Graham Eccleston Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 A few years back, a pack of RAAF scenery covering Amberley, Williamtown, Richmond and East Sale Airforce bases was released for FS2004. Does anyone know if the individual buildings and sundry items used in that pack are available in any library files for use with a scenery program such as Instant Scenery? I am particularly interested in the long shelters used to cover the parked Hawks and Hornets at Williamtown. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandy Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 G'day Graham, Not to my knowledge but let's hope we see something soon as they are sadly neglected. Don't forget Williamtown, our number one fighter base and home of the AWACS. Of course there were also the NT bases and so-on. Not only is Williamtown a RAAF Base (they own it) but it also houses Wiiliamtown civil airport (read Newcastle) - which isn't there in the sim except for the taxiways and an apron. Even Aerosoft haven't done a particulalry good job with the military traffic at Williamtown with their My Taffic X as Hornets have there noses poked through closed hangar doors - and in some cases are hover Hornets (no wheels). Everyone thinks of airspace in this country as civil airspace, but is it really? Who actually owns the airspace and who has been given the task of managing it for the owner? One to think about. Should we give more attention to military aircraft and bases in Australia than we do, especially when they accomodate airports we simmers and real-world pilots fly in and out of? I think that yes, we should. It is annoying to look at Williamtwown in the sim, both military and civilian sides, and feel disappointment. I know Willamtown and Wagga Wagga (RAAF Base Forrest Hill) rather well, and as for Williamtown I can say it is very poor. Pity, as it is fast becoming more than a busy regional transport hub and is now seeing about 800 000 passengers a year, and is getting into the international market. One million passengers per annum is not far away. So when we think of ugrading our military bases we should not overlook those with co-existing civil infrastructure and include that as well. All we need is someone willing and able to do a good job at developing the nesecessay add-on. I would happily pay for this work. While we are at it, I think Newcastle could be better done, seeing that it is not only now almost considered a second suburb of Sydney (in the minds of Sydney-siders anyway) but is also Australia's largest commercial port. Williamtown has often been mooted as the site for Sydney's second Airport (God forbid), but such is it's importance. I'm not in the RAAF (and don't live in Newcastle) and not associated with them in any way, but I do live just up the road from Williamtown. Let's hope your query stirs up support. Regards, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royhemp Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Well said John. I second that as I live in the Newcastle area. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Venema Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Not 100% sure, but I think Rob Neuiwenhoven and some others are working on the RAAF AI and associated airfields. I'll check with him and report back ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamC Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 It's funny you know as i just put these files back into my FS2004 this morning and have been playing around with them. If it's ok with John i can post the Zip files here for people that want them. Cheers Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony31 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Ever wondered why Newcastle Airport isn't done? Read this http://www.newcastleairport.com.au/templates/airport_content.aspx?edit=false&pageID=528 Bottom line $600 per hour for still photography airside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Eccleston Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 Would it be possible for you to e-mail the files Adam? My e-mail address is on my profile. I have downloaded a lot of RAAF aircraft and am in the process of providing homes for them. I'm working on the old FS2004 scenery for Williamtown and trying to make it work in FSX. I have the main structures in place in accordance with the original bgl files but I am unable to move, add or delete any of the buildings. I cannot access the scenery files via 'Instant Scenery' and I do't have the skills to play with the files in any other way. Anyone interested in loading lots of military AI aircraft into their sim should check out the 'Military AI Works (MAIW)' website. Lots of good stuff there. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Harris Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Ever wondered why Newcastle Airport isn't done? Read this http://www.newcastleairport.com.au/templates/airport_content.aspx?edit=false&pageID=528 Bottom line $600 per hour for still photography airside. lol you can blame ol terry rist for that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxter Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Bottom line $600 per hour for still photography airside. An unbelievable abuse of their power... We had a similar situation here where one individual treated the land use database of a certain State Government instrumentality as his personal fiefdom and charged the earth for access for what was essentially already publicly paid for data... These little dictators in their own small fishponds are one of the biggest impediments of private industry benefitting from the expenditure of public funds which in turn benefits the public. Sorry about this, but it is one thing that really craps me off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braedon King Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Avsim has this for Williamtown... http://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=70484 Rob Neuiwenhoven had something to do with that one. Download at Avsim is here... http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=53655 Looks like it could do with the PR treatment. Imagery in Google is excelent. You can read the parking bay numbers on the aprons. Was thinking of doing the PR myself, but if you have started... Bungo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 The photography fee is not uncommon. Note that it only applies where the photos are used commercially. So shouldn't be a problem for someone taking pics for a sim if its freeware. Somoneone with an ASIC, a camera and having had a cht to the right perosn should be able to do it. The security aspect of taking photos airside I can understand - especially at a sghared military facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Eccleston Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 