Photo Story - adding scenery & cultivation to an airport in 7 layers

kenventions · September 3, 2018 at 8:14 AM

Layer #1 - add an airport using FSCloudPort ...

Layer #2 - use AeroScenery to add a level 9 tile of 2m resolution scenery ...

Layer #3 - use AeroScenery to add 0.5m high resolution scenery at the airport (2 small level 11 tiles) - noticeable near the airport ...

Layer #4 - use OpenStreetMaps and ScenProc to create some houses, buildings, plants, and lighting to cover the level 9 tile ...

Layer #5 - use OpenStreetMaps and ScenProc to create more variable height houses & buildings for the 10nm x 10nm area surrounding the airport ...

Layer #6 - use FSET and ScenProc to create 500,000 trees based on photoscenery for the 10nm x 10nm area surrounding the airport ...

And finally ...

Layer #7 - use OpenStreetMaps and ScenProc to create tall buildings in a small rectangular area along a tollway that passes by the right side of the airport ...

How-To Docs

Layer6 (Trees) How-To.pdf

Layer7 (Tall Buildings) How-To.pdf

FS2-Florida Building Textures.pdf

ZoSoChile · September 3, 2018 at 8:34 AM

Very cool presentation!

Jak61 · September 3, 2018 at 1:34 PM

Top class set showing how to create a scenery. And yes very cool presentation!

Regards, Jakob

Hartman · September 3, 2018 at 3:20 PM

Good graphical overview showing the process. I like it.

Layer #1 - add an airport using FSCloudPort ... -- Yes - full control

Layer #2 - use AeroScenery to add a level 9 tile of 2m resolution scenery ... -- Yes - full control

Quote from kenventions

Layer #4 - use OpenStreetMaps and ScenProc to create some houses, buildings, plants, and lighting to cover the level 9 tile ...

Currently no control.

I have tried to cultivate trees and forests - still no luck. Graphic tools (AeroScenery/FSCloudPort, etc.) are easy to use.. Difficult when I have to use tools where you need to type "codes" (without knowing the programming languages commands).

Using "aerofly_rodeo.spc" gives me many error messages.

With this variant I get no error messages - but neither trees/forests are produced:

Does anyone have a simple template for just creating trees / forests - that works?

kenventions · September 3, 2018 at 6:46 PM

Hartman, the "jackpot" for trees is the photoscenery technique (see the Layer #6 photo) posted in another thread, I'll provide more details later but the basic process is this:

1) use the FSET tool to generate a bmp image of the ~10nm x ~10nm area you want to recreate matching FS2 trees

2) import that bmp file info ScenProc and use the texture filter option to "teach" the filter what areas of the bmp image are trees

(this takes ~10 iterations to get the filter to highlight trees in all the right places, but it's worth the time!)

3) then you save the filter setting and run some commands on that file to create a file with the coordinates of every single tree (shoot for <800,000 trees)

4) then you take the coordinates file and run a few more commands to plant a tree at every coordinate and it outputs your new trees toc file

5) then you move that toc file to your airport folder under PLACES and update the airport tsc file to use your new toc file

6) startup FS2 and checkout your new trees!

Hartman · September 3, 2018 at 8:37 PM

Quote from kenventions

Hartman, the "jackpot" for trees is the photoscenery technique (see the Layer #6 photo) posted in another thread, I'll provide more details later but the basic process is this:

.....

Ahhh. Many thanks for clarification and the basic process. I already have the bmp files. Then I think I'll wait for a slightly more detailed explanation.

kenventions · September 4, 2018 at 4:50 AM

The end goal for layers 5, 6, & 7 is to add 3 TOC files to your new airport folder and reference them at the bottom of the airport TSC file like this ...

Rodeo · September 4, 2018 at 9:24 AM

Great idea and really nice presentation!!!

kenventions · September 5, 2018 at 7:21 AM

Hartman, attached is a How-To doc for Layer6 (trees). Hope this helps!

Layer6 (Trees) How-To.pdf

Hartman · September 5, 2018 at 1:29 PM

Quote from kenventions

Hartman, attached is a How-To doc for Layer6 (trees). Hope this helps!

Layer6 (Trees) How-To.pdf

Ken. Many thanks for your tutorial. I am very grateful for your help.

But as mentioned, I am no programmer. The task is therefore not completely solved.

Here's my feedback:

Downloading link for FSET does not work (for me). But I found another link.

Google server did not work. New google server appears to be 798 - so now the access to the server works ok.

The ScenProc "Texture Filter Editor" worked surprisingly well to distinguish trees / forest from photo.

ScenProc created a tfc - file (11 KB).

However, ScenProc can not create the SHP-file.

I am now trying to find the error - without success. Are there any of the settings that are incorrect?

kenventions · September 5, 2018 at 2:43 PM

You're close - adjust your Historgram option settings to match mine below. Your current settings are using POLYGON DetectionMode but it needs to be changed to POINT DetectionMode.

Hartman · September 5, 2018 at 4:27 PM

Quote from kenventions

You're close - adjust your Historgram option settings to match mine below. Your current settings are using POLYGON DetectionMode but it needs to be changed to POINT DetectionMode.

There you pointed out the error. Thank you again, Ken.

The rest of the task went smoothly (recommend that you add the latest illustration into your great tutorial).

Now my Norway project got a real boost.

kenventions · September 5, 2018 at 4:49 PM

Congrats Hartman!

whitav8 · September 5, 2018 at 5:16 PM

Ken,

Could you please update your PDF so the critical Histogram settings are more clear as your response above shows.

Also, for some reason, I can't download it.

Thanks

Dave W.

nickhod · September 5, 2018 at 5:45 PM

Thanks for the post Ken. Nice end result.

My "end of year" aim is that AeroScenery will do all of this within the one app (plus higher resolution elevation data too).

kenventions · September 6, 2018 at 1:41 AM

Here is the updated version with a clear image of the Historgram settings ...

Layer6 (Trees) How-To.pdf

Jetjockey10 · September 6, 2018 at 2:52 AM

Quote from kenventions

Here is the updated version with a clear image of the Historgram settings ...

Layer6 (Trees) How-To.pdf

Wow. I just made a fast-read look of this pdf. It shouldn't be much longer until we will be just like the old days in FSX - no time for actual flying - all our waking hours used for creating scenery.

Regards,

Ray

TomSimMuc · September 6, 2018 at 9:53 AM

Quote from Jetjockey10

Wow. I just made a fast-read look of this pdf. It shouldn't be much longer until we will be just like the old days in FSX - no time for actual flying - all our waking hours used for creating scenery.

Regards,

Ray

And all our sleeping hours for letting the PC doing all the downloading and conversions

Thomas

kenventions · September 7, 2018 at 7:57 AM

Here's the How-To for Tall Buildings ...

Layer7 (Tall Buildings) How-To.pdf

RjG · September 8, 2018 at 2:40 AM

Ken thanks for boiling the process down! Inspired me to try the ScenProc texture filter tool rather than scratch build include polygons for vegetation. Many bleary hours saved

One note, in your Layer #6 - How to add a bunch of trees (kenventions 9/05/18) pdf example script:
---

# this line generates a broadleaf tree for 80% of the tree coordinates with each tree between 8 to 25 feet tall
CreateAF2Plant|FRAND >= 0.2|8;25|0|broadleaf|0
# this line generates a conifer tree for 20% of the tree coordinates with each tree between 10 to 20 feet tall
CreateAF2Plant|FRAND < 0.2|10;20|0|conifer|0
---

The units are actually meters rather than feet.

Thanx again for your efforts.

- Rich

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