• 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.

FSX Terrain developing questions

EPONA48

EPONA48

Messages
46
Country
finland
I want to develop a scenery and buildings for flight simulator X.
What tools do I need to do that?
Can I send some building pics here? Like uploading them or putting them into a ZIP file?
I'm bit confused here so help me please.:confused:
I have Digital Camera. Can it be used in scenario/terrain developing?
Can I take pictures at ground,trees,many other things and use them as textures?
Is this possible?
You have great forum software here. Good.
 
Last edited:
Gmax

Hi 34FS00DE,

Yes you can use your camera to take pictures and make textures for buildings
and scenery. If you plan on making your own textured buildings your going to
need either Gmax or FSDS to create models. You can also use Sketchup and convert to Gmax too.

I recommend Gmax because it's mouse friendly and you hardly use the keyboard. There are hundreds of tutorials on Gmax. Depending on what game you intend to make scenery for, like fs2004. You need to download FS2004 Game Packs. This allows you do export your building for that game. You can also add FSX game packs too. There are some different rules for that pack.

So use tutorials for the right game version. Making a building in Gmax is quit easy.

Gmax can be downloaded here: http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax

FS2004 Game Packs can be downloaded here: http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/downloads.php?do=cat&id=10

FSX you need to have the full version. Then just explorer the CD for the SDK installer. This will install next to fsx in the microsoft folder. Take the game (fsxgamepacks) folder and copy it into gmax main folder.
Then open the game packs and look for the gmax exe. Sent to desktop as shortcut.

DG:eek:
 
Last edited:
Yes. GMAX is best tool available. Can upload/send pictures here so that forum can check them out and give advices?

I know four tools already:
SBuilderX
EditVoicepack
Airport design editor 9x
FSX SDK (Comes with the game).
 
Yes you can post pictures here and ask questions.

Just upload a picture around 900 pixels wide to a website.
Then click insert image on the tools above the area you type.

Is this what your asking....?

DG:eek:
 
That is a good idea. I put also a zip file here so everybody can download it and check it out. It will take some days for me to draw something. I am just a beginner here.

Similar threads advice to use SBuilderX tool. Whoa. I need to check that out.
 
Last edited:
SbuilderX is perfect for freeware projects and you want to fill in a airport fast.

Gmax is only good for custom work. Helps to have both.
So you can make a custom building or an odd object.

DG:eek:
 
Hi,

I think the first question you need to answer is what kind of scenery you want to make. Do you want to make an airport, add some 3D models to a city or alter the global look of a region? Each of these tasks require different tools.

For making airports for FSX ADE is a very popular tool. For making 3D objects (either for the airport or a city) you need a modelling tool like GMax or SketchUp. If you want to alter the terrain you need SBuilderX indeed.
 
Reply to Arno:
I have GMAX tool installed. Also I have GIMP graphic tool.
What is that SketchUp tool? Is it free?
I can list my project desires here:
1) Terrain developing
2) Airport designing
3) Some custom 3D buildings

Few more questions here:
How to remove trees and leave them on some areas?
That MSPaint has quite low color scale in it. What is better drawing tool around here?
Try this free CAD also:
Caligari truespace
http://www.caligari.com/

One more question:
When i get some pictures and textures ready. Where do I post them? Or should I just ZIP them and add download link here?
 
Last edited:
removing objects

Many of these programs have remove objects. Like sbuilder!

Also ADE has a new release coming soon here:
http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49465

Flatten tool can remove trees too.

Gimp is perfect for making textures and bump textures. High quality.

Sketchup is a simple program like Gmax. Gmax has more to offer.
Also you can make an object in sketchup first then import to Gmax.
Gmax can add textures and animation tags for the game.

Remember to decide what fs version you want. Both do not use the same tools.
Even gmax has 2 different game packs for each game.

DG:eek:
 
Last edited:
Question:
When i get some pictures and textures ready. Where do I post them? Or should I just ZIP them and add download link here?

How to extract picture data and textures from Google Earth?

How to create some AI plane traffic in game?
 
Last edited:
showing pics

upload your pictures to the web.

Then click add image link! This will post your pics here!

DG:eek:
 
Delivery Guy:
Web? What do you mean? Like a image server? Give me suggestion of good free image server.

TODAY I bought Flight Simulator 2004 Century of Flight.
I also have Flight simulator X and Flight simulator 2002.

