Adding AI to FSX Tutorial?

[Guest RickRouse]

So now I can run FSX. But after scouring the Forums for AI help, the info I seek seems sporadic and fragmented. Is there a document out that is a comprehensive guide to adding AI Traffic to FSX? So please, I need to ask a few questions. And from what I know so far:1. The SDK's Traffic building utility is junk.2. I need to run FS9 configured flightplans through a converter utility in order for FSX to use them.So now a few questions please.1. Can I use the standard stars of AI traffic from Aardvark, Fruitstand, EVAI-DJC, Martinez, Waldon, and Tomkiewicz without problems?2. What decompiles and recompiles the flightplans and aircraft list?3. How do I add the AI models into the aircraft list so FSX can see them?Please, I love manually adding and manipulating my aviation world. I can't believe FSX would restrict that. Any suggestions??Thanks all!!!Rick (MKE)

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

So now I can run FSX. But after scouring the Forums for AI help, the info I seek seems sporadic and fragmented. Is there a document out that is a comprehensive guide to adding AI Traffic to FSX? So please, I need to ask a few questions. And from what I know so far:1. The SDK's Traffic building utility is junk.2. I need to run FS9 configured flightplans through a converter utility in order for FSX to use them.So now a few questions please.1. Can I use the standard stars of AI traffic from Aardvark, Fruitstand, EVAI-DJC, Martinez, Waldon, and Tomkiewicz without problems?2. What decompiles and recompiles the flightplans and aircraft list?3. How do I add the AI models into the aircraft list so FSX can see them?Please, I love manually adding and manipulating my aviation world. I can't believe FSX would restrict that. Any suggestions??Thanks all!!!Rick (MKE)

Rick, I don't have time to answer all your questions, but you might want to check out world-of-ai.com. They have around 300 to 350 AI packages to add to either FS9 or FSX. I am using FSX and have installed all the packages except for the military ones. The only pain is that you have to convert all the flight plans using the flight plan converter AIFPC, or other converters that may be available. I also took it a step further and used batches image tool to convert all the textures to DXT3. However, after all the time I put in doing this I am very happy with the results and find no need to purchase a traffic program, this one works like a charm. Also the flight plans for the airlines are based on real world schedules and they update and add more airline packages all the time. The only thing you may encounter problems with is if you are using the DX10 preview. From what I understand using DX10 may make some of the AI textures disappear of be black.I have also brought some of the flight plans and models over from FS9 and installed them in FSX. All I had to do is convert the flight plans and they work fine. For some of the packages that WOAI dont have yet, I downloaded packages from Aardvark installed them into a dummy FS9 folder, then copied the models into FSX and converted the flight plans, and they work fine as well. Good luck.

[bobbyjack 61]

In addition...If you like to do things yourself, you do not have to run FS9 FPs through a converter to make them work in FSX. But you can not mix FS9 and FSX FPs, as only the FS9 plans will show. If you download Ttools, the manual is a great way to learn about AI traffic. On the other hand, AIFP (and I don't mean AIFPC) will convert your FS9 FPs, add AC, modify cfg. the hole nine yards. And a question...I am always amazed by the folks that use 3 or 4 hundred traffic addons. That is alot of planes in the sky. My question is; what are you giving up to see all those planes? I run autogen and complexity at max. Thats the way I like it. I'm not interested in turning those sliders down just to see some planes. Of course, too each his own. That's one of the great things about this sim. I suppose if I flew a virtual airline, I would be interested in real world schedules. But no. To get rid of the goofy default airlines, I just replace the textures. Anyway, Just thinking out loud. No need to answer.Bob

[Guest FlightLevel380]

Hi,You do need do compile those fs9 flightplans to fsx format or you will not see the ai ships and default ai traffic in your sim. I compile my flightplans in fs9 with TTools then run them through a bgl converter into fsx format. I've been using this to convert the bgls: bglfpfsxconvert02All the ai aircaft should work except for a minor issue to do with rotors on some of the prop aircraft.I also created a new folder in Simobjects called AI Aircaft. You will have to go into your FSX cfg and add some lines so that the sim knows to look in that folder for your AI. search simobjects in your cfg and you'll see what I mean.Also check out Reggie Fields default traffic files to give you more realistic default traffic with proper registrations.Mike

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

I am always amazed by the folks that use 3 or 4 hundred traffic addons. That is alot of planes in the sky. My question is; what are you giving up to see all those planes? I run autogen and complexity at max. Thats the way I like it. I'm not interested in turning those sliders down just to see some planes. Of course, too each his own. That's one of the great things about this sim. I suppose if I flew a virtual airline, I would be interested in real world schedules. But no. To get rid of the goofy default airlines, I just replace the textures.

Even though I have all those packages installed, you don't see all of them at once. I think I have about 350 WOAI packages installed, however these are for airlines, charters, and cargo carriers all over the world. I have to have them all installed, otherwise when I fly to other countries I won't have any regional AI traffic. As far as giving up stuff, I don't really give anything up as far as performance is concerned. I run the airline AI at 75% to 100% depending on the airport I am flying into/around. The models the WOAI use don't really inpact performance on my machine much compared to the default planes being used as AI and calling or the gates to extend or retract, and I am able to run most sliders at or near maxed levels using these packages without cutting back autogen, clouds, etc.

[bobbyjack 61]

So... you do give up the jetways and the bagage trucks. To me, those are some of the things that set FSX apart from FS9. I get a kick out of watching them. I have tried some of the military WOAI planes, and they were bad on fps. So I have stayed away from WOAI in general. I know you don't see all of them at once . As I said, just thinking out loud.Bob