Scenery and supporting AI for John's KC-390

[f4nutter]

now I see why you wasn't keen on me doing the Helo's
sorry for the extra work load John, but I must say it's going to be a huge package when released.
when I see how much work Tim and yourself have put into it, texturing the model's was the easy option.

[TimC340]

Hi all. If you venture into the FTP you'll see that the structure for Group 1 - now titled Brazil Project: Part 1 - has changed as I prepare it for the final download package. Part 1 is now structured as it would be in FSX or P3D respectively (there's a different section for each), and includes airfields, aircraft, paints (where we're not including the models), effects, global textures, flightplans and ALT corrections where applicable. I'm fine-tuning the airfields in Part 1 so you may notice small changes in the file details as we go through the next day or two.

I hope to begin the collation of the documentation today and complete it over the weekend - it'll no doubt need several edits as John and I fire critiques back and forth! However, I think we're likely to be ready to upload Part 1 early next week - subject to uploading being available, and the allowed upload size being compatible. If the upload facility isn't likely to return soon, we'll consider our options for uploading elsewhere pending the return of full functionality at MAIW.

As Ray says above, this is an enormous project and it's taken an incredible amount of time to put together by John and me - and we couldn't have done it without your contributions, which are very much appreciated. I don't pretend that my efforts compare in any way to the John Stinstrom, ACG, UKMil and MAIW productions that we're lucky enough to still access - John's huge experience shows in the Embraer Gaviao Peixoto airfield that he has constructed for Part 1, which puts mine to shame! However, as a showcase for the amazing AI aircraft John has made, and the others you guys have painted for the project, the airfields work well enough.

After Part 1 is complete, I'm going to take a week off before I start collating Part 2 and the subsequent Parts. I've put off a lot of other jobs while this project has been going on, and I should be training for a 300 mile cycle ride from Boston to New York later in the year; I'm well behind on that! However, I anticipate that - once upload facilities return - we'll release the Parts at one month intervals so that users can enjoy each Part for a while before the next one comes along. To release it all at once would be overwhelming - I think it involves about 40 airfields and a couple of hundred aircraft! That may mean that some of your contributions aren't seen for a bit - some aircraft aren't relevant to Part 1 or 2, but most make it in by Part 3, I think.

Please do download and try out the elements of Part 1 that may have changed since you last looked. If you see any problems, let me know!

[TimC340]

Hi all. Apologies for the lack of comms for a while. The compilation of the covering literature hasn't been simple and we are still working on it. The Upload facility is back, and we are hoping it's stable. The limit of 256mb per upload does restrict what we can do as the ground phototiles can be quite large, so I'm having to restrict my ambitions on those. The uploads of Brazil Part 1 - Central will be two separate things: one for FSX and one for P3D. All being well, we should be ready to go this week.

As mentioned in my previous update, Part 2 - North will begin the collation process after I've had a week off. I intend to publish a month after Part 1, and at monthly intervals to Part 5. There will almost certainly be a Part 6 - Corrections and Updates at a subsequent date!

Feedback at any stage is encouraged and welcomed. However, I absolutely have to step back a bit after Part 1 is out to pay some attention to mental and physical maintenance (of myself and my garden!).

[TimC340]

Part 1 (FSX) and Part 1 (P3D) are now in the FTP in .zip folders. They're fairly big downloads (140/250mb), but will fit in the new upload system. Please have a look if you have time. Once any errors are dealt with we will be going live. I'm going for a beer.

[Jorgen]

I kinda like your plans, Tim.

Cheers -

Jorgen

[shaggy22]

Top work as always from everyone involved in this.

[TimC340]

Hi again all.

CALL FOR TESTING AND FEEDBACK!

John and I have bounced stuff backwards and forwards for a couple of weeks now and we're both getting punch-drunk! Both packages (FSX and P3D) are complete and within my folder in the FTP as Zip files (Brazil Part 1 FSX.zip and Brazil Part 1 P3D.zip). Both files are around 215mb.

We are looking for feedback specifically on the following items:

Can you follow the documentation?

Do you see any problems with C/E/R-99 parking at Rio Intl (SBGL)?

Are the jetways at Rio connected to the terminal?

We're asking these questions as they've consumed a great deal of our time and attention already and (perhaps obviously) John's and my experiences and opinions differ! Please do have a look and let us know what you see and think.

[shaggy22]

Hi Tim,

Here's what I have for you:

Documention: Easy enough to understand for me, makes overall sesne.

Rio: I see no parking issues there at all, even with some KC-137's that I painted parked up there as well. The jetways are connected to the terminal & link aircraft as normal, well those that can anyway.

The only issues I've come across so far is at Anapolis, it seems to be sitting on it's own little plateau as you can see here:

This is the FSX version in P3Dv4, I used the v5 scenery originally which does not work at all.

Also at Anapolis are some floating trees/bushes at the end of the runway:


Other than that, excellent job all around by everyone involved in this.

[TimC340]

Dan, thanks for that.

