Using FSDS Objects to Create "Runways"

[Guest pecrowther]

In my never-ending quest to create sloping runways, I am now experimenting with using really flat objects to create runways.I used LWMPoly3 to create a sloping area that is "almost" smooth. I am using FSSC to create the airport. Because the "stock" runways demand a flat (non-sloping) surface, I tried using taxiways to create runways, but kept getting "tears" in the surface (even using a lot of points). I also tried painting runways on the terrain, but it was just too fuzzy at ground level.So I am experimenting with using APIs created from FSDS "runway-shaped" objects. I adjust the height of the object, so that when placed using FSSC, it barely projects above the surface. It would be helpful if I could get the aircraft to roll on top of the FSDS object, but it just sinks in (setting collisions just creates a "crash"). Nevertheless, with some tweaking, I have been able to get a fairly thin looking runway and I suppose that I could use this technique to get some incredible detail.This will also be a useful way to create "dioramas" that can be placed throughout the airport.Has anyone tried this approach? Are there drawbacks to this solution (other than being very time-consuming)?Thanks,Phil

[arno 1]

I think this can only work if you use the new GMax gamepack. With that you can make hard areas that have a slope, with the SCASM commands to make a surface hard you can only make flat planes.

[Guest pecrowther]

Too bad! You could do some interesting "fine tuning" of the runway environment with that command. On the other hand, if I set the elevation just right, it looks like the aircraft tires are flattened - which is slightly more realistic. But this is very time consuming and would probably be imppractical on a sloping surface that is not an even slope.PhilBTW- I think that LWMPoly3 is unable to create an absolutely even slope because of slight rounding errors as it transitions from one area to the next. Here is the code I am using to (try to) create a sloping area that straddles 4 areas (with "x" the intersection in the center). Let me know if there is anything I can do to improve this.include TDFMacros.incinclude TDFHeaders.incBGLHeader 17, 13, 148, 144, LWMHeader, TerrainHeaderStartLWMHeader label wordLWMFileHeader 300h, LWMIndexStart, LWMStart, LWMEnd;Altitudes (in meters ASL); A 18.3 b 25.9 B 34.7; Area 1 Area 2; a 18.0 x 25.9 c 34.6; Area 3 Area 4; D 19.1 d 28.7 C 31.7LWMStart label worddatamark_0 label word ;LWMPoly3 Macro PointCount, Reserved, Attrib,; HeightBottom, FractionBottom, HeightTop, FractionTop;LWMPoint3 Macro x, y, z 0-255 fraction of difference between; HeightBottom and HeightTop of LWMPoly3;Area 1LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 21, 3LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 18, 000, 25, 230LWMPoint3 075, 255, 000 ;a 18.0M (000)LWMPoint3 075, 160, 010 ;A 18.3M (255*.3/7.9)LWMPoint3 255, 160, 255 ;b 25.9M (255)LWMPoint3 255, 255, 255 ;x 25.9M (255) ;Area 2LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 22, 3LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 25, 230, 34, 179LWMPoint3 000, 160, 000 ;b 25.9M (000)LWMPoint3 245, 160, 255 ;B 34.7M (255)LWMPoint3 245, 255, 252 ;c 34.6M (255*8.7/8.8)LWMPoint3 000, 255, 000 ;x 25.9M (000) ;Area 3LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 21, 4LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 18, 0, 28, 179LWMPoint3 075, 000, 000 ;a 18.0M (000)LWMPoint3 255, 000, 188 ;x 25.9M (255*7.9/10.7)LWMPoint3 255, 230, 255 ;d 28.7M (255)LWMPoint3 075, 230, 026 ;D 19.1M (255*1.1/10.7);Area 4LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 22, 4LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 25, 230, 34, 153LWMPoint3 000, 000, 000 ;x 25.9M (000)LWMPoint3 245, 000, 255 ;c 34.6M (255)LWMPoint3 245, 230, 170 ;C 31.7M (255*5.8/8.7)LWMPoint3 000, 230, 082 ;d 28.7M (255*2.8/8.7) datamark_1 label word Cellv_694_213 EQU LWMCellID 0, 0, 3, 694, 213LWMIndexStart label wordLWMIndexHeader 1, LWMIndexDataLWMIndexData label wordLWMIndexEntry Cellv_694_213, LWMStart, datamark_0, datamark_1 LWMEnd label word

