Creation of Muchamel (LEMU)

[Wynthorpe]

Superb Ola! Inspired me to work faster and put some more detail into my modelling, im thinking pc's can handle a hell of a lot of Polys in XP now.

[OlaHaldor]

Thank you.

A little newsflash. I've been having loads of trouble with texture baking. Somehow, something isn't right. The last few weeks have been busy with painting and slowly moving into new offices, along with this I've been wrestling with these problems. I've spent all day trying to figure out how I could iron this one out, and I've slowly come to a solution. It's a time consuming process, but all in all I think I'm gonna save time. Since last update I've gone into the clever corner and spent almost a handful of hundreds of green little men on a plug-in that will speed up the texture process with hours, if not days..

[JBalsa]

Ola,

On comment #19, picture 2, I have a question. Are the textures on the dome hangar embossed? Because when I look at the textures, it seems to me like they are popping out a bit compared to the rest. It looks great though. 

[OlaHaldor]

9.40beta1 was released after I started doing this scenery, so with the introduction of normal maps I couldn't resist just checking it out. It will not look like this in the final version  though, but my goal is to have some sort of normal maps for every building, so they will look more life like.

[JBalsa]

Well, it looks good anyways. I quite like the normal map (?) effect you have on there. It greatly enhances the hangar.

-Jason

[TheoGregory]

Normal maps? I don't think he'd normal map those... Are you referring to the ambient occlusion? (shadows)

[JBalsa]

I'm not quite sure WHAT i'm reerring to! 

WHatever it is he did that made the hangar textures pop out. I'll just call it embossing them. 

[OlaHaldor]

X-Plane 9.40 beta 1 introduced normal mapping, giving the effect of definition and depth, often also done with "bump maps".

A normal map will look something like this

Depending on the angle of the light source, it will produce the illusion of depth and texture. It's a normal map applied to the curved, weathered hangar. But that was very quickly done using a simple application for such, using the texture I created for the hangar itself, thereby the dents, scratches and other textures would have this "embossing" effect instead of it being only the metal itself.

I will not guarantee anything, but I'd REALLY like to produce as a as high quality scenery as possible, and in order to do that, I think it would be utterly stupid not to take advantage of the latest tech and possibilities added to the sim we all love. Therefore, yes, I HOPE I can make normal maps for all the structures. Be it a hangar, a Pepsi machine, a tree or a fuel tank.

[OlaHaldor]

Ok, been a long time since I've done anything on LEMU. In fact, been a long time since could do what I wanted to, regarding 3D. Work has taken load of time this fall, and when I come home after work, I'm so exhausted and disgusted by the thought of 3D that I've just let it go.

I was playing Tropico 3 today, and I like the airport design there, so I opened LightWave for the first time in a while with a real goal. So I started fiddling around and made the airport from Tropcio, with some small modifications. would be fun to use it in XP somewhere.

Anyway - I've made great progress with my skills and insight of LightWave and the tools in LWCAD just by doing this small airport terminal which I think will become valuable for future projects.

[OlaHaldor]

Ok, I got about one or two hours of spare time at work, so I figured I'd fine tune some details on one of the hangars, and I created this shed which is located near the parking lot.

It might not look so clean in regards of polygon placement. The real deal in Spain is banged up, dents, some rust and loads of stuff implying it's been there for years. I wanted to add that to the model. I'm looking forward to how it will look in X-Plane.

[Cameron]

Ok, I got about one or two hours of spare time at work, so I figured I'd fine tune some details on one of the hangars, and I created this shed which is located near the parking lot.

It might not look so clean in regards of polygon placement. The real deal in Spain is banged up, dents, some rust and loads of stuff implying it's been there for years. I wanted to add that to the model. I'm looking forward to how it will look in X-Plane.

Hi, Ola,

Can't seem to see any picture here of what you're describing.

Looking forward to seeing you get back into the scenery side of things!

[OlaHaldor]

That's odd. I'll use "Insert Attachment" then. See if it works now.

[Kiedels]

I really like the scenery you've made here. I've heard you talking about this scenery in other posts, so I thought I should take a look. I was wondering if this scenery is finished yet, because the last post you made in this subject was a couple weeks ago. If so, then what website are you selling it on? I really think we can use some payware scenery builders for X-Plane. Maybe the next scenery you make could be something like London Heathrow, or Schiphol, because I have been looking for scenery like that. ;D

[OlaHaldor]

Hey, thanks for your interest in LEMU.

