Landclass and how it effects what you see

Just to make sure I got this all correct... 

If I install FSGenesis (any area) since it is just a "Mesh" add-on it will compliment and not conflict with UTX USA & Europe and SceneryTech NA?

Furthermore, if I wish I can let FSGenesis install to my default FSX location and not have to worry where to place the files within FSX Scenery Folder (like ST NA having to be between UTX Urban and Vegitation layers/folders)?

Thanks

Super!

 thanks

Kobus,

OK, first things first.  I want to make sure you understand what the different files in the folders are designed to do.  So...

1.  "-Mex Terrain M /Scenery   /FSdem files (3)" ....These are the actual "terrain mesh" files for Mexico from FS Genesis.

2.  "-Mex TM Addon/Scenery /BGL files(104)"  .....These are airport "AFCAD" type files for various airports in Mexico.  They are NOT "terrain mesh" per say.  FS Genesis included them so the airports would get positioned in the right places when you use the Terrain Mesh files from number 1 above.  Note that when I say "positioned" in this case, I am also talking about the airport ELEVATION was changed in the AFCAD, so the airport will display properly with the new Terrain Mesh files from above (item 1 above).  The ADE program Justin used to make these AFCADs allowed him to do that.  These AFCAD files are necessary for the airports to look right using the FS Genesis terrain mesh, and MUST be used properly with the files in number 3 below.

3.  "-Mex TM World/Scenery /BGL files (46)" ....These are "Altitude Adjustment" files for the DEFAULT FSX scenery for Mexico.  They allow the airports to be displayed without having "cliffs" around them, which is a problem relating to the default FSX World Scenery layout.  Sometimes, when you use a higher resolution Terrain Mesh and\or an airport "AFCAD"-type file for an airport in FSX, you will end up with "cliffs" around the airport.

So...what Justin at FS Genesis has done for Mexico is give you ALL THREE things you need to make his Mexico Terrain Mesh work...the mesh itself (3 files), airport "AFCAD" files (104 files), and "Altitude Adjustment" files for 46 of the airport locations in Mexico where you WOULD experience "cliffs" at the airports if you didn't adjust the default FSX "World" scenery.

Look at the files in the different folders:

The terrain mesh files are the "FSdem" ones.  THEY can be placed in your already existing "Custom Addon Folder" that you have for the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh.  Just make SURE you put them in the "scenery" SUB-FOLDER where the rest of your FS Genesis terrain mesh is located. 

The "AFCAD" files, on the other hand, are named something like "MM01_ADE_FSG.bgl", AND there will also be an associated "MM01_ADE_FSG_CVX.bgl" file for each "AFCAD" file, in the same folder.  You probably want to make a SEPARATE folder for ALL these files (with a "scenery" sub-folder) and place ALL THESE files in that folder.  Call it something like "FS Genesis Terrain Mesh AFCAD Files".  Then add it to the FSX Scenery Library.  You will then be able to "activate" or "deactivate" it, and move it "up" or "down" in the Scenery Library Priority List.  This may come in handy if you have any OTHER addon airports for Mexico...you can then place those OTHER airports ABOVE this "FS Genesis Terrain Mesh AFCAD Files" in the Scenery Library, and any included AFCADs with the OTHER airports would take priority.

The "World Altitude Adjustment" files are named something like "MM01_ADE_FSG_ALT.bgl".  THESE files would NORMALLY be placed in your default FSX "Scenery\World\Scenery" folder...that is where the "default" FSX elevation data is located.  BUT...you will be better off if you also create a SEPARATE folder for these and add it to the Scenery Library.  Name it something like "FS Genesis Airport Elevation Fixes", place the "ALT.bgl" files in it in a "scenery" sub-folder (as usual), then add the entire folder to the Scenery Library.  Where can you put it?  In reality, you could actually place it almost ALL THE WAY DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM of the Scenery Library...just ABOVE the "Default Terrain" entry.  But I would put it just ABOVE the default "ADDON SCENERY" entry if it was me.  Why?  It will work there fine, and it keeps all your Scenery Library "adds" ABOVE that empty "Addon Scenery" entry (it IS empty, isn't it?  You should have NOTHING in your FSX "Addon Scenery" scenery or texture folders).  Also, by placing it directly above the "Addon Scenery" entry in the Scenery Library, you can then place the folder with the "AFCADs" in it anywhere ABOVE it in the Scenery Library, and everything will work fine...the AFCADs will be at a higher priority than the new "default terrain" the "ALT" files fix, and the airports will then display without those nasty "cliffs" around them.

