Beginner

[CliveMiller]

Hello,

I have recently become inspired to improve scenery in FSX and I am hoping that some of you might be willing to educate me. Looking around and trying a few things, it seems that there is a bewildering array of tools and issues to assimilate. I have little programming experience but have worked in the IT industry for decades and have been flying in the FS world since FS2000. Here are some specific questions I am trying to answer:

How does FSX display scenery objects exactly? Perhaps you can help me fill in the gaps.

I know that bgl files are complied from a list of objects together with there display criteria. This is readable in the xml file that is sometimes provided with bgl files. I have used SDE to decompile bgl files. I have reviewed and edited contents and recompiled the updated xml and observed the results in FSX. It seems that some bgl files only contain GUID references to other files that presumably contain the model data. Some contain both GUID references and model data.

I have seen references to mdl files. How do these fit in?

I have yet to begin designing my own models. Gmax or FSDS seem to be the design tools that are most often spoken of. Which design tool is best for a beginner?

How does the model call the texture? Is it possible to see what texture file or files a model requires?

There are clearly some incompatibilities between bgl files compiled for FS9 and FSX. Confusingly, some seem to work well while others have problems. Are there any definitive guidelines or tutorials?

I have used the SDK Mission Builder to create scenery using library objects. While the interface seems to be better than other tools, in that you can place objects precisely using the mouse, it doesn’t seem to work consistently. Sometimes it will display objects and sometimes it won’t. Sometimes the objects can be placed with the mouse and sometimes they can’t. Can you help me understand what is happening?

In frustration, I have bought Instant Scenery which seems to work very well accept that you can’t place objects using the mouse. Instant Scenery seems to find everything regardless of whether it is a library bgl or a object bgl. I am using the term ‘object’ bgl to describe those objects that contain positioning data. How does FSX know what is a library file and what is an object file?

It seems that FSX creates a new object database every time something in it’s registered directories changes. Is there any way to see what it contains?

Traffic seems to be controlled by bgl files but those I have tried, can’t be decompiled in SDE. Is there a utility in the SDK or a third party application that helps set up traffic scenery?

I run Horizon GenX V2 UK scenery. I believe that autogen or .agn files can be created and placed in the GenX directories so that objects can be displayed. Are there any tools or tutorials that help with this?

I have asked a lot of question and will be grateful if you can answer any of them.

Clive
clive@salessense.co.uk

[scott967]

Hello,

I have recently become inspired to improve scenery in FSX and I am hoping that some of you might be willing to educate me. Looking around and trying a few things, it seems that there is a bewildering array of tools and issues to assimilate. I have little programming experience but have worked in the IT industry for decades and have been flying in the FS world since FS2000. Here are some specific questions I am trying to answer:

How does FSX display scenery objects exactly? Perhaps you can help me fill in the gaps.

I recomend going to the avsim.com scenery design forum and going through the "beginner's quide". There are also a good number of scenery tutorials on that site. For Gmax in particular, I recommend fsdeveloper.com. There is also a site scenery.org with links to just about every scenery design tool ever released.

Now for your specific question:

I use the following taxonomy for fs scenery:
terrain
3d objects
airport facility data
environment
AI aircraft

each area has its own methods and tools. For 3d objects the main methods are compiled models (.mdl) with placement, and on-the-fly generic buildings defined with xml. In versions prior to fs9, there was also heavy use of procedural code written in a language called bgl for 3d objects. Much of this code was still usable in fs9, but for fsx it might run but MS strongly recommends using compiled mdls.

I know that bgl files are complied from a list of objects together with there display criteria. This is readable in the xml file that is sometimes provided with bgl files. I have used SDE to decompile bgl files. I have reviewed and edited contents and recompiled the updated xml and observed the results in FSX. It seems that some bgl files only contain GUID references to other files that presumably contain the model data. Some contain both GUID references and model data.

I have seen references to mdl files. How do these fit in?

