The shape setting dialog


This section describes the meaning of all options in the shape setting dialog. For extra information on specific shape types, click the appropriate shape in the menu on your left. The shape setting dialog is subdivided into categories which can be accessed by clicking the tabs.

You can access the selection's shapes settings dialog by either clicking the SELECTION | PROPERTIES menu item, double clicking anywhere on the map or left-clicking the selection's handle. Note that only one shape must be selected...

 

 

General

GeneralThe general settings influence a shape's physical appearance like line width, dot spacing, tree line or forest height. A comment can also be entered. Comments are only there to help you identifying shapes. This can turn out to be useful in case some hand coding (advanced users) is required.

Color options can be set here too. Checking the Colored box will disable all options in the Texture tab since a shape can either be colored or textured. Depending on the shape you are working on, different color options are available. Texture mapped polygons (advanced), tree lines and  forests cannot be colored. You can select any RGB (24-bit) color for standard polygons and wide lines. There are 15 transparency steps available for RGB colors. there is an advanced options for the polygon that will preserve the color's brightness, even at night. Dotted lines can only be of one of 16 preset opaque colors (palette).

 

 

Texture

Texture The texture tab is available for following shapes: standard polygon, texture mapped polygon (advanced), lines/roads and tree lines. Forests use preset build-in or custom textures. Select a texture in the list on the right. Only textures inside GroundMaker's texture directory will be listed. Note that FS textures must be in 8, 16 or 32 bit format. Recommend texture size is 256x256 pixels. Smaller pixel sizes are also allowed (16, 32, 64 or 128 pixels). It is strongly recommended to use square textures (width=height). Do not use textures greater than 256 pixels in size!

GroundMaker lets you add night and seasonal texture effects to your textured shapes. If you want FS to load a different texture at night or at a given season, you must check the boxes on the left. If you check Night texture for example, FS will load another texture when it is dark. That night texture must be named in a special way and must be also copied to the scenery's directory. Actually, the texture you select in the list is the summer texture when all three season effects are checked. FS will look for textures named like the selected textures plus an extension. The following table explains how to name these:

Main texture (=selection, = summer texture) MyTexture.BMP
Spring texture MyTexture_SP.BMP
Fall texture MyTexture_FA.BMP
Winter texture MyTexture_WI.BMP
Night texture MyTexture_LM.BMP

It is very important to save these in 8-bit palette BMP format. If you are new to scenery design, only check the night and seasonal effects with the textures listed below. Those are part of the GroundMaker texture set that should be downloaded and installed to the FS main texture directory by your scenery's users. Never enable these effects when you're not sure if the texture you select in the list supports them. This will only lead to vanishing polygons which will definitely annoy your users...

 

Texture

Effects ( S=spring, F=fall, W=winter, LM=night)

Use with

grm_grass1.bmp S, F, W polygons, lines
grm_tree1.bmp S, F, W, LM tree lines
grm_buildXX.bmp LM buildings

 

 

Note I (advanced): If you make your own custom textures with seasonal/night effects, only copy the main (summer) texture to the GroundMaker texture directory. GroundMaker needs that directory for preview purposes only. Furthermore, keeping it organized will make texture selection easier.

Note II: GroundMaker also opens 24-bit bitmaps which are not supported by FS. Following formats can be opened too: 8-bit raw (.r8) or 8-bit palette, standard or extended. When selecting an extended bitmap, GroundMaker will show transparency. If the selected texture has a white preview, then all colors are set transparent. Check and correct transparency with BMP2000 by Martin Wright.

 

 

Mapping

MappingFollowing shapes support mapping: texture mapped polygon, tree lines and forests. Mapping gives you control on how a texture is applied to the shape. Depending on the shape type, the above screenshot may vary.

 

Mapping - polygon:
The shape's outline is shown on top of the texture. You can change it's color by moving the slider (Outline color). Drag the points' handles to change the default mapping. This will change the way the texture is applied to the shape. Note that you don't drag the shape's points, you simply force the textured polygon drawn here into the shape. In other words, you assign a texture coordinate to every shape point.

Mapping - tree line:
You must select a special texture (grm_tree1.bmp, for example) in the texture tab. You have the option of using a four or eight band texture. Set the appropriate band amount in the box on the right and select which row you want to be used for the tree line.

Mapping - forest:
You can select a preset forest type or use one of the four custom ones. You will see a preview of the forest on the right.

 

 

Visibility

VisibilityThese settings influence when the shape is drawn in FS. Depending on the shape, the amount of options may vary. Enter the visible of range in meters. Use the converter if you're not confident with meters. By the way, one meter is approx. on yard. The range is the shape's maximum viewing distance. Is the viewer beyond it, the shape will not be drawn in FS. Why do you need to enter a range, you will ask? Well, if all shapes where visible at all times, your frame rates would be very low. Small polygons, taxiway or dotted lines are almost invisible seen from 5 miles, grass surfaces or tarmacs are still visible. Here is a list of recommended ranges:

 

Type of surface Range (meters)
Airport grass polygon 15,000 - 20,000
Tarmac polygons (e.g. large concrete surfaces at terminals) 10,000 - 15,000
Long taxiways 6,000 - 12,000
Short taxiways 4,000, 6,000
Very short taxiways 3,000 - 5,000
Taxiway shoulders 2,000 - 3,000
Taxiway centerline 500 - 1,000 (depending on length)
Taxiway side lights 800 - 2,000
Tree line 2,000 - 6,000
Forest 5,000 - 20,000

 

Set at what time of day the shape is visible by pushing the buttons on the right. A pushed button means the shape will be visible. Useful for night lighting effects like taxiway side lights or spot lights.

 

The next options are for the advanced user only. Layers only work with polygons and dotted lines. It is not recommended to use layers (to change the order of appearance of polygons, go into Arrange mode and move them forward or backwards)! Once a polygon has a layer, you loose control in which order it will be drawn inside a layer. Only user layers to push polygons or dotted lines above runways. Other use of layering may result in visual artifacts in FS. By default (that means when no layer is set), scenery items are drawn in the following order: polygons, lines, dotted lines, runways, 3-D objects. In other words, a runway always covers polygons, lines and dotted lines.

If you enabled MLCs (multiple levels of complexity) or texture levels in the project settings, the No point reduction and No texture levels options will override these settings for the selected shape only. For the advanced user...