Posts by ozhomeroz

  • New Guest Record

    Or sim people have gotten wind of all the incredible freeware available for this high FPS good looking flight sim.

    Aerofly has the most stuff on fight-sim.org compared to the other sims on the market.

    For example the community has and is making its own version of TE GB for example, and thats just on example.

    Production of such high quality freeware has spiked recently.

    Maybe word has gotten out, that if you want an immersive sim with great ortho, meshes and auto gen without paying an arm and a leg or anything actually for add-ons, Aerofly is the go to for this.

    That is very attractive for casual sim gamers who may wish to dabble in flight sims but not invest a big financial outlay.

    Its why I'm involved in Aerfly rather than the other sims on the market.

  • Creating terrain heightmaps

    Reason I suggest level 12 as that its a smaller area, just like orthoes, small tile is less likely to conflict than a big tiles is my thinking in regards to masking.

    And we know that if masks are needed no file is written according to the mesh_conv.tmc.

    And since for you no file is written it could be that a mask is required. Circular logic I know.

    Just trying to help

    OK I will stop now hahaha ;)

  • Creating terrain heightmaps

    I see at your geo convertinging at Level 7, isnt that the same geoconvert level as the default mesh.

    Also I hear DLC's can use level 10.

    To avoid any possible mesh conflicts, I suggest you try at level 12 only. For Science

    I read that Tom's mesh for Great Briton has issues with planes sinking into the ground, for which I also suggest only geoconvert at level 12, again to avoid conflicts with underlying meshes.

    This worked for me when making my 30metre Sydney region mesh just a month or so ago.

    I then was able to place 2metre meshes above this base mesh at level 13 and 14.

    Basically I suggest, don't geoconvert at levels below 12 to avoid mesh conflicts.

    By the way I'm using an old SDK as I have not updated it since I downloaded it when I installed the game.

    Also I noticed your SDK is on your desktop, maybe theirs an issue with very long file path, so I suggest moving the SDK to the root of your drive to eliminate this issue being a cause of your problems.

  • Mesh creation issues

    Level Order is important to consider when Geo-converting, although in my limited experience hasn't caused spikes rather omissions instead , and may be causing a conflict. I heard and read stuff and my thinking is that the different meshes work like orthoes with the layer underneath fill the space of masked areas.

    Im guessing

    Default mesh Level7

    DLC Level 10

    Your Under layer mesh Level 11 for 20m SRMT for example

    And the high detail meshes Level12-14 for 2 metre mesh

    So if your High Res map was geoconverted at level 10 the same as the DLC in my example, could be trouble and worth checking out I think

    Another issue I can see is masking with two non connect areas sharing the same level 12 cell. So if you have a level 12 cell with map data on both sides with a gap in the middle is when you will have a masking problem with one side disappearing. But I haven't seen spikes from this.

    When you download your file for your favorite area it is not always magically ready as in the tutorials.

    Some time you got to make them ready to geoconvert. With QGIS

    Luckily we have QGIS and in the coming weeks I will post on my methods and work flow for making the Sydney mesh Project thingie for others to digest that will help the communities knowledge base on elevation mapping. Rather than take individual requests, just no time for that but such a walk through can increase the communities knowledge of QGIS and some of its benefits.

    Be sure to read the fine elevation tutorials on the forums, as I won't be covering much that has already been covered so superbly so you will need to study up on that.

    Rather it will focus on preparing your map when its not ready to geo-convert using the Sydney project a an example. Because when I started it definitely was not ready with spikes galore.

    More stuff incoming.

  • Sydney Mesh Available at

    Here is a preview

    Its a beta but the airports now work much better, as you will see with and without the meshes installed.

    The meshes are modular so its easy to isolate parts.

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    Last part I want to do to complete this projects scope is fix the Colo river in places as it resembles roller coast, very immersion breaking.

    Airport meshes can be added easy enough any time later, Colo river will take some patience and time to remove those immersion breaking roller coasters.

    For maximum immersion, after all its an Air Race Track.

    Can you do the Colo Run!

  • Mesh creation issues

    Those look like no data pixels, I just wrote a post about using the Reclassify value tool to fix no data.

    Fix first no data before any thing.

    Test and if spikes remain then try convert data type.

    Start with a new untouched source file

    Start with a small section that fits within a Level 12 grid as shown by the Aero Scenery Tool to avoids mask which this probably isnt, but to be sure its best for now till we narrow down the problem.

    Fix no data before converting data types.

    This is what I suggest you try.

  • SpikeBusters Part 1 - Removing spikes due to no Data pixels.

    Spikes, the bane of elevation mappers every where, well not any more.

    One cause of spikes is due to elevation maps having a "no data" pixel used for areas like the ocean.

    If your coast line has spikes this is the cause, but luckily its easy enough to fix.

    As a elevation mapper you will need to download and install QGIS, a free and totally great tool for us, so get it.

    One you have done that, Open your elevation file into QGIS and select it.

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/axSMd6Q.jpg]

    To fix the "no data" pixels we have to identify which value your map uses, so double click your layer to bring up its properties.

    Under "Bands" you will find your "No data value"

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/Wy4flBb.jpg]

    In this case the no data value is -9999, we need to remember this for later.

    Now we have to tell the game that pixels with a value -9999 is no data represented as 0/0.

    So onwards.

    Click on the following Menu's: SAGA then "Processing" and then "tool box"

    Next select "Raster Tools" and then "Reclassify Values (Simple)" Click on the button with the three dots for "Lookup Table"

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/56SgkwU.jpg]


    Click "Add Row"

    Enter the No Data value form earlier, which in our case was -9999 and well will replace this with 0/0 no data as shown below.

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/UVuF9qF.jpg]


    Click OK and then click run.

