Making Add-on Scenery for FS9/2004??

Devildog73

Devildog73

SOH Staff
Staff member
Hi guys, I am generally on CFS2 forums and have built a few missions here and there for CFS2.

I am now in Germany for the next 3 years and have to tell you all, I am disappointed with Microsoft's rendering of German cities and airports.

So, is it really, really, really difficult for me to learn how to make scenery for FS2004?

If not difficult, what tools do I need to get started?

Anyone willing to guide me along?

Thanks,
DD73
 
I'm sure the experts will be along shortly, I'm still very much at the dabbling stage so not the best person to give advice. But the first thing I'd suggest is looking at this site here, as there are a lot of freeware addons already available; I have a 'retro' install, in addition to my stock one, and needed good representations of the old RAF Germany bases - I've been able to find them all (bar one, if anyone knows where I can find Jever/Upjever I'll be ecstatic).

In terms of how difficult it is? A lot easier than it used to be, due to the advent of object placing programs like RWY12, EZ-Scenery etc; with a lot of standardised object libraries available (hangars, buildings, equipment etc) you can put together a representative scenery relatively simply.

One essential site to bookmark is http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/index.php, you'll find pretty much all the tools you need there; but, like I said, I'll let the scnery gurus advise you as to which tools are best for you.
 
I'd love to know how to place decent ground textures, either photo-real or tiled/whatever like the UK2000 scenery. I did try looking but to no avail. I'd love to complete a scenery project that I started in my old CFS2 days, RNAS Sparrowhawk/Hatston. Great for Skua, Roc, Swordfish, Tarpon, etc. Infact, the streets that now occupy the site in the industrial estate carry the names of these historic planes. I never got it finished in CFS2 as gremlins prevented it from working right, plus the coastline isn't quite right, even after importing the FS9 coastline.

Jamie

PS. I spent some time creating the scenery and a mission for Jed's Skua, historical and harder than they madeit look in reality. (they soon learned their lesson at a latter similar attempt).
 
JDTinballs said:
I'd love to know how to place decent ground textures, either photo-real or tiled/whatever like the UK2000 scenery. I did try looking but to no avail. I'd love to complete a scenery project that I started in my old CFS2 days, RNAS Sparrowhawk/Hatston. Great for Skua, Roc, Swordfish, Tarpon, etc. Infact, the streets that now occupy the site in the industrial estate carry the names of these historic planes. I never got it finished in CFS2 as gremlins prevented it from working right, plus the coastline isn't quite right, even after importing the FS9 coastline.
Click to expand...

Have you tried Tileproxy? It can be tricky to set up; but when it works, it works good; final results dependant on the source of your arial photographs. Definitely one of my favorite add-ons; main downsides are no night textures, it turns off autogen scenery, and no seasonal textures. But it is great for flying low and slow, and playing "virtual tourist."

-James
 
Well, for one thing, there's already a LOT of nice freeware scenery. Just go to Flightsim and Avsim, drop down to FS2004, and type in Germany. There's landclass, cities, airports and vfr objects. If you want to spend a few bucks try UT Europe and a Berlin by Aerosoft iirc. If you want to spend more than a few bucks there's VFR Germany also from Aerosoft I think. You can get mesh from FSGenesis by the piece or sign up for a year and get it all.
 
jhefner said:
Have you tried Tileproxy? It can be tricky to set up; but when it works, it works good; final results dependant on the source of your arial photographs. Definitely one of my favorite add-ons; main downsides are no night textures, it turns off autogen scenery, and no seasonal textures. But it is great for flying low and slow, and playing "virtual tourist."

-James
Click to expand...


James,

no I haven't. For two reasons, I love the autogen and my net speed is painfully slow due to my location (a whole 4 miles from the centre of the oil capitol of Europe!! Only a mile or so from the edge, airport and 3 miles from the exchange).

I really just wanted to add a square mileorso under my scenery, try and make it look nice. I had figured GMax or FSDS was maybe used.

Jamie
 
Hi, if i was starting from fresh, i'd jump in and learn some of the all-in-one scenery programs like Airport Design Editor (ADE).
at the moment in using a mix-match of programs ive collected over the years, Afcad, G2K4 for flat areas and ground polys,a buggy and irritating program sometimes but ive just got the hang of it so i'll stick with it, Excbuilderv2 for excludes, an easy, simple and usefull tool, and EZscenery, a payware program for placing objects, but there are some freeware alternative's out there like Runway12, too take advantage of all those great freeware objects out there, including the ones i make myself with FSDSv3,
But like i say, juggling these programs can be a hassle and i long for a simple life.

As a quick tip, id seriously recommend getting the hang of Afcad first, ever just tweaking the look of stock airports ( esp with programs like google earth ect ) can make a world of differance in your FS9 world.
What ever road you decide to go down, enjoy yourself and be careful, it can get addictive :mixedsmi:
cheers ian
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top