New version of AFCAD ??

[tomh]

Anyone have any news on where Lee Swordy disappeared to and/or when the next version of AFCAD is coming out?

I am certainly looking forward to being able to place scenery files using AFCAD.

[RollerBall]

Hmmm...

I don't think Lee has disappeared - just trying to have a life I would think.

We all take programs like AFCAD and TTools for granted and expect new versions to keep coming out for free every few weeks. But a tremendous amount of work is involved and it's unreasonable just to expect someone like Lee to spend what would be most of his waking hours on what started out as a labour of love but has become probably the two most wanted FS utilities ever in the history if flightsim.

We should think ourselves very lucky that Lee hasn't gone down the same road as Pete Dowson did - quite understandably - with FSUIPC, and also ActiveCamera

So my message is, be patient. If you are keen to start placing scenery objects now, take a look at some of the other systems available, starting manually using the XML Scenery SDK. I also just beta tested another new program which I don't think has been launched yet called Runway12. It's been made by a talented programmer and makes the placing of library objects a snip, so keep your eyes open for it.

[andyjohnston.net]

You can also use SGX for placing objects, as well as for runways/taxways/polys etc the stuff that afcad does too.  It also allows for creation of taxiway signs and is updated on a regular basis.  The down side is it's not as intuitive as afcad.

[RollerBall]

Hi andy,

I didn't mention SGX which IMO looks as though it will be one of the most useful scenery design utilities in due course. I'm glad because I'm a big fan of Airport.

But at present you can't create runways, taxiways or aprons with it, at least they are all greyed out in my copy which is the latest version.

We are in the worst scenario half-way house at present where no single design system can do everything using XML and there are some things you just cannot yet do at all that you can in BGLC

A further thought

Maybe it's time for Tom Hiscox and Lee Swordy to work together to create the ultimate XML design tool. It seems a bit pointless for two obviously brilliant and talented guys to be working independently to each come up with what will in effect be the same tool. If AFCAD and ScenGenX were to be combined now they would be nearly there leaving only a few bits and pieces to be added.

[andyjohnston.net]

Yes,sgx can add runways, I have no trouble.

Combining them would be an interesting idea.  There would be a bunch of issues I'm , sure, but it might produce a heck of a result.

[planespotter]

As much as I use AFCAD I would have no problem of purchasing this. Is that a way to turn off the automatic update search?

[Wing Nut]

I thought I had heard that AFCAD was going to use RWY12 in place of developing their own object placing thingamajig...

[RollerBall]

Hi Kevin

Just forget it and get SceneGenX. In all areas (CDs, videos, DVDs etc) there is a winner that becomes the standard. In this case it's SceneGenX. While other people have footled around Tom put the work in and created the package. Lee and others have now missed the boat. AFCAD is very limited and I also beta tested RWY12 which is also OK for a very limited app with no GUI.

SceneGenX already has it all so why collect bits from different places and stick them together? SceneGenX is fully integrated and it works the way the XML standard is intended to.

And the more people who go for it the greater incentive there is for Tom to totally develop it and eg integrate flattens as well as excludes (neither AFCAD nor RWY12 has either so you still have to use Tom's Airport or FSSC - which is now obsolete IMO unfortunately, sorry Derek). It should be a simple job (actually not that simple as you can't create flattens using XML - who knows how MS intend to get round that one) as some features from Airport are already included in SceneGenX.

Also when there's only the one standard (eg GMAX) everyone can work to create plugins, libraries and stuff for it so it grows in usefulness very quickly.

Believe me, I have thoroughly used and tested SceneGenX (Brentwood as you know) and I KNOW what I'm talking about

[andyjohnston.net]

Really?  I've had tons of trouble with it, adding taxiways and stuff.  It's all very easy in afcad, but I found in sgx, you had to have everything planned in advance.  You couldn't add a taxiway by just dragging a new one into place, you had to have all of you points set up before you started actually creating the links.

I've also gotten a lot of errors from sgx that don't seem to be resolveable, especially if I move or delete a taxiway.

I think afcad's wysiwyg gui is much better than the sgx dot-and-line gui.

Not to not the work Tom has done/is doing.

[RollerBall]

No, it's like anything new. It's different and as Tom says, it isn't yet finished. I have got round all the problems you are mentioning because I also have knowledge of XML. But that will not always be necessary.

I've also imported xml code and bgls - you try doing that with afcad and rwy12.

I am sure that Tom is fully aware of what you are talking about but his approach is right. Get the functionality in there first and then tweak it to make it user-friendly.

I'd point out, it's an approach that has worked just fine for MS with all of their products