The Village of Thorne Bay Alaska in Flight Simulator

Started by SGOS, November 17, 2017, 06:33:43 PM

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SGOS

Having been away from flight simulator scenery design for so long, I had to relearn how to use the tools.  Being out of practice, this normal day and a half job took me 5 days.  I declared myself finished today.  I could probably do it again right now in 2 days.  In addition to static objects, I have learned to add boat traffic, so I've got a small fishing fleet coming and going all day and night, making this place, Thorne Bay, Alaska, kind of an interesting place to land. 

Thorne Bay exists in reality.  I can say I at least put it where it's supposed to be, not withstanding the total license I've given myself to put anything I want there.  Sometimes I model from photos.  Sometimes it's even recognizable as the actual place.  At a minimum, I attempt to get across a general idea.  If a ferry stops there, I put it in.  If there is a cannery there, I'll build one, etc.


Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on November 17, 2017, 06:33:43 PM
Having been away from flight simulator scenery design for so long, I had to relearn how to use the tools.  Being out of practice, this normal day and a half job took me 5 days.  I declared myself finished today.  I could probably do it again right now in 2 days.  In addition to static objects, I have learned to add boat traffic, so I've got a small fishing fleet coming and going all day and night, making this place, Thorne Bay, Alaska, kind of an interesting place to land. 

Thorne Bay exists in reality.  I can say I at least put it where it's supposed to be, not withstanding the total license I've given myself to put anything I want there.  Sometimes I model from photos.  Sometimes it's even recognizable as the actual place.  At a minimum, I attempt to get across a general idea.  If a ferry stops there, I put it in.  If there is a cannery there, I'll build one, etc.



Outstanding graphics!
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

SGOS

Quote from: Cavebear on November 18, 2017, 03:31:13 AM
Outstanding graphics!
Thanks.  The graphics are actually derived from photos and turned into things called bitmaps of precise dimensions and color definitions.  The graphics of the process turn ghostly white polygons into recognizable objects.  I actually go out driving around with my camera looking for old weathered barns, rusty roofs, brick walls and things that would add interest to the sterile fight sim environment given us by Microsoft, where all airports, no matter how rural or shabby are rendered with the same modern cement block hangers and administrative buildings.  You can't tell one from another.  And there is no particular rush landing at London Heathrow or Fairbanks Alaska.  It's all the same buildings.

The photos I take are then photo shopped (I use Paint Shop Pro) into libraries of bit maps used to paint structures. Light reflections and glowing windows are then derived from the bitmaps into secondary maps that only show up after the sun goes down.

Creating textures to apply to the white polygons is one of the more time consuming aspects of the process and the final touch that turn nothing into what you probably refer to as the graphics.

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on November 18, 2017, 10:27:37 AM
Thanks.  The graphics are actually derived from photos and turned into things called bitmaps of precise dimensions and color definitions.  The graphics of the process turn ghostly white polygons into recognizable objects.  I actually go out driving around with my camera looking for old weathered barns, rusty roofs, brick walls and things that would add interest to the sterile fight sim environment given us by Microsoft, where all airports, no matter how rural or shabby are rendered with the same modern cement block hangers and administrative buildings.  You can't tell one from another.  And there is no particular rush landing at London Heathrow or Fairbanks Alaska.  It's all the same buildings.

The photos I take are then photo shopped (I use Paint Shop Pro) into libraries of bit maps used to paint structures. Light reflections and glowing windows are then derived from the bitmaps into secondary maps that only show up after the sun goes down.

Creating textures to apply to the white polygons is one of the more time consuming aspects of the process and the final touch that turn nothing into what you probably refer to as the graphics.

I understand the theory, but I don't have the artistic skill.  Very impressive.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

pr126

I used to play MS Flightsim a lot. On an odd occasion, I managed to land planes without crashing.
Helicopters not so much.

Haven't played for years.

SGOS

Quote from: pr126 on February 28, 2018, 08:43:52 AM
I used to play MS Flightsim a lot. On an odd occasion, I managed to land planes without crashing.
Helicopters not so much.

Haven't played for years.
In later years, helicopters seemed easier to land.  I think they may have been redesigned by Microsoft.  It's also possible that I developed the "touch" without realizing it.  But fixed wings have always been much easier to get the hang of in Flight Simulator.  I don't bother much with the helicopters and never felt the need to master them.

Cavebear

Quote from: pr126 on February 28, 2018, 08:43:52 AM
I used to play MS Flightsim a lot. On an odd occasion, I managed to land planes without crashing.
Helicopters not so much.

Haven't played for years.

OH WOW, that pulls me back decades!  I had a friend who knew a guy who knew a guy and we got to visit a computer guy "someplace" in the early 70s.  And he had rocket landing simulator on his "special computer".   I made some BIG craters on the moon.  He said others had crashed bigger.   
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: SGOS on February 28, 2018, 10:14:37 AM
In later years, helicopters seemed easier to land.  I think they may have been redesigned by Microsoft.  It's also possible that I developed the "touch" without realizing it.  But fixed wings have always been much easier to get the hang of in Flight Simulator.  I don't bother much with the helicopters and never felt the need to master them.

I got a little battery powered quadcopter for Christmas last year, a gift to myself, for not having a grandson to play with.  Even with the relative stability of a quadcopter, I can't fly for real.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.