Airfield Creation

[krfrge 742]

Can anyone offer some guidance on how to build airfields?

 

Thanks

[The_Editor 2]

Have a look at this link for more info:

 

http://www.simwarrior.com/sfp1/airfields.html

[Guest Saganuay82]

Actually the first question, if you want to make airfields is, Do you have 3DS Max?

[+Jimbib 747]

I have built and mapped a couple of new bases so far that are wip, these being NAS Fallon and MCAS Yuma. I found that the easiest way is to initially compile a large screenshot of the base using an imagery service such as google earth, I usually make my 'plan' picture several thousand pixels tall and wide. Then in max, create a plane that has the same proportions of your large image. Next I would make the runways out of planes, creating them using the keyboard input with the appropriate values in max. Using the runways as a guide, you can then scale up/down your plan pic to the correct scale. Next, I move onto the ramp areas, for which I use the line tool and then extrude them flat. Once this is all done, I will start to map the areas, making sure that all materials are set to Planar XYZ. The only other major part of building the airbase after that is possible creation of new objects and then placement of the objects (hangars, revetments, vehicles, oil/water tanks etc.)

 

This is quite a very rough guide, if you need more details, please feel free to ask.

[krfrge 742]

Folks thanks for the quick answers.

 

I have Gmax 1.2

 

Is this the right program to "build" the airfields?

[+Jimbib 747]

Initial plane construction:

 

 

Completion and mapping of Fallon:

 

 

Few shots of the base in max....

 

 

 

 

Plane build phase of Yuma:

 

 

Mapping stage:

 

 

[+Jimbib 747]

You should have no problem building the airfields in gmax, and there has been some talk of being able to maintain the mapping when converting from gmax to 3DS Max, whether this is actually possible or not I'm not sure. If you do decide to build in gmax, you would need someone to possibly map and then export the airbases for you to the game model file format, which is the .LOD file from max.

[krfrge 742]

Thanks for the help. I will see what I can do in Gmax. Would you mind looking at the raw product to see if I am proceeding correctly?BTW your airfield project looks great.Best of luck.

[+Jimbib 747]

Sure mate, if you get something done, I can take a look at it if you like.

[krfrge 742]

Thanks so very much

[Guest capun]

There is a way (with some caveats and gotcha's) to go from GMax to 3DS Max.

 

In GMax you need to get hold of a couple of middleware programs. Middleman and MDL Commander if I remember their names correctly.

 

When you create the normal MDL for the Microsoft games, the middleware is able to export the .X file format.

 

You then get an X file importer for 3DS Max, I use MoFo's X importer

 

Gotcha's and caveats

 

- GMax Animation is ported across but they are not set in the proper animation frames

 

- Sometimes the model is a mirror image in 3DS Max.

 

There may be other methods to get them across, if someone has figured it out better we could use the information :)

[krfrge 742]

Thanks for your assistance. I will see what i can produce and let all know. Again thank you all for your assistance.

[+ST0RM 145]

Dual runway ops would be great if we could start from the ramp. We could go to one, while the rest of the flight launches from the primary.

 

Good luck with your bases.

 

Storm