Tangmere Lightning P3D Scenery Problem

[speedbird591]

I'm not a scenery expert so I don't understand the intricacies of it. But in the post that Pete's referring to, Neil Hill, who is responsible for the airports in FTX England suggests replacing the airport background texture with what they use in FTX England and states that it's an FSX texture called 'Grass Skirting 1’. If John McKeon isn't able to help isn't there anybody else on this forum who knows how to insert that texture and then it would resemble the first of Pete's shots.

It sounds simple but I wouldn't know where to start

By the way, I didn't get the impression that the response to Pete's post was arrogant or rude in any way.

Ian

[DaveB]

I'm certain that George (GHD) knows how it's done mate but equally.. it would require the scenery be disassembled and the replacement texture added and no one likes pulling someone elses work apart. It seems JM is the best candidate. Hopefully, he can either make a one-off for Pete or make it an alternative ORBX compatible version

ATB
DaveB

[thomasburnside]

I remember going to Tangmere on my 18th birthday. I had a go on the Lightning sim and when I finished I found out that i was the first person to successfully land it.

[PeteP]

If I could, I'd buy you the Vol1 GenX VFR V3 myself and you could bin the orbx stuff. Funding is very tight at the moment for museums everywhere, so its a significant investment when buying something like this.

Ben,
Thank you so much for that kind offer but don't worry, it's my money that's being wasted at the moment! The Lightning sim computer is hidden away in the back of the fuselage and is not easy to use when developing and testing new bits for it so I do it at home. Then, when I know what works and what doesn't, I remove the sim computer from its hidey-hole and update it in one go. I was testing both P3D and FTX England with the Alphasim Lightning using my own copies on my home computer.

The Alphasim Lightning (which we already have permission to use) works well with P3D so the museum has now bought a commercial licence; had FTX England worked, the next step would have been to approach ORBX for permission to use that commercially but I'm not sure we'll be going that route now.

We did test out the GenX VFR scenery but everyone preferred the look of Ultimate Terrain with various add-on bits like Portsmouth Highrise. As I've now found that UT is not approved for use in P3D and using FTX England could be problematical, perhaps it's time I revisited the photo scenery. I have a copy of V2 at home - is the V3 you mention a significant improvement?

Best
Pete

[DaveB]

It's enough of an improvement to make a difference Pete Texture res is now up to 60cm from 1 or 2m and they've included a selection of landmarks to break the monotony. I'd advise Treescapes Vol1 to go with it though otherwise you're back in that awful flat world

ATB
DaveB

[PeteP]

But in the post that Pete's referring to, Neil Hill, who is responsible for the airports in FTX England suggests replacing the airport background texture with what they use in FTX England and states that it's an FSX texture called 'Grass Skirting 1’.

Well, eventually he did Ian but - and I really don't want to sound like the archetypal whinging Pom here - he chose to do it by editing an earlier post instead of making a new one so I've only just noticed it! What he said originally was, "Good luck, I can tell you that the texture we use for the ENG airport background grass is the FSX texture "Grass Skirting 1"". Now like you, I'm no scenery expert but that looked like a big hint to me so I did a search for this texture but couldn't find it which seems rather odd if that's what's appearing as the background to Tangmere.

I may well take his advice and try to contact John but I'm rapidly running out of enthusiasm for FTX England. I think I might revisit GenX VFR scenery which I had rejected earlier (always assuming I can get permission to use that commercially for a reasonable cost) in which case I could use Trev Clark's Tangmere which is designed for the photo scenery.

Which reminds me, I have haven't seen any posts from Trevor lately. Are you still with us Trev?
Pete

[DaveB]

Trev IS still with us Pete.. in fact he's recently returned to Blighty 'full time'. He's not been posting much as I guess he's still very much sorting his life out

ATB
DaveB

[PeteP]

...they've included a selection of landmarks to break the monotony. I'd advise Treescapes Vol1 to go with it though otherwise you're back in that awful flat world

Thanks, Dave. I think it was the "monotony" and "awful flat world" that led to the preference for UT with added scenery. I'll get hold of a copy of V3 - you know, working for Tangmere costs me a fortune! Presumably, I can add things like the Spinnaker Tower to the GenX scenery?
Pete

PS Thanks for the info on Trev - I guess I can always give him a PM if I go the GenX route.
P.

[DaveB]

Spinnaker Tower is one of the aforementioned landmarks you get with Vol1 so the only issue you might have is by adding Highrise Portsmouth which, if memory serves me correct, is part of that scenery. As long as it sits above v3.. it should be ok though

Looking through what's living in the 3D Landmarks folder for v3, I see Bath Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, Clifton Suspension Bridge, Leeds Castle, QEII Bridge, Royal Albert Hall, Salisbury Cathedral, Spinnaker Tower, St Michaels Mount and the Tamar Bridges. There are some hi-def cities too but it's difficult to find out what they are without the documentation (which I'm not looking at)

V3 isn't perfect btw.. I don't think any single software of this size IS perfect. Some parts of the coastline are broken in places (you don't really notice these though unless you fly around the coast.. something I've done) and I've seen a couple of layering issues with UK2000 VFR Airfields where an updated terrain mesh lets you see the new ground texture until you get close (eg, when you land) and the new texture creeps away from you a little to reveal the old one underneath. Still.. none of this is the end of the world. I'm not sure how you're going to try it. I already had v2 so purchased the v3 update discs (around £7 a throw from EarthSim). For public use.. it may be as well to go for the full v3 disc so that can be licensed. I think ES currently sell the updates (and or single v3 areas) with the Treescapes to match each area for a given price. Take a look over there and see what you think

ATB
DaveB

[PeteP]

Thanks for that, Dave. I've just been having a look around myself. I'll probably buy the update disc for my V2 and try it on my computer. If all is well I can buy the full V3 version for Tangmere from the sim budget (yes, there is one!) Getting permission to use it commercially might be fun but I'll see how/if it works first and worry about that later.

Thanks again for your help.
Pete