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There is a new program from Germany that can collect maps parts 256x256. It's renaming the jpg file into usable coordinate that make it possible to assemble the parts to a 4096x4096 tile for fu3 also.here is the link: http://www.g-daehling.de/fs2004/modules.ph...=Content&pid=10The program makes BGL sceneries for FS9 and FSX but for FU3 you can omit this step and pic all jpg files from block 15, convert it to tga using IfanView batch process and then for the next step I take my old MegaPatch program from 2003 back and make a MegaPatch2 that can assemble 256x256 parts to a full picture. After that just resize to fit FU3 tiles, may be rotate a bit, cut and convert using GenBinTile.exeThis way you can buld about 4 or more tiles in 1 hour :-) MegaPatch2 is here in the zip. Have fun with new regions:-waveAndre

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Andre,Wow! That's cool ;) I downloaded the FS9 one - I assume that's the one, not the FSX one. I will get into it shortly but I would like to finish some Sanfran bridges for Chris - and I haven't finished the DR-1 for Jim yet:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/187322.jpgThis has taken longer as for some reason, it won't run with more than 1899 polygons, not 1999 :-( I have no idea why, but I've cut it back to 1897(!) and still retained some sanity! I still have to do the F4 and crash models. How is the AN-2? I'm looking forward to some Ranger Creek approaches in it ;)I have been using the new Resviewer but I have found one problem - the name file. This is the one that has 2 items - one is the name and the other is the description. In the DR-1 it is file #83 but this varies. I can edit it OK in v1.32 - or export and reimport as a hexfile, but even just clicking on file #83 in v2.00 causes a CTD! I found this out because I have a script to build the new DR-1 but when I ran the script in v2.00, I got a CTD. So, I removed lines from the script file until it worked and it was the name file causing the problems ;)There is also another problem in that you have to readjust the lower pane on each file. It would be better for it to at least display the file details, instead of having to manually readjust it at each file ;)Oh, and I can't paste the contact point boxes into the efile because I've already hit the polygon limit. Maybe I should eto3ds.exe > Anim8or and try that? Only problem is it reverses the texture order :-rollRegards,Jon Point

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Andre,Would I be able to extract images from Google Maps with this piece of software ? I have always been keen to see the San Francisco region extended, and the quality of the aerial photos of the San Francisco Bay area is excellent.EDIT: Ah, it seems that this is exactly what this software does. Very interesting. I assume that I would need to know the exact corner coordinates of each tile (including the existing region boundaries), so that I could get a perfect match for the edges ?I have absolutely no experience whatsoever as far as megatile creation is concerned, so I would need to know about all of the tools that are required.What about terrain elevation ? How do I get that data ? Which version of this image extractor tool do we download ? The FS9 or FSX version ?Those screenshots look awesome. In my opinion, there is now no excuse for future versions of MSFS to have generic scenery. Those images show what a modern flight simulator should look like, although I would prefer any extension to the SanFran region in FU3 to match the existing look as closely as possible.


Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

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Hi Jon,Mail a copy of the DR-1 to me please, just as is so I can check the file using the debugger.I have nothing to readjust with my screen setting -?- send or post a screenshot to demonstrate the problem please.Aaaah ... the polygon count :-hah :-hah You have to use a simplified model to integrate the air physic parts.I am working on a bin export to E or COB format.One version will create a simple outline of the plane using just 1 material 50% transparent grey.This reverse conversion is very tricky and I am still working on it.COB export was done by Gideon, same as in the ModelView export.COD to 3ds is done with 3D Exploration. I just change the export option to make this kind of export possible - for ANY SIZE :-) No more problem as with bin2E and I want to generate back the axle and lights also.You can use the LOD1 model to see the contact points also.This converter problem has stalled the AN-2 also and now there is a new additional task with Maps2BGL :-)Maps2BGL:It's you choice if FS9 or FSX. This is important for the second and third step only because they generate a ready to use FS scenery.We use just the first step and the 15_ files only.May be we can modify step 2 to build FU3 tiles :-) :-waveAndre

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Hi Chris,Don't care about FS9 or FSX we need just the pictures in the tilescashe folder and just the 15_ one the other are for the scenery border of FS.You will need GIMP and MegaPatch2, GenBinTile is in the Seattle conversion pack.All elevation can be done as shown with Seattle region by NASA SRTM data.To avoid copyright problems we can't distribute finished tiles but each user must generate the tile for himself. There is no problem to distribute a region kit containing a needed data and tiles generating procedures - as demonstrated by Maps2BGL or the Tile proxy project for FSX. We don't distribute pictures but just FU3 data and tools.We can start a SanFran conversion project if you want.:-waveAndre

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Can I put my 'dibs' in for doing Western WA?Now, I can't remember what this does to flight plans and AI. Right now, there is a huge OT 'buffer zone' between regions. What happens if we back another region onto an existing one? I remember some trick for getting ILS from Seattle to Sanfran but it's been so long, I can't remember it ;)And yes, I'll cut holes all through the fuse and wings to lose some polygons for the contact points ;)Regards,Jon Point

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Andre,I'm certainly not interested in converting the entire region. That would take far too long, and involve too much work with all of those scenery packages. As it is, I would think that any extension to the SanFran region would be a large project, since if I decided to do it, I would also want to create some new airports, and add even more scenery packages !I will think about it.


Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

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The Google Earth browser crashes to desktop on my PC. (I just sent you an email and then figured this might be an issue to share on the forum)It could be my old and trusty Voodoo 5 5000 that I once bought to run FU3. The Google FAQ lists video cards / drivers as the main issue when it won't work. I'm running Win 2000 and the latest available DirectX.Has anyone else here got problems launching the Google Earth application? It would be interesting to learn whether it works for other owners of a Voodoo video card. If this card is incompatible I'll have to postpone spinning the Google Earth for some time and just look at the web browser based maps.Hans Petter

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H-P,Have you tried switching between the defgault OpenGL and DirectX renderers? GE gives you a choice of DirectX, OpenGL or "safe mode", whatever that is. My ATI card works fine with either setting, however, the images look slightly better in DirectX, probably due to the FSAA and AI settings.By contrast, I HAVE to use OpenGL on this here laptop, as the Intel graphics are very slow on DX *:-* Also, my line speed here can slow down a bit, so I use smaller maps.The settings here are my laptop settings, which are pretty maxxed-out on this D630. On the home PC, I use 'large detail', anisotropic filtering and DirectX (and it looks better and is faster...):http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/187397.jpgJust try changing the settings ;)Regards,Jon Point

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Why are you still using a Voodoo graphics card ? That technology is as old as Stonehenge.


Christopher Low

UK2000 Beta Tester

FSBetaTesters3.png

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I never saw that config menu since the application crashed while it was trying to launch. But then I discovered the options of choosing DirectX or Open Glide in the start menu. I tried both and neither worked. After this I rounded up older versions of Google Earth at FileHippo. I tried version 3. It worked somehow in that it didn't CTD. However, the maps were all garbled and didn't match the continent outlines of the globe. I got an outline of North America with various map textures scattered around. I even recognized the Baja California peninsula east of the US, somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. When I entered a location the globe turned and the application zoomed in to a point of interest mark on a light blue canvas. Then I tried version 4 and it provided the same kind of performance in DirectX mode (total nonsense but no crash or freeze) and a freeze when I tried Open Glide.In any event, there's a plethora of versions and many of them are in beta. Usually, beta doesn't vouch for stability so I wanted to try older versions and shy away from beta. While nothing works it seems that the older versions are a tad closer to being compatible with my system.regards,Hans Petter

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I use it for two reasons: 1) It was originally purchased through EBay and shipped from Canada because it was supposed to be the best card for FU3, another item that's as old as Stonehenge :-)2) My computer goes back to the previous century and I have been planning an upgrade for years. I keep postponing the upgrade for another two reasons: 1) It's quite surprising how well this old rig works. It got new drives and more system ram a couple of years ago and that's it. I haven't been stopped in doing anything I want to do yet but sometimes the processes take a bit longer. Sure, most kids have computers that are three times as powerful and use them for what?2) A new computer should provide a major increase in performance. Thus, when I upgrade I want to REALLY upgrade. If I'd be chasing after the latest hardware all the time I'd be busy reinstalling everything way too often. And, I'd spend too much money :-)Right now it's car insurance, rent and electricity bill. Maybe next month...regards,Hans Petter

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Hi Guys,(Yep, rumours of my demise are definitely premature):7 Andre, I downloaded this and gave it a spin (after finding my way through the German), but it didn't seem to work real well for southern hemisphere.I'll have another look at it sometime. If it did work OK it would be terrific, in fact I was thinking of trying to cobble something similar together, but nowhere near as flash.Jon, have you given NSW a try yet? How are the lights coming on?Cheers, :-wave Bruce H

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Bruce,"Jon, have you given NSW a try yet? How are the lights coming on?"Um, er, lights. Yeah, I only got real happy with the N2s, but I should revisit it. The real problem was light - like sunlight. My flat is quite bright during daylight and I can't see anything useful in night scenes. This meant that I got little done over the Xmas break. This job requires long periods of darkness... Ah, the end of daylight saving :-roll Have you made any changes to LG2(3?) since we last spoke?As to NSW, I still had some problem with it on this PC (i.e. crashed on startup) but it was a bit 'full' at the time. Now I have offloaded about 10GB to DVDs, I should be able to do some more playing. I suppose I could also back-up my reference copy and tinker with that, since it became the only US version on my PC ;)Sorry for my distractedness there. Is that a word?As for this new map thingy, the German threw me a bit too, but I didn't get far yet 'coz I have too many other distractions :-lol Regards,Jon Point

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Jon,You have to watch that distractedness. Can be nasty if it sneaks up on you when you are unawared.:-roll CheersBruce H

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