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sdk:scenerydev2 [2017/08/20 23:24] jfsdk:scenerydev2 [2020/05/10 18:38] – [Introduction] jh
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 I will cover the following stages in this tutorial to ultimately build an entire airport: I will cover the following stages in this tutorial to ultimately build an entire airport:
  
-1. obtaining your reference image and aligning it to real-world coordinates +  - obtaining your reference image and aligning it to real-world coordinates 
-2. building the objects for your airport and placing them onto the reference image +  building the objects for your airport and placing them onto the reference image 
-3. making the groundpoly (smooth surface) that your objects will sit on +  making the groundpoly (smooth surface) that your objects will sit on 
-4. adding your decals and finishing touches to your airport +  adding your decals and finishing touches to your airport 
-5. exporting the required sections from Max into your project folder +  exporting the required sections from Max into your project folder 
-6. converting your airport to be used in Aerofly FS2+  converting your airport to be used in Aerofly FS
  
 **Note:** there are many different variations of this process that will indeed work but all variations will still follow the same concept as shown within this tutorial. **Note:** there are many different variations of this process that will indeed work but all variations will still follow the same concept as shown within this tutorial.
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 ====Adding Decals==== ====Adding Decals====
  
-Coming Soon+Now that you have built your airport groundpoly and objects it's now time for the final core step. The decals are the detailed lines and markings that go on top of your runways, apron, and taxiways.
  
