21 replies to this topic

[flyhalf]

Well this ground poly business is real tedious stuff let me tell ya. Especially the taxi lines which take AGES !  Getting the right concrete colours, the right asphalt, the right layers.

Not all the lines are textured yet and I still need to throw a dirt layer in there to roughen it all up, but it's heading in the right direction.

After that will come the lighting system, the afcad, the placement of hundreds of objects from cars to cones...... a long way to go ! At least all the 3D stuff is done.  

[Shamir]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    i wish i was as good as that  

[Goose]

Can you teach me how to do that? lol

that look amazing. Great job

[db07mufan]

shamir,

Ditto, me too wish i had skills like Max's. OMG those are simply amazing !!!!

[bigflyersmallbyer]

Looking good

[RIDZ_YSSY]

Looking great the exporting gets messy doesn't it lol. Another thing you have a sat image underneath right? set your texture transparency in gmax or what ever program you use to like 60% it has a very nice blend in effect.

Edited by RIDZ_YSSY, 28 September 2007 - 09:20 AM.

[flyhalf]

Yeah RIDZ, I'm working with a lot of alpha on the layers.

A couple of latest shots. Now got a crack layer on the asphalt and a tile layer on the concrete which kind of makes it look nicer. So that makes it 5 layers now. Last one will be a noise/dirt layer which will include the runway tyre/rubber marks.

[RIDZ_YSSY]

Thats looking extremely nice keep it up just one little thing i think you have the taxiway line layer wrong it should be above the runway markings.

[db07mufan]

flyhalf,

How many layers were used in your project? if its okay could you list them out too?

[flyhalf]

Got all the lines in one layer. Not enough numbering space to split them out, unless I go by two's. I suppose that's ok. At the monent I am going by 4's.

Current layering

Layer 4 Grass texture
Layer 8 Photo background with 50% opacity
Layer 12 Tarmac and concrete
Layer 16 Cracks, dirt etc.
Layer 20 Linework, Markings.

[Prash]

looks good mate!

the taxiway line is under the runway line, so bring that layer to the front

[flyhalf]

Still trying to get to grips with all the layering. The linework for the entire airport is too big to export in one hit - too many polygons for the compiler, so I export 3 or 4 areas separately to bgl's (eg Taxiways, aprons, etc, that all have layer 20). If that's the case, does FS load alphabetically ? and does that determine drawing order ?

[db07mufan]

flyhalf,

I havent got into layers in detail yet, does the layers need to be named in multiples of 4?

[flyhalf]

Not sure myself. I see over on fsdeveloper.com (where I learnt everything) it's "best practice" to go by fours. Not sure if layering by two's is a problem. Apparently you can't use 24 or higher as 24 is the FS default value and you get bleed-through.

[Katahu]

What tutorial or resource do you use to create that kind of effect in Gmax? I really like to use that trick on my Homestead Speedway Project.

[flyhalf]

You draw the shapes as polygons in Gmax and apply textures as normal. The difference is you operate on several layers to build up the different effects. The trick is when you compile. The FS2004 gamepack cannot do compile polygons correctly. You need to use the FS2002 gamepack to do ground polygons that show correctly without the dreaded flicker. See the wiki over at FSDeveloper.com for tutorials and info.

[John.]

I can never get the hang of making 3D models in Gmax   . I would love be able to create an airport with custom building but i guess I will have to stick with the Object Placement Tool and default objects.

Anyway... That edwards hanger looks good at Cosford!  

Keep up the good work,

Steve

[John.]

Just a quick question, How do you get the satalite scenery around the airport. I need to do this for my Coventry airport object Placement.

Great Work!

Steve

[flyhalf]

Doing the aerial/satellite image is the same as the other polygons. Simply create a ground polygon and apply a texture. You may have to split a large airport into a number of tiles (each being 1024x1024 pixels). The exporting part is a little tricky though and requires the FS2002 gamepack, not the FS2004 one.

Lining up buildings is easier. You just use the same aerial photo (or a survey, or even a map) as a background in Gmax and scale it correctly, then just lay your buildings over it.

Edited by flyhalf, 22 October 2007 - 06:53 AM.

[Katahu]

One question.

Can this method of scenery model account for changes in the terrain? For example: What if you model a ground polygon that's located at the foot of a mountain? Will the ground polygon automatically adapt or will it simply pass right into the mountain? Just a question.