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Seadog

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Posts posted by Seadog

    Emma Field X: the groundwork is laid!

    in Emma Field Flying Club

    Posted

    Blogs, even with comments, are simply not an equivalent substitute for forums. Not the least of reasons for that is the user-initiated nature of forum discussions, followed closely by the user-to-user communication and help. Those things can't be duplicated in a blog, cannot even be successfully approximated in a blog. Product support can't come from a blog. And when the product being supported is not your own, but one whose successful use is indispensable for the underpinnings of your product, as Flight Simulator is for the use of all that you make and the rest that you sell, then support for that underlying flight sim product is a sine qua non for the successful continued use and sales of your products.

    I tremble, tremble I tell you, at what the vote might be, considering the entire eligible electorate consists of registered users of these forums. I'd be :shock:ed if there were less than 95% in favor of keeping them.

    This is, I believe, the absolute wrong time to curtail users' means of participating in and supporting things related to flight simulation. Taking a poll isn't inherently wrong, but I'm quite surprised the idea has arisen in the current context.

    You recently had a poll about using FSX or FS9, and I commented there were only two - perhaps three - more addons I'd consider buying for FS9. The termination of ACES has changed my mind on that point, as I get pleasure from both FSX and FS9, but thought I'd better prepare for an imminently changing future with FSXI coming in two years. The equation changes completely with development of FSXI shelved.

    I don't post much in these forums because I know so little compared to those who post frequently. I read, read, and re-read what they have to say, and use the search function a great deal to learn more. I'd lose almost all of that with a blog structure, and thus have significantly less reason to visit a blog. I'd lose a place full of friendly, generous, helpful and talented people, hosted by warm persons of the same kind. That would be a significant loss.

    -Doug

    EDIT: I just realized that if the Poll were to be taken, not inside the forums, but on the SimFlight News page, then not all the voters would be registered users of the forums. I don't seriously expect that would dramatically alter my projection of the outcome, but it was a factual error in the premise that needed correcting. -Doug

    The SDK Blues in 3/4 time

    in Emma Field Flying Club

    Posted

    The short answer is that you have successfully, but needlessly, updated your original SDK to the SP1a level. Double clicking sdk.msi will get you the rest of the way. MSI stands for MicroSoft Installer.

    Because you are a cautious sole, and have long known not to take candy from strangers, you will want to see that Microsoft sends you from their Developers Page on the subject (See the section Configuring the Flight Simulator SDK), found here

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/esp/cc742007.aspx

    to a somewhat enlightening Wiki article found here

    http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.pation_(FSX)

    where you should consult the table immediately under the Versions heading.

    Nowhere does anybody tell you that double clicking an msi file will actually do anything. That, you have to learn by consorting with folks who have access to such secrets.

    If you had known about the Wiki beforehand, you would have learned that upgrading to the SP1a version was not necessary, but it will not have harmed anything. It was there just for folks who hadn't yet installed any prior version of the Deluxe SDK, a prerequisite for installing the Acceleration version of the SDK. If I recall correctly, it pretty much replaces what you have already installed, but, whatever it does, has to be done.

    Hiding cryptic instructions on other folks' websites is just part of the magic and fun. You get to learn a lot, go to unfamiliar places, and confront disturbing mysteries while meeting interesting people along the way.

    -Doug

    Terrain Mesh

    in Emma Field Flying Club

    Posted

    If your interest is limited to North America, you should probably look to FS Genesis for their outstanding products covering that region. FS Global 2008's default installation does not install mesh for North America, although the product contains it. The reason is that FS Global's mesh for that region does not improve upon what is already provided by FSX itself for North America. Here's a quote from page 9 of the technical manual (Inside FSGlobal 2008) for FS Global 2008, a product I own -

    "The North America mesh of FS Global 2008 is currently not active. The reason

    is that the default scenery offers a 38 m resolution (LOD10) in mostly good

    quality. A higher resolution would be possible (down to 10 m), but as FS Global

    is a base scenery covering huge areas, that would be a waste of resources

    rather than a valuable improvement. We leave this to specialized local sceneries

    covering smaller areas."

    I also own FS Genesis mesh for North America, which does improve upon the default offering from FSX for that region. Hope that helps you reach an informed decision.

    -Doug

    FS2004 & Vancouver+; Ferry Terminal Under Water?

    in Vancouver+ FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    If the shoreline itself is correct, and there are no double shorelines, the appearance of water where there should be land could very well be explained by the lack of the Vancouver+ Landclass files. Yes, the Landclass files should be installed and in the Scenery Library list. See page 24 of the Vancouver+ manual for confirmation of what you saw in the other manual. Also see page 21 of the Vancouver+ manual for mention of the program's Repair function. Cross-check with the CYYJ manual to see if running that repair function requires anything else be done with the CYYJ add on. I don't recall, but I doubt it.

