How about an ORBX-online-class on scenery design?

[Chrjs]

Good Morning fellow simmers,

maybe this is a crazy idea, but i still give it a shot....

Can there be enough high-quality FSX-sceneries - of course not!

I know from myself and a few others that there are still so many wonderful airports missing in FSX and we would love to do them ourselves, but the barrier of scenery design for beginners seems just too high. There are numerous online threads about it (eg fsdeveloper) explaning different parts of designing with many, many different tools. But, IMO, what a scenery-designer-noob would need is an explanation and step-by-step-guidance for his first project right from the start and all the way to the finish line.

So here comes ORBX in, a company that has gathered some of the best scenery designers in the world - how about ORBX would organize an online course on scenery design?

Here is what it COULD look like:

1.) 10-15 dedicated FSX-simmers come together and work at the same time at their own individual (small) airport. They meet on a regular schedule (maybe once every 2 weeks or even month) online to discuss the next steps (1. ground poly 2. AFCAD 3. object design and placement 4. ...) and their progress. They are roughly on the same design-schedule and are working with the same tools. They assist each other and are beta testers for each other.

2.) Maybe 3-4 ORBX designers that do the course outline, take turns in joining the group in their meetings to explain the next step (maybe a small presentation) and review the last one - maybe each of these 3-4 ORBX designers could be assigned a few group members to be their "personal advisor" for questions and help in between the meetings.

So, why should/could ORBX do this?

Well, first of all, more sceneries equals a wider customer stem - "oh, i always wanted this airport". Maybe the quality of our projects would be high enough to actually sell them (in bundles?). Maybe group members turn into futur "home-grown" ORBX-designers

But most of all, simming is our all hobby and we dedicate al lot of time for it already. New sceneries would certainly strengthen the community as a whole. Of course, such a course would mean quite a lot of time effort (and most certainly also frustration) - for both the group members and the ORBX teachers - but Im sure the dynamic of spreading your knolwedge and learning and seeing the result is well worth the time and effort (as a future high school teacher myself i know what i'm talking about)

OK, so simmers who always wanted to build their own airport let me hear you - ORBX desginers, let me know if this idea is just nuts - JV, as the ORBX CEO maybe you could speak from the company perspective!

Thanks for listening, and looking forward to your thoughts!

regards, chris

[hebrew]

You have a good idea,but i dont think ORBX have the time to do it.

If ORBX do it we can cover the world must faster.

[Bruce Hamilton]

You expect someone like Russ White to teach you his secrets, so you can go work for Aerosoft?

[Scott Harmes]

That is a really good idea Chris. I would like to say it's a viable idea but I also have to agree with hebrew in that it would possibly be hard for the designers to find the time to do this. There seems to be a lot of pressure on developers already to squeeze their creations in to a tight schedule, and as with the rest of the world I'm sure time is money. I'm not in any way suggesting that any ORBX developer cares only about money and nothing else, but scenery development does in itself take a lot of time.

I have started designing a few sceneries myself over the past year or two, simply as an amateur and a learner, and having just started a new job I'm now finding it hard to find any spare time for designing. I have been a member at OzX for a few years, and have also just started developing, and I will say that there have been several instances where present ORBX developers have been kind enough to give some advice to myself and others on the site, and not just to the developers, but to other OzX members also. There is a scenery design section at OzX where people are often sharing ideas and advice. The same goes with FSDeveloper, you will find many posts there from current ORBX developers.

I am definitely still in the learning phase, and as an example the first scenery I released (Point Cook) was worked on for over a year for the first version. There is a lot to learn, but there is also already a lot of help available on different sites across the internet. There are also a lot of free tools available to assist in scenery creations.

That said, I hope I am completely wrong and your idea comes into being.

Cheers,

[Neil Hill]

Hi all,

Actually I think this is a good idea, but perhaps dial it back a bit. Trying to learn ground poly's, object design and placement, AFCAD all at once would be a daunting task given the time most have to

work on them. Even the experianced builders of payware quality scenery can take months to complete them.

I would suggest learning in steps, perhaps starting with your favorite "smaller" airport, ie: KSFO is NOT a good place to start, learn to place objects using the ORBX library choices (you can't

share them outside of ORBX folks but there's a large selection and it would be great practice).

