The GeoConvert tool allows you to get your own aerial images into Aerofly FS 2. GeoConvert so far supports aerial images in WGS84 coordinates and PNG, TIF and BMP image format.
Important note: This tool is not a simple plug and play solution, it requires some work on your side and you need some basic understanding on how earth coordinates work. It's also your responsibility to obtain aerial images, GeoConvert does not perform this step for you. We have added some tutorials however that show you some ways on obtaining aerial images.
Aerofly FS 2 uses images with a varying coverage to render the earth. For this Aerofly FS 2 uses a level technique with different resolutions per level to render aerial images. At the base there is level 0. Level 0 consists of a single square image that covers the whole earth. This image would be used if viewing earth from very far away. Next is level 1. Level 1 consists of 2×2 images covering the whole earth. Then for level 2 we have 4×4 textures and so on. Aerofly FS 2 currently supports the maximum level of 15 which gives you roughly a resolution of 50cm per pixel.
Its recommended that your aerial images are converted to level 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14 to give a good coverage. Level 14 corresponds to roughly 1 meter per pixel. Please do not go below level 9 unless you convert a really large area with your images as Aerofly already includes those levels.
After you have downloaded the GeoConvert tool, unzip the ZIP file to any place you like, prefereably to a harddisc with enough free storage.
Here is the folder structure of the tool
aerofly_fs_2_geoconvert input_aerial_images // put all your aerial images you would like to use here scenery images // if GeoConvert was sucessfull you will find the Aerofly FS 2 compatible aerial images here images_raw shader_dx11 texture aerofly_fs_2_geoconvert.exe
GeoConvert cannot be started by its own, it must be called with a configuration file that tells GeoConvert what region it should create Aerofly FS 2 compatible aerial images. You can either open a console or the Windows Powershell or create a small batch file right next to the aerofly_fs_2_geoconvert.exe executable. Here is an example
.\aerofly_fs_2_geoconvert.exe your_config_file.tmc
<[file][][] <[tm_aerial_image_definition][][] <[string8][image][your_aerial_image.bmp]> // the image this configuration file refers to <[string8][mask][]> // optional alpha mask / GeoConvert also // supports Tiff images with alpha channel <[string8][coordinate_system][lonlat]> // the coordinate system of the image, currently // only lonlat is supported <[vector2_float64][top_left][-81.8330883979797 24.5659098029137]> // the coordinates of the top // left corner of this image <[vector2_float64][steps_per_pixel][3.57627868652344e-06 -2.68220901489258e-06]> // this tells // GeoConvert the pixel size in the x and y direction <[bool][flip_vertical][false]> // set to true if image is saved bottom to top > > >
<[file][][] <[tmcolormap_regions][][] <[bool] [write_ttc_files][true]> <[string8][folder_destination_ttc][./scenery/images/]> <[bool] [always_overwrite][true]> <[list][region_list][] <[tmcolormap_region][element][0] <[uint32] [level] [9]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_min] [-81.84 24.52]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_max] [-81.71 24.60]> > <[tmcolormap_region][element][0] <[uint32] [level] [11]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_min] [-81.84 24.52]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_max] [-81.71 24.60]> > <[tmcolormap_region][element][0] <[uint32] [level] [12]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_min] [-81.84 24.52]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_max] [-81.71 24.60]> > <[tmcolormap_region][element][0] <[uint32] [level] [13]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_min] [-81.84 24.52]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_max] [-81.71 24.60]> > <[tmcolormap_region][element][0] <[uint32] [level] [14]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_min] [-81.84 24.52]> <[vector2_float64] [lonlat_max] [-81.71 24.60]> > > > >