Re: [Plib-users] BGL Loader

[Steve B. <sjb...@ai...>]

John wrote:
> 
> Steve Baker wrote:
> 
> > John wrote:
> > >
> > > Do we have any BGL loader project running now?
> >
> > What is BGL?  It's not a TLA that I'm familiar with...which
> > means that there almost certainly isn't a BGL loader in the
> > works right now.
> >
> 
> M$FS 3D scenery usually use .bgl files to present buildings.

Ah - OK.

> I am also a FGFS user. If we can have a BGL file loader in ppe, we
> can convert M$SFS secnery to objects that FG accepts. One problem I
> am not sure is that how thousands of BGL objects be rendered in FG.

They would need to be referenced by the terrain files I would think.

Generally, there are three kinds of features you need to think about:

  1) Scattered objects - like trees, farmhouses, barns.
     The models are generic and would be scattered randomly but
     in 'typical' densities depending on what part of the world
     you are in, the slope and nature of the terrain, etc.
     (The scattering could either be in realtime - or performed
     by the offline tools).

  2) Generic features like bridges, radio towers and such that are
     placed at very specific 'real world' locations by your tools.
     You may also need to pick the right version of the library model
     for the span of a bridge (to make it fit the width of the river
     it's crossing) or the exact height of a radio tower.

  3) Specifically modelled landmarks...things like the Eiffel Tower of
     which there is uniquely only on on the planet and hence cannot
     reasonably be pre-loaded into the simulator - but instead need to
     be pulled in along with the terrain tile they belong to.

Airport buildings tend to be type (2) or type (3).

Anyway - the exact mechanism to implement this placement would be
a question for Curt (who listens to this list).

EIther way, having a PLIB BGL loader (and writer) would be an excellent
starting point.

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