Leo Martínez
Adding surface painted signs to ADE involves a series of steps, and there are various methods to achieve this. One way is to use the custom ground poly function, which involves drawing a polygon, adding texture, and editing its shape, size, and rotation. Another method involves creating apron signs using custom textures and the GP texture editor tool, but this may not show up in FSX. Users have also suggested utilizing taxi signage information or creating ground markers, which can aid pilot navigation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software | ADE 2020 Alpha 18 |
| Method | Custom Ground Poly function |
| Manual | In the ADE main folder |
| Texture | gp_Signs_Yellow |
| Polygon | Edit the shape, size, and rotation |
| Colour | Red |
| Compile Parameters | 1) Single ref point - apr elevation 2) Single ref point - local elevation 3) Unlimited Line Visibility/point visibility/and auto group size |
| Texture Format | DXT (or 32-bit) |
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What You'll Learn
Utilise the custom ground poly function
To add surface painted signs to ADE, you can utilise the custom ground poly function. This process is detailed in the ADE-GP User Manual, which can be found in the manuals subfolder inside the ADE main folder.
Firstly, the Ground Polygon Editor box will appear. You will need to assign the texture gp_Signs_Yellow in the Main Texture drop-down box. Press OK to return to ADE. You can then edit the shape, size, and rotation of the polygon to your liking. Once you are happy with the shape, click on the polygon until the sides turn orange and press Enter to return to the GP Editor. Press Reset to get the new shape, and then click on the left of the three Change Color buttons, choosing Red. This will make it easier to see the lines on the black texture background. Click OK.
Now, left-click and drag the mouse across the entire polygon until all vertices are included in the box. Release the mouse, and all the vertices should turn red. If not, repeat this step. Click on the left Rotate button and drag one vertex so the polygon is rotated upright.
To add text to the poly, you will need to add a texture with the text on it. There are several textures available in the ADE-GP texture folders, which can be found in the Textures_Dpy folder. If you create your own textures, you will need to make entries in the Textures_Def.txt and possibly the Lines_def.txt files.
You can also create your own textures and save them in the ADE default Textures folder. However, ensure that they are in the correct format, as 24-bit textures are not displayed by FlightSim. They should be saved in DXT (or 32-bit) format in the ADE Textures folder. You will also need to place a BMP version in the Textures_Dpy folder.
If you are placing signs on taxiways, aprons, or alleys, you will need to create your own custom poly unless they are already in the custom poly section. You will then need to place one version in the TEXTURES folder in ADE (DXT version) and another in the Textures_Dpy folder (BMP version).
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Create your own textures
To create your own textures, you can use software such as Adobe Substance 3D, Adobe Substance 3D Painter, or Photoshop.
Adobe Substance 3D Painter allows you to paint directly onto an object, apply materials, and create custom ones in real-time. It also handles the technical aspects of 3D creation, allowing artists to focus on the creative process.
When creating 3D textures, it is important to consider how light will interact with the surface. This is known as physical-based rendering or PBR. To achieve photorealism, various maps can be created to dictate aspects such as shininess and bumpiness. For example, a roughness map is a grayscale image where white values indicate shiny areas and black values indicate non-shiny areas.
Additionally, normal maps tell the software about the recessed or protruded areas of an object and can be used for bump maps or displacement maps. To capture your own textures, you can use traditional or linear panoramas, which involve capturing images from different angles and stitching them together using Photoshop or Lightroom.
When creating your own textures for ADE, you will need to make entries in the Textures_Def.txt and possibly the Lines_def.txt files, as mentioned in the ADE-GP User Manual.
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Edit the polygon shape
To edit the polygon shape, follow these steps:
- The Ground Polygon Editor box will appear. Assign the texture gp_Signs_Yellow in the Main Texture drop-down box:
- Press OK to return to ADE:
- Edit the polygon until it is the exact size, shape, and rotation you want:
- Click on the polygon until the sides turn orange and press Enter to return to the GP Editor:
- Press the Reset button to get the new shape:
- Click on the left of the three Change Color buttons (the coloured line) and choose a colour. This will make it easier to see the lines on the black texture background. Click OK:
- Now left-click and drag the mouse across the entire polygon (a green rectangle will mark your progress) until all vertices are included in the box:
- Let go, and all the vertices will turn red. If not, do it again:
- Click on the left Rotate button and drag one vertex so the polygon is rotated upright.
