33 replies to this topic

[ddavid]

Here's your chance to try out the Burj Al Arab Hotel helipad approach which I featured in a video, recently. The helipad is 720 above the sea, which washes around the base of this stylistic 7-star luxury hotel, south west of Dubai City

This is what the approach looks like:




Check the mission out - it's in the Forum's Download section here:

http://forum.mutleyshangar.com/index.php/files/file/1461-burj-al-arab-mission/


Hope you enjoy the mission - please let me know how you get on - Thanks!

Cheers - Dai.

[mutley]

Excellent!

Thanks Dai, I have just downloaded, hopefully I can fly it soon with the cameras rolling.

Cheers,
Joe

[ddavid]

Thanks, Joe - take care of The Sheikh - and his wife!

Cheers - Dai.

[ShrewsburyFC]

This looks great, I will download and give it a run through!

Thanks Dai,

Sam.

[ShrewsburyFC]

Excellent job Dai!!! Really nice mission, heres a shot I took!




Sam.

[ddavid]

Great shot, Sam - i guess you landed?!?

Of course you did... Thanks for the feed-back - not a very complex mission, but I enjoyed making it.

Cheers - Dai.

[ShrewsburyFC]

Hi Dai, what program do you use to make these missions?! Im quite interested in giving it a go!!

Sam.

[ddavid]

Hi Sam - I use Jim Keir's FSX Mission Editor (FSXME) available here:

http://fsaddon.eu/wp...don/?page_id=26

There is a Free version, which is worth downloading to get an idea how it works. The full, payware (10 USD) version, has more functions, as you'd expect. Brett and I have been using FSXME for some time - it's the most straightforward method for building missions.

Flight-1's Instant Mission Builder is not as good, in my opinion. O.K., IMM gets you off the ground quickly, but the missions you produce are a bit simplistic and certainly don't let you into the functionality of mission building that you'll probably want to learn about. Here's a link:

http://www.flight1.c...roduct=instmiss

Lastly, you could, at a pinch, read the FSX SDK for Mission Building and use the so called Object Placement Tool (OPT). With this, you can develop complex missions - most of the default FSX missions were generated with the OPT - but it is not a straightforward task unless you are an experienced and disciplined coder AND know what you want to do BEFORE you start! The OPT is not for the faint-hearted - I've not used it at all as I just cannot get my head round it!

I'm sure Brett will have some advice as he's probably further down the mission building road than me. Also, if you're interested, there's a new mission development website here:

http://fsxmissionshangar.com/

Brett and I belong to the forum where there's a lot of advice, tutorials and missions to try.

Hope that helps. BTW, I am not responsible for you spending hours and hours developing missions - once you've got the bug, it's very difficult to shift!

Cheers - Dai.

[brett]

I agree with Dai on all of the above. I am not a quick study by any means but I was determined to learn how to make a mission. It was not easy for me but for someone that is familier with FSX, adding and editing it's files you will already have taken the first baby steps. There is a ton of info online.......(pause to watch Mr. Bean playing with a symphony during the opening Olympic ceremonies love that guy) ......... dealing with each aspect of the mission files and the link Dia supplied for the new mission site that just started up has a host of mission makers that can answer any question that you might have. Funny thing about learning something, once you figure it out it looks downright easy. Good luck and hang in there Sam.

[ShrewsburyFC]

Many thanks guys for the quick replies and info!!

I will most definetly give the free demo a go, and see what its like!! Ive gotta re-install FSX first though, it was all getting a bit messy with all the addons ive got


Sam.

[aeromax]

that´s cool so keep on.....

[brett]

Finally got a chance to fly this mission and enjoyed it. Short and sweet with a pretty cool looking scenery area. Came in a bit fast for the hotel landing and had to do a quick backup and then got her in safely. I do love flying missions and thank you for making this one for my flying pleasure.

BTW I did notice that the readme omitted a referance to installing the reward file and I had to adjust the flightplan GPS path so as not to get warning on briefing select. Not that a flight plan is even needed for this mission.

[ddavid]

Yep, right on both counts, Brett. I remembered about the rwd file after zipping and uploading. And the Flight Plan always gives me trouble - maybe it's an FSXME thing? Will investigate.

Glad you enjoyed meeting the Sheikh - more 'exciting' missions to come - New York, L.A., so forth... And Thanks for your kind comments!

Cheers - Dai. :cool

[brett]

Hi Dai, I see this in many missions and have even made the mistake myself. It's easy to forget about it.

Before uploading your mission you can edit your FLT file to get rid of that nasty no flight plan warning that everyone else gets except you.
In your FLT file, under the [GPS_Engine] section, an FSXME made mission will include the file name path to your Public folder when it created the mission. It is like this so it can create an installer, if you wish too, although most folks hate them. That is why ME puts your new mission in your My Missions folder in your FSX root folder(so you can fly it) and also one in your Public User folder under the Mission Wizard# folder(so ME can do it's magic).

It looks like this(from one of my missions)

[GPS_Engine]
Filename=C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Missions\My Missions\WizardMission5\Triple Tree FlyIn S.C.Plan

All you need to do is get rid of the whole path except for the actual PLN file name. After the edit, when a download user flies the mission, FSX will now just look in the mission folder for your flight plan(PLN).

When edited it will now look like this:

[GPS_Engine]
Filename=Triple Tree FlyIn S.C.Plan

If you do not want to include a flight plan in the mission folder, although your original mission was made with one, leave the file name blank but keep the GPS section in the FLT folder. This will happen if you make a mission in FSXME with a flight plan for build reasons but chose not to include the plan to coincide with your mission scenario.

Hope this helped, I tend to ramble

BTW The sheik commented that his camel could fly a heli better than me.

[ddavid]

Many Thanks, Brett - that point has been bugging me for ages! Now I know how to resolve it - excellent!

Right now, I'm trying to get the Sheikh out of New York. I can find his bodyguard, but the bl**dy Sheikh's gone walkabout - last seen at Grand Central Station...

Thanks again.

Cheers - Dai.

BTW, glad you made the Costa Concordia - I gave up after that little trollope told me I'd failed!

[hurricanemk1c]

Perhaps he's gone train spotting Dai

[ddavid]

Well spotted, Chuck!

How's about getting your rotors going, then, eh?!?

Cheers - Dai.

[hurricanemk1c]

Downloaded and installed - will fly it soon!

[ddavid]

Thanks! And Good Luck!

Cheers - Dai.

[brett]

Your welcome Dai.
Don't give up on the CCR mission, make a few saves along the way. It's a well made mission and worth the success.
As for the sheik, there is plenty of things in GCS to make you wander. He might be "Night Train" spotting, try looking around the "by the hour" hotels

@Keiran- Have fun and enjoy the flight.