The next 'Real New Zealand' project

[Splitpin]

Rob CP summed it up well ..it is stunning.

[cowpatz]

Cheers, CP. Yes, I've always been a big fan of GMAX, however it didn't really survive the update to Windows 10, so I'm trying to learn Blender at the moment...

Good luck with that. I watched a few videos on it and thought that I would give it a go........struggling to even navigate around it let alone model anything.
It does seem a very powerful tool.

[deeknow]

WICKED Rob !!! Cannae wait.

[NZ255]

Man that's sweet

[cooldad]

WOW, had to look three times to make sure they weren't photographs.

Well done Rob

Paul

[johnkiwi]

Wait, what? I thought they were photos taken at Rob's visit...

That is some outstanding work if that is in-sim scenery!!!

[AdrianPetford]

I have been slowly making progress with Dunedin, at least the bits I can do without photo resources, and I'd like to thank Ade for supplying some photos of his, sometimes you need to look to the other side of the world for New Zealand resources, I've said before he can be an honorary Kiwi...

Ha ha, you're welcome . I'm certainly better travelled around the country than most Kiwis. After 15 years of regular trips over, there aren't many places I've yet to get to. My favourite anecdote for that was when I was flying back from Blenheim to Auckland in 2011, and ended up being the one pointing out Ruapehu, Tongariro and all the other major landmarks to the other passengers as we flew over

Just seen the latest shots and it's looking brilliant, Rob. Can't wait


Ade

[toprob]

One of the goals for this scenery is to explore some new techniques, or even some old techniques which didn't quite make the cut because of performance issues back in the day. I've mentioned grass before -- the fact that NZ is about 60% grass by weight means that it is quite important, but there's so much of it you need to thin it out a lot to stop it from bringing the system to a stand-still.

I like Orbx 3D grass, but it annoys me that it is restricted to just a few tufts here and there, due to the performance overhead. However I did come across an old technique which allows for a thicker coverage of 3D grass, using about a 100th of the polys that Orbx use for grass in a typical airport. I've experimented with this before, with disappointing results, but a recent tutorial on FSDeveloper.com got me digging out the old grass textures, and giving it another go.

I don't know if this will make the 'cut', but early results are good. I especially like the way the object shadows fall on it.



(Yes, I know you wouldn't get an aircraft in here normally, but I need to check how the fairings/wheels look.)

[jpreou]

Looking good Rob. Hoping to move to Win10 / P3Dv3 soon, so also hoping you eventually get your installers sorted. I'm listing compatibility for everything I have/actually want. When I have green all through, I'll jump.

[toprob]

Cheers, Jeff. Still a bit of a wait for P3D 3 installers at the moment, that's the problem with relying on contract work, since I basically had October off recovering from heart issues, there were no invoices going out -- so I'm living on air until the 20th December, then I'll be able to afford P3D. I dunno how long it'll take to get the installers working after that, as Christmas kind of gets in the way:)

[jpreou]

Look after your health first Rob, and when your next project hits the website I'll have my credit card handy!

[Splitpin]

I agree Rob (Health first) but in the meantime , please check your pm's.

[Naki]

Wow really looking forward to this...but I will be patient...

[toprob]

Thanks, guys, I seem to be back to normal, except still getting used to the extra beta-blockers -- they do knock you around, although a small price to pay for keeping me alive.

Marty, I dunno if you sent a PM, but nothing received here yet.

[toprob]

There are still too many other (paying) projects happening, so development here is slow. I am hoping that when I release Dunedin it'll be so popular that I can forego all the contract work, and just concentrate on Real NZ airports, but I know that things don't work quite as I expect...

Ground textures take up most of my time, it's a fiddly and complex process, but hopefully worth it in the end. I am experimenting with a lot of different techniques, trying to find the 'Godzone' way which takes a while, but should be quicker in subsequent projects. The goal is always realism, which means that not only do the features need to be accurate, they also need to look like they belong in New Zealand. So at the moment I'm tearing my hair out (just kidding -- I've been bald-as for a decade now) trying to get a nice New Zealand grass. There are plenty of different ways that developers handle this, but none really say 'New Zealand paddock'.

I need to fire up FSX at some stage, to check progress, but now all testing is done in Prepar3D v3 -- I find that FSX just looks old and cartoony after using P3D for a while.

Here's another early screenshot, not to be shared on other sites. The 'hangar' at the far end is a placeholder, that will eventually be the rescue helicopter service.

[Kiwia1spad]

That looks incredible Rob,

[Ian Warren]

I do have a lawn mower that may tear your hair out, dose the job ... even the old lawn mower man said to me ...'Hell your an engineer' .. Grass cutting a little different ... recons ya can tune a lawn mower like making scenery ... maybe something in that

[cowpatz]

Wow. It is a very thin line now between real and virtual. Keep up the great work Rob.

It really amazes me that ORBX abandoned NZ so early.
NZ in particular has everything that a simmer could want:
Varied terrain.
beautiful scenery
ideal flight times
airstrips
gliding sites
International, provincial and GA airports
Ideal short, medium and longhaul routes.
Aussie a mere 3 hrs away.
One really doesn't need to fly anywhere else.....and I seldom do...that is when I get to sim these days.
If only they put a little effort into marketing it and then supporting it.
Oh well I guess it has created an opportunity for our talented locals.

[Ian Warren]

Wow. It is a very thin line now between real and virtual. Keep up the great work Rob.

It really amazes me that ORBX abandoned NZ so early.

One really doesn't need to fly anywhere else.....and I seldom do...that is when I get to sim these days.
If only they put a little effort into marketing it and then supporting it.
Oh well I guess it has created an opportunity for our talented locals.

Hmm that appears to be the not so strange question .. why was the currents not involved .. Its now to late and we move on , biggest thing loosing out on regulars in and around the country .. and the ones who did a little don't say much at all .... one I Know walked , ... this sort of work requires a real get in there and do it , .... and the better stuff is the hands on and personal , over the last couple of years if have seen many give up and Walked away.

[toprob]

Orbx have done really well, the release rate has been increasing, and they have established themselves as one of the top fs distributors. Developers are always going to be in demand, and really they can pick and choose what they do, so there is plenty of money on offer. It is inevitable that most simmers want scenery for areas they know, or can relate to, so although New Zealand appears -- to us -- to be a popular choice, just about anywhere else is guaranteed to sell at least twice the number of units, and more.