You can also create new polygons by copying and pasting the original one. Right-click and choose Copy Objects, then right-click again and choose Paste Objects. This will create a new polygon next to the original one. You can then edit this new polygon in the same way as described above.
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Choose the right compile parameters
When adding surface painted signs to ADE, you will need to consider the following compile parameters:
- Single Ref Point - Apr Elevation or Local Elevation: This depends on where the poly is located. If it is on an airport object, choose "single ref point - apr elevation". If it is located elsewhere, choose "single ref point - local elevation".
- Compile one BGL file or separate BGL files: Generally, it is recommended to compile one Bgl file with the airport and scenery included. However, if you want to keep them separate, you can choose to have ADE create separate Bgl files for airport data and scenery.
- Compile Unknown Library Objects: This option is disabled by default. If you load a project with library objects that ADE does not recognize, you will be prompted to decide whether to compile them with the project.
- Keep Terrain File: If your project file contains terrain elements, ADE will create a terrain (CVX) Bgl file. If there are no objects in the project file but there is a CVX Bgl file on disk, you will be asked if you want to keep the CVX file.
- XML Source File Handling: When ADE compiles a project, it generates an XML source file. If the compile is successful, this file is not needed. However, if the compile fails, the XML file can help identify the issue. You can choose to either delete the XML file after compilation, save it with the project file, or save it with the Bgl file (although this is not recommended as the sim cannot read XML files).
These are the key compile parameters to consider when adding surface painted signs to ADE. It is important to choose the right parameters to ensure a successful compilation and to avoid any issues with your project.
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Use the Custom Poly tool
To add surface painted signs to ADE, you can use the Custom Poly tool. This tool allows you to create custom ground polygons (polys) with text and images. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the Custom Poly tool:
Step 1: Access the Custom Poly Tool
To begin, launch the Airport Design Editor (ADE) software and navigate to the Custom Poly tool. This tool is designed to create and edit ground polygons, which can be used to add surface painted signs to your airport design.
Step 2: Create a New Polygon
Click on the purple ground polygon button to create a new polygon. You will typically start by creating a rectangle with the approximate proportions of the letter or sign you want to create. Don't worry about getting the shape exact at this point.
Step 3: Edit Polygon Properties
Once you have created the initial polygon, the Ground Polygon Editor box will appear. Here, you can edit various properties of the polygon, such as its texture, colour, and size. Assign the desired texture from the drop-down box, such as "gp_Signs_Yellow". You can also adjust the shape, size, and rotation of the polygon to match your desired specifications.
Step 4: Return to ADE
After editing the polygon properties, click OK to return to the main ADE interface. If you need to create multiple characters or words, repeat the process to create additional polygons for each character. You can also copy and paste polygons to create new ones with similar properties.
Step 5: Adjust Polygon Vertices
Click on the polygon until its sides turn orange. This indicates that you can now edit its vertices. Adjust the vertices to match the shape of the character or sign you want to create. For example, if you're creating the letter "W", you'll need to drag the vertices to create a wider shape than a standard rectangle.
Step 6: Finalize and Position Your Sign
Once you're satisfied with the shape and size of your polygon, click OK to finalize it. You can then select and drag the polygon to position it correctly on your airport design. If you need to create multiple characters or words, repeat this process for each polygon, ensuring they are positioned correctly to form the desired word or phrase.
Additional Tips:
- Layering: If you want letters to appear on a block of a different colour, create a GP Poly for the block and ensure it is on a 'lower' layer than the letter GP Polys.
- Texture Creation: If you create your own textures, you need to make entries in the Textures_Def.txt and possibly the Lines_def.txt files.
- Custom Signs: If you create custom signs using tools like Photoshop, save them as 24-bit BMP files and place them in the texture.dpy folder.
- Texture Format: To get textures to show up in the Editor, refer to the GP manual's section on "Adding New Textures."
- Helper Shapes: ADE offers helper shapes that can be turned into custom ground polys. You can edit their properties, such as width, height, and heading.
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