Send in the SeeBees

[gavinc]

We need a bit of construction work done.

While Rhumbaflappy's new Mesh and Waterclass have completely changed the way CFS2 looks (for the better) there are a number of airfields that need a bit of help.

Some of them just need a bit of work with the GSL editor (ie Buka) but others need some serious landfill (Emidj for example).

I know that a lot of these bases are horribly out of position and dedicated hardworking people like Pen32Win are re-building and re-positioning them as fast as they can but....

in the mean time is there some tool that an idiot (ie me) can use to put a bit of land back around these bases so that we have somewhere to land?

Would Ground2K do the trick?

Thanks
Gavin

 

[hellcat44]

I postponed install of his waterclass for that simple reason ...deactivation might be your best solution for now?

 

[Jean Bomber]

Hi all

Ground2k v4 do the trick ...

http://www.avsim.com/
in fs2002 utilities
ground2k_v4_0.zip
"generates bgls for CFS2 - adds VTP1 polys filled with generic texture - lines for CFS2 (build with VTP1 polys) - modification of the graphical interface for lines/polygons - FSUIPC connection : locate the airplane on the map - and more (see documentation) "
and
"the needed Dll and ocx for Ground2K V4.0"
Ground2K_V40_Dll.zip
you need install the both
read inside the G2k folder Ground2K_Fr.doc or Ground2K_US.doc it's not a tuto but it explains the functions
visit the sander de Coq site:
http://combatfs.homeip.net/
there are tutorials and explanations about g2k and cfs2 ,the automated process the autocoast way,and the old method that Sander doesn't advise to use... but I advise to look for this way not for make Lod5 sized scenery but for some smallest area lod8, lod 6,this process stay always available and more accurate but more slow
print and read SC_CFS2_Ground2k_tutorial1.5.pdf

another tuto not for cfs2 but for fs2002 but also very instructive you can also read it
ground2k_for_beginners_121649
Flight Simulator 2002 - Scenery Design
"This short user guide is meant for beginners, and presents some basic concepts concerning Flight Simulator terrain, and a step-by-step explanation of some of the principal functions of Ground2K."
Read also ,it's technical but that explain when we talk about lod cell area etc.....
Christian Stock's TMF manual.pdf ,tmf_manual.zip

Rhumba's lwmtut.zip in avsim file library
"LWM Tutorial.doc A FS2002 and CFS2 LWM design tutorial that will help in the creation of the following TDF file types for FS2002:
water, mesh-clinging water, land, and FS2002 flattens."

the Rhumba's tools that help
TCalc2004 Version2 ,it help to have the accurate coords ,altitude and heading ,give also your position in the FS's lod13 lod8 lod5 etc....
http://www.scenery.org/design_utilities_e.htm
I don't remember where i got them
LEC_CFS2.exe
,used to have the different lod size boundaries,
and CellGrid2
,that make lod8 grid bgl for cfs2 very useful for the accurate placement of landclass lines etc....

I hope that will help to start for who wants to make g2k sceneries


JP

 

[Blue Devil]

We need a bit of construction work done.

While Rhumbaflappy's new Mesh and Waterclass have completely changed the way CFS2 looks (for the better) there are a number of airfields that need a bit of help.

Some of them just need a bit of work with the GSL editor (ie Buka) but others need some serious landfill (Emidj for example).

I know that a lot of these bases are horribly out of position and dedicated hardworking people like Pen32Win are re-building and re-positioning them as fast as they can but....

in the mean time is there some tool that an idiot (ie me) can use to put a bit of land back around these bases so that we have somewhere to land?

Would Ground2K do the trick?

Thanks
Gavin

Emidj, ...the seaplane base?!?...

 

[gavinc]

CoastlineMaker?

Thanks Jean Bomber,
I thought that might be the answer.

Do you know if Coastlinemaker http://flightsim.computing.dundee.ac.uk/fsirmuti.html#CLM can be used to create CFS2 compatible BGLs?