As I see it, it would seem all the scenery designers have their hands full with the list of airports already planned and any new release of Williamtown for FSX could be 1 or 2 years away. I am not in the process of redoing Williamtown I don't have the necessary skills to do that. What I am doing is installing the FS9 RAAF AI Project Team version (released Sept 2004) into my FSX system. There are problems with this but it is better than the default scenery and will suffice until a more accurate recreation is released. This is how it looks at present: What I would like to do is move some of the scenery marginally (hangars and signage), and to reset the aircraft shelters. You will note that one end of each shelter is sunk down a few feet. I would also like to add 2 more shelters in line with the actual airport. All I am after is the base files in a format I can work with with my limited skills. Graham Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braedon King Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Um, if you have the airfield, you have the files neccessary to move the stuff around (if it was created for FS2004 rather than FS2002)? The models are in the BGLs and shopuld apear in IS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Eccleston Posted July 1, 2008 Author Share Posted July 1, 2008 Yes I do have the bgl files but I cannot access them with either EZ-Scenery or Instant Scenery. These files must have been prepared with a different program and/or in a different manner. I do not know how to compile or decompile bgl files that is why I use programs such as Instant Scenery. While I know these files were not part of any Orbx release, some of the original scenery designers are contributers to the Orbx and Voz forums and I thought they may be able to help me with this problem. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony31 Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 You may need this program. "BGLXML 1.8, by Alessandro G. Antonini ©2004 this is an utility which disassembles BGL files into new FS2004 format and produces an XML file to be compiled with Microsoft BGLCOMP (from FS2004 SDK). Besides disassembling all BGL records, it is also able to extract .MDL files from ModelData sections." You can then edit the XML data to change the positions (not easy) or take the .mdl files to create a new library which one of the scenery placing programs can handle (hours of fun). I should point out though that the models are probably copyrighted by the original authors. Legally you have no right to redistribute their work (especially if you edit it) without their permission or unless they have made the work available in the Public Domain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinc Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 The photography fee issue is interesting. My partner and i are commercial photographers based in Melbourne and for different reasons we do a bit of shooting at Victorian airports. As far as i'm aware none of the major Vic. apt websites have any documentation regarding photography. I know at Moorabbin you need to meet with the MAC manager before you get permission to go airside...and at another i wont name, you just need to know someone who owns a charter company as long as you pick a quiet day (we tend to use Sundays as there's not much traffic). There dont seem to be too many issues, we spent a couple of "joyful" summer days out on the apron doing a job there without any hassles...unless you count beating off ground staff and onlookers with a stick, thats what we get for using beautiful models . Cheers Martin C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony31 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 So that's the trick Martin. Bring along Jennifer Hawkins and ask if you can take some pics of her in a bikini at the airport. Who can say no to that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinc Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Yep, Worked for us...."you need a Lear jet?. No problem, where do you want us to place it..." You'd be amazed what you can get away with if you have a beautiful model in tow. For anyone who's wondering what i'm on about, take a look at my partner Morgana's gallery at.. http://ptollemy.deviantart.com/gallery/#Samantha-Doll The aviation shots are near the bottom. Oh, and for anyone who wants to take a look at my aviation stuff http://saxmancometh.deviantart.com/gallery/#Aviation Apologies for the shameless self promotion, but hey...... Enjoy Martin C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossco OZFSEXPO Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 As I see it, it would seem all the scenery designers have their hands full with the list of airports already planned and any new release of Williamtown for FSX could be 1 or 2 years away. I am not in the process of redoing Williamtown I don't have the necessary skills to do that. What I am doing is installing the FS9 RAAF AI Project Team version (released Sept 2004) into my FSX system. There are problems with this but it is better than the default scenery and will suffice until a more accurate recreation is released. This is how it looks at present: What I would like to do is move some of the scenery marginally (hangars and signage), and to reset the aircraft shelters. You will note that one end of each shelter is sunk down a few feet. I would also like to add 2 more shelters in line with the actual airport. All I am after is the base files in a format I can work with with my limited skills. Graham Graham Hi Graham, Is that screenshot of the parking area at Williamtown from FSX or FS9? I have installed the 2004 Williamtown scenery into FSX and have found missing textures on some buildings. Textures are missing for the Control tower, Regional airport terminal, selected hangars and buildings as well as the main parking sheds on the tarmac. Other textures seem to work ok, like on the Hardened Aircraft Shelters. Sections of the runway go missing where the taxiways are. Cheers Rossco RAAFvirtual Oz Flight Sim Expo Director Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Eccleston Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Those shots are from FSX using the FS9 package. I also have issues with some textures not appearing. I've given up on trying to use this pack in FSX as there were too many problems with the textures and some of the scenery and I did not have the means or the skills to fix them. With all the great airports being released by both Orbx and OZx, I've decided to just fly civies for a while. Maybe by the time I 'get back into uniform' there will be a couple of RAAF bases done for FSX. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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