NZFF

I've cancelled this, it does seem that the interest is just not there. This was just an idea to see if it could work before my Zoom account expires at the end of the month:)

I want to refloat this idea, mainly following Emfrat's screenshots of his AFS2 scenery, but also to talk about the past, present and future of flightsim in New Zealand.
I don't plan or want to direct the conversation, but I do have a few points which I'd like to raise if possible. One is the likelihood of collaborating on various projects, separate from what I do through my business. I'd also like to try and gauge what New Zealanders and those interested in New Zealand are currently doing within flightsim. Of course this implies that there's one or more people who want to get involved in any development.

I would especially like to invite the oldies/regulars, if only because it's been a long time since I've caught up with any of you:)

As before, I plan to use Zoom, which is paid up for full meetings until the end of this month (I have no real need of it long-term, and it is quite expensive if I'm not using it.) Zoom has recently had a good solid security update, although I would not recommend it for use on Apple PCs, as I'm not sure if Zoom have fixed their major gaff with Mac OS.

I will post an invite just before the start time, in the Members forum.

The Zoom meeting will start on Monday 15th June at 7:30pm New Zealand time. All members are welcome.

If anyone wants to do a test run of the Zoom system before then, let me know and we can arrange a time. I'm pretty much always free, as I'm an old man in a post-covid19 world... except for the upcoming weekend.

-Robin

Rob - I flew round the edges of the Marlborough scenery. The default AFS2 mesh doesn't look too bad, but there is a lot of colour variation across the area. 21 jpgs of 200-300KB each in this gallery:

https://postimg.cc/gallery/6pp4c9R

PS - I have the free version of Zoom. My name there is Mike Ward. I don't use it a lot.

Mike

I've added the get-together as a Facebook event, which may or may not be a good idea, we'll see I guess. I'd ask anyone here who wants to join the chat and has access to my Facebook page to acknowledge your participation there -- this would give a good idea of the interest, and encourage others to come!

emfrat wrote:Rob - I flew round the edges of the Marlborough scenery. The default AFS2 mesh doesn't look too bad, but there is a lot of colour variation across the area.
Mike

That is a good result, I have had trouble with the tonal range etc with AFS2, but yours looks great. Sure, colour matching will always be a problem with photoscenery, short of using Microsoft's AI to fix it:) But a layer of vegetation over the top covers a multitude of sins, although Marlborough can appear a bit nuclear-winter bare in places.

I would love to have you look after any discussion on AFS2 during the get-together! I have been thinking of approaching various folk who have a vested interest in different aspects and sims, and you are the obvious person for AFS2.

Dunno if you mean in addition to the Zoom thing?
Zoom is open to everyone, which the Book of Face is not.

I use Zoom a bit, and can host bigger meetings for a lengthy discussion time if required.

What would one talk about in the context of this forum??
Surely MSFS 2020 must happen first, or are you going to share some insider info?

Charl wrote:Dunno if you mean in addition to the Zoom thing?

No, the Zoom get-together is the Facebook event -- the same way you'd arrange a birthday party etc on Facebook. The actual event doesn't involve Facebook at all.
There won't be any inside info, that's for sure. This is more of a social event, so it isn't even necessary to talk about flightsim -- we could devote some time to improving the quality of life for fellow New Zealanders, for example, or have a good old political discussion...
But I do have a few things I'd like to float, which may affect my future in particular.

toprob wrote:

emfrat wrote:Rob - I flew round the edges of the Marlborough scenery. The default AFS2 mesh doesn't look too bad, but there is a lot of colour variation across the area.
Mike

I would love to have you look after any discussion on AFS2 during the get-together! I have been thinking of approaching various folk who have a vested interest in different aspects and sims, and you are the obvious person for AFS2.

I'll do what I can, Rob, but believe me I am no expert.

Mike

Charl wrote:What would one talk about in the context of this forum??

I've just remembered, you guys were going to help me choose my next car....

Gotta be electric!

Ah, yes, the AirTruk of cars:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-c ... 527378.htm

I could probably afford a 5-year-old Leaf, however I need something that'll take me to Christchurch and back on a tank/charge. If I win lotto this week, I'll def go electric!

toprob wrote:I've cancelled this, it does seem that the interest is just not there.

Well that is disappointing. I have almost finished a set of sceneries, using LINZ data, six level 9 tiles (each one is about 50 x 50 km) with higher levels where appropriate. I am doing them to show folk how much more work is needed, such as blending sea water colours. and averaging the ground textures.
I will put them up on my Gurgle Drive when they are done, with access to anyone who has the link - which may be got from me in response to a PM. NB 'may'

ATB, Mike

emfrat wrote:Well that is disappointing...

Well... y'all didn't really want to hear me beat on about how great was FS9, and how utterly crap was everything that followed!
I do hope we can get wheels turning for MSFS 2020 however.
THere will surely be plenty of scope to tweak and add local content to that after the initial honeymoon is over.

toprob wrote:I've cancelled this, it does seem that the interest is just not there. This was just an idea to see if it could work before my Zoom account expires at the end of the month:)

That is a shame. Usually people just turn up to these things at the time if they have the joining code. I am supposed to be in San Francisco that evening and it would be 0030 over there. I could be awake ...or not.
A great idea though Rob.

Sorry, Mike, I'm aware that these things take some work to organise -- that's really the problem, I had approached a few people about promoting various sims etc, and after four hours of putting together a few resources of my own, I figured that I was about a third of the way there. I then checked the interest, and it struck me that with other 'presenters', there may be 3 or 4 days wasted on preparations for this if only us presenters turned up...
Maybe someone a bit less OCD than me could put something like this together one day.

Just for info, I have used LINZ data to make some AFS2 photoscenery for NZWN and surrounds. I only took it to level12, to see how it came out. I will be taking some parts of it up to 14 or 15 as appropriate. This is mainly to let folk see what needs to be fixed.
14 jpegs in this gallery: https://postimg.cc/gallery/bpZws1R

MikeW

Cheers, Mike, keep up the good work.
I've just had to remind myself of my early experiments with AFS2, by looking at my Youtube channel -- some videos there of Coromandel, Banks Peninsula, the Southern Alps and Wellington. The Wellington coverage is pretty much the entire Wellington region, but I can't recall the resolution off-hand. Both Coromandel and Wellington have 5 metre elevation, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXUZr_ ... subscriber

Damn it, sorry Rob I was fully keen for a watch/listen and assumed FB would pop up a reminder so my poor old brain didnt have to, oh well.

toprob wrote:Cheers, Mike, keep up the good work.

"Uploading 9 items, 6h 30m left"
That will be well past my bedtime See yez tomorrow.
Mike