    And, regarding your earlier question -

    "The above scenery subfolder is filled with many, upon many. files with a BGL extension. When I used the Scenery Library [Add area] button FS9 would only let me specify a path of 'C:\Games\Flight Simulator 9\Addon Scenery\WEL\World'; wouldn't allow me to include the scenery subfolder. Is that correct, i.e. is FS9 automatically aware of the Scenery subfolder and know that it contains the terrain mesh files?"

    Yes, you have done it correctly. One always browses to the folder immediately above the relevant scenery subfolder. In the selection box, one of the items toward the bottom contains the name that will appear in the Scenery Library list (if the developer has provided one) once you have selected the appropriate folder, but it makes no important difference if you have provided your own name for the area or function.

    -Doug

    Wrangell scenery problem

    in Tongass Fjords FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Hello, John - I see that Holger is away until the 2nd of January. When you get around to reading those manuals, you'll find a mixture of FS9 TMVL settings. Here's what those manuals state:

    Tongass is optimized for 20.

    Glacier Bay V2 is optimized for 20.

    Misty is optimized for 20, but will also run at 21.

    Vancouver+ requires 21.

    Victoria+ requires 21.

    HTH, Seadog

    Error not seen before when right base for runway 8L CYVR

    in Vancouver+ FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Graham,

    It's been quite a while since I last looked at the 9.1 issue, but I recall one can uninstall it using the Add/Remove Programs function. However, you must also manually delete a folder in FS9 called Backup before performing the Patch install correctly, or it won't work. As a safety measure, you may wish simply to rename that Backup folder and/or move it out of the FS9 path first. Then you don't have to reinstall everything else.

    -Seadog

    Shit Creek Uploaded

    in Tongass Fjords FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Hello, Bill

    I know absolutely nothing about scenery design, but I recalled that the FREEFlow Team ran into a similar problem a year ago with their Bermuda scenery. These two threads described it, and it appears they found an oversized bounding box caused it, if I understand correctly. Hope it helps stoke your thinking.

    http://www.fs-freeflow.com/forum2/index.php?topic=540.0;all

    http://www.fs-freeflow.com/forum2/index.php?topic=621.0

    -Seadog

    Opinions on FSNav and EZ-Landmark

    in Misty Fjords Flying Forum (M3F)

    Posted

    This is a greatly interesting and useful thread. I hope those who have experience with one or more of the concepts (FSNav, EZLandmark, GPS) will continue to explore the merits of each. It's a learning opportunity for those of us who've been wondering what the utility of each is in the context of VFR flight, and how long each might remain useful as experience with them in the region is accrued. It isn't - to us who've not bought any of them yet - so much a debate of the merits as it is an explication of the plusses and minuses.

    Please, keep those cards and letters coming. :D

    -Seadog

    TF enhancements for MF

    in Tongass Fjords FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Thanks very much, Holger, for both the comprehensive, succinct and lucid explanation, and for the improvements themselves. I'm applying light-weight machine oil to my modem to grease the download as we "speak." :wink:

    I hope you get a good night's sleep, because you sure deserve it. It's a pleasure to pay for the uniqueness of what you sell, and a delight to receive what you generously give freely. More than that, I am often struck by how you are unfailingly courteous and helpful under all circumstances. Just wanted you to know that it is noticed and appreciated.

    -Seadog

    TF enhancements for MF

    in Tongass Fjords FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Hello, Holger. Congratulations on the release.

    In the pre-release literature on the FSADDON site about TF, now removed while Francois reworks it and moves it from forthcoming to available status, it was noted that a valuable aspect of TF for those who already owned MF would be that installing TF would add some of the improved features of TF to MF. No mention of this appears on the Sim Market product page, nor can I find any reference to it in the lovely TF manual I just read.

    Could you comment on this topic please? Thanks,

    -Seadog

    Vinni's Map? I can't locate a link to it.

    in Misty Fjords Flying Forum (M3F)

    Posted

    Hello Holger

    Thanks for that page link. I'm embarassed to say that I once again cannot find a download link, but this time I've at least scrolled over the whole page. Fat lot of good it did me, as almost none of it is in a language I fully comprehend. Clicking on MistyMap_jpg.zip did nothing for me, as it wasn't an active hyperlink, at least, when I just visited the site moments ago.

    From my partial comprehension of the page, it appears this is a download that is both free and available to anyone without registration required. Any suggestions, please? Might you persuade the author to make it available at MM or at FSAddon? Thanks for any assistance.

    -Seadog

    "Ground Environment" and V+

    in Vancouver+ FS2004 Support Forum

    Posted

    Andy - A world of resources about BEV is at hand in their forum:

    http://www.flightsim-bevs.com/smf_1-0-5/index.php

    As I understand the many discussions on this topic there (do a search), the seasonal texture displayed by FS9 is governed by three things: altitude, latitude and time (local season). In the same area, at the same time, one could see local winter at lower altitudes and BEV Hard Winter at higher altitudes, for example. If you had FS9 Winter and BEV Hard Winter textures, FS9 would use them both at different altitudes. No one in any of the BEV forums has ever remarked on any harsh transition, for what it's worth. Go take a look there for yourself to learn more.

    -Seadog

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