Help please on Ground2k

[Guest oldraisin]

Hi Arno,In email conversations with Doug, he has said he is using the MS net framework, and pertinent to your question, XML. So it is obviously FS2004 compliance that he is working toward. FS Architect 2002 is a little quirky in Win XP, but is it sure darn easy to use and makes it all fun. So right now, doing the limited type of scenery I do, it is my main tool of choice. I am really looking forward to the new version.I am also starting to use FSDS, which has been more adapted to aircraft, which is not my main interest. So I'll see how that goes. I looked into GMAX before the FS2004 version came out and got a little frustrated. For some reason, I had trouble getting the FS2002 version to work, just got impatient, and moved to FSDS. But anyway, I got sidetracked on making PolyView and PolyB, and now I am back to making scenery and flying planes (much less stress, although flying the PMDG 737 takes a little learning).By the way, I have offered the landclass pictures in PolyView for other utility programmers to use, as long as they talk to me first (that's my reward). I can also make a new set from the originals in a different size, resolution, etc quite easily using a VB script in Photopaint, and I will also do that for free. I am making this available to both freeware and commercial endeavors. Just would like to see more convenient utilities for scenery design. Have already had some interest from Luis for SBuilder.Gadzooks, long winded answer, most not pertinent to your question:-)Thanks for listening,Best regards,Jim

[Holger 0]

Hi Jim,since you mention PolyView (sorry for being off-topic here)...One thing I noticed about your helpful landclass previews (well, I knew this before but it got confirmed recently) is that they only show one season. Some of the classes, which appear identical in one season, are quite different in others. I'm not suggesting you work your way through the remaining four FS seasons (i.e., including "hard winter") but it's something to be aware of.Thanks again for this great tool!Cheers, Holger

[Guest oldraisin]

Holger,Am aware, and I do state in the help files that these are summer season. But, you are also right, I am not interested in doing all the seasons, unless someone really thinks that's important. That would make a large group of files to download, and a more complex interface.........but doable. Ah shucks, there I go again, thinking about programming when I was just starting to have fun :+ Regards,Jim

[Guest pks1414]

Hi all, thanks very much for all the input here. You have certainly got my brain working overdrive. Couple more questions.I must admit to having the taste for scenery design now, will FS Architect allow me to get the blended feelAlternatively, I have both Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro 7, if I create the textures in them using alpha channels, would I get the blended lookJust a thought

[Guest oldraisin]

Paul,FS Architect 2002 is one of the "old tools". However you might find it more intuitive than AFW. You can name polygons what you want, and that allows you to make easy VTP polys with PolyB. It is what I used for the demo screen capture I gave you. It is a little quirky in Win XP, but quite workable. You can make runways and actually see, to some extent, the scenery you are working on, right in FS Architect. I would certainly download the program, since it works as a demo if not registered. Help is a separate file download. I have played with another program, LandClass Assistant, that has a short learning curve if you want to do landclass on a big scale.Look to someone else for the "blended look" with paint programs. From what I understand, reading the mail, the only true blending with any ease is using the VTP2 polygons, but I have no personal experience. I made PolyB to quickly make scenery that blends. My particular interest is small generic villages and adjuncts to other scenery.I have included a screen shot of FS Architect with the demo crumbling apron project in perspective view.Best regards,Jim

[Guest pks1414]

Jim,Thanks for coming back to me...again:D I must sound a right dipstick. I may give that a go with Architect. The trouble is now that I have the scenery bug it is difficult to stop. My Airfied is coming together bit by bit its a mixture of Gmax, AFW and FSE 2004 so far, however every time I look I want to improve it and I would love to do bits of the surrounding area I live in (Evesham UK). I tried Ground2k again last night, the trouble is when I try to get the program to do what the tutorial shows..it don't happen :D You would not believe that such a small project ( the Airfield consists of 3 Hangers, some sheds and a wooden Cafe) could take so long, it's now becomea labour of love....I'm gonna have a go at central London next :D

[Guest pks1414]

Jim,I have had a thought about this, having looked through the various posts about this. Perhaps I am going about this the wrong way. The land that the real Airfield sits on is in the middle of farmland (There is an Aerial photo in multimap, Post Code B50 4PD) and I am now wondering whether I should simply create a flat area and blend in a new Poly to to reflect the field itself rather than draw a separate polygon in AFW etc.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/74594.txt

[Guest oldraisin]

