getting started with scenery design

[Guest evenparr]

I am new to AVSIM and looking for some guidance in begining some airport scenery design for FS2004. I would like to at least be able to add jetways, buildings, and some ground vehicles to some of the default airports that do not have them that I fly out of such as Cincinnati (CVG) Dayton (DAY), Raleigh (RDU), and Louisville (SDF). I've been looking around at some of the available software such as Airport for Windows and Flight Simulator Scenery Creator. From what I read I'm not sure if these will even work for FS 2004, and if they do, I can't seem to figure out how they do. I guess I'm just looking for some guidance as to where to start...I'm not looking to recreate an entire airport or do anything like a Fly Tampa project, I just want to make a few of the airports look more realistic. Any information would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,Matt

[bob.bernstein 0]

Scenery design is a big subject. Several ways exist for doing anything. You've asked a pretty general question...logical when your just getting started.To add objects, seems like your primary goal, you either make them and add them or find someones freeware objects and add them. Objects are commonly available in a form called a "macro". The flightsim macros usually carry filetypes of .api, or .scm. The .api is the most common. You could find macros by searching the Avsim library for macro, or perhaps *.api.The bad news is that the most common way to add these macros to your scenery is to use a common tool like fssc or airport for windows...and you seem to have trouble working them. The other option is to use a free object creator...but I suspect the skills of operating fssc is to some degree needed to operate the other programs as well.Perhaps its best to just stay with fssc or airport and figure out what your doing wrong. Many tutorials exist. My old friend Ken Nelson wrote some nice beginner tuts on airport: http://www.flightsimnetwork.com/webads/Good luck.Bob Bernstein

[Guest evenparr]

Thanks for the reply. I'm starting to figure out some of the basics using the airport for windows tutorial, along with the ones you linked above. It seems as if there is no easy way to create scenery, at least not yet, but I'm willing to learn the process and put in the time when I can. Again, thanks.

[arno 1]

If you only want to place a few objects may I suggest my ObPlacer tool? It allows you to place a macro at the current location of your aircraft in FS. The FsConnect module is used for the communication. At the moment this tool is still in a beta version so there could be some small bugs left, but you can find the latest version at my website (www.scenerydesign.org).