Airport Scenery, how do they do it

I was wondering if someone could shed some light on these airport sceneries fsdt, latvfr, taxi2gate, etc.... how do they make these airports, I just bought abacus ez scenery and I can't find any building in those libraries that even come close to the real thing, the jetways etc... be interested to know, thanks

 

scott

Are you asking about airport design tools?

I guess, im just curios as to how they do that with all the detail and life like structures, this ez scenery doesnt have that

As far as buildings are concerned these are made with a 3D modelling program such as Sketchup and turned into model files. These model files can then be put into library object files and placed in the airport. Some high end airports are largely made up of 3D models. Models have to be placed at the airport with something. I think EZ-Scenery can do this but I am more familiar with Instant Scenery which allows users to add buildings etc into the sim.

 

As far as the nuts and bolts of making the airport work are concerned then an airport design tool such as AFX or ADE are used to create taxi ways, parking spots and so on. ADE can also be used to place objects and create the approach code that is used when aircraft take off and land. Other tools can be used to create schedules for AI aircraft which populate the airport and bring it to life.

thank you for that info, so what programs would I need to do this, im looking at making retro airports from the 80's

I would suggest starting out with an airport design tool. AFX is payware. ADE is free. I have to declare an interest in ADE since I am the developer of that tool. If you want to try your hand at 3D models then you probably need to look at Sketchup and ModelConvertX to get your designs into FS. What version of FS are you using?

I use fs9

AFX does not work with FS9, ADE does. I am not sure about 3D models for FS9. There is an older progam for airport design called AFCAD that some folks still use. However it has not been supported for about 10 years.

 

I think ModelConvertX is for FSX and later. You might want to ask about this on the forums at http://www.fsdeveloper.com. The developer of ModelConvertX has a forum there.

I use FSX myself.

 

I had a quick look at ModelConverterX to be sure, cause I don;t use it often.

I made a copy of a model I once made, and put that on the desktop, then opened with MCX.

I then clicked "Export", and saw it gave a choice of:

"Export as FSX bgl file"

and:

Export as FS2004 bgl file.

 

I'ts all coming back. I created a few models a while ago. I used gmax for that.

The result was a few MDL files.

With MCX I first converted a few of those into .bgl files. Those you an place in scenery.

That worked fine.

 

I then used MCX to combine several MDL files into one .bgl file. A so called "object library".

With that object library installed in FSX I can now place the objects at any airport I want with ADE. (I had to make ADE aware of the new library as well of course.)

 

All that was done in FSX. However the .bgl files I made were sometimes FS9 files. Simply because I was still experimenting, and trying the different options in MCX.

As fsx doesn't complain if you use FS9 .bgl files that worked out fine.

 

ADEX for FSX requires that the SDK is installed. It needs parts of the SDK to be able to compile the new airports. I think ADE for FS9 is the same and needs the FS9 sdk installed on the pc.

 

ADE can make an airport in two ways.

1-you make the layout of the airport, and put all the placeholders of the objects where you want them. The airport file that gets compiled knows where the object go. But the objects don't get included int the airport file.

As the objects ARE already installed in your FS, they show up just fine.

 

2-The objects DO get compiled into the airport file.

 

Using option 1, you can make the airport using any objects you want and share the airport with others. As long as they have the same objects in their install of FS, they wil see them at your airport too. You don't include the objects with the file that you share. (It would be helpfl to tell in the install instructions what object libraries were used to make it. They are needed to have the aiport show up nicely.)

 

Using option 2 you can only include objects in your file if you made them yourself. (Or if you asked the makers of the objects for permission to include them.) Copyright and such.

 

Most airports that you find (in the file library for example) ar made using option 1.

Some of those are made with only the default FS objects. As they have placeholders for objects, anyone that has FS will have the objects installed anway, that works fine.

 

Some of the 'option 1' airports are made with other objects. You may see "must install "object library so and so to fuly enjoy this airport" in the readme.

Or for example:

"Must have OrBX PNW Pacific NorthWest and it's object libraries installed to use these airports."

 

 

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As an impression of what it looks like, ADE gives an overhead view of the airport. Like staring down at a map.

First step is to let ADE buld it's "Object Library" which is a list of all objects that are available in your FS install.

 

You can then for example right click in an area, and select "add Library Object here".

You the see ADE's Object Library list, select the object you want, and select the relative size you want it to show up at.

Once placed you can still move th object by dragging, and rotate it. Or right-click the object, and select "Edit Object" to change the relative size.

 

At the top of ADE you see a bar with menu's and buttons to easily lay down runways, taxiways and such.

Example. Select the "taxiway" button, click somewhere in the map, drag, relaese, and a bit of taxiway is created. click on the end, drag some more, and more is layed down.

 

 

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There are quite a few object libraries in the Flightsim.com file library.

I tried to look a few up, but can't find the right keywords somehow.

One 'keyword' I remembered: Sidney Schwarz

He created many object libraries you can download and install into FS. I think they're all listed as FS9.

Just type Sidney Schwarz as search term. By reading descriptions you'll probably find some keywords too.

 

Actually, just typed: ez scenery

in the D drive of my pc, and found this convenient textfile:

 

FS2004 (ACOF) - FS2004 Scenery Objects

 

FS2004 EZ Scenery Librarys EXE

 

[ Download | View ]

 

Name: ez_1.zip

Size: 162,750,374 Date: 04-18-2010 Downloads: 27,320

 

FS2004 EZ Scenery Librarys EXE. Tired of dowloading scenery that's great, just to find out you need ten EZ Scenery objects to make the scenery work? Those days are gone. Here is the complete library in a easy to use execute file. All libraries are included; nothing to look for they are all here as of March 2010. Included files: EZ Scenery Libraries=All; Woodys Objects=All; Flags=All; Fly Tampa Statics=All; Rails=All; Jetways=All; plus dozens more, you need nothing--all inclusive package. Package by David Grindele.

 

 

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Almost forgot. While working in ADE, to be able to see what the object you are about to place looks like, you need to install the big thumbnail pack.

http://scruffyduck.screenstepslive.com/s/help_docs/m/20268/l/212964-how-do-i-add-a-big-thumbnail-pack-to-ade

thanks so much for the reply!!!

AFX does not work with FS9

 

AFX certainly does work with both FS9 and FSX, I use it almost daily with FS9 - as well as ADE of course.

ADE working in FS9 mode does not need an SDK. For FS9 (2004) Microsoft made the compiler freely available. In FSX they did not give it away and you needed to have a version better than Standard. FSX Steam Edition does not come with the SDK. Dovetail told us that they did not have a license to distribute it - which has always seemed odd. However an 'unofficial' alternative is to download the P3D v1.4 SDK from Lockheed Martin. I believe it is still available at no charge and is pretty much the FSX SDK.

 

However for FS9 none of that is relevant since ADE ships with the FS9 compiler.

Mea Culpa - I misspoke

thank you