HJG and FSX

[olderndirt]

For a while, I was really interested in getting HJG's B707-80 (original livery) but, after reading all the download/install requirements for FSX, have decided to pass - unless there's a simpler, more straightforward method.

[Tech Diver]

I have a couple of HJG aircraft (BAe 146-300 and B727-200) that I have running under FSX without any difficulties. I don't quite follow from your post what is the specific problem that you have experienced. Is it the installation proceedure, or the hardware requirements? Also, I did not see a B707-80 on their download page, but I did see many other 707 models. Was this a typo by chance? If you give me some more information I will gladly look into it some more.

Note that I did experience a bit of a performance hit with their aircraft. But after I convert all the exterior BMP files to DDS files with MIP maps, the frame rate went up. None of their aircraft have VCs so I never fly them, but I do use them for AI traffic. The BAe 146 in particular is nice to schedule for short hops in Europe.

Peter

[Hagar]

I agree with Peter. Once you understand the basic principle of how the files are posted on the HJG site installation of their aircraft to either FS9 or FSX should not be difficult. Much easier to understand than the Posky website. If you have problems with a specific aircraft I'll be happy to walk you through it.

Also, I did not see a B707-80 on their download page, but I did see many other 707 models. Was this a typo by chance? If you give me some more information I will gladly look into it some more.

I think he means the 367-80 which was the prototype 707.

Note that I did experience a bit of a performance hit with their aircraft. But after I convert all the exterior BMP files to DDS files with MIP maps, the frame rate went up. None of their aircraft have VCs so I never fly them, but I do use them for AI traffic. The BAe 146 in particular is nice to schedule for short hops in Europe.

Peter

Interesting. I note it states on the HJG site that their aircraft are not suitable for use as AI traffic.

[Tech Diver]

I totally agree that HJG planes are a WHOLE lot easier to install than the Posky ones. In fact, I think just about anything is easier to install than the Poskys (though I did always manage to ultimately succeed).

Funny, I never noticed that HJG said their aircraft are not suitable for AI. Though it's true that my frame rate initially declined at airports when there were 20 or so of their planes around, I was able to dramatically improve that after I did the BMP to DDS conversion. The key was that the DDS files must be generated with MIP maps, which essentially work kind of like multiple LODs as I understand. The MIP maps also eliminate the quivering that you can get at greater distances.

Peter

[Hagar]

Funny, I never noticed that HJG said their aircraft are not suitable for AI.

It's right at the bottom of the FAQ page. http://www.simviation.com/hjg/faq.htm

Though it's true that my frame rate initially declined at airports when there were 20 or so of their planes around, I was able to dramatically improve that after I did the BMP to DDS conversion. The key was that the DDS files must be generated with MIP maps, which essentially work kind of like multiple LODs as I understand. The MIP maps also eliminate the quivering that you can get at greater distances.

Peter

I think that converting the textures would be a step too far for most users.

PS. I installed the 367-80 to FSX & selecting it crashes my PC for some reason. Think I'll pass on this one.

[olderndirt]

PS. I installed the 367-80 to FSX & selecting it crashes my PC for some reason. Think I'll pass on this one.

Thanks for the advice and comments guys.

[Tech Diver]

Dirt, I downloaded all the files you need (model, panel, effects, etc) and packaged them into one directory. If you want to install the aircraft you would only need to do two things:

Put the B367-80 directory in the simobject\airplanes directory, and put an effect that I wrote called "fx_jet_smoke.fx" into the main Effects directory.

I also included a gauge that I wrote that automatically engages the engine smoke when the throttle is above 65%. Without this, you would have to manually engage the smoke system by hitting "i" whenever you would want that effect. There was an engine smoke effect that they wrote but it was really bad. When you are on the runway, the smoke must exit the engine at a high speed as it is blown out of the nozzle with much force. Their effect just created a cloud of smoke around the aircraft.

Lastly, it is not necessary to put any of their gauges into the main FSX gauge directory. They can just as easily be placed in the aircrafts local Panel directory (which is what I did). This makes the installation much easier because everything is self-contained.

If you are interested, send me a Private Message and I will send the ZIP file to you. If you don't want to install the aircraft, that is OK too. It only took me about 10 minutes to put this all together and test it, so it was not a waste of my time at all.

By the way, the aircraft hardly has any power and can barely get off the ground. Therefore, I don't know how realistic the flight model really is. You need at least 20 degrees of flaps and must do a very gentle climb to keep from loosing lift.

Peter

[olderndirt]

Tech
Here's the little message I get at the FSX opening screen.

'There are multiple objects with the same title name.

[Tech Diver]

Very easy fix:

Open aircraft.cfg and you will see the definition of two planes: [fltsim.0] and [fltsim.1]. Notice that they both have the same title. You only need one of them so delete the entire section of [fltsim.1] which is about 19 or 20 lines. That should do the trick. If you are still having problems I can email you my version of the file that works fine.

Peter

PS: note that there were two aircraft.cfg files in the HJG package one called aircraft.cfg and the other called aircraftFSX.cfg (or something like that). You are supposed to delete the aircraft.cfg file (it is for FS9) and rename the FSX version to aircraft.cfg. Also, a similar renaming must be done for panel.cfg as well if you have downloaded their 2D panel package.

[Hagar]

PS. I installed the 367-80 to FSX & selecting it crashes my PC for some reason. Think I'll pass on this one.

Thanks for the advice and comments guys.

[olderndirt]

Very easy fix:

Open aircraft.cfg and you will see the definition of two planes: [fltsim.0] and [fltsim.1]. Notice that they both have the same title. You only need one of them so delete the entire section of [fltsim.1] which is about 19 or 20 lines. That should do the trick. If you are still having problems I can email you my version of the file that works fine.

Peter

Deleting the [fltsim.1] took care of the little message and we have a plane.

[Tech Diver]

Glad you got it working. Again, I'm not sure if the real plane was so under-powered or not. In any case, you can tweak the performance by playing with the [TurbineEngineData] section of the the aircraft.cfg file. Currently the power is defined as "static_thrust=9500.000", which you can always change to see what happens.

Peter

[olderndirt]

Glad you got it working. Again, I'm not sure if the real plane was so under-powered or not. In any case, you can tweak the performance by playing with the [TurbineEngineData] section of the the aircraft.cfg file. Currently the power is defined as "static_thrust=9500.000", which you can always change to see what happens.

Peter

Added 10000 lbs to the 'static thrust' and got off Boeing Field, climbed a few thousand then tried recreating Tex Johnston's roll over Lake Washington.

[Tech Diver]

Ah yes, I know about that famous roll!!!

The needles and some gauges are missing because you have to download the panel core files at: http://www.simviation.com/hjg/panels/boeing/b707_core_files_v1.4.zip

When you open up the zip file you will notice there are three files in the gauges directory. You only need the one called "707-120.gau" for this particular plane so the other two can be deleted if you don't plan on downloading any of the other 707s. You have a choice of placing this file into the main FSX "gauge" file directory (so it is available for all planes), or you can merely put it in the plane's own "panel" directory.

Peter

[olderndirt]

Ah yes, I know about that famous roll!!!

The needles and some gauges are missing because you have to download the panel core files at: http://www.simviation.com/hjg/panels/boeing/b707_core_files_v1.4.zip

When you open up the zip file you will notice there are three files in the gauges directory. You only need the one called "707-120.gau" for this particular plane so the other two can be deleted if you don't plan on downloading any of the other 707s. You have a choice of placing this file into the main FSX "gauge" file directory (so it is available for all planes), or you can merely put it in the plane's own "panel" directory.

Peter

Thanks - check out the roll in edited screenshots.