SBuilderX and P3DV3

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Peter32427
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:53 pm

SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by Peter32427 » Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:30 pm

Hi,
I’m new to SBuilderX but I’m trying to create some photoreal scenery for P3DV3. The scenery is for the Greek Island of Paxos.
I’ve set SBuilder up to look at all the P3DV3 SDK files.
Everything works fine, when I run P3DV3 and approach the island it is there exactly as it should be, but as I get closer, tiles of sea slowly encroach over the island. See attached screenshot.
I do not know whether it is a SBuilderX or P3DV3 problem. Any ideas?
Regards,
Peter
SBX-Paxos1.jpg

meshman
Posts: 219
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:54 pm

Re: SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by meshman » Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:36 am

Is there anything there in default, other than water? It's looking kind of flat and that leads me to think it's all water in default.

The other thing to check would be to open the BGL file holding the photo terrain with the TMFviewer program that is a part of the SDKs. Then select View | Level of Detail and find the listing furthest down the options that is not grayed out. If that level is 13 or a smaller number then your photo work would not be of high enough resolution to take priority over the default work. You might see if from a ways away, but as you got up to it then it would disappear.
Lance

Peter32427
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by Peter32427 » Tue Dec 08, 2015 4:15 pm

Hi Meshman,
Many thanks for your help, it solved my problem.

As you noticed, the island appears rather flat, although in fact it is quite hilly. Any suggestions as how I might best think about adding some mesh?

Regards,
Peter

meshman
Posts: 219
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:54 pm

Re: SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by meshman » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:29 am

What makes you think I know anything about mesh... :lol:

It sounds simple, but in this situation I'm not sure. The pic you posted from P3D has the fuzzy text thing for the Shift-Z onscreen readouts, so could you share a Lat/Lon for the island?
Lance

Peter32427
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by Peter32427 » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:26 pm

Hi Lance,

Thanks for your reply. The island is Paxos, just south of Corfu in Greece. The centre of the island is N 39.209 E 20.163

We go the Paxos every year on holiday - it is a gem of a place!

Regards,

Peter

meshman
Posts: 219
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:54 pm

Re: SBuilderX and P3DV3

Post by meshman » Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:58 pm

I went in FSX to check the island of Paxos and it's a depressing place. At least in default, fixed up it looks like it would be a good vacation spot!

New mesh would help some and there's source readily available that is all ready to be compiled. But... :shock:

The picture of the photo work shows everything as flat, covered in water. Maybe a water poly was added to override the default terrain? If so, then the ocean water poly is going to clamp elevations down to zero and new mesh or any mesh wouldn't change that.

So the proper method would be to exclude the existing water and then reintroduce it shaped to match the island's layout. Then the new mesh could appear in all it's glory! But... :lol:

If you load a background in SBX and then turn on the QMID 11 grid you will find that Paxos sits right at an intersection of four QMID 11 cells. If the island was far enough away from anything, that wouldn't be an issue. But in three of the four QMID cells is other landmass. Each would need to be redrawn to replace what was there before the water was excluded.

Bottomline, it's not a quick and easy thing, but by no means is it a hair-pulling endeavor. It would just take a little time and effort to get right and to make Paxos the vacation wonderland in FSX.
Lance

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