It's all a matter of getting these addons "into" FSX in the proper "priority sequence" using "custom" folders located outside of FSX, then being able to manage the addons by prioritizing them using the Scenery Library.  If you do it the above way with the FS Genesis Mexico addon, you will be able to manage it all...even SEPARATELY...with any other "Mexico" scenery you have now or might get in the future (duplicate airports, etc).   

Hope this helped.  If any of it is unclear, just reply with your question(s) and I'll answer again as soon as possible.

Rick

Edit\Add:  Note that if you have some other FS Genesis terrain mesh products, Justin may have done the same things with them that he did with the Mexico terrain mesh.  His Alaska terrain mesh handles the "airport cliffs" problem the same way...by including AFCADs and ALT files so airports in those regions won't have cliffs also.  You can "combine" all the same type of files from his various products in ONE folder for each type.  For instance, you could add all the Alaska AFCAD files to the custom "FS Genesis AFCAD" folder, and all the Alaska "ALT" files to the custom "Airport Elevation Fixes" folders I suggested above.  You can name these folders whatever you want that makes sense to you.  But you really only need ONE of each type of folder for EACH type of files, then just throw all the SAME type of files in the folder...Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, whatever he may have included for the Terrain Mesh geographical area. 

Coloring is GEX, not Xclass

Xclass may call different textures than SceneryTech which is perhaps why you see 'color' changes but that does not mean Xclass works best everywhere in the USA, same with SceneryTech

There is no such thing as the perfect landclass that runs every location 100% correct to real world

Xclass also provides a SEASON file with their product which SceneryTech does not.. be very AWARE that season file works really well in places like Denver, Colorado where winter tends to hang around a bit longer than it does in other places but it also REMOVES the fall season for many locations in the USA.. so be aware of that if you decide to use it

You can DISABLE the Xclass season file by renaming it in the cloud9\XCLUS (or CA)\Scenery folder it comes in....

rename

seasonsc9.bgl

to

seasonsc9.bgl.old

 as Rick mentioned.. ALL landclass products are placed in the Scenery Library with UTX as shown in the 1st post of this thread. You only enable ONE landclass for each area at a time.

In example..   If you have SceneryTech NA, Xclass USA and their Canada product, and, FSGenesis USA installed,...  SceneryTech covers ALL of North America. Therefore if you use ScenryTech you must disable the others while it is in use.. . if you decide in example Seattle looks better with Xclass running, then you need to disable SceneryTech and leave only Xclass USA enabled.

GEX USCAN includes Alaska in its coverage

I think you are talking about UTX.. which is a landclass product, not textures and they are working on Alaska

fabiosko,

I've got a few of those downloads, and here's what you need to do with them.  You treat BOTH layers in the Scenery Library as ONE entry, and move them TOGETHER in the Scenery Library to where you want them.  For instance, after you install them, they will be items 1 and 2 at the very TOP of the Scenery Library list.  You normally don't want to leave them there...you want to move them down in the Scenery Library list somewhere else.  The key is to move them TOGETHER, so that say if they were items 1 and 2 BEFORE you moved them, they ended up as items 23 and 24, or 34 and 35, or 47 and 48, AFTER you moved them.  The Landclass entry is specific for the airport you added, so you want to keep them TOGETHER in the Scenery Library.  Note that you would always place both of them ABOVE the UTX entries anyhow, so any Landclass files for them would take Priority over any other Landclass products you "sandwiched" between the UTX layers.  That's OK, as the Lanclass included with the airport addon you are talking about is a very SMALL area of concern...the area on or around the airport only.  This Landclass file(s) for that area (the airport addon only) will be used then instead of any Landclass files in any of the Landclass products you may have installed in the UTX section.  You are simply telling FSX to use the Landclass files for the AIRPORT addon instead of any Landclass files included for the same "airport area" that would normally be used from the "UTX sandwiched" Landclass addons you have.

It's the concept of placing "smaller geographic locations" at a HIGHER PRIORITY in the Scenery Library than any other Scenery Library entry that covers a LARGER geographic area and contains files for the same geographical area.  It's the same concept as if you had both the FS Gensis USA Landclass, and the Scenery Tech North America Landclass.  You would "sandwich" BOTH of them in the UTX Scenery Library entries, but you would place the FS Genesis USA ABOVE the Scenery Tech North America, because the FS Genesis is SMALLER geographically than the Scenery Tech.  You could then have BOTH of them enabled, and you would be using the FS Genesis landclass for the USA and the Scenery Tech landclass for the REST of North America (Canada, etc).

