍💫 This is what i downloaded; "Ortho4XP-master.zip". Do I need any other files from there?
  • Also, a note. I use Instant Scenery for object placement. I like WYSIWYG for placing objects in FSX!
  • I downloaded Chris' bgls. Hope to have time today to venture into FSX today! 🦃
Thanks, for the download list!
Scott
Oh, just in case any issues...Here is my FS program location. (OS is on C:\, also an SSD)
 

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Hello Chris n Gary,

* Already have ADE v1.78. This is one I have been using.

That version will do most of what you may want, but a side-by-side install of ADE version 1.79x would be an enhancement beyond 1.78x.

https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/development-version-1-79-7475-available.448076/post-848280

NOTE: AFAIK, you can open / save existing *.AD4 project files and compiled BGL files created by 1.78x in 1.79x, and vice versa ...with no incompatibilities.

* Have now downloaded and installed P3Dv1.4x SDK.

Good

* Already have SBuilder X v3.15. Haven't ventured into this one yet. Any reason I should uninstall it and re-install now that I have P3D SDK? (integration, etc?)
* Downloaded and installed MS VB6.
Good

BTW: No need to un-install / re-install SBuilderX as it always auto-detects any required file / folder paths that it needs for FSX / SDK etc.

I'll post some info later on how to get started by downloading hi-res Google imagery for your 2NC0 project area for use in both SBuilderX and ADE. :coffee:


This all assumes, of course that use of Google's licensed imagery in a BGL is exclusively on your own computer, and not released to the public. :pushpin:


Simply stated, after you compile the imagery BGL it can be draped onto the terrain mesh ground surface in FSX just like you see in my screenshots above.

You may later want to do an edit in the Alpha channel of the imagery source file for SDK Resample to limit the imagery BGL extent to just the 2NC0 area.

Alternatively, you could make multiple tiles of hi-res imagery for your intended local North Carolina FSX flight path.

We must keep in mind that custom photo-real land class textures totally cover up default land class vector objects and textures as well as any Autogen annotations.

Thus, you may- or may not- wish to annotate your custom photo-real land class textures made via SBuilderX with Autogen trees (...IMHO, the current Google imagery looks quite good at in-flight Altitudes AGL).


Additionally, the GroundRoll Effect for aircraft wheels on custom photo-real land class textures initially will show dust / dirt, so a further small BGL will need to be made to assign the proper "paved" airport infrastructure surface attribute for that object via another BGL compiled via SCASM (included in MCX' ZIP).

This can be done in ADE by tracing an Apron over 2NC0 RWY / Apron areas, copying its XML, and processing via MCX' XML Apron to SurfaceType converter.


* Already have FSUIPC. IIRC it is a registered version.

Good

* I "think" I have Ortho4XP downloaded ! There is also a mess of related files. 😵‍💫 This is what i downloaded; "Ortho4XP-master.zip". Do I need any other files from there?

I'll defer that to Chris; You may find SBuilder's tile down-loader is quite useful for multiple purposes within a comprehensive suite of FS tools, IMHO.

Any recommendations I might make in reply to your threads for FSX / P3D will utilize SBuilderX and ADE with their respective features / tools / syntax.

* Also, a note. I use Instant Scenery for object placement. I like WYSIWYG for placing objects in FSX!

Good

* I downloaded Chris' bgls. Hope to have time today to venture into FSX today! 🦃

I will test again today, time permitting; but I seemed to still see terracing in the mesh BGL Chris linked above to replace the original BGL local to 2NC0.

If Chris requires more time to resolve this aspect of the work-flow to output 32-Bit Floating Point DEM source data for Resample to replace the original BGL local to 2NC0, I can attach- or link to- a replacement BGL that does not display terracing in FSX at run time.

As you recall, that was part of the basis for your OP inquiry in this thread, and we can return to the QGIS 'methodology' discussion any time you wish. ;)

Thanks, for the download list!

Scott

Oh, just in case any issues...Here is my FS program location. (OS is on C:\, also an SSD)

I'll check back to see the edit for your [FSX install path] location.

FYI: ADE, SBuilderX and MCX all auto-detect the location of FSX and any installed FS2Kx SDK, so no manual edits should be required. :wizard:


Looks like you are ready for some further scenery enhancements to your flying experience (it is really beautiful down there where you live). :cool:

GaryGB
 
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Chris and Gary,

Hope you holiday weekend was good!
Been downloading stuff since downloading and installing Ortho4XP! I started looking Ortho4XP over and worked on a practice scenario and ran into some issues that referred me to Python.
Started to look at Python. Downloaded visual studio code as a command terminal for Python. Got a Python environment working in VS. Got some Python extensions it said I needed installed in VS. Thought it was all starting to work. But when I did a python test in VS, it indicated some modules python was looking for, it couldn't find! I tried finding them all over my computer and all over the internet! This has been going on for two days! :banghead:

Thought I better get in here before I go any further down this rabbit hole! :rolleyes: Im sure I am doing something to make this much more difficult than it should be!

Thanks,
Scott
 
Hi Scott:

If you wish to perform a relatively simple test of SBuilderX to download imagery and make a custom photo-real land class imagery BGL, I can provide you with some info on how to do that.

