Com-Central's Environmental pack for fs9 v2.06 :: Archived

[Uhu_Fledermaus]

The Com-Central r & d team is proud to present to our members the following addition to make life in fs9 even more enjoyable
here some limited images to give a small impression.







What does it do ?

Well you could say that after have lived with the stock scenery and environment from the original fs9 it will change the appearance a wee bit, we have tinkered around for almost a year to get this to the state it now is and we think that it touches the limits of what is achievable within the limitations of fs9 with the nowadays systems.
Without letting the cat out of the bag, we think you will like this very much and also will contribute greatly to your enjoyment while flying in fs9.

What will be adapted ?

terrain textures
trees
water
clouds
dawn
day
dusk
night
runways
taxiways
airportlights
lightning
aircraft reflections
various animated scenery effects
Sun
Stars
Weather themes
Autogen Scenery

the Guinee piggie's that tested this file :

Shadow_Bushwacker
RCAF_MadDog
Wingnut
JG300_Deputy_Dale
Uhu_Rodion
Uhu_Deenee
RM_Phoenix
RM_BizKid

and as far as we know, they still fly around to enjoy it ! lol

GREAT THANKX to these real daredevils that went in it at the deep end on my request !
THANKX fella's !

happy flights we wish you
in name of the Com-Central r&d team


name: CC_envipack_v2.06.zip
size: 376,6 mb
available here


fled

[Uhu_Rodion]

Gents, take it, it will give you the illusion you're handling FS10 with a year in advance

Marco

[Kitform]

After yet another re-install of FS9

I installed the Com-Central Environmental pack, I had suspicions that this altered the plane textures...

Before env pack



After env pack



Before env pack



After env pack



Maybe it's just my video card ?

[Uhu_Fledermaus]

Kit,

It's pretty simple, the envmap.bmp in the texture folder is indeed adapted in the envi pack, if you don't want the adapted aircraft textures then ommit the one I have packed in the envi pack and put this one in

in case you want to test wich you like best backup the one that is in your main texture folder

hope it helps ya out matey, in case of give me a buzz and we can get together on TS.


fled

[Kitform]

Thanks Fled.

It must be a quirk of my video card. I remember making a comment about it a while back regarding one of the Bell 47G helo's looked a bit faded.

After the little messing about with 'props' and eventually corrupting my original FS install, I re-installed it all again with the two set-ups we have.

I thought it was a good time to do a comparison since I was about to install the env pack again...

Just for clarity if other people read this...The Com-Central Environmental pack is well worth the install, it certainly enhances FS2004's eye candy.

It's just me being a bit 'picky' :). I prefer the original reflection mapping of the aircraft. On my vid card the planes tend to look a bit 'washed out'

Cheers Fled.

[Kitform]

Hi Fled,

The default envmap.bmp file didn't do it, the planes are still looking 'washed' out.

[Kitform]

After further, extensive testing, the culprit has been narrowed down to one of the sky_xxxxx files.

It's a combination of several files as the texture of the aircraft changes depending on the time of day...

Testing continues

[Uhu_Fledermaus]

Must honestly admit Kit that at this end the aircraft textures look more reflective and also specially the metal ones look way better with the adapted envmap.
see also www.com-central.net/in...pic&t=2024

As for the cloud textures I haven't suffered any ill effects that I can trace back to those.
today I have a day off so in case of you can buzz me or drop me a line and we could get together on TS so we can sort this bugger out.


fled

[Kitform]

Fled,

It must be down to the differences between graphics cards, no problem, I'll sort it...eventually.

[Shadow_Bshwackr]

Kit, I run Nvidia and Fled ATI, and both effects show up the same. I'm wondering about drivers or game settings perhaps?

[Kitform]

Strange isn't it.

I have the latest forceware drivers installed and the fs9 display is set to high.

I've narrowed it down to the different sky_files...there are ones for different parts of the day, the most noticable effect is at midday, just gotta isolate the sky_xxx file that does that, or I'll just leave out the sky_xxx files.

[Uhu_Fledermaus]

Really wish I'd know what causes this Kit, it annoys me as I cannot put my finger on it, in the meantime I've tryed out all options I could think of and with all sliders maxed out here.

What I do notice is that with the altered envimap.bmp the stockplane textures look more shiny and therefore maybe at midday due to higher sun intensity may appear to look bleaker but they also have a higher reflection to them...

just maybe you can make minced meat out of it, but this is what I have up and running here :
P4 2,8 oc'd as 3,07 dual core 800 MHz fsb
2 G's of RAM
2 x 80 G's SATA RAID striping mode
fs9 on complete separate partition E:
ATI X800.VE 256 mB 8x AGP with latest ATI Catalyst 6.4 drivers
SB Audigy2 ZS Platinum


fled

[Kitform]

Through a process of elimination...

I restored the default scenery and texture folder to default.
I extracted the evn pack to a seperate location.

By swapping folders, I identified the texture folder as the one causing me problems, so then I started swapping files...As blocks of files at first to identify which block it was in...

I've got it down to the sky files 0-9 in each section

sky_midnight_0 to 9
sky_morning_0 to 9
sky_noon_0 to 9
sky_postdawn_0 to 9
sky_postsunset_0 to 9
sky_predawn_0 to 9
sky_presunset_0 to 9
sky_sunset_0 to 9

That's 80 files in total, obviously I don't think the night time ones are going to effect the plane as much so for now I'm just concentrating on the sky_noon files, I shall swap each one in turn and observe the effect, it complicates matters a bit since if the 'noon' files are enabled I have to make sure the clock is at the right time as well 'cause at 3-4pm the effect goes off.

I'll plod on for now

[Kitform]

I've decided to leave out all the sky_xxxx_? files.

I did a test with the midnight files to eliminate them but I was suprised at the result...


Before sky_midnight_? files




After sky_midnight_? files



I'm getting a bright reflection from the runway that's totally dark...Scarey

[Uhu_Fledermaus]

is the world at your end upside down ??