I've been wanting to be able to both develop scenery as well as "fix" existing scenery for some time... seems like there are tools to do everything, but I don't know where to start.1) One of the first things I would like to do is to add a few large landmarks near my home airports; I am fairly familiar with 3d modeling and am certain I can pick up GMAX pretty quickly - but I can't find any info on how to actually get models built in GMAX into FS and placed accurately.For example, I'd like to build and place the USS Rancocas (in New Jersey) - I can build it... but how the heck to I get it into FS?2) Next, is there an easy (preferably WYSIWYG) way of correcting the positions of default MS scenery? Now that I'm using USA Roads, there are whole cities out of whack!3) Is there an easy wasy (WYSIWYG?) to add objects to existing scenery, such as tree lines and buildings around airports?4) Is there a way to add simple polygons to existing scenery? For example, an airport near where I live (Flying W in Lumberton, NJ) has an airplane-shaped swimming pool which is fairly distinctive - http://www.flyingwairport.com/I'd love to be able to make this and place it accurately...Sorry for all the questions! I have more, but I'll wait ;)CheersAndrew

Hi AndrewIf you have a look for Microsoft's "MakeMDL_SDK" in the net you will have a first idea how you can start with Gmax and FS...Then there are enough programs like FSSC which can help you further with the accurate object positioning...Regards Sakis

Visit http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/ , downloads, FS2004SDK and download the FS2004 BGLCOMP_SDK.exe, MakeMDL_SDK.exe, GMAX_SDK.exe and any of the other SDKs of interest.The GMAX sdk has several tutorials on building aircraft and scenery objects. You need to have GMAX1.2 installed prior to installing GMAX_SDK.W. Sieffert

>1) One of the first things I would like to do is to add a few>large landmarks near my home airports; I am fairly familiar>with 3d modeling and am certain I can pick up GMAX pretty>quickly - but I can't find any info on how to actually get>models built in GMAX into FS and placed accurately.Already answered by the ohters, you need to use the GMax SDK, which will produce a MDL and a XML file for you. With such a XML file you can then place the object in the scenery as well.>2) Next, is there an easy (preferably WYSIWYG) way of>correcting the positions of default MS scenery? Now that I'm>using USA Roads, there are whole cities out of whack!Not really. Most default cities are placed with landclass. This means that for squares of 1.2x1.2 km the type of texture is defined. This also means of course that you can not give the position super accurate this way. You can of course change the landclass files if there are very big faults. There are some tools to do this (none realy WYSIWYG).>3) Is there an easy wasy (WYSIWYG?) to add objects to existing>scenery, such as tree lines and buildings around airports?You can best use SceneGenX if you want to place a lot of objects (for one object here and there you can also use the XML code as GMax makes it). Once you have SceneGenX setup for a certain area you can place tree etc rather simple. SceneGenX is rather WYSIWYG, but it does not show the default scenery.>4) Is there a way to add simple polygons to existing scenery?>For example, an airport near where I live (Flying W in>Lumberton, NJ) has an airplane-shaped swimming pool which is>fairly distinctiveI think you can best makes this as a 3D object in GMax then. Another option would be to use VTP polygons (same sort as the default grass), you can make these with for example Ground2k4 or SBuilder.

Thanks all, I'll look into these.Andrew