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Sceneries construction
The purpose of this page is to teach you how to build your own sceneries or modify existing ones.
To achieve this objective you need to use:
- a plain text editor such as Plain Text Editor, TextEdit or any other text editor able to save plain text files.
- a 3D modeler compatible with the 3DMF format such as Carrara, Cheetah3D, Meshwork or any other 3D modeler able to save 3DMF files.
- a sound editor such as Amadeus, Audacity, Sound Studio, Sound Edit or any other sound editor able to save sound files.
A scenery is made up of a "Scenery configuration.txt" file, one or more 3DMF files, a sound file and a "Credits.txt" file:
- the "Scenery configuration.txt" file contains the configuration of the scenery; it can be created or modified with a plain text editor.
- the 3DMF files contain the 3D model of the scenery; they can be created or modified with a 3D modeler.
- the sound file contains the ambient sound of the scenery; it can be created or modified with a sound editor.
- the "Credits.txt" file contains the credits to the author of the scenery; it can be created or modified with a plain text editor.
To build a new scenery you can:
- start from an existing ready to use scenery from our library and modify its "Scenery configuration.txt", 3DMF, sound and "Credits.txt" files; this is the easiest way of doing.
- start from scratch and create the "Scenery configuration.txt", 3DMF, sound and "Credits.txt" files from scratch; this is the less easy way of doing.
How to build or modify an existing "Scenery configuration.txt" file?
To achieve this objective you need to use a plain text editor such as Plain Text Editor, TextEdit or any other text editor able to save plain text files.
If you want to modify an existing ready to use scenery, open its "Scenery configuration.txt" file with your plain text editor.
If you want to create a scenery from scratch, open a blank page with your plain text editor.
Before creating or modifying a "Scenery configuration.txt" file we suggest you to open an existing one to see how it is done. An application such as Plain Text Editor or TextEdit allows you to do so.
The file contains the configuration of the scenery.
The SCENERY_NAME variable defines the name of the scenery. It should be equal to the folder which contains the "Scenery configuration.txt" file.
The SCENERY_VERSION variable defines the version of the scenery. It must be increased each time a new version of the scenery is released.
The LANDSCAPE_PART_i_STATE_j_FILE_NAME variables define the names of the 3DMF files which contain the 3D model of the scenery.
The LANDSCAPE_PART_i_STATE_j_DURATION variables define the durations of each state (in seconds).
The AMBIENT_SOUND_FILE_NAME variable defines the name of the sound file which contains the ambient sound of the scenery.
The AMBIENT_LIGHT_COLOR variable defines the ambient light color (in red, green and blue).
The AMBIENT_LIGHT_INTENSITY variable defines the ambient light intensity (in percentage).
The FOG variable defines if the fog is rendered (as boolean).
The FOG_START_DISTANCE variable defines where the fog starts (in meters).
The FOG_COLOR variable defines the fog color (in red, green and blue).
The RENDERING_DISTANCE variable defines at which distance the rendering stops (in meters).
The GRAVITY variable defines the gravity (in meters*seconds^-2). It's value on earth is approximately 9.81 meters*seconds^-2.
The HELICOPTER_POSITION_ON_X_AXIS_AT_START and HELICOPTER_POSITION_ON_Z_AXIS_AT_START variables define the position of the helicopter at start (in meters). Remember that the pilot is located in the (X, Z) plane at coordinates (0, 0).
The HELICOPTER_ROTATION_ABOUT_Y_AXIS_AT_START variable defines the orientation of the helicopter at start (in radians).
The example below shows you a typical "Scenery configuration.txt" file:
##############################
# Scenery Configuration File #
##############################
# Scenery name
SCENERY_NAME = Country field with cloudy blue sky
# Scenery version
SCENERY_VERSION = 3.0
# Landscape parts states file names and duration (in seconds)
LANDSCAPE_PART_1_STATE_1_FILE_NAME = Country field.3dmf
LANDSCAPE_PART_1_STATE_1_DURATION = 0
LANDSCAPE_PART_2_STATE_1_FILE_NAME = Cloudy blue sky.3dmf
LANDSCAPE_PART_2_STATE_1_DURATION = 0
# Ambient sound file name
AMBIENT_SOUND_FILE_NAME = Wind.mp4
# Ambient light color (in red,green,blue)
AMBIENT_LIGHT_COLOR = 255,255,255
# Ambient light intensity (in percentage)
AMBIENT_LIGHT_INTENSITY = 100
# Fog (as boolean)
FOG = False
# Fog start distance (in meters)
FOG_START_DISTANCE = 1000
# Fog color (in red,green,blue)
FOG_COLOR = 255,255,255
# Rendering distance (in meters)
RENDERING_DISTANCE = 2000
# Gravity (in meters*seconds^-2)
GRAVITY = 9.81
# Abscissa of the helicopter at start (in meters)
HELICOPTER_POSITION_ON_X_AXIS_AT_START = 0
# Ordinate of the helicopter at start (in meters)
HELICOPTER_POSITION_ON_Z_AXIS_AT_START = 5
# Orientation of the helicopter at start (in radians)
HELICOPTER_ROTATION_ABOUT_Y_AXIS_AT_START = 0.5
How to build or modify an existing 3DMF file?
