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FSX Scenery Designer Process

C

cloucas

Messages
4
Country
cyprus
Hello

I am just starting out on designing scenery for Cyprus (I haven't been able to find any good scenery files for Cyprus except the Larnaca Airport X) for FSX.

Could someone direct me to reading on the process one needs to follow and tools one needs to use to create scenery files? I am an applications programmer (mainly web apps and some low-level windows apps)

rgds

chris
 
Perhaps some more information? Do you want to create airports, place objects, landclass or create/modify the mesh (elevation data?)
 
I agree with Jon.... You ask Waaaaayyy to broad a question... I, personally use as many as 10 to 15 programs for various portions of a complete scenery project...

I think if your starting from scratch.... Look for TWO programs....

1 - Jon's ADE (Airport Design Editor).... for MANY airport building tasks such as modification/design or core essentials like runway/taxiway/ramp placement, and object placement...

2 - a model designer such as Gmax.... (there ARE simpler programs, but all eventually move to Gmax or 3Ds Max (the pro version) in the end... I suggest taking the learning curve, a weekend, some tutorials, and get your feet wet...) With this program, there are alot of interesting things you can build...

Also, get to know this forum... SEARCH in the WIKI and in the forums PER program you use... MOST of not all of your questions have already been asked... If you do have a specific question, be sure to ask in the correct forum section... BUT scenery design (or ANY design) is not something that can be answered in a few paragraphs...

Get yer feet wet!!!! Its not difficult to do some simple scenery design... and work outwards from there... Start slow, you will like it... (you will also get frustrated at times, I won't lie!!!) But we keep doing it, so it must be worth it...
 
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I agree with EdGeneer.
If you want to do an airport:
Step 1. Start with ADE (Airport Design Editor). Do the airport with the default thing first. If you satisify with that go to step two.

Step 2. Start this step with S-builder X or FS9 depends on the version. Try to modified the field that you want. Draw line of roads, add traffic change terrain, place some default buildings. Making photoscenery is one of the small steps in this one. If you successful with this one go to step three.

Step 3. Gmax is the marker of this step. Not easy to learn but once you are familiar with this you will have you power in you hands.
If you are not familiar with 3d objects, you can use SketchUp from Google.
The model is not the only thing for this step. You need to do texture along with the model. So you need photoediting software such as photoshop or GIMPs.

Step 4. Now you are familiar with gmax. Next step would be 3dmax and texture baking. To make it easier to understand, texture baking is the make shadow casting on the model and make texture from that.


These are steps that I have been through.

Plese add more comments from other greater designer than me.

Please don't jump right to gmax if you are the beginner. It is not easy and you will fell you are lost.
 
Always keep a good and detailed catalog of the different "items" you are doing or done and a make a back up of everything, sure it takes a lot of space!!! But its a lifesaver.....there is nothing so frustrating than to loose work that is at any stage of your process!!!..." I can´t find it " or "where did I put it" are devils you don´t want around your development processes:eek::eek:
 
Hi guys

I know this is waaay overdue, but thanks for all your replies. As luck would have it I have not yet started on my project, so I am starting now. I will take your advise and go through the learning curve. So I have decided to start with a small airport near my house and work the area around my neighborhood, including streets, buildings, houses and parks.

Do you think this is too ambitious for a beginner?
 
scruffyduck said:
Perhaps some more information? Do you want to create airports, place objects, landclass or create/modify the mesh (elevation data?)
Click to expand...
Hi Jon, thanks for your response

I am a beginner so I don't know whether I need to create/modify the mesh; The elevation data is the default for the area, so for the time being I think I should leave that as is. What I want to do is however, create the streets and include buildings, houses, parks, etc. for my neighborhood; also fix a generic airport to look better. Hope that gives you some idea on what I want to do; do you think it's over ambitious? Which should I start out with?
 
OK, I will watch a couple of vids on doing the airfield and see how far I can go with that....thanks
 
dave hoeffgen said:
The airfield comes first, then the surrounding area. See how far you get.
Click to expand...
Well it's FS so I would normally say yes but since it's a small town why not start with a small building on main street and learn the placement process, once you understand that then go big.
 
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