| This is the download that I wish had existed when I started making things - a written guide with sample files on how to do scenery creation.
It took me a pitifully long time to learn some of the most basic things. Hopefully this will shove a Falcon Heavy up your jacksy and send you off to the mod creating stars.
One of life's most ghastly developments is the transfer of knowledge dissmenination from the written word to Youtube.
I have of course learnt from it too. But I could've learnt the same in a fraction of the time without spending hours rewinding looking for the right section after he or she coughs.
There are other written guides out there, but things move so fast they're often hopelessly out of date. Others are so infuriatingly vague they're effectively useless.
This is designed for a total know nothing, but there might be some information people who are already creating may not have picked up. I can't tell how comprehensible this is for someone who has never done this before but I did my best.
There's loads of stuff I still don't know. I might also have some appalling habits that will make any reader in the know push their great aunt's head through the wall. I do not care. And stop that.
What's present in this download
- A written guide about how to create an airport from initial folder set up to the finished deal.
- Project files for the example airport in the above - KPVC Provincetown in this case - in varying stages, from the initial empty folder set up, to a complete ish project with a 3d model and custom ground textures.
- Project files and the relevant models for a heliport in various stages of failure.
- Project files for a seaplane airport on water.
- Project files for adding light to KMEM Memphis for those who want to see what a pure airport light project looks like.
- Project files for non airport scenery. In this case it's one giraffe at Provincetown.
There are separate briefer guides on -
- How to get 3d models into the sim. Also thrown in are two 3d models in various stages to go with it.
- How to add custom textures along with some sample textures.
- How to add DEM data to a project file for better elevations along with the project and source files.
- How to clean up a model from 3dwarehouse in Blender to get it usable along with the model files.
Also included are the original Word files if you want to translate the text. Microsoft Office Word online can translate entire Word documents.
I didn't realise how crap pdfs are so you might need these to read certain bits.
Because of the SDK's now ludicrously overwrought file paths you may get that 'filename is too long' error when trying to unzip this. In this case you'll need to unzip in the C: root folder most likely.
If you insist on being a video watcher this is a very good up to date series by Mamu82 - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJxUgoFBRXImPokQktx6iBNfCVpvRNeo0
V 1.4
There is no change to the main file so don't bother re downloading if you have 1.3.
I've added as a separate download, that you'll see when you press the download button, a file about how to create water masks in the same style as this one - https://flightsim.to/file/3615/eghe-st-mary-s-airport-isles-of-scilly-uk-upgrade
This includes example images, project files, 3d models and a description as a PDF and Word file. This method is far from perfect, but I think it's the only way it can be done by us lot.
It is now your job to populate the world with more of them.
User Reviews
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Write a reviewkabouter_plons
Wow, what a document! Respect and thanks for that. I've been looking for something like this for a long time. What a lot of work you've done. I also learn more easily from a written tutorial than from a video.
I only want to make a bush strip of grass, dirt or transparent with at most a windsock (and a small building or a few static bushcraft planes?) but still find it difficult to only get the instructions needed for this from your manual "MSFS Airport and Scenery Creation". Could you help me out a bit?
Tip or suggestion: It might be helpful if you number the different instructions so that you can refer to a few numbers very briefly (such as paragraphs)
superspud 20 day(s) ago
This is now horribly out of date so it probably has a lot of wrong info. I will get it in order soon ish.
I did consider a quick start type guide for the type of thing you described, but it's hard to know where people need to start and stop.
Even with the most basic one you'll be using many of the tools and principles. I will probably add an example bush strip when it's updated.
kabouter_plons 20 day(s) ago
Thank you. I look forward
FlicMcFly
Excellent! After scouring many YouTube videos, I found this guide and it was the first tutorial that enabled me to get my first 3D object ever created to export from Blender to MSFS! Thanks for the contribution!
superspud 3 month(s) ago
Good to know that bit still works. I'm waiting for SU11 now to update the rest. Things sure do move fast.
Trustdesa
5 stars for superspud super contribution to the flight sim community!
However
This is now fully relevant, the wizard has changed, shape files are no longer needed as these are nested within the scenery, so read it if you have already followed other tutorials and may pick up other tips if you can already move your way around the SDK else it may frustrate you.
Also the tools mentioned for ground imagery, for some crazy behaviour of the person who made the tool, are no longer available penalising the community itself to punish a small % misusing it for commercial use, no excuses really for him (not superspud fault of course!).
Overall you may pick up useful bits here and there just mind the above points 😊
superspud 5 month(s) ago
This is hideously out of date now.
I'm waiting for SU10 and will see what horrors it gifts us and I'll give this a rewrite after that.
There's so many tweaks I'll probably miss quite a few new additions.
NeverEverBeaver
Toolkit from Nool Aerosystems, which is needed, is not available anymore to the public. Any idea where to get a copy?
superspud 8 month(s) ago
Keep an eye on this thread - https://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/threads/msfs-toolkit-by-nool-aerosystems.452363/page-9
It looks like it should be back soon. I think I might have lost my copy. I'll have to dig around.
Phobos_Designs 2 month(s) ago
You need to email them to request a license. Too many paid developers were using what he meant to be a freeware toolset so it's private without request now.
https://msfs.nool.ee/getting-started/license/
Angelus1701
Not sure if i'm understanding the file contents here - all i see in the MCA app and no Project files or written guide as described in the "What's Present in this download" section.
superspud 10 month(s) ago
Everything's present as always. It's just a bunch of folders split into various subjects. And what's a MCA app?
