[X-Plane] Adding airport layouts and signage

[Eugene Zaporozhets]

We've been planning to make accurate maps for all the ZOA airports already. Once I complete my last ZLA field, KVNY, I'll get to the airports you listed, Mark.

[Daddy O]

Mark: I'd be happy to skin those airports. Eugene's airport layout files are really outstanding and include accurate signage, tarmac, taxi lines, and even parking markers. The scenery I add is really not for eye candy, but to help give the pilot experience navigating the airport or finding a specific hangar or tie-down. Some airports are extremely complex to navigate, and if you practice on a blank tarmac then you will be totally unprepared for the real airport. Airplanes have great big wings sticking out the side, and most airports have dozens of obstructions that need to be avoided.

Give us a month or so and you will likely see the airports you mentioned on www.xplanes-scenery.com

[Daddy O]

One other question Mark, at your home airport, what is your start point? I will make sure to add it when I do the scenery file so you can actually start from your own parking lot.

[Tim Krajcar]

Most excellent news on this front from Ben at LR.

Initial post: http://www.x-plane.com/blog/2011/09/air ... lane-10-0/
More detail: http://www.x-plane.com/blog/2011/09/airport-lego-bricks

Come XP10, we'll be able to submit layouts with buildings included to be baked into the official sim. Only small downside is we'll be limited to the art assets that ship with XP10, but still, this is a game-changer compared to XP9's state of affairs.

[Daddy O]

It looks like the limitation only extends to the files you submit to Robin for addition to the XP10 updates. You can still have custom maps, you just cannot make them a part of XP10.

What will be interesting is the amount of scenery objects available in their pre-packaged database. As it is, I have a hard time building accurate airports using just the scenery in XP9 and Openscenery. I wish they would take scenery items as well.

On the plus side, they have fixed the lighting issue. The problem with XP9 is that you can add street lights all day long, they shine bright but do not actually cast light on the ground. This is one of the reasons that night taxiing is so difficult in XP9.

Another addition is grit. You should now be able to tell the difference between dirt and asphalt. With XP9 they are rendered much the same. Other than the color you are hard pressed to tell where a taxiway ends and the dirt starts when taxiing at night.

I look forward to the new XP10. Just not sure how I am going to swing 4 copies at $79 for Christmas. (I had planned to upgrade the frame of my simulator from a single seater to a twin, side-by-seater.)

[Keith Smith]

Could we please make sure that the apt.dat files that have been built as part of this process are submitted to Robin prior to Oct 1? That is the cutoff for having them included in the stock XP10 release.

[Eugene Zaporozhets]

VNY is finished and submitted to Robin Peel along with MHV and VCV. Robin already has my previous airports, so that gives all of them a good chance to make it to XP10.

Starting KSMF, KSAC, KMHR.

[Daddy O]

Eugene, I'll get VNY skinned as soon as I get a chance. I spent the weekend creating a slolem course down the Grand Canyon. The course really rocks and you have to be on your toes for the whole thing. It is being featured in next Sunday's 'Come fly with me' (Sep 28th 1800-2100 PST) Monday I will be back to working on airports. Just wanted to work on something different today.

Check out the new map at: http://www.xplanes-scenery.com/Grand-Ca ... um-run.zip

[Eugene Zaporozhets]

KMHR and KSAC are done. KSMF required no update, it already had a plausible layout as of May 2011.

Checking the ZLA airports from Xplane, discovered that POC didn't have a layout yet. Did that too. Just this second that I'm checking the main list to see why it wasn't there, I see it was actually there and Christian took it already. Sorry, I completely missed that part. Christian, if you started working on it already, I won't mind my layout being overwritten.

Updated the KTOA signs to closer match real world (at least as far as I could see on the maps).

KLAS taxiways between 25L and R would now show up in xplane due to an internal coding error, fixed that.

[Eugene Zaporozhets]

Starting FAT, HWD, LVK.