I'm no where near finished. I still have a few hangars to model, and then I'm off to model oil barrels, containers and boxes etc. Things take time. With work on the side I have enough to think about. But I hope things will settle down a little so I can get around and complete it asap and get started on something huge.

I've had some contact with Cameron, and when this one goes gold, I'm certain it will be sold through X-aviation.

[OlaHaldor]

Made some progress today while at work.

I made a couple of swings and a trampoline for the playground in front of the restaurant. No screenshot at this time.

[OlaHaldor]

Here's the items for the playground. The textures are not final, just basic colors to give an idea of what they look like IRL. Also, I see now that I lack a tiny detail on the swing set, since this is low poly all the way, I can afford to add 20 more polygons for the detail.

[OlaHaldor]

Built another hangar and smaller structures today. These belong to the fire and rescue dept. at the airfield.

Texture for the hangar is the same as the Inaer hangars. I still lack to add the entrance which is on the same side as the house and container. But because of the image material I got, it's not going to be accurate. Alex took the photos, but couldn't get any good angles of it due to trees in the way. We'll see what I'm gonna do about it.

The house is plain white with a few windows and a door.

Total polycount for these are 370

As for the Tropico based terminal and tower, I have somehow lost it during christmas. I have no idea where that model file went.

[Wynthorpe]

You have inspired me to add a LOT more detail to my EGNT build, i know ive not put up any screens but im pulling a "PMDG" for now and keeping quiet on that one  ;D

[Simmo W]

Wow Ola, I'm slow so have only caught up with your posts re. Your scenery just now. It looks great! After enjoying javier's Lesa so much, I hope more people like u give us beautiful scenery. Looking fwd To some low passes over the playground.

While I'm at it - anyone know what is out there that is comparable to Lesa? I love the night textures, hence my seamax and javvy vids of it. So much of the freeware stuff is not textured nicely, and I know I'll get sick of howdy's areas within months!

[OlaHaldor]

Lol, Wynthorpe, c'mon! Let's play fair like developers and exchange experiences! ;D

Capnsully-Simon W, I think that's what some of the big difference is between payware and freeware. Textures takes a lot of time, and often I see scenery with so little attention to how the textures are done. I myself am not a fan of scenery where the buildings are only a box or VERY primitive shapes with photos on it. It looks blurry and lifeless. But the fact that it's blurry can on the other hand be the resolution limit of 2048^2, which I wish I could double, in order to get the detail I want for the largest hangars.

[OlaHaldor]

Nothing much going on. Just modeled a new hangar, and baked textures to two hangars. I'll have to do some cleanup though. Things are going slow, but there IS progress.

[Oliver]

Nothing much going on. Just modeled a new hangar, and baked textures to two hangars. I'll have to do some cleanup though. Things are going slow, but there IS progress.

This is one hell of a work Ola! You really are a pro at scenery making! 

[OlaHaldor]

Well, thanks.. Hehe, I don't feel like the "god of x-plane scenery" even though I have a passion and a dream....  ;D

This is as it stands right now. I lack to add the following

• Add a couple of structures near the new hangar on the opposite sides of the Inaer hangars
  
• Add a container which holds a flight simulator, near the restaurant
  
• Fence around here and there
  
• Loads of wooden boxes to go near one of the hangars
  
• Metal triangles painted red/white
  
• Trees, if I can figure out a way to do it nice
  
• A yellow "follow me" car parked as a monument near the club house
  

I'd like to make some better ground textures, but I have yet to find anything that is better than the satellite reference I used for rough measurements.

[OlaHaldor]

I don't like the ground textures around the airfield. Nor is the default textures oriented in the correct direction, as you can see in the screenshots throughout the thread.

I haven't been able to find satellite photos of this area, only Google Earth can give me an idea of how it should be. So I took the liberty of painting a little over a large GE image I made. The black frame shows 2048^2.. Probably not good enough if quality from low altitude is the goal.. Will check it as soon as I have WED and Overlay Editor installed on my Mac.

[Simmo W]

looking nice Ola. yes the default textures are crap. Why not do as I'll be doing, include that 2048 screenshot as a draped poly in your scenery? then others can use G2xpl if they want.

I've learnt so much in my own scenery explorations now, but never so much as at the end- after posting my first scenery, kmpi, I had time finally to go back and check out Javier's LESA again, but with new, educated eyes.

Javier is a 'freak', so talented. And he said he whipped it up over Christmas! go check it out, but forensically as a scenery dev. I personally learnt more that day than reading any instructions or threads.

I stand by my previous statements that it is the best scenery effort ever for xplane. texturing, modelling, faithful replication of buildings...