In FSX 3d objects and airport facility data are generally created with compiled xml code. 3d objects are preferred to be compiled into a format called .mdl which is also used for aircraft models. The GMax SDK contains a gamepack which allows creation of .mdl format. The calls to materials/textures are part of this code. Tool developers have been discouraged from creating disassemblers for mdl files. There is also an SDK tool for converting x format models into mdl, so that other 3d tools which create .x can be used.

There are also generic buildings which are completely created by specifying parameters and textures within xml code.

Mdl files are compiled into bgl files with guid for referencing. Specific placement is done by separate xml code referring to mdls by guid. Mdls can be placed in libraries so they can be placed world-wide.

A second class of placement is via the autogen feature. Autogen allows multiple placements without having to explicitly create individual placements. Instead objects are tied to terrain elements so that placing terrain causes associated autogen to be placed as well.

A third class of placement is via airport facility data. Many types of facility data also provide visual scenery, and a couple of special objects, taxisigns and windsocks, are created in this method.

A forth class of placement is via missions.

I have yet to begin designing my own models. Gmax or FSDS seem to be the design tools that are most often spoken of. Which design tool is best for a beginner?

How does the model call the texture? Is it possible to see what texture file or files a model requires?

I'm not a 3d modeler and each tool has its devotees. I don't think either is trivial to pick up from scratch.

There are clearly some incompatibilities between bgl files compiled for FS9 and FSX. Confusingly, some seem to work well while others have problems. Are there any definitive guidelines or tutorials?

I would go to the sites mentioned previously.

I have used the SDK Mission Builder to create scenery using library objects. While the interface seems to be better than other tools, in that you can place objects precisely using the mouse, it doesn’t seem to work consistently. Sometimes it will display objects and sometimes it won’t. Sometimes the objects can be placed with the mouse and sometimes they can’t. Can you help me understand what is happening?

I think that object placement tool has its problems.

In frustration, I have bought Instant Scenery which seems to work very well accept that you can’t place objects using the mouse. Instant Scenery seems to find everything regardless of whether it is a library bgl or a object bgl. I am using the term ‘object’ bgl to describe those objects that contain positioning data. How does FSX know what is a library file and what is an object file?

The file header provides info on what is inside and pointers to sections for different types of data.

It seems that FSX creates a new object database every time something in it’s registered directories changes. Is there any way to see what it contains?

I've never seen anyone attempt to decode the scenery database.

Traffic seems to be controlled by bgl files but those I have tried, can’t be decompiled in SDE. Is there a utility in the SDK or a third party application that helps set up traffic scenery?

The SDK provides the traffic database builder, but users commonly use the fs9 ttools program and possibly convert from fs9 to fsx format using tool such as AIFPC.

I run Horizon GenX V2 UK scenery. I believe that autogen or .agn files can be created and placed in the GenX directories so that objects can be displayed. Are there any tools or tutorials that help with this?

SDK contains an autogen annotator tool for this purpose. Again go to the sites above. There is also a scenery design forum here, but it isn't as active.

scott s.
.

[CliveMiller]

Scott, many thanks. When I have sufficient understanding, I'll pass on your favour by offering answers to other questions in these forums.

Clive

[Flying Officer Jevans]

Just on the 3d modeling question, I have both Gmax and FSDS and while neither are exactly easy, FSDS is much easier for the beginner. It is not as powerful, but it automates the compiling process and is much esier to use. It is, on the other hand, not free. But well worth it.

[CliveMiller]

Thanks for the 3D Tools input. It really helps. I'm busy compiling an excel Catalogue of the default FSX objects and those from EZ scenery and RWY12 that work in FSX. Also a few other libraries I have collected.

The catalogue won't contain a full list. I am cross referencing each libraries content with a series of arbitrary classifications and using the Excel cell note function to highlight any rare or unusual items. It is for my own use to help find the type of objects I have in mind when creating specific local scenery using standard library objects. I am using Instant Scenery from Flight One Software.

If there is interest expressed in this or other forums, I'll upload it when I have it in a satisfactory state.

Regards
Clive