Paul,FSSC could easily put down a flatten. If you needed an apron to eliminate some field lines or autogen then build that in FSSC also, and convert it to a VTP2 Poly with PolyB. If you use FSSC, be sure to go into Tools_Preferences_Settings_Export and check "keep intermediate files" so that it generates scasm files (sca). Then plunk down some objects you have built in AFW, or eliminate your polygon in AFW and save it as a new project and then relocate it over your new test area, call it experimental.I would suggest making yourself an experimental area, and keep your experiments in a scenery folder that you can turn off all at once in MSFS. FSSC should probably be in everyones toolkit because it is so darn simple, free, and well written. I have played a little with LandClass assistant, and that is simple with a short learning curve for doing large ares such as Carson City in the tutorial.After doing those things, you will probably have a better idea of what you want to do, and your options for doing it. My experimental area is a veritable junkyard of runways, buildings, vehicles, demos, polys, etc.Best regards,Jim

[Guest oldraisin]

Paul,As an aside, I thought you must live somewhere on the other side of the clock, I am in Alaska. But would you believe, my current scenery interest is the Scottish countryside, way up North. We are coming to UK this August with some relatives and doing the quick tourist thing, which is not really my favorite deal, but compromises must be made (I like the slow intensive touring style, hitting the pubs and small inns). Maybe I'll see my scenery experimental junkyard up near Dunreay as I motor by :-wave . I got interested in Scotland after doing part of a flight tour, and adding mesh, Scotflight scenery, etc., partly as a geography lesson. Maybe I'll get a chance to photograph some buildings and use them to build a small village or airport up there. This hobby never ends, but I have to learn to keep it fun, that programming stuff like PolyB is a little intense. Scenery is a little less demanding.Oh, and do central London by all means, that ought to be simple, neat, and brief. :-hah Regards,Jim

[Guest pks1414]

Hi Bob,I am completely stumped. I have followed the instructions in the 'beginners' tutorial but it seems different to the new version. I am not sure whether I am barking up the wrong tree, however what I am trying to do is place a large field for the base of a small airfield (co-ords N52.08.428 W001 50.853). That is where I start to get problems. I used slew to get to a top down view in FS9 and create the shape of the polygon from there. I use that as my bmp image. However I can't get G2k to accept NW or Se coord, a little box pops up saying searching but it does nothing. I will attach a few images so you can see what I am trying to achieve.I gotta be honest I thought Gmax was bad enough but this just seems so unclear, and yes it is very frustrating

[Guest oldraisin]

Paul,I got your .act file and there doesn't seem to be any problem with it, however, there are a couple of things.1. When you name polygons, replace the xxx with a descriptive name,such as PolyB_airfieldtop_095. By the way, the 094 texture you used for the bottom poly has a lot of trees and buildings in it. I think you thought it wasn't showing up, but it was. I am guessing you used the wrong texture by accident.2. Be sure to use a special folder for your scenery for this project. If necessary, make a new one just for the FS Architect files and the PolyB files. Then inactivate any other folders with scenery for this project3. I took the liberty of changing the textures, used 009 for the bottom poly and for a new polygon i made in the left corner. Then I used 125 for the top polygon. Then I made an airstrip skirt and used 095. I also used a flatten poly under the whole thing, to make sure every laid flat.I got your .act file and there doesn't seem to be any problem with it, however, there are a couple of things.1. When you name polygons, replace the xxx with a descriptive name,such as PolyB_airfieldtop_095. By the way, the 094 texture you used for the bottom poly has a lot of trees and buildings in it. I think you thought it wasn't showing up, but it was. I am guessing you used the wrong texture by accident.2. Be sure to use a special folder for your scenery for this project. If necessary, make a new one just for the FS Architect files and the PolyB files.3. I took the liberty of changing the textures, used 009 for the bottom poly and for a new polygon i made in the left corner. Then I used 125 for the top polygon. Then I made an airstrip skirt and used 095. I also used a flatten poly under the whole thing, to make sure every laid flat.Here is your original file without PolyB texutes, I just used grass.R8 from FS9 for the textures:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/75113.jpgOriginal file with your textures:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/75114.jpgMy idea of kinda what you want to do:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/75115.jpgFS Architect screenshot, note the naming of the polygons:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/75116.jpg

[Guest oldraisin]

Paul,There was a double entry with the three items, was having problems with uploads apparently due to the forum being too busy, managed to duplicate my text.Be sure to delete any old scenery relating to this project or inactivate your old work diretory in FS9Jim