Customizing existing scenery

[Mistwalker 3]

I'm just getting into the whole Air Hauler thing and really enjoying it. I've modded a paint job on the first aircraft to join the 'Air Mystique' fleet but now I want to see if I can make the company's presence felt at it's first base. Take a look at the pic of Air Mystique's first A/C, India Mike Alpha. Is there a way I could add my company logo (the one in my sig) to that hangar behind the red A/C? Secondly, can I turn operational A/C into static objects so I could add copies of my company A/C to the scenery such as in front of that hangar?

 

[ddavid 149]

Steve - not too difficult if you have the right 'tools':

1. Adding your logo to hangar - not really possible by re-painting the hangar texture as generally these scenery objects don't have as detailed an original texture for you to add your logo. What you can do is 'make' a 3-D sign in, say, gmax and use your logo as one face (texture) but then you need something like InstantScenery to 'place' the sign on the hangar as an additional scenery item.

2. There are quite a few static aircraft as scenery objects in FSX but, again, their textures are limited and may not give you the required level of detail that your logo needs. You can, however, 'populate' your scenery in Missions - using the OPT (Object Placement Tool) or an editor like Instant Mission Maker, where you can place default or add-on aircraft in stationary positions. I guess the same may be true for AI aircraft but I'm not fully conversant with AI 'programming'

Be good to see what you come up with - Good Luck!

Cheers -Dai.

[Mistwalker 3]

Thanks for all that excellent info, Dai. I shall definately be experimenting with those ideas and see how I can get my limited brain power to apply them. *cracks nuckles*.

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

Hi Steve!

 

I found that the best way of all to achieve this effect is to have a friend who understands ADE (I have ADE, but I struggle with it). It's a learning curve, that's for sure, and it also assumes that you understand the structure of fsx scenery — hence my suggestion that you find yourself an expert who can help with the hairier bits. From my own experience, and his, it's not an exact science. ADE is also free, although I reckon it's worth paying a small fee for the ProKey, to encourage the developer, if nothing else. See http://www.airportdesigneditor.co.uk/

 

But the results can be good, albeit time-consuming. Here's a "redesign" <*cough*> of part of Farnborough's West Ramp to accommodate the base for my virtual charter operation:

 

 

Good luck — but please don't ask for my friend's name. He says that one of these is enough!  

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

 

 

 

 

[Mistwalker 3]

Hey Brian, thanks for the suggestion, mate. What you've done there looks excellent and just the kind of thing I want to do. I'll add ADE to my list. I'm also looking at 'Instant Scenery 3' and 'Instant Object Studio' so I would hope that between the three I should be able to achieve something somewhere near what I want. I don't want to be building complete airfields, though. Just modding/adding my own hangar here and there. Unless ofcourse I become obsessed.

 

I've had to put it on the back burner for now though while I'm up to my neck in FSX tweaks for my quest to vanquish my OOMs disease but I'll get back to this little project once that's out of the way.

[brett 2,283]

If you want to add a hanger that is somewhat easy to modify check out this thread on the Eaglesoft Hanger. The door even works.

[allardjd 1,853]

Steve,

 

One payware package to consider is FS Design Studio from Abacus.  It too has a learning curve but permits the creation of entirely new scenery objects for FS.  Most of the rest of what you've listed are excellent packages, but mainly only work with already existing "library objects", either from FS or from other add-ons.  It's not worth it unless you're serious about learning how to do some of this kind of thing, but if you are it's a good buy for the mone and works well.  It also does FS aircraft from scratch, but that's a whole different kettle of fish.

 

John

[Mistwalker 3]

Oh yes! I'd forgotten about that Eaglesoft hangar. Thanks for the reminder, Brett. That's another one for my list.

 

That looks like a great piece of software, too John. My list is getting longer by the hour. As you say, that is some serious stuff so I may learn a little by having a go at modding existing stuff to begin with and then if I get bitten by the bug, have a gander at FS Design Studio for a bigger challenge. Thanks for the pointer, John. It's amazing how a small idea can avalanche into something major.

[Bruce (a.k.a. brian747) 142]

> "Unless of course I become obsessed"

 

<grin> That is a very real danger, in fact. I lost about three months of my simming life whilst messing around with the airport (I couldn't resist a few other "little" tweaks as well, of course), so be warned!   

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

[brett 2,283]

I think that I have reached the obsessed stage, problem is I start many things but never finish them.   There is a lifetime of things that you can explore in FSX that do not include flying.

[Mistwalker 3]

 

There is a lifetime of things that you can explore in FSX that do not include flying.

 

Does that include dancin 'girls? I've yet to come across any dancin' girls in FSX. FSX needs dancin' girls. Mebbe we could petition ORBX?

[brett 2,283]

Orbx actually does have a dancing girl in one of their airports.

[Mistwalker 3]

I love ORBX!