But with the addon you are describing, it is a VERY SMALL area, and additionally, it should be considered an "airport package" addon, not really a Landclass-only addon.  So put those two entries farther up in your Scenery Library, where you have your "airport packages" added, and just KEEP THEM TOGETHER as I described above.   

Make sense?

Rick    

Hi all,

I've been reading this topic and still am a little bit confused (who isn't?  )

I want to install FSGlobal 2010 which is mesh. I also want to install UTX Europe, USA & Canada and GEX Europe and the USA. Afterwards ofcourse REX.

As far as I understood, FSGlobal is mesh and therefore can be placed in my own (handmade) \FSX ADDONs directory. After installing I can add this mesh to the scenery in FSX by pointing to the folder where the *.bgl file(s) is/are....right? Where does it need to be then? At the top?

Then I can install UTX Europe, USA & Canada to their default folders and leave them be. Or should I change settings within UTX too?

GEX EU & US can be installed after UTX and also needs no further adjustments except telling it to 'update' (or adjust) the UTX files.

Am I right in my assumptions written above?

Kensei,

I just got home from work, so I'll throw in my 2-cents worth on your questions.

1.  FS Global Mesh - I don't have it, so I'm not sure what options it will allow you to install it to.  If you are SURE you can install it to a separate folder like you describe (and the way I described how to do it with the FS Genesis Terrain Mesh in my tutorial), then you can create your own folder and add it to the Scenery Library.  This willallow you to enable or disable it in the future if you want.  As far as where to place the folder in the Scenery Library, if you have no OTHER mesh installed you want to use, you could actually move the entire folder all the way to the BOTTOM of the Scenery Libray list, just ABOVE the "Default Scenery" entry in the Scenery Library.  That is where the FSX "default terrain" is located, so your folder just above it would use the FS Global Terrain Mesh then instead of the default world terrain that comes with FSX.  Note that the "Default Terrain" entry in the Scenery Library is the "FSX\Scenery\World\Scenery" folder in FSX.  That's where FSX starts "building" the world from.  If the FS Global "default" install installs it's terrain mesh files in those numbered folders in the FSX directory (like Scenery\0001, Scenery\0002, etc), those are the entries in the Scenery Library list shown as "0001 Base", "0002 Base", etc.  Since they are ABOVE the "Default Scenery" entry all the way at the bottom, FSX would use them from there.  So placing your "consolidated" folder with all the .bgl's just above the "Default Scenery" entry accomplishes the same thing.

2.  UTX Europe, USA and Canada - Install those where they want to go.  They need to be in the FSX folder, and they will make the necessary entries in the Scenery Library for you during the installation.

3.  GEX USA and Europe - Install USA first, then Europe.  The Europe install will update some of the USA files.  In other words, always make sure you re-run the GEX Europe interface AFTER you have run the USA interface, to make sure you have the latest textures installed into FSX.  KEEP IN MIND...you do NOT have to install GEX on the same hard drive as FSX.  If you have a second hard drive...even if it is an EXTERNAL USB hard drive...you can install GEX to THAT hard drive and run the user interface from THERE to install the textures INTO FSX.  It works fine that way, and saves a LOT of space on your FSX hard drive.  GEX makes NO ENTRIES into the Scenery Library, and you don't need to make them either.  You are never running the GEX program when using FSX.  You only "run" the GEX program to INSTALL the textures into FSX BEFORE you go flying in FSX.

4.  REX - It contains a LOT of textures that you can use to replace default FSX textures for clouds, sky, runways, taxiways, etc.  In other words, it takes up a LOT of space on your FSX drive again, but you are only COPYING those textures INTO FSX when you install them.  So if possible, install REX on a different hard drive than FSX also.  BUT...parts of REX (like the Weather Engine) "run" WHILE you are using FSX.  So in this case, if you put it on another drive, I wouldn't recommend it be an external drive.  The data transfer rates will be slower than if it was on an internal hard drive that was in your computer case.  If you have another INTERNAL hard drive available that FSX isn't on, install REX there.  If not, put it on the same hard drive as FSX.  But that WILL take up a lot of unnecessary space on your FSX drive, because of all the textures that will get installed in the REX folder also.

Yell if any of the above isn't clear. 

Rick

That works also.  If psybear had installed FS Genesis Terrain Mesh to it's default location, it would have placed all it's BGL files in those SEPARATE 0001 to 1107 folders, depending on what part of the world they were for.  By consolidating them all into one folder though, then placing that folder between the Africa and 1107 Scenery Library entries, he has accomplished the same thing.  And as I recommended above, placing that folder just above the Default Scenery and 0001 entries would do the same thing, too.  He just "organized" his Scenery Library differently...it all still works.