To achieve this objective you need to use a 3D modeler compatible with the 3DMF format such as Carrara, Cheetah3D, Meshwork or any other 3D modeler able to save 3DMF files.
If you want to modify an existing ready to use scenery, open its 3DMF file with your 3D modeler.
If you want to create a scenery from scratch, open a blank page with your 3D modeler.
Before creating or modifying a 3DMF file we suggest you to open an existing one to see how it is done. An application such as 3DMF Viewer or any other 3D viewer allows you to do so.
The example below shows you a scenery made up of two 3DMF files: one for the ground and one for the sky.
The ground must be a surface covering at least 1 kilometer in each horizontal direction from its center (which is where the pilot is located).
The horizontal plane is the (X, Z) plane and the up vertical direction is the Y direction.
The coordinates of the 3D model must be in meters.
The example below shows you the simplest 3DMF ground file that you can build, which is a square in the (X, Z) plane made up of the four points (1000, 1000), (1000, -1000), (-1000, 1000), (-1000, -1000).
You only need to map the square with a texture with your 3D modeler and then save the model as a 3DMF file. That's all.
The sky must be a kind of dome covering at least 1 kilometer in each horizontal direction from its center (which is where the pilot is located).
The horizontal plane is the (X, Z) plane and the up vertical direction is the Y direction.
The coordinates of the 3D model must be in meters.
The example below shows you a simple 3DMF ground file that you can build, which is kind of dome in the (X, Z) plane made of several faces. Its height is 100 meters.
You only need to map the dome with a texture with your 3D modeler and then save the model as a 3DMF file. That's all.
How to build or modify an existing sound file?
To achieve this objective you need to use a sound editor such as Amadeus, Audacity, Sound Studio, Sound Edit or any other sound editor able to save sound files.
If you want to modify an existing ready to use scenery, open its sound file with your sound editor.
If you want to create a scenery from scratch, open a blank page with your sound editor.
Before creating or modifying a sound file we suggest you to open an existing one to see how it is done. An application such as QuickTime Player or any other sound player allows you to do so.
The sound must be the ambient sound of a scenery, and if possible the real ambient sound of the real scenery you want to reproduce.
The sound must last at least 10 seconds.
How to build or modify an existing "Credits.txt" file?
To achieve this objective you need to use a plain text editor such as Plain Text Editor, TextEdit or any other text editor able to save plain text files.
If you want to modify an existing ready to use scenery, open its "Credits.txt" file with your plain text editor.
If you want to create a scenery from scratch, open a blank page with your plain text editor.
Before creating or modifying a "Credits.txt" file we suggest you to open an existing one to see how it is done. An application such as Plain Text Editor or TextEdit allows you to do so.
The file contains the credits to the author of the scenery.
The Package field contains the name of the scenery. It should be equal to the folder which contains the "Credits.txt" file.
The Author field contains the name of the author of the scenery.
The Email field contains the email of the author of the scenery.
The text contains the credits to the author of the scenery.
The example below shows you a typical "Credits.txt" file:
Package : Country field with cloudy blue sky
Author : Pascal CHIOTASSO
Email : pascalchiotasso @ yahoo . fr
This package and any of the files it contains are for private use only and are not
in the public domain.
You are not allowed to publish, offer, resell or distribute this package and any
of the files it contains in any form, via the internet, via CD/DVD or via any
other mean without explicit and written permission from the author.
At the moment, the only authorized source for this package is
http://www.alphamacsoftware.com.
Please contact the author for any questions you may have about this package and
the files it contains.
How to use your scenery?
To use your scenery in the simulator you just have to name the 3DMF files and the sound file coherently with the content of the "Scenery configuration.txt" file and the "Credits.txt" file.
Put these files into a folder named coherently with the content of the "Scenery configuration.txt" file and the "Credits.txt" file.
Put this folder into the "Sceneries" folder of the simulator.
Select this scenery in the simulator.
You can send us the sceneries you've created if you want us to add them in our online library of ready to use sceneries. This way all users can share the sceneries they have created.
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