X Plane Scenery Overhaul Of Major US Airports

[jzeitlin]

Hey guys after converting some MSFS airports I have realized what X-Plane lacks, incredible scenery! X-Plane aircraft like the freeware A330 and A340 are incredible. But X-Plane lacks the scenery. Even pay ware scenery meaning scenery with airport buildings are weak at best and are not detailed like FS2004 sceneries. Scenery is one of the most important things in X Plane. It makes the simulator more realistic. 

 

What I am proposing is a scenery project to take a giant leap forward in X-Plane scenery. I feel that X Plane needs FSDreamTeam quality scenery. What I would like to do is pick a handful of airports and develop them to the highest detail possible. When I mean detail, i say having the airline logos on gates, accurate signage and ground markings, highly detailed buildings and photo scenery like what is offered over at X-Aviation. 

 

This project is to big for any one developer or person to take on. I was wondering if there is any intrest in the X Plane community for a project like this. Im also interested in what people want. 

 

Along ideas and intrest I would need help tackling this huge project. I can program and am very good with photoshop but have no clue when it comes to modeling. 

 

This project would be all freeware. 

 

Please comment on this if you would be interested in anything I have mentioned above. 

 

Thanks for your support in the past and suggestions with repainting and other help.

 

Jared Zeitlin

[Ryan M.]

I'm in! Sounds like a plan!

[chris k]

Good luck man! Stick to it - it becomes addicting after a while!

 

Looking forward to your first release!

 

- CK.

[greggerm]

Jared,

 

I agree! The scenery world in X-Plane 10 is a double-edged sword... on the one hand, the simulation has a fantastic engine behind the scenes to display great detail with great overall performance... but on the other hand, there are weaknesses in the global scenery and at airports which can ruin the flight sim experience.

 

I DO NOT want to dissuade you from your goals, or otherwise dampen your enthusiasm, but the project you are suggesting is a very very ambitious one. Not only does it require expertise in modeling, texturing, and design... but it also requires actual feet-on-the-ground to gather photos for textures, data, and other elements at each of the airports you'd want to re-do.

 

Perhaps taking a different tack is in order - rather than aiming for perfection at each of these airports, maybe it's better to follow MSFS's lead and go for a little quantity over absolute quality. Rather than pushing for fully custom buildings and textures, using X-Plane's built-in object libraries and facades can help turn these airports around far faster. Rather than using photoreal ground textures, perhaps it's best to stick with the default ground, because you never know when they will get around to adding seasonal textures (nothing looks worse than snowy default ground blending into summertime photoreal near an airport)

 

If you haven't yet, I'd recommend getting your feet wet with WED 1.2 (Download Link, Manual Link), the airport design tool used with X-Plane. Pick a smaller municipal airport in your area and give it a re-work... fixing the taxiways, runways, adding signs, objects...  This will give you an idea as to what is involved in doing a small airfield. From there, you can imagine how much work might be needed for a big one. Getting the layout of the airport right can take some time... and that's before even putting in a single object.

 

Here's an example screenshot... I re-did my local airport (KPVD, of FS2004's FlightZone1 fame) using WED and only default objects. No, it certainly isn't perfect, but it is FAR FAR better than the bleak and desolate landscape which existed prior to my work.

 

 

It's not photoreal, and it's not 100% reality, but it is very good looking - far better than what default MSFS has provided in that location, I might add! By using standard elements and nothing custom, I probably saved days, if not months, of additional work.

 

Another fringe benefit of using only X-Plane 10 objects and tools (nothing custom) is that Laminar Research is hoping to develop a clearinghouse for designers like you and I to submit our work for inclusion in the master X-Plane airport database. Instead of having to download these airports individually, these improved airports would be sent out as part of XP10 itself. In order to participate in that future program, the airport must be made of standard, default objects and items - nothing custom...  When this program will get started is anyone's guess, but if one uses custom buildings and textures, the airport would not be eligible for inclusion.

 

Like you, I was appalled by the state of affairs at the default airports... once I got over that shock, I started learning WED and adjusting my local airports to match reality as best as I can in the hopes that someday my work can be included in the master database. In fact, because of X-Plane 10's current weaknesses, I find it more enjoyable to design in XP10 than fly. I really only start the sim to see what my design work looks like! So far, I've redone all the paved airports in my little state of Rhode Island, and a few others I've had an interest in.

 

I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but my first impression when reading your plans were that it's a project that is both sorely needed, but also a very very time-consuming. I'm throwing out another idea for you which might be a little more realistic to achieve, and it might also garner more participation from other designers as it doesn't require the expertise of modeling and texturing.

 

Just food for thought!! Carry on!!

-Greg

[Ryan M.]

That looks pretty damn good to me!