 +Let's begin.
 +
 +To best prepare for adding your first decals you should perform the following steps:
 +
 +   * Change your **viewport** by going into the viewport configuration and setting your view to one window set to **top** so that you can have a large top down view. This is the best view since all decals sit flat onto your surface.
 +   * It's best to hide everything in your hierarchy except for your reference image. This will make it easy to place your markings without obstruction.
 +
 +Once you have your workspace configured for decal placement let's move on to adding our decals.
 +
 +There are many different techniques to make decals, in this tutorial we will learn a few different common approaches.
 +
 +Let's begin with some simple runway markings:
 +
 +   * Zoom in to get a good view of the area you are working on.
 +
 +{{:wiki:zoomed_area1.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +   * Select the **plane** object and place it precisely over one of the parallel lines on the reference image
 +   * Convert the new plane to **editable poly** by right clicking the plane and selecting convert.
 +   * Adjust the plane as necessary so that it's perfectly over the image line.
 +
 +{{:wiki:new_plane.jpg?500|}}
 +
 +Next let's add our texture. **Note** by adding a texture to our new plane now allows for you to make copies of your plane quickly if more than one is needed.
 +
 +   * With the plane still highlighted add the modifier **Unwrap UVW** 
 +   * Select polygon with the 'select by element' toggle checked. Make sure that your plane is highlighted fully red. If not click back on the plane.
 +   * Open UV Editor and click on the **mapping** tab and select **flatten mapping**. Make sure that you uncheck the fill holes box.
 +
 +{{:wiki:uvdecal.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Next we add our texture.
 +
 +   * Replace your checker pattern by selecting your new texture for your first line (drop down/pick a texture/bitmap)
 +   * With the new texture in the box manipulate your line to fit over the texture that you need. **Note** in my example the texture is very difficult to see due the transparency.
 +   * Add the map to a free material ball and drag the ball to your plane
 +
 +{{:wiki:mapping_decal.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Now that we have the texture added to our plane we want to make some copies to finish the remaining lines. **Note** in this situation it's faster to copy the first four then highlight those four and copy the group to finish the other four. Use **clone/instance** to make your copies.
 +
 +Here's your result:
 +
 +{{:wiki:allplanes.jpg?700|}}
 +{{:wiki:allplanes_noimage.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Let's now continue by making more common lines in the same way. For any lines that are straight they can all be made with a simple plane object, even the runway numbers.
 +
 +{{:wiki:decalnumbers.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Once you have all of your decal objects made be mindful that you can set priorities of your decal groupings. These priorities allow you to overlap decals over other decals. priorities can range from 0-9, with 0 being the bottom most decal.
 +
 +OK, let's assume that you have made enough decals that you want to start grouping them. **Note** you can group as many decals together as you wish.
 +
 +Let's now take the decals that we made in the tutorial and group them properly.
 +
 +   * Select one of the planes that you made and convert it back to an editable poly, and click on the **attach** function from the right menu group.
 +   * One at a time click on each of the decals that you want to group together.
 +
 +{{:wiki:attacheddecals.jpg?700|}} 
 +
 +  * Next lets rename the plane that now contains the group of attached planes. Please pay attention to the naming of this as it must have two underscores before the priority delegation. Let's name this **runway_decal(underscore underscore)priority0**
 +
 +{{:wiki:renamed_priority.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Let's now continue making our decals using a different method. As many taxiways have straight taxiway centerlines with curves as well, it would be very difficult to make these with just a plane object. Let's try this now by using the line object.
 +
 +   * Click on the **shapes** button and select **line**. We are going to use the "bezer" function so let's click on that under **drag type**.
 +   * By using this function pick your starting point and click. You will see the line form while you move your mouse. To make your curve you need to press and hold your mouse button while moving. This takes some time to perfect so you may need to practice a bit.
 +
 +Once you are finished with your line you need to right click to cut the line off. **note** you can make adjustments to your line by clicking on the vertex dots and moving them around.
 +
 +{{:wiki:linedecal.jpg?600|}}
 +
 +  * Make a second line roughly the width of the line that you are making. This line will be used to define the taxiway centerline width.
 +  * Highlight the actual line defining the taxiway line and add the modifier **sweep**
 +  * In the sweep parameters find **angle** and type -90. You will now see the line change to a wide plane.
 +
 +{{:wiki:wideline.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Now, we need to change the width of that wide line to match the actual centerline of the taxiway.
 +
 +   * Under the box with "angle" in it select **use custom section** and click on the box to the right of "pick'
 +   * A window should open with the small line that you created. Click on it to highlight it and press the **pick** button.
 +
 +Your line should now be the correct size.
 +
 +{{:wiki:changedline.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +   * Add a texture to your line the same way as before.**Note** you will need to straighten your line by using the "straighten selection" under reshape elements.
 +
 +{{:wiki:linetextured.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Since there are no other decals that go under this line, go ahead and attach it to the 'runway_decal__priority0' group. Click on the group in your hierarchy and click on the **attach** function and click on the line that you just created. **Note** We are adding this line to this group for the purpose of the tutorial, you can pick and choose which groupings you want your decals in.
 +
 +Lets now make a 'hold short' decal that overlaps the centerline decal that you just made.
 +
 +   * select a plane and convert it to an editable poly.
 +   * Adjust the plane's edges by clicking on the vertex and moving them to fit the contour of the taxiway edges.
 +   * Add modifier **unwrap UVW** and add a texture the same way as before.
 +   * Rename this decal to a higher priority. Let's name it: **taxiway_decal (underscore underscore) priority1** This will show this decal on top of the taxiway center line that we previously made.
 +
 +{{:wiki:decalholdshort.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +The final step of making decals will be to group each sub-group of decals that you made. So let's do this now.
 +
 +   * select **runway_decal (underscore underscore) priority0** and **taxiway_decal (underscore underscore) priority1** and click the group tab then **group**. Name this group **ewy_keywest_decal** **note** this naming can be whatever you want to name this group but the _decal must exist. This group and all of it's contents will be what you export into your airport project folder. The group name in the hierarchy must match exactly to what you have named in your TMC file.
 +
 +Here is an example of what your project should now look like once finished.
 +
 +{{:wiki:fulldecal.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +{{:wiki:decaltmc.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +{{:wiki:allfiles.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +   * Finally, select your entire decal group and export (export selected) it as an object into your airport project folder. You will see the TGI file created.
 +
 +The final result of this project should show all three TGI files (_obj _rwy _decal), your TSC file, and all _color textures used in your project. **Note** all texture files must be 2080x2048.
 +
 +====Adding XREF Models====
 +
 +So your airport is finished but it still looks empty? We have published a large **xref** library of models that you can use to add already made aircraft, buildings, structures, and airport objects to your project easily.
 +
 +The complete xref model library can be found in the Aerofly FS 2 Downloads section [[http://dl1.aerofly.com/aerofly_fs_2/repaints/xref.zip|HERE]]
 +
 +Let's add a couple of these now.
 +
 +   * First locate an area that you want to place an xref model
 +   * Under **helpers** you will find an object called **dummy**, we will be using this object for placing any xref object into our project.
 +   * select **dummy** and make a small cube where you want your model
 +
 +{{:wiki:dummy.jpg?600|}}
 +
 +   * Search for the reference model that you want to place in your project. Take note of the xy positioning shown on the reference model image as this is how it will be aligned in-game. You can rotate the dummy cube to the direction that you wish and the model will be in that position when you see the model in Aerofly.
 +   * Rename the dummy cube to exactly match the name of the xref model that you want to see. **Note** it's easiest to simply copy/paste the name.
 +   * Finally add the dummy cube to your object **_obj** group. **Right click/Add Selected To/New Parent (Pick) and click on your _obj group**
 +
 +{{:wiki:dummyadded.jpg?400|}}
 +
 +====Closing Remarks====
 +
 +Let's recap everything we have done.
 +
 +   * We have learned how to build the three needed export groups to properly build an airport
 +   * We have learned how to create our TSC file
 +   * We have learned some tips and tricks on how to perform certain tasks in 3DS Max
 +   * We have added some xref models to our airport to make it look more active
 +
 +Here is everything together (with the groundpoly turned off as it covers our area)
 +
 +{{:wiki:alladded.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Now that we have our entire airport built it's time to convert the project into Aerofly.
 +
 +{{:wiki:overhead.jpg?700|}}
 +
 +Finally, there are many different techniques used to produce some very nice sceneries from 3DS Max, this tutorial shows only some very basic techniques. The key here is to practice but most importantly to enjoy yourself. It's a good feeling when you are sitting on the apron of your favorite airport that YOU created.
 +
 +Enjoy!
  
sdk/scenerydev2.txt · Last modified: 2020/05/10 18:48 by jh