Object generation utility

drhotwing1 (IPACS) · February 21, 2019 at 4:51 AM Official Post

Here is a simple guide, just take a look at the ORBX Netherlands or our South Florida DLC. They both have a ton of cultivation, custom buildings, lights etc. All of these objects and models are of low poly but the sheer amount of them and the way that we handle optimization, especially with the latest vulkan synchronous graphics loading functionality gives you a good perspective since with a decent PC can still provide you with framerates well above 100 and sometimes over 200. During my testing phases I use 4 different computers configures with different CPU's, GPU's and also with 2D and VR respectively. I have record of FPS, graphics load, and other items set in different configurations.

I can tell you with certainly that if you have a good PC you shouldn't have too many problems but with that said the individuals developing these add-ons should still optimize their projects as much as possible. For this particular power line add-on the models used should have lower polys than what is there currently. If this is optimized it should handle just like any other cultivation.

Keep in mind though that there are many different PC configurations out there so what is good on a 1080ti i7 system will not yield the same effect on a 970 i5 system.

kenventions · February 21, 2019 at 5:08 AM

Thanks for the quick feedback Jeff!

By lower polygons, do you mean half of the current count? I don't know what the current poly count is (haven't tried any 3D modeling) but I noticed the 10-cable powerline pole has a TMB file = 62KB, should this be more like 30KB or 3KB?

drhotwing1 (IPACS) · February 21, 2019 at 5:26 AM Official Post

Where did the power line object come from and is there an OBJ format available for it?

kenventions · February 21, 2019 at 5:44 AM

Stu mentioned they came from SketchUp and have 7-8K vertices ...

Quote from lenidcamper

The models average 7,000 or 8,000 vertices. (according to ModelConverterX)
I did not spend any time on model optimization. I was more interested in proof of concept.
It will be possible to substitute more efficient models if required.

TomSimMuc · February 21, 2019 at 9:33 AM

If you love the performance of the ORBX Netherland and own that product, then you also might like to use their Power Pylons for your own scenery.

Do not distribute them!

They are located here (path in yellow box):

copy the ttx and tmb file to their corresponding folder (from top to bottom 2-cables .. 8-cables):

2-cables

3-cables

4-cables

6-cables

8-cables

and rename each tmb file to the 2..8-cables name. Do NOT rename the ttx file.

Copy ls_gen_powerpylon_ddr01.ttx to 3-cables and

ls_gen_powerpylon_normal03.ttx to 8-cables folder, as they use the same ttx.

Cheers,

Thomas

lenidcamper · February 21, 2019 at 2:40 PM

Quote from TomB

Such a tool makes me thinking. How can it be used outside of the power pylons.

I am working on a generalization that uses an XML file to define way or node selection criteria and feature to model mapping criteria.

Stay tuned.

/Stu

TomSimMuc · February 21, 2019 at 6:26 PM

One big wish I have for Stu is the implementation of animated windturbines.

The tsc syntax is a little bit different then for the static objects:

Code

        <[list_tmsimulator_scenery_object_animated][objects_animated][]
            <[tmsimulator_scenery_object_animated][element][0]
                <[string8][geometry][windturbine_v39_70m_0_5]>
                <[string8][animation][windturbine_v39_70m_0_5]>
                <[vector3_float64][position][13.28496 52.569921 0]>
                <[float64][rot_in_degree][115.9]>
                <[float64][duration][0]>
                <[float64][time_scale][1.2]>
                <[bool][autoheight][true]>
            >                
        >

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Also here Orbx NL has some objects you can use (same path as my Power Pylon example above):

I think a lot of other designers are longing too for those wind turbines for automatic integration.

Cheers,

Thomas

lenidcamper · February 22, 2019 at 6:14 PM

Quote from TomSimMuc

One big wish I have for Stu is the implementation of animated windturbines.

I need to get the XML spec working first.

The generalized utility is currently working equivalent to PylonGen using the XML, but there are a lot more scenarios to test.

The animation configuration does not look like much of a stretch. Good sleuthing

/Stu

lenidcamper · February 24, 2019 at 11:35 PM

This is an example of where I am headed with the XML configuration.

Please review for flexibility for the scenarios you have in mind.

I've posed some questions in the comments.

Much easier to read if you paste into Notepad++

/Stu

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<osm2AFSobjectConfiguration>
 
  <!--  
  Relative path prefix to be added to paths defined in model name declarations 
  Resulting path from generated TSC to the TMB file in the deployed scenery folder structure.
  