The SBuilderX installation of folder chains inside Dick's ZIP file is complete and ready-to-use (no Python / scripting required).


Rather than doing a programmed download of imagery for extended areas surrounding 2NC0, I would first start small with 2NC0.

That imagery can be draped onto a hi-res terrain mesh to demonstrate the process of making a hi-res 2NC0 like in my pix.

Feel free to let me know if you wish to try that ...before succumbing to the mind-numbing 'temptations of the Python'. :laughing:

GaryGB
 
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Yea. Was trying to do the exercise from the SbuilderX manual, had KATL back ground and made a map from background. Things went south from there. Now all I get is an SbuilderX window blank when I restart it!
 
LOL. Okay..seems it just bucks a bit. I closed and reopened...started a new project. It seems to be going better!
 
Gary,

Got through the SbX exercise at KATL. Program seems to be working fine now. I noticed it does seem to glitch every now and then, but no big deal.
 
Gary, I figured out how to check what bits my USGS data is that I use for my scenery: "Float32 - Thirty two bit floating point." So I am stumped as to where the terracing you see comes from. Is it possible that OSGeo4W or resample does something to it? I have attached my work flow in previous posts. I had terracing until I included FractionBits in my INF file, but everything has looked good for me since on P3D v4 and v5.
 
Hi Chris:

I'll take a look at the 2NC0 terrain mesh in P3Dv4.x as a comparison with FSX today; I do not have P3Dv5 available at this time.


UPDATE: I just tested P3Dv4.x with my hi-res LiDAR derived terrain mesh and the Hi-res imagery.


With P3Dv4.x default terrain mesh ONLY underlying the superimposed hi-res layers of mesh and imagery I still saw terracing.

There was also pop-through distorted rocky outcroppings near peaks of hills / mountains with a more acute slope gradient.


I had already edited the P3D.Cfg file to set Tessellation at maximum before launching P3Dv4.x.

However, to my surprise, the Tessellation slider in P3Dv4.x GUI showed it was still set at less than 90%. :rolleyes:


When I manually forced the GUI slider for Tessellation at maximum after launching / within a run time flight in P3Dv4.x:

* terracing vanished

* distorted rocky outcroppings vanished


When I added your Flyover Country SE 2 terrain mesh into the mix at the top of scenery library GUI:

* terracing did not reoccur

* distorted rocky outcroppings did not reoccur


This raises questions about possible run time rendering issues involving dynamic terrain surface resampling versus:

* hi-res data burden.

* display priority as a function of scenery library load order in the stack of layers for terrain mesh via LOD extent sequencing


It is my hope that we can identify a way for local small tiles of hi-res terrain mesh to be superimposed onto your terrain mesh.

Clearly it may require more testing to determine if that may be achieved aesthetically in a run time scenario.

The alternative would be integrating hi-res data into new 1-piece terrain mesh BGLs via multi-source SDK Resample output.


My apologies for not having been more clear in communicating my initial test settings in FSX.

So, to be more clear now, AFAIK, FSX.Cfg "should" force the FSX equivalent of maximum tessellation onto terrain mesh with:

MESH_COMPLEXITY=100
MESH_RESOLUTION=25

...regardless of whether the FSX GUI slider shows MESH_COMPLEXITY=100; however, my slider already showed it was at 100.

It is not discernible at this point, why scenery library layer priority position is not obeyed by FSX' run time rendering engine.


More testing is indicated, and may require:

* Alpha-numeric BGL file naming

* "Spoofed" BGL file header to assign a larger (virtual) geographic extent of coverage

Alternatively, it may be FSX MESH_COMPLEXITY=100 with MESH_RESOLUTION=25 enables 'hidden' terracing to display.

Perhaps the FSX Tessellation engine may be capped, or otherwise unable to keep up with the hi-res data burden at run time. :(


When I get some time, I shall look into this further.

In the mean time, please consider your Flyover Country SE 2 terrain mesh exonerated in this 2NC0 terracing scenario. :pushpin:

I'm glad you have been able to confirm your terrain mesh production work-flow yields 32-Bit Floating Point elevation data. :)


GaryGB
 
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Hi Gary,

When you get a chance, I could use your help getting going on SbX one the 2NC0. The exercise in the manual seems only covers airport polygons. Not much about terrain mesh work or photo real use. Do I need to move to another program for that? Im still messing with SbX, but as experience may well prove, I may be digging a hole to nowhere!;)

BTW...Yes, I think it is beautiful down here. (Im originally from south-easteren Ohio) The green mountains, while not as high or dramatic as the Rockies, (I just like Mountains!), are a great mix of evergreens and deciduous trees! Makes for a dense forest and canopy. Too bad FSX cant make autogen trees to do it justice. (Prob would kill frame rates!:oops:) Probably what has drawn me from the flatter NC airports to start moving up into the mountain airports. And now after exploring some of Chris' Flyover Country, Im more interested in making the mountain airstrips more realist and seamless to complement the surrounding terrain! Photo real would be even better as there usually few airport objects at these strips.

On that note...a group of us back when FSX was new, spent most of our sim time flying the nothern Rockies up thru the Canadian Rockies (since FS98), thru the Yukon, and Alaska. I even created several simple 'fill in" bush strips all along to keep the legs short for the small bush planes!

Thanks
Scott
 
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