FS Project

M

middle

Charter Member
For a long time I've been flyin around in FS9 and for the most part it suits me fine. However, there are two things that continually bug me and i'm thnikin' I'd like to try and do something about it. These two things are the bridges and certain water characteristics . In the US in particular, the bridges are just crazy. Especially in big cities. So, I'd like to start with an area and fix it then ,ove on and post them as I do them. Only problem is I need to know how to exclude the old bridge and how to move the remaining ones around so they fit right. Is there a couple tools to do this? This is a task that may take a very, very long time....what the heck! Maybe some folks will join in and volunteer to do small areas.

The other thing I would like to improve are some of the places in lakes and rivers where the water is at several levels. I'd like to simply place waterfalls in rivers and streams and lakes wherever the water levels abrubtly drop. It may be realworld inaccurate but it sure would look a lot better, IMHO. Once again, I don't know how to do this so if I can be pointed in the right direction for the tools and know-how, please point me. Thanks, middle
 
That update does fix numerous issues and for what it's worth is a good thing to do. Otherwise, even with free and payware addons there is no end to the potential water falls you could put in. More power to you but the bridge thing might keep you occupied for a long time by itself. But there are some significant drops out there that would really benefit from a little whiz-bang. I've been using a flatten tool to fix some weirdness on my game (making some too), see posts on 'crack in the world' and 'need to flatten some airports'. Happy scenery'ing.
 
The way I understand the 9.1 and bridges, it only added missing bridges. By the way John, the update not only addresses a few scenery issues, but some performance problems as well. I seem to remember the original having "memory leak" issues or some such and a few other things that the update addresses. It's step # 2 on every re-install I do - right after the initial bone-stock install from CD.
 
I'm bumping this in the hopes that a scenery expert will advise me on what tools to acquire to do some bridge modification work and to install waterfalls where there are none....preferably freeware. I'd still like to attempt this project in the wee hours. I need to know how to remove some objects(mainly bridges) and also how to adjust them for a better fit using FS Genesis mesh.
 
Don't ask me, I'm no expert. But I'll try to make it by tomorrow to point you in the right direction. Remind me later, just in case I forget...:sleep:
 
Thanks, Meshman...I'm looking forward to it...I have to go get a tooth pulled today but will check in later on.
 
I'm watching this thread with interest. I've noted in some cities I see what look like little pyramids that are made up of water - the London stock scenery in particular really stands out. I suppose this is a mesh problem as well?

BTW this is after the FS9.1 install.
 
middle said:
...I have to go get a tooth pulled today but will check in later on.
Click to expand...

OUCH! :isadizzy: Hope it doesn't hurt too long after the visit.

Disclaimer: I stopped really doing anything in FS9 when FSX came out. So the advice might be OK and there might be a few bugs scattered about.

I used SBuilder for my work and use SBuilderX for FSX work. You can get the complete download package at FS Developer; http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/downloads.php?do=cat&id=5 You can find some tutorials about installing and working with SBuilder here; http://www.scruffyduck.org.uk/scenery/tutorials.html

There are (were?) other programs that worked with FS9, such as Ground2K, SceneGenX and others. The names are a bit hazy from that far back. What I liked about SBuilder was that it could do most everything I wanted, but it has a little learning curve and one must accept the developers methodology.

Exclusions can be simple, once the process is understood and the "bug" recognized that lives in FS9. Exclusions are rectangles, based upon a due north heading. Draw a box, select what to exclude, compile and copy the BGL file to FS9. FS9 does not allow an in-sim refresh of the scenery, like FSX, so if there is tweaking involved it entails starting FS9, check your work, exit FS9, modify the work, compile and copy the file, restart FS9 and check the work. Some times over and over again! But FS9 always loaded pretty quick, best I recall.

FS9 has a SLEW mode and is a preferred (IMO) manner of doing work. Press the "Y' to enter slew and press the Spacebar to face north. The letter "Q" takes you up, the letter "A" brings you back down. I used a tool called Finney Crosshairs by Gary Finney for accurate work and it should be available at Avsim.

SBuilder will allow you to make exclusions for objects, like bridges. When making an exclusion I always used EXCLUDE ALL OBJECTS, as FS9 has a bug where once it read a certain exclusionary process in a file, any different exclusionary process would not process. So you couldn't make an exclusion for ALL OBJECTS and have a EXCLUDE SCENERY OBJECT later in the file. I just went with ALL OBJECTS. FS9 is different from FSX, in that autogen trees and buildings could be excluded like other scenery. In FSX they are treated and processed in a different manner and compiler. So watch the size of the exclusion box, as it may end up taking out more than you want.

SBuilder will allow you to place objects, like bridges. Some objects are a part of files that SBuilder comes with and for the adventurous, more objects can be added by editing a text file or two or three. SBuilder will allow you to place Effects, like waterfall effects. But that is going to be a lot of trial and error. First you need to find a suitable waterfall effect and then see if it works in the area you want to place it. Otherwise, you can try to edit the effect. That's going to be fun... FSX has a visual tool to modify effects and it's still a pain in the rear-end.

That should start as a primer. I'll try to peek in every so often to see how things are going, or not? :kilroy:
 
Thanks, Meshman...I just downloaded the tool and tutorials...now I have some studying to do. Nah, the tooth don't hurt anymore. I now hav 8 left and they are all gonna go bye bye on the 17th of this month...now, that's gonna hurt a bit but afterwards I will have brand new pearly white choppers. I'll keep posting on this thread as I learn what to do...thanks again.

SS101, I don't know about the pyramids but I do know that where there are water cliffs I would much rather see some waterfalls/ rapids type thinmgs
instead of the cliffs even if in reality they don't exist. For instance ther are a couple of places in the grand canyon on the River that are "steps" and I think it will look very cool with falls instead.
 
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