Simviation Forums

Not sure if this is kosher to ask here, but I am horrible with scenery design and was wondering if someone could do this for FS2004 and even FSX...

Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, CA has a navigation landmark for Runway 30, located exactly 1.9 miles from Runway 30's threshold, directly inline with the runway: this is the Walter Pyramid sports stadium for Long Beach State University, it is used by aircraft as a VFR turn point reference for final approach. I gathered some relevant info...

Object location: N 33.787452, W 118.114418

The building heading is 353.5 degrees true, sides almost face true north, east, south and west.
Each side of the base is 345 feet, height is 192 feet.
The pyramid exterior is made of dark blue corrugated aluminum.
There is no navigation hazard beacon atop the structure.

If this isn't the way to request, then I apologize. Please let me know if this is a project someone could do, thanks!

Nevermind, I learned how to do it myself. Made pyramid, formatted it, installed it. Thanks anyway.

Here it is, just for FS2004 so far, working on FSX/P3D. I hyperaccuracized Long Beach airport in AFCAD, added the walkways and entries in FS2004 AFCAD for the pyramid, too, will do a BGL exclude for the campus it's on to vamoose the buildings. It's positioned exactly how (and located exactly where) it needs to be, just off-center of 30. Perfectly scaled, it looks great.

This is my very first Gmax project, I just found another side-hobby. Not bad for the first time...



I'll upload the package: Walter Pyramid, BGL exclude and new AFCAD for the airport for FS2004. I'll need help from someone to make this work for FSX/P3D, any takers? You can take half-credit for the FSX/P3D project, I take full credit for the FS2004 project. Let me know if you're game.

Well Done!

Thank you! Not bad for a first project...

Hey TryHinkel, you and I are at about the same level of proficiency. That looks very similar to my first attempt, except I just put a random object on an airfield near me and some oranges on trees. It's a great feeling being able to manipulate the environment in a game, hey? I've lost a bit of momentum in recent weeks, but your post gave me some inspiration to keep going. Thanks very much.

Excellent! I love hearing that, tjitah, that's what this community is all about: exhort, extol, encourage. I'm glad to have played a small part and I hope it reaps big for you, it sounds like you've already done some intriguing things with your own Flight Sim. Oranges? That's some detail! It's a great thing to be able to manipulate things for sure, but even better in that I don't have to seek anyone out anymore and be dependent upon a fate which may never happen.

Placing objects isn't too bad: I learned some time ago how to access library objects and write XMLs to place them, then learned how to convert XMLs to BGLs. Now I can place beacons, objects, towers, hazard lights...I can even do excludes which remove any or all objects (houses, etc.) from certain areas. It becomes a necessity when you get to your home airport and realize how Microsoft put far too many buildings or trees too close to runway ends, LOL.

But then there's objects that you simply can't find or get: the real aim was not only how to make basic objects but how to export/save them into XML format, which could then be assigned a LAT/LON coordinate and converted to BGL. After some searching, along came the answer. Not many people would regard a simple pyramid as a triumph...on the whole, I'd agree with them, but it's my triumph...one to build upon. Just gotta wait and see what the next virtual flying experience brings about and what I can design from there, I guess. Hopefully, your own experience is just as rewarding. Good luck!

I uploaded it, it's ready for any FS2004 pilot who wants it. Again, just need a little more time to make an FSX/P3D version.

Here's another view, flying over and around after departing on Runway 12...