Just completed the first 4 chapters of a scenery design tutorial intended for novices who want to get into scenery design.Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the definintions of terms used in scenery design and where to get some of the tools you will need.Chapter 2 introduces AFCAD2 by Lee Swordy.Chapter 3 introduces FSSC by Derek Leung for manipulating and working with third-party macros. It also teaches how to use AFCAD2 with FSSC for placement of macros in your scenery.Chapter 4 introduces the basics of NOVA v1.6 by Rafael Garcia Sanchez. This teaches you to make your own basic macro.Future chapters will go deeper into the advanced features of NOVA, while also exploring other programs such as EOD and FSDS.While these techniques are not the only way to achieve good results, the processes included are some of the tips and tricks that I use in my designs.Available at http://www.margaritaair.com/SceneryTutorialPart1.zip and also soon to be here at AVSIM.

Reading the above post seems to indicate you are pointing your tutorial towards FS2002 and earlier flight simulators.FS2004 makes a large change using XML as the basis for scenery design. It also requires GMAX style library objects to be used vice API macros.Microsoft has indicated each time they deliver the next flight simulator that backward compatibility is not assured. I think the next version will limit the old style even further and maybe remove it totally.Hopefully, you will address the XML style using the FS2004SDKs and SCENEGENX from http://www.airportforwindows.com/ , plus the numerous freeware tools that have been provided at AVSIM, FLIGHTSIM, and elsewere.W. Sieffert

Thanks W.Well, as I stated in the tutorial, it is just a beginning. The tutorial is designed for anyone who has never designed anything before, whether for FS2002 or FS9. As for XML, it is true that MS in their infinite wisdom has decided to change things up on us again.....but the older techniques do still work, and in my opinion are easier to understand for the novice than XML. Point being that if they get started with these, they may better understand XML later if they like doing design.And as also stated, future chapters WILL cover other areas....this is simply a starting point, gleam from it what you will.

Well put Chief I myself think it is a great idea. Thank you.

Yes, it is true that the old techniques still work and until there are some more (and more stable) tool for the XML techniques it might indeed be a bit hard to newcomers to learn them.Maybe it is a good idea to point the readers at these new trends. Some might be dissapointed if they just learned something to find out it will not work in the future. So even when the XML things are not used, it might be a good idea to only use the new older style things. With that I mean use the programs that use the floating point commands of Fs2002, but still use macros. So NovaSim, FSDS2, etc. I think the even older coomands (non floating point) like used by VOD, NOVA, EOD, FSDS1 are not a good choice anymore and they are the first candidates to be dropped by MS in future releases I think.Late note, still great that you write tutorials of course. I am sure this will help people. These comments are just meant to make them more useful :).

As someone who has only just entered the world of scenery design I welcome anyone who goes to the trouble of writing tutorials to help people in my position. In my case, an overview of the many scenery design tools, what they do and how relevant they are to the latest version of flightsim placed right at the beginning of a tutorial series would have been great. This would have allowed the to identify which tools to learn and which to avoid. Many thanks

Good Morning Todd:Anyone who takes the time to write tutorials does the flight-sim community a great service. I

Thanks for the words of encouragement Tom. Have always loved your site.This tutorail was designed at the request of several of my club members who wanted to assist me with the design of our club bases. This was intended as a recap of the processes that I use 'watered down' to a beginners level. So therefore, all 4 were combined together.And as for XML, I am still learning this new trick myself....so couldnt very well teach without learning first(LOL)....anyway, I make up for my lack of intelligence with my persistence, so I know it will eventually become second nature to me as well.

just read your work...thanks for taking the time to help others. Question...I've told the story for years that bgl stands for bruce artwick graphics language. You've written that it stands for boost graph library. I looked up boost graph library and read a bit, it appears that its a technique for c++ coders...seems unlikely that this is what flightsim's bgl stands for, but what do I know...perhaps its evolved from bruces language into boost graph library....I'd be interested if anyone knows...is this indeed what bgl has grown to stand for at this point?Bob Bernstein

Hi Bob.From the Flight Simulator 98 SDK:;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------;BAO GRAPHICS LANGUAGE (BGL) FS5 VARIABLE MAPPING FILE ;;File name:; FS5_MAP.INC ;; Function:; This file contains equates that should be used to reference; old FS5 variables in BGL instructions.;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------BAO is the Bruce Artwick OrganizationAn old article on Artwick:http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/news/alumni/sp96/artwick.htmlDick