Once you feel you've got those down (and gussied up some of your favorite airports) then see about where to

go from there.

In my opinion these are the must have programs to start:

-Airport Design Editor (free), good tutorials available

-Instant Scenery 2 (reasonably priced and easy to use), comes with a users manual

-SBuilderX (free from PTSim), For areas outside ICAO'd airports, good tutorials available.

A great web site that's comes from PTSim: "Exploring Google earth", http://www.ptsim.com/sbuilder/gmaps.asp?Lat=40.7777&Lon=-73.8752&Zoom=14 , to use for importing backgrounds.

With these programs you can do almost anything you want (other than making objects) and if you desire to go further you will have a foundation to learn more.

It's a cinch ORBX will not get everywhere and though FTX Global will make a huge difference all over the globe it's NOT designed to rebuild airports. With some work on your part and the tools I've mentioned above you can at least do the area where you live.

For anyone interested (and an OK from John V.) I am willing to help folks get started.

Cheers, Neil

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi guys,

FYI, FSDeveloper is planning an online conference/seminar for: http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=134

Cheers, Holger

[Chrjs]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

@ Neil, i will have a look at these tools; and i sure won't start wirth WSSS

@ Holger, im already registerd on FSDeveloper - somehow i missed this thread.....

[BeesAndButterflies]

Brilliant idea Chris, thanks for sharing. And thank you so much Neil and Holger for the heads up.

[ecgallagher]

Actually I would love to see a write-up on what goes into making Orbx scenery.

As detailed as possible without giving away any company secrets.

[Ripcord]

Might want to think about starter level tutorials to get the learn the basic tools -- and a lot of that alrady exists -- and maybe some tutorials that are most ORBX specific could be made separate.

I think the basics of using a common tool like instant scenery to use/place ORBX library objects, use PPL flow, etc, would be awesome.

I have managed to learn SBuilder X and ADE software, so I can do a bit of that. Not great but I can do some small stuff here and there. Still trying to figure out who to do the photoreal backgrounds, but honestly, for FTX areas, I would refrain from even attempting that since it might interfere with what what we have already, which is really very good.

[WilliamJSS]

So we are allowed to use Orbx scenery objects in our designs?

I live on Saint Simons Island , Ga and would love to spruce up my home airport.

Sent from my Apple communications device.

[Wolter van der Spoel]

So we are allowed to use Orbx scenery objects in our designs?

I live on Saint Simons Island , Ga and would love to spruce up my home airport.

Sent from my Apple communications device.

As long as it is for your own private use, as the EULA states you are NOT allowed to use the contents to share with others

[WilliamJSS]

Roger that!

Now I just got to figure out how to get this sdk it is asking for a location for.

Sent from my Apple communications device.

[Ripcord]

Yes I just noted this in a post by Tim Harris. Until just now I had thought we could use the scenery libraries as long as we did not distribute library object themselves -- so that only other ORBX FTX owners would be able to make use of the scenery. Turns out that is indeed not the case.

[HansRoaming]

As long as it is for your own private use, as the EULA states you are NOT allowed to use the contents to share with others

How about changing that policy and sharing via say a community mechanism as part of this site? That would give a one place to go for Orbx product enhancers for users and also increase the utility of Orbx scenery as it can leverage the ecology created. I would take the time to learn how to enhance the area around Denham airport and EGWU (including putting in parking spots) if I could share with other Orbx users but can't be bothered if I can't share with others.

[Wolter van der Spoel]

Hi Hans,

I don't think so.

[WilliamJSS]

On the ADX website it says I need Gold or Deluxe to use the utility. I have Deluxe installed.

When I go for the first time configuration it asks for the SDK location and for the life of me I can't find it.

Anyone know where this is hiding in the install?

Sent from my Apple communications device.

[Wolter van der Spoel]

check your fsX discs, that's where the files are located you can install 'm from there, be aware of the updates that come with SP1 and 2 or Accelleration

[Ripcord]

Try looking here. At least this is where mine is installed.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK

[Gaiiden]

Since the online dev conference came up (Thx for the mention Holger) I just want to add that everyone involved in organizing it is as busy as you would expect active developers like us to be but we are trying to find time to get it all together to host later this year!