  Yields paths of the form
      
      ..\..\..\..\objects\modelGrouping\modelName\tmbFileName  
      
   for the folder structure in the generated TSC.
   
      D:\MyExtraUserFolder
                  -objects
                      -modelGrouping
                  -scenery
                    -places
                       -sceneryPackage
                          -subFolder
                             - xxx.TSC
        
      
   Defining the relative path prefix here avoids duplicate specification of path prefix in the XML or OSM file..
  
  -->
  <relativePathPrefix>"..\..\..\..\objects\"</relativePathPrefix>

  <!-- ============================================================================================ -->
  <!-- configuration to process way features of interest -->
  <wayConfiguration>
    <selectionCriteria>
      <!-- criteria to select ways to process
           only "and" criteria currently supported (any scenario need "or" criteria???)
           
           exclusionCriteria may be needed.
      -->
      <andCriteria>
        <!-- select ways matching key value pairs. -->
        <keyValueEntry key="power" value="line" />       
      </andCriteria>     
    </selectionCriteria>
    
    <!-- OSM tag key used to specify explicit model name. Explicit model name takes precesdence. -->
    <explicitModelNameKey>"model"</explicitModelNameKey>
    
    <!-- Default model name to use if no other can be resolved-->
    <defaultModelName>"PowerPylons\6-cables\6-cables"</defaultModelName>
    
    <referencedNodes>
      <selectionCriteria>
        <!-- selection crtieria for nodes referenced from a way. Only process nodes matching key value pair.
        Some power lines have extraneous nodes that are not tagged as power="tower". 
        No object should be generated for these.
        -->
        <andCriteria>
          <keyValue key="power" value="tower" />
        </andCriteria>
      </selectionCriteria>
      <modelNameMapping>
        <!-- select model name based on tag with key value pair -->
        <mapEntry key="cables" value="3" modelName="PowerPylons\3-cables\3-cables"/>
        <mapEntry key="cables" value="4" modelName="PowerPylons\4-cables\4-cables"/>
        <mapEntry key="cables" value="6" modelName="PowerPylons\6-cables\6-cables"/>
        <mapEntry key="cables" value="8" modelName="PowerPylons\8-cables\8-cables"/>
        <mapEntry key="cables" value="10" modelName="PowerPylons\10-cables\10-cables"/>
      </modelNameMapping>
    </referencedNodes>
  </wayConfiguration>
  
  <!-- ============================================================================================ -->
  <wayConfiguration>
    <selectionCriteria>
      <andCriteria>
        <keyValueEntry key="man_made" value="storage_tank" />       
      </andCriteria>
    </selectionCriteria>
    <!-- storage tanks are often depicted with a way defining the circumference.
         if <oneObject> is true a single object will be exported at the midpoint of the way.
    
        Any other tag information to aid in model selection seems to be missing. 
        An explicit model name tag  can be added to the circumference way.  
    
        This is easily done in am OSM editor like JOSM where you cam measure the diameter of the tank 
        and select an appropriate sized model accordingly.
    
        If no way is defined for a tank, a single node at the center with model key set would work as well.
    -->
    <oneObject>"true"</oneObject>
    <explicitModelNameKey>"model"</explicitModelNameKey>
    <defaultModelName>"StorageTanks\40MDome\40Mdome"</defaultModelName>
  </wayConfiguration>

  <!-- ============================================================================================ -->
  <nodeConfiguration>
    <selectionCriteria>
      <andCriteria>
        <keyValueEntry key="man_made" value="storage_tank"/>
      </andCriteria>
    </selectionCriteria>
    <explicitModelNameKey>"model"</explicitModelNameKey>
    <defaultModelName>"StorageTanks\20mFlat\20Mflat"</defaultModelName>
  </nodeConfiguration>
  
  <!-- ============================================================================================ -->
  <nodeConfiguration>
    <selectionCriteria>
      <andCriteria>
        <keyValueEntry key="power" value="tower"/>
        <keyValueEntry key="generator:source" value="wind"/>
      </andCriteria>
    </selectionCriteria>
    <explicitModelNameKey>"model"</explicitModelNameKey>
    <defaultModelName>"Windmills\90M\90M"</defaultModelName>
    <modelNameMapping>
      <mapEntry key="height" value="25" modelName="Windmills\25M\25M" />
      <mapEntry key="height" value="70" modelName="Windmills\70M\windturbine_v39_70m_0_5">
        <!--  animation specifciations may be model specific ???
              (are there any other animation specification properties???)
              (Do we need animation specification for explict or default models???)
        -->
        <animation rotation_in_degrees="115.9" duration ="0.0" time_scale="1.2"/>
      </mapEntry>
    </modelNameMapping>
    <!-- orientation seems to be ignored for animated models. "windWard" would be nice option!-->
    <orientation>"0.0"</orientation>
  </nodeConfiguration>
</osm2AFSobjectConfiguration>

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kenventions · February 25, 2019 at 2:40 AM

manmade water towers also?