It looks a bit easier than Ground2K

Thanks again
Gavin

 

[Jean Bomber]

Salut Gavinc
This program seem to be used for fs2002 and fs2004 and the VTPlines ,roads beaches etc.... are in VTP2 format in these games, in cfs2 the lines are vtp1 format and Coastlinemaker seem not be compatible with cfs2 ,and the source to draw the scenery seem to be a screenshot from the game to make a kind of correction in a mapping (from fs8 fs9) that we know as inaccurate .
Ground2k is,if I've missed some others..???, the only scenery tool that allow to draw vtp1 lines handly or automated with sdc's autocoast ,and the interest of ground 2k is the use of a background bmp pic that can be a very accurate map like ours IGN map, a google screenshot with nw/se coords ,a srtm and swdb bmp from satelite datas,an old WWI WWII army map ,twined or more used as layers with psp to make one bmp etc...any scaled source maps where you can identify the accurate coords of a NW and SE points to use it in G2k ,that is finally flexible .The interest of cfs2 is that ,as you have seen recently...,there is no default flattens ,inconvenient that give the advantage to use the real world mesh and the possibilty to change the ground with the real landclass ,size ,boundaries and elevations for any location in the world.
Guided with the tutos the use of g2k is not so difficult that it seems ,even if the tool have sometime some weirdies, that give to save often the current works,the experience will fix these....G2k allows also to add various custom vtp1 lines most than only the four defaults cfs2 lines and this point is for us not negligeable .

et ....:soccer: Allez l'OM !

JP

 

[rhumbaflappy]

The default coastlines ae generally more mislocated than the new watermasks.

Simply go the the same exact location in Google Earth, and you be surprised where the Aces put the default airfields.

Midway is a great example. The watermasks I made, and Google earth agree on locations, but the airfield sits half in the water.

So until someone remakes the default airfields accurately, and makes new accurate local watermasks, the problem will remain. Painting new ground under the mislocated airfields makes no sense... the airfields and GSL are wrong. You might just as well use the default masking... and that's fine if positional accuracy is not important for you.

The good news is the mesh should be, for the most part, good for either the default scenery or for the new watermasks.

These watermasks are coivering about a third of the earth, and were made semi-automatically. Of course there are errors, as the coastlines were decided by the mesh.... and a zero ( or near-zero ) elevation meant water to the program. In some areas the accuracy is great. In some areas it's bad. In no areas is it worse than the default.

Better watermasking will solve the coastal problems. Only remaking the airfields will solve their locational problems.

This is all very old info for Flight Simulator fans. A whole industry has popped up supplying better masking, mesh and airfields to the masses. Unfortunately for CFS2, our format differs a bit from FS2002, FS2004, and FSX. So we can't just buy ther products, and plug them into CFS2. And there are so few CFS2 users, it isn't economical to sell better scenery to the crowd... you'd be getting about $0.02 per hour for your work.

Most CFS2 simmers don't even know how to install scenery, muchless make it. Right now there's only 2-3 active scenery designers for CFS2. With time, there may be more DETAILED watermasking, lines, and airfields. But this is a long process. Look how long the pearl Harbor project is taking ( years ).

The short of it is this. The mesh should be OK for the default as well as the new sceneries. It's just SRTM with some added smooshing near the coasts. It should be better than 99% of what you could get for free or buy. LOD9 or greater detail would be a waste as it is only good for pretty sceenshots...the FPS will kill the sim in combat.

The new watermasks were somewhat experimental, and were meant as a base for future sceneries to sit on. These new sceneries would have better masking, lines and new airfields at the correct locations. Jean ( and 1 or 2 others ) are working on new sceneries that will correct the errors in the sim. These new sceneries will also override the new watermasking, at at the edges of the new sceneries, the new watermasking will look better than the default... because it has better positioning.

I can only defend the new watermasking in that at 10000 feet, I can recognize landmarks and island shapes... and that's a lot better than the default scenery.

Dick

 

[gavinc]

Wasn't complaining

Hi Dick,
I wasn't complaining about your watermask and mesh scenery (honest). I really like what it has done for the visuals in CFS2. I especially like the way your LOD 8 and water masks complement each other. If I keep on using the default masking then we get the "ocean crawling up a cliff effect"

I was only thinking that if I could (with a reasonably small amount of effort) create small additional areas of land to support those exist CFS2 bases that are now all at sea. I know that they are in the wrong place and once a base gets corrected then the land adjustment can be deleted.

It is just that 90 - 95% of the existing missions/campaigns are built around the default airfields and it is a little disconcerting to come into land on a base that has its back end hanging out in the middle of the ocean.

You don't need to defend your water masks (or your mesh) from me or anyone.

Gavin

 

[Skipsan]

Great job Dick! I see your defense as a wonderfully put summation off your cutting edge efforts to improve CFS2. Moving the Sim forward toward amazing outcomes still locked in our imaginations.

I thank you for you ground breaking efforts over the years and I'm looking forward of things to come

Skipsan