    Next export this new layer as normal. And geoconvert without spikes caused by no data pixels. Enjoy

    Spikes due to Pixel data type use the Raster > Conversion > Translate tool.

    This guide is intended for users who have at the least read ans understood the elevation guides by Qwerty42 and Crispy136.

    Sydney before

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/dfwUEnD.jpg]


    Sydney after

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/XNcAkCG.jpg]

  • Mesh creation issues

    Well Micheal, since starting this elevation caper I gotta to admit theirs a bit to it and I'm still learning.

    Till I get more mastery of the elevation process, Scotland will have to wait.

    I figure that its better to get the process streamlined so that at a later date I could do Scotland proud with an greater efficiency.

    Doing it now would be a slow process process, plus I'm already engaged on another project...

    SYDNEY, my home town.

    Let me tell you a bit about my Sydney plans and some workflow.

    The Sydney master plan is to use a 30m SRMT Regional Base map (srtm_67_19.zip) converted at level 11.

    Also I use higher resolution 1metre and 2 metre maps at POI and airports converted at level 12, 13 and 14.

    As I get better at this I will share what I have learnt in this thread.

    QGIS is awesome!

    If your interested in Scotland, save me some work and tell me of resolution elevation is available for Scotland.

    I would seek out SRMT maps as an level 11 base mesh, they cover a large area.

    I just gotta figure out a way to deal with no data and coast lines effiecently, which BTW Sydney also has.

  • Mesh creation issues

    This new method is working splendidly for me, its very fast and best of all no spikes yet.

    Here's Pictures of the same location, Canoe Creek proper using different elevation meshes

    Default

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/0LoZ2jz.png]


    30metre SMRT with Colo River modded by hand to stop it flowing uphill

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/IqQcmXf.png]

    2m ASC elevation from ELVIS standard but converted in QGIS to 16int

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/FBWSNVu.png]


    I have some back story before I tell you some cool news.

    I got into elevation maps at first because the airports around Sydney, such as as Camden, Bankstown and of course Sydney were barely usable due to prop strike due to elevation issues. So I wanted to flatten taxiways and thus began my wonderfull journey onto elevation. Upon Seeing Colo River I thought, That's not right!!!

    I previously wanted to map Colo River in higher elevation detail since it is sort of famous as a Wilderness Gorge with High Cliffs, so after downloading all the 1 and 2 metre files stopped that project. (Until now, but its a big job)

    So until our recent discoveries just now, I used a 30metre SRMT map, which had errors that needed to be fix, by hand with GIMP as its the only way I knew at the time.

    These errors mostly comprised due to my newness things as no data values, masks in coastal areas and errors inherent in the SRMT data around hilly terrain.

    I was thinking about resuming my High resolution elevation Colo Project and tested to see if I could use different levels for different elevation maps and it turns out you can.

    I used my 30 metre modified SRMT and geoconverted to Level 11

    then I used my 2m High Res ASC and geoconverted to Level 12, 13 and 14

    I placed the result of each in diferent Folders and place both in elevation\images

    I could see the both the SRMT 30m and the smaller 2 metre mesh in game.

    Awesome

    So on to the Final Phase


    May even have to built a mesh for that Sydney Cultivation I heard about.

    With high res Air Races through Colo River.

    I already have a hack job ready, but that Sydney cultivation looks good, may have to start a fresh mesh so its perfect.

  • Mesh creation issues

    Dudes I think I cracked it :rolleyes:

    Let me show you the results, then explain 8|

    The first four pic are all taken from exactly the same spot

    The Location is Colo River, NSW, Austrailia near Syndey, close to Canoe Creek specifically, seemed like a good place to demonstrate the differnence Hi Res meshes can make.

    Also demonstrates SRMT is not great around hilly areas.

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/2xnuswD.jpg]

    Default Mesh from IPACs

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/vpLWzM8.jpg]

    Seems the 30m SRMT mesh that I installed has slight difference over the default. Maybe IPACs compressed it to save space if their mesh is based on SRMT.

    I heard some where IPACs uses SRMT as a base

    My Guess.


    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/eIP6789.jpg]

    Now Colo River is the most pristine Wilderness River in all NSW they say, so it can not have uphill flowing rivers :S I fixed that in GIMP, colour picker and pencils and some hours. Good thing elevation meshes convert fast and I love Colo River.:saint:

    I have not published my mesh yet coz its not totally ready, Doh major airports are flattened, colo river is done and it includes SYDNEY.

    Now the Previously Spikey 2 meter 64 bit map converted to 16 bit in QGIS

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/ySflCdj.jpg]

    I been to this place many times and this looks legit, 2 metre Hi res map with out spikes.

    Next downside

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/FSixGqB.jpg]

    Where the 2 metre map meets the default map up close and personal, Mmm

    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/pm8Gs5a.jpg]

    From up here not so bad I think.


    And the solution is easy, thank goodness for my Legendary Google noob skills

    SOLUTION:

    1)Open your High Resolution file in QGIS which is free to download, Pro Tip search it on google.

    1a)Grab the geotif to drag to into QIS

    2)Select the new layer

    3)At the top of your screen, find and Select RASTER, then CONVERSION and finally TRANSLATE

    (Im shouting coz Im so happy! 8o)

    4) Use the "Output Data Type dropdown" to 16int

    5)Dont forget to "Save as File", Run it, yes really its done!!!:love:

    Convert as Normal

    * I advise against changing CRS as you will get pillars due to the image being rotated and masks and some stuff I don't fully understand.

    Anyway pillars are bad and much more perceivable than a slight in-perceivable change in orientation change due to CRS

    My comment on where High Resoultion mesh meets lower resolution or deafualt mesh is that you oversize till unnoticed just like othro.

    :S:saint: