MAIW_GLANG1 AFCAD Files for KSPI

[jethomasjr]

Hello,

Well I have been lurking around the forum for quite sometime. My background is in the aerospace business and I am an F-16 Crewchief/Flight Chief. I have had FSX for a few years now and I am starting my MAIW package conversion to FSX. I have started with the MAIW_GLANG1 and 2 as my first F-16 unit was at KSPI. I have converted and installed this into my FSX. I can see the aircraft at the airport, however, they are not in the parking spots on the ramp where they need to be. I know this is an AFCAD issue and I was wondering if the MAIW_AF2_1SPI.bgl and MAIW_AF2_2SPI.bgl files are the AFCAD? If not where would I find it and how would I fix it to use in FSX? Would I be able to open the AFCAD file in the AFCAD editor tool? - ADE-9X- convert it to FSX without spending hours recreating the airport AFCAD?

Jack

[Firebird]

Afcads for 1SPI and 2SPI are for waypoints connected with KSPI movements, created by the flightplanner.

Firstly can I ask if you are using the original GLANG pt1 or the recently updated pt1 v2?

[jethomasjr]

Hi Steve,

I am using the original MAIW_GLANG1. I see there is a newer version and I didn't know what updates have been done with it. With the old, I know that since the 170 FS was brac'd I would try my hand and see how I do with converting it to FSX. I found the .bgl file that has KSPI airport. First I opened up the stock FSX airport in ADE-9X. Then I opened up the MAIW_GLANG1 KSPI airport and I see there is a big difference with FSX. I have manually added the F-16 parking spots in the stock file for FSX and now trying to figure out how to connect the taxiway dots. I will have to play around with it and eventually figure it out. I also see there is a objects library and I wanted to change some hangars and add the correct hush house, but to no avail it doesn't list them. MAIW has some great looking objects, however, since I'm really new at this, I'm not sure how or what programs is required to open up a .bgl file and get what buildings I need to use. I appreciate the help and since this is my first, this is trial by error. It can't be that hard. I figure since I've worked with so many CAD programs designing aircraft and parts, this should come easy for me with a little practice.

Jack

[Firebird]

OK, Well by far the simplest thing is NOT to amend the default FSX afcad, there is going to be far too much work involved. The better option is to convert the afcad to work in FSX. Also it will not be possible to cut over any scenery that has been added to the base afcad. I am not saying that this one has, just a generalization.

Your first stop should be Martin's FSX Conversion guide. Although I have not got FSX numerous people have commented on how useful the guide is and it covers converting an entire package.
The guide can be found here http://www.interkultur.de/gossmann/fsx/maiw.php. Basically the biggest thing you have to watch is that FS9 and FSX decide the required parking spot differently. FS9 uses what is hard coded in the mdl file whilst FSX uses a parm in the aircraft.cfg file.

The parking spot sizes FSX needs are easy to find if you use the AI Aircraft Editor, also by Martin, here http://www.interkultur.de/gossmann/fsx/tools.php.

Read Martin's guide and see if it helps any.

[jethomasjr]

Thanks Steve! I will definitely read it and if I have any other questions I will ask. I've browsed through a lot of the other post and it looks like Martin's guide is the way to go. I started to read it two years ago when I was working in Utah, but then the OT kicked in and I basically had no life until my contract finished. I had three weeks between jobs to get from Utah and go to Georgia. Same with this last year on my last contract. I was working 60 hours a week and no life.

Jack

[jethomasjr]

Following Martin's guide to install MAIW into FSX, I am at Step 7 - Migrate the MAIW effects to FSX. MY question is: Hill AFB effects there is several Apron_Flood_10fx thru 14fx. Does these effect files need to be copied into the effects file created to compile all effect files that will be copied into FSX later once all effect files are copied? I didn't know if these are the lighting files that I've read about that is not compatible from FS9 to FSX.

Jack

[gsnde]

...
Does these effect files need to be copied into the effects file created to compile all effect files that will be copied into FSX later once all effect files are copied?...

Hi Jack,
I am not absolutely sure if I understand exactly what you are saying. But as for these effect files.. They are not the ones that cause the flame bug in FSX. You can safely copy them into the ..\%FSX%\effects folder.

[jethomasjr]

Martin,

Thanks so much. I guess my question was kind of confusing, but what I was trying to ask is if the Apron_Flood_10.fx thru Apron_Flood_14.fx are the ramp lights which use the FS9 alpha channel transparency to make them look right. I'm thinking they are not and I wanted to be sure. These files are coming straight out of the aircraft effects folder. I made seperate folders on my desktop to copy files into and then once I get done I can just go into them and copy and then paste them right into FSX.

8. Migrate the MAIW textures to FSX. In item a) are these the aircraft texture files? I'm confused about this set There is a seperate Texture folder and Scenery folder in the main FSX root file. In the scenery\world\scenery are the .bgl files. If I understand the instructions correctly I should copy these files from the FS9 scenery\world\scenery and pasting them directly into the FSX scenery\world\scenery folder. Item a is where I'm not following what to do.

9. Migrate the MAIW Scenery files to FSX
There will be 4 folders made up with the respective names you state to name them: MAIW Airports, Landclass, Scenery and Excludes. Will these folders each be placed into the Addon Scenery Folder? I have not got to these folders yet, but looking at your guide it looks pretty simple

I wished I knew how to take a snapshot and place it into this thread to give you a visual as to what I am asking.

Thanks for your help.
Jack

[gsnde]

Hi Jake,

...what I was trying to ask is if the Apron_Flood_10.fx thru Apron_Flood_14.fx are the ramp lights which use the FS9 alpha channel transparency to make them look right. I'm thinking they are not and I wanted to be sure. These files are coming straight out of the aircraft effects folder. I made seperate folders on my desktop to copy files into and then once I get done I can just go into them and copy and then paste them right into FSX.

This way of working is how I do it myself. I don't know if these cause anything strange by heart, but if you see strange effects after you have copied them to ..\%FSX%\effects then you can easily revert back by just deleting them. So just try that out.

8. Migrate the MAIW textures to FSX. In item a) are these the aircraft texture files? I'm confused about this set There is a seperate Texture folder and Scenery folder in the main FSX root file. In the scenery\world\scenery are the .bgl files. If I understand the instructions correctly I should copy these files from the FS9 scenery\world\scenery and pasting them directly into the FSX scenery\world\scenery folder. Item a is where I'm not following what to do.

Regarding textures... There are two places where textures can be stored. Either below the scenery or aircraft in dedicated texture folders, or in the global texture folder that both FS9 and FSX have. By placing a file here it is automatically available to all objects that require the texture. That help to reduce the amount of files that you need to distribute. E.g. weapon textures used by all aircraft of a given family are often placed in the global texture folder. The downside to it is that you can run into version issues when changing the texture and all hell break loose when somebody comes up with the same texture name like another developer.

As a rule of thumb you can say that the textures you find below "..\%FS9%\addon scenery\.." will go exactly to the same place in "..\%FSX%\addon scenery\..".

BGL files are not textures. BGL files are compiled files, usually either airports, object libraries or flight plans. It is the flight plans that we need to watch especially, because by mixing FS9 and FSX flight plans. If there is a single FS9 flight plan in a given FSX setup, the sim will show the FS9 aircraft, but will not process any of the FSX flight plans.

You have correctly understood that the files from "..\%FS9%\scenery\world\scenery" need to go to "..\%FSX%\scenery\world\scenery" but what needs to be done in between is the conversion of the traffic files from FS9 to FSX format. All traffic file related tasks are in perfect hands with Don Grovestines AI Flight Planner. This is explained in an extra chapter in my guide.

9. Migrate the MAIW Scenery files to FSX
There will be 4 folders made up with the respective names you state to name them: MAIW Airports, Landclass, Scenery and Excludes. Will these folders each be placed into the Addon Scenery Folder? I have not got to these folders yet, but looking at your guide it looks pretty simple

It is simple. You are not bound to follow these last instructions to the letter - I don't know if I would suggest it the same way today. The advantage is that you have a relative easy-to-oversee setup in FSX. The downside is that you will never be able to switch on or off a given MAIW scenery. It also will make for a perfect debugging hell.

But either way you do it - the concept is to bring the files from FS9 to FSX, leaving those out which will not work in FSX.

Maybe I need to have a look at the Guide after these years and evaluate if things should be changed...

[jethomasjr]

Martin,

I found this in another thread and been following it also. This seems to be helping. Sounds like I am on the right track. Thanks again for your help.

1. Extract the package into a new folder (not your FS folder)
2. Move the 10 aircraft folders into your FSX installation (preferably into a new folder, see manual)
3. Copy the airport and waypoint files (MAIW_AF2_*.*) from the Addon Scenery folder into your FSX Addon Scenery folder (preferably into a new folder, see manual). Don't copy the *_VTP*.* and the *exclude*.* files.
4. Convert the Traffic file Traffic_MAIW_GLANG1.bgl with AI Flight Planner and copy it to Scenery\World\Scenery


Jack

[gsnde]

Good luck and come back whenever you need