[Guest pecrowther]

It would help if I asked about the right code! Here is the code after changing points b, x, and d to lie on a straight line between A-B, a-c and D-C, respectively. This should give a straight slope from west to east, but (in fact) there is a (very) slight dip before it reaches the center. Raising x by .1 did not fix it. (I wonder if LWMPoly3 allows the original surface to poke through?)include TDFMacros.incinclude TDFHeaders.incBGLHeader 17, 13, 148, 144, LWMHeader, TerrainHeaderStartLWMHeader label wordLWMFileHeader 300h, LWMIndexStart, LWMStart, LWMEnd;Altitude (in meters ASL); A 18.3 b 25.2 B 34.7; Area 1 Area2; a 18.0 x 25.0 c 34.6; Area 3 Area4; D 19.1 d 24.4 C 31.7LWMStart label word datamark_0 label word ;LWMPoly3 Macro PointCount, Reserved, Attrib,; HeightBottom, FractionBottom, HeightTop, FractionTop;LWMPoint3 Macro x, y, z 0-255 fraction of difference between; HeightBottom and HeightTop of LWMPoly3;Area1LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 21, 3LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 18, 000, 25, 051LWMPoint3 075, 255, 000 ;a 18.0M (000)LWMPoint3 075, 160, 011 ;A 18.3M (255*.3/7.2)LWMPoint3 255, 160, 255 ;b 25.2M (255)LWMPoint3 255, 255, 248 ;x 25.0M (255*7.0/7.2) ;Area2LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 22, 3LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 25, 000, 34, 179LWMPoint3 000, 160, 005 ;b 25.2M (255*.2/9.7)LWMPoint3 245, 160, 255 ;B 34.7M (255)LWMPoint3 245, 255, 252 ;c 34.6M (255*9.6/9.7)LWMPoint3 000, 255, 000 ;x 25.0M (000) ;Area3LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 21, 4LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 18, 0, 25, 000LWMPoint3 075, 000, 000 ;a 18.0M (000)LWMPoint3 255, 000, 255 ;x 25.0M (255)LWMPoint3 255, 230, 233 ;d 24.4M (255*6.4/7.0)LWMPoint3 075, 230, 040 ;D 19.1M (255*1.1/7.0);Area4LWMDataAreaDrawPolygons 1, 3, 1, 22, 4LWMPoly3 4, 0, 1, 24, 102, 34, 153LWMPoint3 000, 000, 015 ;x 30.5M (255*1.9/10.2)LWMPoint3 245, 000, 255 ;c 34.6M (255)LWMPoint3 245, 230, 183 ;C 31.7M (255*3.1/10.2)LWMPoint3 000, 230, 000 ;d 28.6M (000) datamark_1 label word Cellv_694_213 EQU LWMCellID 0, 0, 3, 694, 213LWMIndexStart label wordLWMIndexHeader 1, LWMIndexDataLWMIndexData label wordLWMIndexEntry Cellv_694_213, LWMStart, datamark_0, datamark_1 LWMEnd label word

[Guest JoeW]

There is in FSDS an option to make the surface " hardned " for landing. Not sure where i saw this in the pop-downs but I did see it. Never used it either so I can't say if it makes the surface level.Joe W.

[Guest pecrowther]

Joe,I can't find it either. Maybe it's in a later version (I have 2.11) or maybe it's in their airport design program? You can set the collision flag, but that doesn't help.Phil

[Guest gorchi]

Hi,FSDS V2.24 and later have elevated helipads/hardening option. Also, You can use smooth (ground) option in FSSC which will also haredn the surface (I use it a lot).Hope it helps!Best regards,Goran BrumenFS Slovenija 2002 teamhttp://slovenia.avsim.net

[Guest pecrowther]

Thanks,Yes, the FSSC harden option was absolutely necessary to make this work. Unfortunately, the FSDS option only works on "non-sloping" non-fractional flat surfaces. However, I had not realized that there was an upgrade to FSDS, so I at least now have that!Because I love a challenge, I am "laying" runways on the actual terrain (created with a 10 meter dem). It takes about 2-3 hours per runway. So far, so good.Phil