Improving XP11 to be used as a tool.

System tested on: 4.3GHz, 16GB RAM, Nvidia 1080GTX, running in 4K mode.

This tutorial is using the C172 G1000 as a model, but it will improve the scenery and terrain recognition for other aircraft.

Note: Save all the files you may be altering before you do any thing.

Cockpit view settings to view L/R wing tips and part of cowl necessary if you want to learn / teach VFR flying.

Start Plane Maker.exe found in your X-Plane11 folder. Select from top menu: File>Open>Cessna_172SP_G1000.acf>Open Aircraft

Standard>Viewpoint>Long arm pilot's view point>2.60ft>Lat arm>-.60ft>vert arm>1.47ft

Exit>Click on X upper right

File>Save File>Quit

Scenery modifications to give you good VFR reference view points, Photoscenery using Ortho4XP, and better terrain recognition of hills, valleys, mountains.... using HD mesh, available at many sites for download. You may also want MisterX_Library and OpenSceneryX

Adding Photoscenery.

Note: Can be very storage intensive and time consuming.

DOWNLOAD AND INSTALLATION:

1) Download the latest version of Ortho4XP from here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cjjwu92mausoh04/AACt-QzgMRwKDL392K_Ux3cPa?dl=0 (126MB total as of current v1.20b version)

2) The current version is self-contained, so you do NOT need to download additional modules like Python, etc.

2) Extract the zip file in a folder

3) Open the newly created Ortho4XP folder, go to the "Install/Win64" folder, and install the VC++ Redistributables (you might get a prompt if your PC already has them installed)

HOW TO USE:

1) Open the "bin" folder and run the Ortho4XP exe ("Ortho4XP_v120b.exe" for the current version)

2) The condensed version for Batch processing: Chose / LClick on EarthTile map>Select Map Areas (Shift Left click) Select Build Maps> Build overlays winds> Back to Ortho4XP screen> select Base 17 OK (I use 18 for areas that I fly most ) Note: From 16 to 18 can be a 10X increase in file size), >select Source> Select Custom overlay Folder you want the scenery to go in>Back to Tiles Collection Screen> Select Batch Build.

2a) You can also do one Tile at the time if you know the coordinates, they start in the Lower Left corner.

Start / Open Ortho4XP_v120b.exe>Enter Lat> Long>Select Base source (I use USA_2 mostly),>Base zoom (I use 17 or 18, 16 may be accepable)>select Step 1 Build vector data (Important: Wait until The complete message shows up Done is Not acceptable)>select Step2 Build base>Wait for Complete>select step 2.5 Build masks> Wait for Complete (this may take longer time)>select step 3 Build tile (this takes a long time) The Tiles will be found in X:\...Ortho4XP\Tiles.

Note: Be patient it can take a long time, start with a less populated / smaller tiles / areas first, best to compile over night.

3) Choose the Latitude and Longitude of the tile you want to process (remember it's the latitude and longitude of the lower left corner of the tile, positive values are for North/East)

4) In the "Base source" entry, choose a provider for the orthophotos. Keep in mind the quality and availability of orthophotos varies for each provider. As of current version, the selectable providers are (the list is contained in the "Carnet_d_adresses.py" file):

"BI": Bing maps

"GO2", "GO", "g2xpl_8", "g2xpl_16": Google maps

"Here": Here.com

"Arc": Arcgis Online

"OSM: Openstreetmap

"USA_1", "USA_2": The National map (USGS) .......

5) Choose the "Base zoomlevel" for the Orthophotos

6) Click on "Step 1: Build vector data"; wait while Ortho4XP downloads and processes data, until the message "Completed in XXXsec" is visible on the right panel

7) Click on "Step 2: Build base mesh"; wait while Ortho4XP downloads and processes data, until the message "Completed in XXXsec" is visible on the right panel

8) Click on "(Step 2.5: Build masks)";

9) Click on "Step 3: Build Tile"; wait while Ortho4XP downloads and processes data, until the message "Completed in XXXsec" is visible on the right panel

10) Open the "Tiles" folder, you will find a folder named "zOrtho4XP_XX+XXX"

11) Move the newly created "zOrtho4XP_XX+XXX" folder to the "Custom Scenery" folder of X-Plane.

Note: Very important, after you move your zOrtho4XP_.. and the XP11_HD_Mesh.. files into your X-Plane11/Cutom Scenery Start the XPlane11 and stop at the screen where it give you the option to Quit, Select flight.. Exit / Quit, and look in your Custom Scenery folder for a file called scenery_packs.ini. Note: Save the file first.

It should look like this:

>>>

I

1000 Version

SCENERY

SCENERY_PACK Custom Scenery/MisterX_Library/

SCENERY_PACK Custom Scenery/OpenSceneryX/

SCENERY_PACK Custom Scenery/Global Airports/

SCENERY_PACK Custom Scenery/zOrtho4XP_ XX

If they are not there move them, otherwise you will Not see the buildings and other scenery from your simulator provider.

Restart your XPlane11, and you should see the new and improved scenery.

Setting up the Forward field of view in XP11.

Start / Run XP11>Settings>Graphics>Field of view>Lateral field of view and se tit to 95.16, I also have other settings but I use 4k resolution and you may have to see what your system can handle. If you are Not using 4K and or 95.16 field of view the R/L wing tips and Cowl view may not work for you.

Fixing the overzealous artist going mad, scratches and smudges.

I used the DX1bmp Bitmap monitor program and left the Alpha channel alone, and PhotoShop as editor. For the .png files after you modify and send the norm.bmp back to Dx1bmp you should save it as .tga, and after that you can use the PhotoShop or other editors to convert it back to .png.

File Location: X: ....\X-Plane 11\Aircraft\Laminar Research\Cessna 172SP

Files involved: "Cessna_172SP_G1000_prop_disc_2.png", I used dark Gray color to fill in the White and Red outer circles to eliminate the nasty red circles from the prop. I left the Alpha untouched.

File Location: X: ....\X-Plane 11\Aircraft\Laminar Research\Cessna 172SP\objects\instruments\garmin1000

"G1000_screens.dds" I filled in with Black multiple time to get all the smudges off, and left Alpha alone.

File Location: X: ....\X-Plane 11\Aircraft\Laminar Research\Cessna 172SP\objects

"glass_inn.dds" and "glass_out.dds" were a mess and can take a while to fix, but it's worth fixing for better view of the scenery and for your own sanity. The tint and scratches make the scenery / forward view look worse and seeing the scratches is not anything like in the real acft, that you normally see. I just filled in the Alpha and the norm / background, with Black. It takes a while to remove that trash.

After those mods I can try to enjoy the sim, and use it as a tool.

If you have any suggestions on how to remove the thump sound when the acft settles on the rwy, or to remove the smudge, intended to be a contrail? but looks like a bird just pooed on you, or about this Tutorial, post here.

If you want I can post some pics with before and after, but I can tell you it is a Huge difference. Next I will work on the Flight Dynamics, but the C172SP is not too bad as is.

Note: A number of users that I communicated with pointed out that there is NO night scenery, other than some airport objects, when you use the Photoscenery. You can Only use it for Day VFR. There may be a way around it but as described No night, for that you need to go back to the XP11 original set up / scenery.

Edit:

The last Note, above, no longer is valid.

See post https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?310579-Improve-your-Photo-scenery-in-XP11-using-transparency

on how to view the Pho scenery, roads, cars, through the XP11 data, the result being a more real looking environment.