Devblog 9 - New development environments

It's the time to leave some programs totally obsolete for projects i'm working right now.
As you can see, I'm slowly moving all projects to new development environments because are these tools that grows the simulator to the high detailed level.
Many times I wonder why i get used to the google sketchup , perhaps because it is very simple and does not include many features but at the moment it's impractical and doesn't really allow me to do what i would like to do 100%. For example you cannot map correctly in Sketchup , which I have learned with the tool "Oxygen 2" , which is the development tool for Arma 2 and it really opened my eyes because I didn't know you could map in this way. Now I use the Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 and I'm slowly moving the projects. why Max 2012? It is very simple and also Prepar3D allows plugins for this version, At the same time i learn with this new tool "I adjust" to the new interfaces and allows me to know how to handle the new interface programs nowadays and export projects in 64 bits, which I will benefit in the future with the arrival of Prepar3D v2. Although Blender has a very potential and lately is having a high impact in the FS world . I don't know maybe in the future I go to blender but for now i will use 3ds max.

Project imported from Google Sketchup to 3ds max

Before, I was using GIMP , however not allow me to use several things that Photoshop does perfectly. The other day I did a test and merged a single layer of grass with a photoreal background and the truth is that the result is promising. Imagine when I start editing the whole groundpoly ...

Editing with Photoshop and GIMP respectively.

And for some who wonder what are the tools I use for my sceneries (because many will ask), I will use these program for the final result of the project .. or at least that's how I have planned :
- Autodesk 3ds max 2012.
- Photoshop CS6.
- The development tools of Arno.
- Airport design editor.
- Of course, the SDK of FS2004, FSX and P3D.
- DXTBmp to import and export the textures on the correct format.
- And i think i don't forget anymore ..

Until next Devblog !

Very interesting video about EGML ORBX

I share you this amazing video that shows the making of a scenery with programs like Photoshop and Autodesk. Recommended to see it in HD.

Specifically, in the part that I'm now working on my project is in the first, which appears to work with photoshop and as you see, It's a purely laborious and you have to be "an artist" to do it.

After watching this interesting video I can say I'm not in a wrong way so finally I'll have the best result (I hope).

Bye holidays!

The holidays are over and the "back to school" is inevitable. Many have already begun and some haven't begun yet but the reality is that. I bring you good news and one bad.

The bad news is that I can't give you any news of development of Axarquia X. The main reason is that I'm learning to manage Photoshop instead of GIMP because Photoshop can supports large images as I'm going to use in the proyect.

See this screenshot to give you an idea of ​​how I'm working.

As you can see, the blue lines delimit each model (squares) with texture of 2048x2048 pixel. In this image only we can see the 1/3 of the whole photoreal and the whole photoreal has a total of 72 pictures like these.

The good news is that as I said in this post, I am concentrating all my efforts to develop the mod of the Spanish Armed Forces. The projects have passed through my hands (modeled and mapped on the model) are: A small cargo and fuel trailer, the entire cabin of the helicopter Tiger (EC-665) and currently working in F18 A+ (Spanish model) modeling, mapping and texturing of the cockpit and exterior model.

A continuación os muestro unas capturas de los proyectos:

Small cargo trailer

And related of the F18 I can't show you anything because It's still in a very early stage. The only thing I can say you is this module, which is the update of the MLU (Mid Life Update).

At the moment I have nothing to tell you except you should work hard from the beginning and don't leave it. It is a message that is aimed at both those who start school, college, university, job or are starting new projects.

See you!

Devblog 8 - Change of plan

Yes, I have changed some things in the development of the scenery of the Axarquia X. As I said in the devblog 6, referring to the layers, I have been experimenting a problem since more than 2 months and finally I'm going to change the technique for this scenery. The problem, as I said in the devblog 7 was that when I see all layer superimposed then it start to do a strange effect called "flicker" that occurs when graphic card can't reproduce (with the obsolete graphic engine of the simulator) textures when these two faces are very close  (I tried everything).

This is a screenshot of what is happening and the effect called "flicker":

The good news is that I will use a laborious technique, but with accurately finished product. The bad news is that it'll take at least half a year to make the "ground" only.
The technique consists of a single layer that will not blink and will contain a single texture (which of course will contain the layers of grass, asphalt, alterations, cracked terrain, etc. .. in that image), this layer is divided into small parts with his textures. A total of 72 parts, of which the texture size is 2048x2048.
I will have to split the texture editing into three parts because my PC can't handle images with that giants sizes. In this way, the images have sizes like 16384 pixels. The size of the aerial image of the entire aerodrome comes to haunt the 49152 pixels and It would be awesome..

I've been testing and the truth is that It change a little. I've done an example of how it would look (Careful!, this isn't the finished texture and probably will be totally different to the final result, only shows the resolution of texture)

All this means that the resolution of the images will be 3 centimeters per pixel, This is an example of a resolution of 2 centimeter per pixel, FTX Bella Coola which It's a payware product. I put a few screenshots to give you an idea of ​​what you would get with that resolution:

I'm not a expert on texturing layer but I think with a lot of effort and time, much time can be achieved through errors, adjustments, changes and more changes that may occur ... This would cost me a lot of time and effort but I think it will be worth. You just hope that you may also enjoy the scenery and of course, If you are interested on the develop of the project, don't leave to see this Development blog! In this way, you can learn too.

Until the next Devblog!