For either version of Anapolis (and many of the other sceneries) we recommend you have a mesh for South America installed. FSX is simply dreadful at representing South America, but P3D isn't great (even v5). There is a freeware one linked to in the Overview document, but I use Orbx in my own sims. That will sort out the 'sitting on a cliff' presentation you're seeing!

I was a bit doubtful that the V5 sceneries would work in v4, and I do refer to that doubt in the manuals. You may remember when v5 came out there were several anomalies that it took a good while to work through, but now I think v5.4 is the best (and probably the most popular) version of P3D. For the same reason John and I don't work in FS9, I wasn't going to make a big effort to accommodate P3Dv4 in the interests of limiting the workload. However, I'm very happy for anyone else to make any adaptations for V4 or V6 - but please wait until we're sure we've caught all the bugs in FSX and P3Dv5 so that the version you're converting is the definitive one.

Just to be clear, is that the FSX version displaying in P3Dv4 where you're getting the floating bushes? I'll see if I can replicate that on one of my computers. I may then be able to suggest a cure.

[shaggy22]

Hi Tim,

No worries, I'll probably just adjust the airfield to suit, I don't fly a lot in South America so can't justify the mesh requirements, even if it is free & my pc can take it.

That is correct, this is the FSX version in P3Dv4.

[John Young]

Dan, many thanks for your tests.

Could you confirm please that the P3D (v5.4) version of the Embraer airfield (SBGP) is working well in your P3Dv4 please?

For Anapolis (SBAN), how is the FSX version displaying the apron light splashes at night and the same for SBGP if you are using the FSX version there too.

I'm assuming that the 6 other P3Dv5.4 airfields in Part 1 are working fine.

John

[shaggy22]

John,

Embraer airfield seems to work just fine for me, everything is there that is meant to be.

Neither SBAN or SBGL are showing apron splashes at night sadly. There are lights from the buildings & light poles but nothing on the aprons.

All the other 6 airfields are working perfectly fine for me.

[TimC340]

The FSX light splashes are from the effect fx_JY_apronlight or fx_JY_apronlight_large, and the texture fx_JY_apronlight must be in your effects\texture folder. If you've installed the P3D airfields in your P3Dv4, you'll should have the dynamic light effects (there are 14 in the P3D effects folder) and no effects textures are needed. The dynamic lights should work in properly P3Dv4.4 or 4.5; they may not work in earlier versions of P3Dv4.

The P3D airfields won't call the FSX effects and vice-versa, so for a hybrid installation (say FSX airfields in P3Dv4), you'll need the appropriate effects installed.

Edit: this is what the SBAN lights look like in P3Dv5.4:



Close up:



And in FSX:

[TimC340]

After making the above post, I noticed that half the P3D apron lights were missing for some reason (as can be seen in the top screenshot vs the second one)! It seems to have been a 'save' issue, as they're there in the file, but I've replaced the file in the Part 1 zip. I haven't uploaded that yet as I'll wait until I think I've caught any other snags that need dealing with, but this is what it should look like at night in P3Dv5 (same time and date as above):

[John Young]

Dan, this is what the ground splashes look like at SBGL in P3Dv5:




They use the effect file: "fx_spotlightFFE0C032_50_40_75_2_0_0.fx" that is in the zip. For them to show, "Dynamic Lighting" must be switched on in the sim.

Is the file installed please and is the lighting enabled?

John

[TimC340]

Some may query why the light splashes are less strong in the P3D shots. John and I spent quite a lot of time finding a P3D dynamic lighting solution that produced adequate illumination without causing blinding reflections from some textures! We have a few screenshots of sun-rivalling buildings... The strength we settled on is perhaps a little softer than we'd have liked, but it works reasonably well with the variety of textures we have to deal with. The FSX effect is a painted-on texture that doesn't 'illuminate' anything, and so it can be made to look a bit stronger. But of course, because it is at (or very close to) ground level, anything above it is in shadow.

[shaggy22]

Hi John,

I don't have that file at all & it isn't in the FSX folder on the ftp, just downloaded it to double check & it's definitely not there. Unless it's in the P3D folder & that's the folder I need?

Thanks,

[John Young]

I'm now confused Dan. I know you are using the FSX version of SBAN in P3Dv4, but I thought you confirmed that all was fine with the other P3D sceneries.

Have I got that wrong and you are using the FSX package throughout in P3Dv4?

The effect file you need for SBGP, assuming you are using the P3D package is in the P3D zip (I've just checked it). The FSX one won't work in P3D.

John

[shaggy22]

I have had to use the FSX package & from what I could see, lights aside as I forgot to look at those, it is all good. The Embraer scenery (which is a P3D scenery I believe) I downloaded & installed before I realised the other sceneries were V5 only.

I'll download the effect file from that later then & have a look.

[TimC340]

Dan, can you confirm that you didn’t find the SBGP folder in one of the zip folders? It’s definitely in both as I see them. If that not what you received I need to look at it again. Can you let me know what the file dates are that you have?