Everybody keep in mind...when I wrote those tutorials, I wrote them at the FSX "Complete Newbie" level.  I was an "Instructor" (teacher) for many of my 25 years in the Air Force.  There is a Principle in teaching that says, "Teach from the KNOWN to the UNKNOWN."  That means you have to start teaching something that is completely new to somebody by starting at the ROCK BOTTOM of their knowledge level of the subject.  Those tutorials were designed and written using the "KISS" principle..."Keep It Simple, Stupid!".    So when I said something like, "The Addon Scenery entry in the Scenery Library works best as a delineator line to remind you what is default FSX install (everything BELOW it) and what you have manually installed yourself (everything ABOVE it)", I did that BECAUSE until a new FSX user gets familiar with all those Scenery Library entries, they may not RECOGNIZE what was "put in" the Scenery Library by default, and what they had added later.  That's why in the Terrain Mesh tutorial portion, I recommended placing the FS Genesis Consolidated folder you created just ABOVE the Addon Scenery entry in the Scenery Library.  It would also work THERE just fine...and be above the Addon Scenery entry...telling you that "you" added it yourself.

I knew that many users, as their understanding increased of how the Scenery Library works, would eventually have the "Aha!" moment, and realize that it would ALSO work in the other two places I and psybear have it.  When that happens to a "newbie" user, they are well on the road to becoming a Master of using the Scenery Library to it's utmost advantage and potential.  In order to get that "Aha!" moment, they have had to reach the point of understanding AND recognizing WHICH entries were "default" to begin with (even if all the entries in the Scenery Library were "scrambled" now because they added entries BETWEEN the default layers), then they could recognize any OTHER entries they made themselves, and they would by that time ALSO have an understanding of how all of the different file types work in FSX...BGL "scenery" files, TXT "texture" files, FX "effects" files, etc.  That comes with time, experience, and reading "tutorials" and forum posts.

Congrats, psybear!  You've graduated! 

Rick       

What's are the best setting when flying with GEX, UTX and a good landclass? Nick wrote in his 'advice report' something about 7m. GEX is made at 1m right?

So...shouldn't I set the settings in FSX on 1m? And what about DX10? I gues that only in combination with the latest PMDG products it can help somewhat, but...is it noticable? I'm not too sure about it myself though.

I am glad though now that I've finished installing FSGlobal, GEX, REX and UTX

Hmmm...I don't have FSGlobal, but it sounds like after you did the above, you would have to make MULTIPLE entries in the Scenery Library for the different folders it made.  If EACH folder it made has it's own "scenery" sub-folder, you would have to make a SEPARATE entry in the Scenery Library for EACH of them.  It would be like if you told FS Genesis to install to a separate folder on your hard drive.  You would have separate "0001", "0002", "0003" folders, etc, EACH with it's own "scenery" sub-folder.  Unless you consolidated ALL the BGL files in those sub-folders into ONE "consolidated" folder with ONE "scenery" sub-folder (where you placed ALL the BGL files, then added it to the Scenery Library), I'm not sure you actually have the FSGlobal Terrain Mesh in FSX right now (you do if you made separate Scenery Library entries for EACH folder it created).

It will probably work OK.  Just remember...if you want to "defrag" your FSX installation, you will have to defrag that OTHER drive also now, because the FSGlobal mesh files are gonna get "fragged" on the OTHER drive as you use them. 

See my first reply above.  Are you going to make separate Scenry Library entries for EACH folder?  If so, OK, it will work.  If not....  And technically, you COULD uncheck some of the default sceneries like Oshkosh, etc....but I DON'T recommend it.  If it is a DEFAULT Scenery Library entry, LEAVE IT CHECKED.  That's why we are making all these other FOLDERS for our addons....so we can uncheck\enable\disable THEM, and not have to disable anything DEFAULT in FSX. 

Rick

EDIT:  If you use UTX and it's included Roads, you want to use the 7cm texture setting to display them properly.  Although there is nothing in GEX that uses 7cm, the UTX roads look better at that setting.

Yikes!  My bad.  Sorry for the mis-information.  As pennance, I'm going to get out my compressed air can, a wet rag, and the vacuum sweeper and clean up my computer and computer desk now.  The chocolate chip cookie crumbs on the floor around my desk are getting deep.   

YES

and I AM going to UNPLUG very soon...