HerveF · February 25, 2019 at 7:21 AM

Great tool ! I just finished to cultivate all the pylons in Switzerland DLC : in valleys and mountains, these add a lot of immersion during flights, and some airports - like Reichenbach for example - are really more challenging with pylons just on final approach (like in reality).

Of course It would be great if it would possible to cultivate cableways and skilifts pylons too, there are litteraly thousands in Switzerland, and it enhances greatly moutain landscapes !

Keep on the good job ! Greetings

TomSimMuc · February 25, 2019 at 9:12 AM

Hi Stu,

thank you for your work with the XML file.

Regarding the animation parameters:

By analyzing the ORBX files, it seems to me, that only two other parameters show a varience:

<[float64][rot_in_degree][126.9580078125]>

<[float64][time_scale][1.1]>

where rot in degree should be a random parameter for wind turbines

time_scale should be identical for a turbine group at a near distance. It more or less represents the wind force.

TomSimMuc · February 25, 2019 at 9:47 AM

Hi Stu,

regarding Oil Tanks:

Please have a look at Vienna tanks here: 16.5026131, 48.1730016

(c) Members of OSM

By looking at the extended object information you can determine the circumfence.

Substract the two X Coordinate range (projected) values from each other and multiply them by 0.476 and you get the circumfence in meters.

I checked this with 3 tanks:

Its also shown at the status line in JOSM, but I am not shure, if that parameter can be extracted from the OSM data directly.

Cheers, Thomas

Edit: replaced diameter by circumfence

lenidcamper · February 25, 2019 at 3:11 PM

Quote from TomSimMuc

where rot in degree should be a random parameter for wind turbines

so rot_in_degrees means initial angle for the animation?

lenidcamper · February 25, 2019 at 3:33 PM

Quote from kenventions

manmade water towers also?

the XML should work for water towers as well

there is no "feature" specific logic

As long as there is enough tag information to select the feature and map to a model, it will work

the algorithm is as follows

Code

for each way configuration

    for all ways that match the way selection criteria


        if the way configuration is flagged as one node issue one object at the center point of the feature 
        with the model name selected by the model precedence order


        otherwise for each node in the way that matches the node selection criteria issue an object at the 
        node position with appropriate model


then for each node configuration


      for each node that matches the node selection criteria issue an object at the node position 
        with the appropriate model.

      if the model is animated add the object to the animated object list instead.

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lenidcamper · February 25, 2019 at 3:50 PM

Quote from TomSimMuc

Please have a look at Vienna tanks here: 16.5026131, 48.1730016

thanks

the tank instances I have come across so far have had very sparse data.

I see what is there.

lenidcamper · February 25, 2019 at 3:56 PM

Quote from HerveF

Of course It would be great if it would possible to cultivate cableways and skilifts pylons too,

I had though of ski lifts.

It should work out of the box for the generic lift pylon case.

What I wanted to try was defining explicit models for the first and last nodes to give lower and upper stations.

On my list of scenarios.

/Stu

TomSimMuc · February 25, 2019 at 4:33 PM

Quote from lenidcamper

so rot_in_degrees means initial angle for the animation?

exactly. It would look strange, if all rotors would show the blades in identical position.

Do you own OrbX Netherlands?

HerveF · February 25, 2019 at 4:55 PM

Quote from lenidcamper

I had though of ski lifts.
It should work out of the box for the generic lift pylon case.
What I wanted to try was defining explicit models for the first and last nodes to give lower and upper stations.
On my list of scenarios.
/Stu

wow ! Let me know if you progress ! Ski lift and cable ways (I never could have dreamed about lower and upper stations ) would be awesome !

Regards

lenidcamper · February 25, 2019 at 5:08 PM

Quote from TomSimMuc

Do you own OrbX Netherlands?

Yes.

I can look in more detail

/Stu

Object generation utility

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