I have also few other "Flight" Simulators. They are called:
Microprose European Air war.
Electronic Arts Fighter Pilot:D.
Lucas Arts Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe:yikes:.
Lucas Arts X-Wing vs Tie Fighter:laughing:
BAO Tower flight control game published in 1995.
 
Image formats question

What picture is a good texture format:

A) BMP
B) PCX (This may be useless format in this game)
C) DDS
D) GIF

I now that DDS is great format because it is DirectX based.

How to convert BMP to DDS image?
 
Last edited:
In order of preference:

nVidia plugin - use only if you own Photoshop or PaintShop Pro, then be sure to use the version for whichever one you own. There is also a version I'm told works with GIMP, but I have no first-hand experience with that.

ImageTool.exe - (found in the FS9 or FSX SDK, use the appropriate one for the sim you're working for.

DXTBMP.exe - freeware by Martin Wright, but be sure to use on the latest version. Sometimes DDS compression doesn't work too well.
 
I'm getting hang of it

Ok. These answers what I have got were very good. Now just a few more questions and I'm ready to model something for this game.

Question:
What is a correct size of a building so it doesn't appear TOO big in scenery?

Where to get some building modelling tutorials?

airportsa.jpg


tex001.jpg
 
Last edited:
Sorry for double posting but I have two questions more:

:D What is a correct size of a building so it doesn't appear TOO big in scenery?

:D Where to get some building modelling tutorials?

:D How to create some AI plane traffic in game?
 
Last edited:
34FS00DE said:
Reply to Arno:
I have GMAX tool installed. Also I have GIMP graphic tool.
What is that SketchUp tool? Is it free?
I can list my project desires here:
1) Terrain developing
2) Airport designing
3) Some custom 3D buildings

Few more questions here:
How to remove trees and leave them on some areas?
That MSPaint has quite low color scale in it. What is better drawing tool around here?
Try this free CAD also:
Caligari truespace
http://www.caligari.com/

One more question:
When i get some pictures and textures ready. Where do I post them? Or should I just ZIP them and add download link here?
Click to expand...

Hi 34FS00DE and welcome,

It seems you are full of ambitions and want to get deeply involved in scenery, which is great. However I have the feeling you want to move a mountain all at once :)

How about picking one topic among those you want to learn and concentrating on it. Scenery design is tons of fun...lots of things/tools/tricks to learn and frustration too sometimes. My advice would be to start learning one topic, maybe not all the way but at least until you are comfortable with it...for example making simple buildings. You could spend weeks on that and not see the end of it, but there is no need to become a professional right away.

Search the Internet (i.e. Google), type 'scenery tutorial' and you should get a good bit of documentation that way. Also do not forget to visit FSDeveloper Wiki (link at the top in dark blue bar).

As for the tools to use there are so many, it would be impossible to name them all. They mostly are different depending on the kind of scenery/job you want to do. Here again you will find references to such tools in tutorials.

Which one to use (in certain cases) really depends on preferences. As an example, I've been using Gmax for several months, very slow learning curve, very powerful program BUT in my opinion more than you need if you are not going to create aircraft.
I feel making buildings with Gmax is like nailing a thumbtack with a sledge hammer. I started using Sketchup (free from Google) last night and I already created a complex building. You can be proficient in just a few days.

async


One thing you could learn too while designing building is airport modification. If you take it one step at a time it's not all that complicated. I would say go ahead and use ADE for that. You can modify default airports or create your own. Again, start simple, learn to do positioning (taxiways, aprons, etc.) from a Google Earth image (Print Screen, edit, save jpg, import in ADE), add parking spots, etc.

In order to learn all that you best friend will be tutorials. Read a lot, trying putting A and B together and if you get stuck on a problem ask here. Great folks are always ready to give you a good tip. However please understand there is no way we could teach you everything, you gotta do your share ;)

Well, that's it, that was my 2 cents.
Best of luck.
 
sfrenchie:

Thanks for the info. I try that Skecthup tool. It looks good for my developing things.
I have decided what I want to develop. I want to develop:

1) New buildings
2) Custom terrain textures
 
Last edited:
Good...with Sketchup you'll be up and running in no time at all. Make sure you watch the tutorial videos http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/training/videos.html

Once you've understood and retained the basics why not start a small project. If I remember correctly there is a tutorial project in the MS Gmax SDK. It comes with textures ready made. Why not do it in Sketchup. Good hands-on experience.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top