Replacing default scenery

[Guest]

A lot of requests come here to replace default items in FS2002, like the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. These things aren't hard to model in gMax, or even to place correctly, but the default scenery won't "go away".Am I right in assuming that these landmark items aren't autogen but some bgl file? And would it also be correct to assume (given the number of items in a large city) that the bgl file is not just for, say, the Empire State Building, but for many key buildings in NYC. So that replacing just the one building would be an almost impossible task unless:1) You could figure out what file represented what and2) You could read in the bgl file somehow into gMax, replace the one or two items, and then write it back out again.Or do I just don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about?

[Guest]

My attempts would be:1. a very small exclude area in the bgl file, and than simply put the building in that, now empty, area.2. For example you want to edit the Empire State Building: Take your FS texture program and edit the Empire State Building textures to transparent. The skyscraper should be gone now and presto, there is plenty of space for the new building.Mario

[Guest]

Um, I guess I'm very ignorant here.I don't understand what you mean by editing the texture. Surely the bgl file is a file that describes objects (and what textures those objects use to be sure, but it's the objects themselves that take up room). The textures I know are stored in the Textures directory, but editing them (to wipe out a building) would only result in that building being white, and not vanishing.And how would I know what bgl file goes where? My ignorance holds no bounds, but I assume there isn't any bgl file with the name "New York City" (I guess I should start poking around in FS directories and see what I see).If there is information on how this all hangs together I'd love to be pointed in the right direction. As someone who has modeled with Max for years I probably could contribute some fairly decent stuff to the FS world if I could figure this all out.

[Guest manny3]

You can try the FS2002ScenedbCities Folder and look for New York Folder.I think the buildings are in a Library bgl not sure what filename is for New York as it is currently not in my system. If you have downloaded FSregen 2.0 you can use the Library Tool to check scenery files and see what's inside them.I don't know if there is a program to open a bgl and convert it to gmax. You can disassemble a bgl, however, using BGLAnalyze.exe but it can not handle gmax models as yet.Manny

[Guest]

The default scenery can be excluded quite simply. I wrote a tutorial on that in a thread previously. You can find the thread by searching on the keyword 2n8.The actual tutorial didn't come out perfectly in the thread because I couldn't find a way to insert uploaded images into the text. It used to be easy to do that hear, but with the new format, I'm not sure how to, so you have to read the text and review the images when logical.Good luck.Bob BernsteinEdmonds, Wa.

[Guest sgreenwood]

Bob,[table cellpadding=0][tr][td width=100" valign="top]This is one way to do it. ;-) [/td][td width=250" valign="top" align="center] http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3ce54b094729983d.jpg[/td][td valign=top" width="150]Be sure to remove the image file names from the Attachment text box![/td][/tr][/table]"http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/image_file_name_in_Attachments"without quotes or semicolon, User_files has an underscoreYou can View the Page Source html for more details.Regards,Stevewww.fs-traveler.com

[Guest]

So your saying Steve that I could put a pic like this:3ce59cc4216d1c14.jpg into this message by writing it like "http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/image_file_name_in_Attachments"; Well, lets try! http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3ce59cc4216d1c14.jpg LOL if it worked these words will appear below my hanger nite image.Thanks for the tip!Bob B

[Guest Barney1]

While the method expressed in the previous reply will work (?), there's an alternate way if you feel up to using a design program like Airport 2.6 with the latest update(build 148)available at: http://www.airportforwindows.com/Besides being capable of creating complete scenery, this utility provides for making an 'exclude' scenery file (*.bgl). All you need to do is describe the exact coordinates of the object to be 'removed'. This program includes a copy of Scasm.exe which converts the text into the language understood by FS2002. Thus, there is no need for the user to make the calculations, etc. or to type the text, as pointed out in the previous reply; Airport does that in the background for you.There is a slight learning curve with Airport2.6, but making an exclude file would be a good subject to begin with. Chances are after tinkering, you would likely want to continue with other landmarks, eventually perhaps making whole airports.

[Guest jlwoodward]

Barney, this sounds exactly like what I have been looking for. I just wanted to ask you if you have to specify the coordinates as NW/SE corners or just the midpoint of the object? Will this exclude just the building, or will it eat a chunk out of the taxiway along with it?Thanks,John Woodward

[arno 1]

It will exclude every object whos reference point is inside your exclude area. For most object the reference point will be in the middle of the object.Arno

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Member Netherlands 2000 Scenery Team[a href=http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen]http://home.wanadoo.nl/arno.gerretsen/banner.jpg[/a]

[Guest jlwoodward]

I must be overlooking something. I have 2 buildings next to an airport that I want to delete (airport is Dauphin Island, AL). Here is what I've tried:1. In top view, put cross hairs right in middle of one building, write down coordinates as degrees, decimal minutes.2. In Airport 2.6, select General from Sections and enter these coordinates. Have tried with and without the magnetic variation conversion.3. Right click on screen and select exclude area. Verify that midpoint is same as at center of building. Have also tried widely dragging the corners. Then select compile and returned to FS (was minimized).4. New area shows up in scenery library. Have tried unselecting/reselecting it, switching to a different airport, and restarting FS. Also tried putting area in a different file. The building still shows up.Help?????Thanks,John Woodward

[Guest]

I already offered you help. Its in message 4. why not try the ideas provided rather than continue to ask for more?Bob B

[Guest jlwoodward]

Sorry Bob,I did read your tutorial yesterday but I will go back and read it again in case I missed something. Please understand that you have reached a level of expertise that some of us have yet to attain, and sometimes we have to ask more than once in order to learn. There is no need to get mad at each other.John Woodward

[Guest]

I'm not mad, never was. Just direct.Let me know what part is confusing, and I'll clarify.B

[Guest jlwoodward]

Bob,Well, after many frustrating hours I could not get these procedures to work. Your tutorial is clear enough and that along with the other methods suggested are obviously known to work. Must be some kind of quirck in the location I am working with. However, here is what I finally did that worked:1. As described by others, locate the midpoint of the object and then the NW and SE corners of a box enclosing the object.2. Start Airport and create a scenery located at the mid point, but do not put any objects in it. Compile it and start FS. By starting FS, the scenery data is written into the cfg file.3. Go to the scenery cfg file and add an exclude line using the two corner points. (I tried using Airport to make the exlude area but it did not work.)I don't know why, but it worked. Anyway Bob, thanks for your offer to help.John Woodward