Angelus1701 10 month(s) ago
There had been an issue with flightsim.to - it was not downloading your file but another one which had the MCA app in it. They seem to have fixed the issue now
hollyshomemade
Great Help !
Thanks for your effort.
Mcrabtree
Hey do you know if it’s possible to create a starting point at a hospital heliport. I’ve tried all kinds of things and I can’t get it to work.
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Yup. Read the heliport section and open up the heliport project files.
If you're taking off from the ground it'll be nice and easy.
You need an airport object and a runway or parking space.
If you want to take off from the top of an existing autogen building you're likely out of luck but it's worth checking anyway.
Most of the time the building's collision box will cause the helicopter to float above it or bounce in a very silly manner. The collision box projects beyond the building's visual appearance.
If it's above ground level you need to raise the ground or runway to near the level where the helicopter will take off.
You'll probably need your own 3d model and hide the ground or runway inside it to take off from in that case.
G.Christie
Thanks for this Superspud,it's a great help,,,have you ever thought of doing some basic YouTube tutorials,? most videos I've seen are now out of date,,just a thought.
regards Graham
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Never, ever, ever. I can't stand attempting to learn via video.
It's a monumental waste of time with coughing, infuriating dithering and vital bits missing.
Maybe some day there'll be a middle ground between video and words, but I'm sticking with words.
Sonosusto 11 month(s) ago
Yup. Any and every video tutorial seems to be a little annoying. Lots of unwanted banter etc. Superspud, I think I might attempt to make something!
mitchell.hesket
I'm looking for an example project that replaces an off airport object (a water tower in my case) with a custom model of my creation. Tried from scratch using dev mode and an empty folder structure, was able to create an exclusion polygon for getting rid of Asobo's ugly rendition of our water tower, but upon first build, my simple exclusion polgony disapears from my project. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Misfit79
Great job on the update! Where was that sketchup tutorial 1.5 years ago when I was ready to throw my computer out the window learning that!!
douluc
Great work. Thank you
TheHodge146
Amazing stuff! This is absolutely perfect, I'll never be a photosbykev by any means but this will at least get me to where I can start making those random bush strips I find myself flying over from time to time so thanks for this!
ironpot
And here's me thinking I knew it all... Thanks so much for knowing more!!! Thanks for adding the info relating to the Hold short lighting and the rest of the extensive models, documentation and examples.
superspud 1 year(s) ago
I am indeed an indestructible genius but you no doubt know more than me about many aspects too. I've probably got some huge blind spots.
As for the light presets, I forgot to mention that you can add the light preset directly to a physical 3d model by choosing the model as the mesh in the light presets. But that makes it more hassle locating the light on the model and might also make it act strangely when placing it as a light row.
Better to have a free floating light with no physical attachment as the mesh that you can impose on the separate model.
JohnG
This is going to go into my shortcuts list - so that the next addon tyro who comes along has something better than me to help him/her!
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Cool.
Most of the videos out there are so unbelievably ancient and out of date they may not be of much use any more.
I didn't realise how many changes I'd have to keep making to this so I might fake my own death and someone else can do it in future.
JohnG 1 year(s) ago
I've already reformated the main Word document - when I've finished, I'll post it to you. Use it, bin it, whatever, but if it is of any value, then certainly please do use it.
imaginateca
Wow, Thank you!! I'm starting with scenary creation and this guide is essential.
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Good to hear it. I'm fiddling with a SU7 update now which should be done in a week or three. A few things are now different since this version but nothing too radical hopefully.
Alexheli
Hi, thanks a lot for your work!! Is there anyone who can tell me how to use it? Do I need it to put it in the community folder?
Regards, Alex
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Give it a read. There are plenty of files with it but they won't make much sense until you've read the pdfs or word files.
This needs an update, but they broke a few things with SU7 so there's no point until they're repaired. There still should be some handy info.
Sigo
Great work ! Thanks for sharing your knowledge !
WillFly
Not only have you shared your most excellent creations with us but then you go and actually explain to us exactly how to do it.
Superspud; you truly are SUPER! Thank you.
bso018
How to delete tres in the water and in some incovinients places?
superspud 1 year(s) ago
Make a shape with a polygon in the relevant area. Select the vegetation option in the polygon's properties. Reduce all of the vegetation numbers to zero.
superbanemone
Thanks heaps superspud, I wish I had this six months ago!
Your wonderful pragmatic approach is what we need for the next year or two till they get this beautiful sim in proper shape. There is often a workaround.
I really have nothing but thanks and praise for you, but have to say that my own little problem remains unsolved.
I have a simple model (a launching ramp) made in Blender with concrete material and elementary textures, looks great and exports as gltf in the three files exactly as you describe, BUT, when I export it there are no textures in the texture folder!!! ... and so nothing to build in the sim.
Don't the textures come with Blender? or do I have to make them externally somehow? (there is only one, and I thought I made that in Blender).
superspud 1 year(s) ago
If the model is textured and they're not showing up post export then the only thing I can suggest is to check the export plugin's settings. Perhaps they're being sent somewhere else or not being exported at all.