aquila40

I've finally gotten SDK installed and started creating a mission. I can't figure out how to launch the mission compass and guide the pilot to a particular waypoint. I want to direct a pilot to an airstrip and descend to cross the strip rather than land on it (to check if the runway is clear of planes, bears, deer, etc.). I wonder if the Area Definition box is the way to go ... I'd like to have the dialog action occur a couple of NM from the strip. Thanks! This forum has been very helpful (thanks, Jim Robinson) in getting me into creating a mission!

Hi! Well, thanks to your help, I've been able to begin creating a mission, complete with audio. I'm now trying to figure out how to direct the pilot to a particular way point with a dialog action suggesting a descent to view an airstrip and have the compass in the upper left corner appear. The Area Definition is the only thing I've found that can trigger an aircraft's presence at a certain point. Anyway, I'll continue to plumb the depths of the forum in search of answers. Yours helped and encouraged me to try different things. Thanks, again!

Update: I checked the dll.xml and found that the SDK components were all Disable>TRUE<Disable ... so I enabled all of them and finally got the Tools option on the toolbar. What's a good way to check if it works? try a small, short mission? Your encouragement to continue searching for a solution was key! thanks, again!

Hi! keep the info coming! lol! I'm still not getting "Tools" on the inflight toolbar. My first install was to a non-default folder but, when things didn't work out, I went ahead and installed SDK to the same folder as the game (against your advice ..). I found an article on troubleshooting and it suggests that addons may be interfering - I have FSUIPC and AI Carriers. Also, the version of my Object Placement dll is 10.0.60905.0 9/4/06 - older than yours. My main interest is in mission planning so I hoping to get it up and running soon. I've been somewhat disappointed by the missions I've played (or tried to play) so far ... especially the ones requiring a specific aircraft - one aircraft was specific to the point of ".... - paint 4" in the title. Another objection I have is a mission that requires almost 2 hours just to fly from A to B. The best ones, I think, are short and require several stops. There are a lot of story missions by a prolific creator but I've never been able to figure out what the purpose is if the item to discover is so obscure. If more care had been paid to the mission part and not the context, they wouldn't be in my recycle bin. They look very interesting. So, my recycle bin is filled up with missions. I intend to use only default FSX aircraft so the pilot won't have to search for the aircraft zip which may no longer exist. Thanks, again, for the help. I'll keep trying.

I noticed that, among the files downloaded from the disks, is one titled "Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK" and identified as a "Windows Installer Package". I launched it and got some additional files, including the "overview" which I didn't get by doing "setup, sp1a, and sdk.msi". What is the purpose of this installer? When launched, it pops up a screen offering "repair or remove". Should I ignore it? So far, I've done the 3 installs and the dll.xml but the mission edit screen doesn't appear when I launch FSX. Any tips? Thanks, again, for your help (great blog)!

Wow! ... right to the core of the matter! Thanks, so much!

When I mount the FSX DVD #1, the installation screen pops up seeking permission to make changes in my computer. All I want to do is browse the disk so I select no and cancel the install shield. When I open Windows Explorer, I see the SDK folder but when I click it to open it, the computer seems to be searching the disk and it doesn't stop. My system is 64-bit Windows 7. It does this with the Acceleration DVD, too. Any and all help will be appreciated.

After installing tons of AI packages, I became frustrated by the persistence of default aircraft clogging the taxiways and adding nothing to my enjoyment. Using AIFP2, I opened the trafficAircraft.bgl and selected flightplans from/to my favorite airports of the moment (LGAV, ENGM) by identifying tail numbers of aircraft registered in the respective country (LN for Norway, SX for Greece). I opened individual routes with frequency less than 50% and changed it to greater than 50%. Then, I set my traffic frequency in FSX to less than 50% and have enjoyed not hearing "Orbit" or "World Travel" or "American Pacific" or encountering them on the taxiways. AISmooth doesn't seem to have any effect on the number of gorounds or sequencing approach so that aircraft can takeoff. I've encountered no problems so far and my enjoyment of AI has increased considerably. Barry, KSAN

I downloaded and installed AIFP and it's the perfect app for identifying and converting FS9 .bgl to FSX. I discovered that most of the WOA packages I downloaded have FS9 .bgl and I converted them to FSX and am wondering now how they'll function with the WOA models. I've also found that removing all the flight .bgl from Scenery/World/Scenery and leaving only the ship .bgl allow me to have all the boats moving. I also installed a pilotable ship to I can interact with the AI boats.

thanks for the info! I'd never thought of going only with FS9 in FSX. I did install AIFP and discovered that most of the f/p in the Woi packages are FS9 - so I converted them to FSX. I'm now wondering if the WOAI models will work with the .bgl. After reading the helpful info about making AI f/p, I think I might try to get some Olympic Air planes into the skies of Hellas. There's a lot of documentation to cover regarding the choice of models and textures and putting them all together with the f/p. Thanks, again!

I wasn't able to find any Greek AI aircraft in FSX AI Aircraft but I did find an Astra package in FS9 AI Aircraft that is supposed to work in FSX. I wonder how hard it is to make a "package" ... Thanks, again! Barry, KSAN

Thanks, so much! I always find the answers I need here! Barry, KSAN

I think Greece is one of the more interesting places to fly, whether GA or airline. In FS9, the amount and quality of addons relating to Greece were impressive. In FSX, I'm having a hard time finding scenery and AI packages for Greece. WOI has one - Aegean Airlines. It would be great to have Olympic Airlines and the smaller regional airlines for AI. I believe I've scoured all the available sites - fruit Stand, Aardvark, WOI, etc. as well as avsim and flightsim.com. suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks! Barry, KSAN

Well, I solved the problem! I tried a number of scanners (AITPack, FAS Scanner, FP_FS9_FSX) but had trouble launching and using them. Finally, I uninstalled over 50 AI Aircraft packages, removed the .bgl's from the Scenery/World/Scenery, and, voila!, boat traffic everywhere! I mainly wanted to use GreekAiShips (ferries serving the islands on a regular schedule) and I'm happily watching them depart Piraeus for Milos, Sifnos, and Syros! Your suggestions led me to sites and fora where I found all sorts of answers. Now, I'm going to try to load one AIA file at a time and see where the break-point is. Thanks, again! Barry, KSAN

Wow, just the insight I need! I did install a Greek ship bgl I downloaded and am not sure about the format of the f/p. I've had no problem with the aircraft so far. I'll remove the recently added ship traffic file and see what happens. Also, what would the name of the scanner be? It sounds highly useful! Thanks, again!!