New Kai Tak Scenery Coming On...

[RollerBall]

Hi Mark

It's really good having you guys over here!

If you've never been to my own little site

Cmon - who hasn't if they have any interest at all in Kai Tak! Great site.

When I (finally) issue my package I'm gonna include the real Plates for 13 and 31 and I'd also like to include the more simpified plate you have on your site for the less experienced guys who might find the real thing a bit confusing to start with. Hope that's OK.

I've had a pig of a week this week (for scenery work - a great week for earning as I'm self-employed) but I hope to get a bit more done over the coming few days.

I'll keep the progress reports coming with pics when I have a bit more to show.

Roger

[jcool28]

Howdy Rollerball, quick question...will you be adding tankers, barges, cruise ships etc in the harbor? I think every single pic I've ever seen has had a good deal of marine traffic going in and out.

[Mark Beaumont]

Go for it, Roger.  The more flying Kai Tak the better, as far as I'm concerned, and having them land properly would help!  Take what you need from my limited archive.  Link the site as well in your README, if you wish.

It's incredible what a legend Kai Tak has become since 1998, and flightsim has much to do with that.  It was always an amazing place, of course - I was lucky (or unlucky?) enough to land on R13 once or twice a week when I was based out of Hong Kong.  It was all Tristars and 742s when I was there.  In Cathay, that is; there was all sorts of other stuff regionally, of course.

Kai Tak must rate as one of the most difficult and, frankly, dangerous airports of all time.  There are many airports with difficult approaches, but the issue with Kai Tak was that - should you get it wrong - you'd not only make a mess of your kite and its contents but probably about five thousand people on the ground, not to mention a building or forty.  

There was nothing like watching Mrs. Wong hanging the washing out on the way in.  Trick was not to lower the gear too early or you might collect it.  

I jest.  But anyway, I greatly look forward to your finished project.  

[RollerBall]

Howdy Rollerball, quick question...will you be adding tankers, barges, cruise ships etc in the harbor? I think every single pic I've ever seen has had a good deal of marine traffic going in and out.

Certainly will. Trouble with any big scenery project is you just can't do everything yourself, or you'd make it a life's work!!

I've spent ages searching for really good quality macros for all sorts of objects - just found what look like really good ferries but can't tell until I extract and do a trial placement.

Already have some barges which again I've not yet had a chance to try and there are some great cruise ships available.

I draw the line at picture book Chinese junks though!!

Even little details take so much time. All the stairways, buses, vehicles etc were white with yellow on top. The buses I have used are great as all white - I added Kai Tak lettering etc to em - but when I added yellow to the textures for the roof, the wheel wells also turned yellow. Just the way the textures were applied by the original designer. Strictly speaking after a few hours work on them I can't now use them and I'm having to start again with another bus macro.

But it's fascinating stuff and it's great when you create a custom building from one of Daryl's shots, place it and then start the sim and see it there for the first time. I have to say that I've become really attached to and involved in the old place. Just wish I'd had the chance to go there in its heyday.

:-(

Roger

[Mark Beaumont]

<<>>>

Don't.  Very rarely, they still ply the harbour today; but in Kai Tak's heyday, they were plentiful.  There was nothing more amazing than to see hundreds of tons of Boeing steel taking off over cargo-carrying junks from the mainland with nothing but sail to take them through the busiest harbour in the world.

Keep the magic ...

[BFMF]

Roger,

How much of a hit on frame rates will your scenery have?

[RollerBall]

Difficult to say at present Andrew. I don't think it will hit as hard as Thomas Kwong's FS2000 scenery but inevitably there will be a hit because of the number of objects. I'm nowhere near finished but FR on my PC is still very acceptable though and I've got FS2002 water back between the taxiways etc.

I'm replacing the terminal buildings so there will only be a small hit there for hopefully a big improvement. Extra buildings like the fire stations and stuff don't do too much.

I've added a row of statics in the area described by Darly as the 'new apron' (see his shots above). I just wanted to see how good they are - Virgin, Lufthansa, Mandarin 747s, RAF C130 Herc, Friendship and stuff. I will probably use a few but not all. When you pan round in that direction FR does drop, so obviously FR depends on which part of the scenery you're viewing and how complex it is.

I guess if your PC can handle O'Hare, LHR etc OK there shouldn't be a problem with this one.

Roger