abz 0 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Just installed Madeira X and must say quite beautiful. Love it. Thanks for a great product. Now that I have flown around for a while, noted a few issues. When coming in on runway 23 (the one with the concrete extension), this part of the runway shows marked flickering. The remainder of the runway is fine. When I get a little closer, like on final approach, it mostly disappears. Also most of the runway and taxiway lines also show considerable flickering as well. Any thoughts on how to eliminate or reduce this flickering. The end of runway 23 flickering is very annoying and really degrades from the reality of landing at this end of the runway. I do have NVidia 280 and 295 cards. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Hello Abz, What graphics mode are you running FSX in DX9 or DX10. Can you also attach a screenshot of the problem please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 Shaun: DX9 and will send a screenshot by tomorrow. At work now. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 Hello Abz, What graphics mode are you running FSX in DX9 or DX10. Can you also attach a screenshot of the problem please. DX9 Note on this first one how the markings farther away are like dashed lines, not continuous lines. They just flicker constantly or almost appear like a conveyer belt moving along until you get close and then they are solid. Worse when you are approaching perpendicular to the markings. When lined up with them, they appear continuosus. You can see the ones closer are solid lines. Also see the auto/truck drive way over to the right how all the lines are dashed, not solid. Same observation in this second shot: The "dashed line" is well seen here: The holding line is again seen as a dashed line (constantly flickering or moving - almost like a conveyer belt moving ) which then clears and becomes solid as you get closer in the shot after Solid lines now: See the end of runway 23 is not uniform but black and grey - this black and grey pattern constantly flickers until closer when it disappears as I get closer. To really apprecaite this effect I would need to send you a video. Here the end of the runway looks normal when I am close in on final: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmpbllsjc 2 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 I had the same thing at this airport and a few others. I added mip maps and it cleared it up. Try running the textures thru the batch image tool and select Scenery Make DXT3 Mipmap. Just make sure to keep a backup of the original textures before you convert them. I actually make a habit of doing this to most addon airports I buy since quite a few aren't shipped with mips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 I had the same thing at this airport and a few others. I added mip maps and it cleared it up. Try running the textures thru the batch image tool and select Scenery Make DXT3 Mipmap. Just make sure to keep a backup of the original textures before you convert them. I actually make a habit of doing this to most addon airports I buy since quite a few aren't shipped with mips. Thank you. However, could you explain to me exactly how to do this? I have no idea how to proceed to do this but look forward to trying. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 I had the same thing at this airport and a few others. I added mip maps and it cleared it up. Try running the textures thru the batch image tool and select Scenery Make DXT3 Mipmap. Just make sure to keep a backup of the original textures before you convert them. I actually make a habit of doing this to most addon airports I buy since quite a few aren't shipped with mips. Since my last post I found the FSX SDK and installed it. I found a program called ImageTool.exe which I assume is the batch image tool you refer to. I made a back up of my Texture folder in the Madeira X folder. Now I am lost how to proceed. Appreciate direction from here. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 Hello Abz, What graphics mode are you running FSX in DX9 or DX10. Can you also attach a screenshot of the problem please. Shaun: After doing much reading, I believe the problem I am reporting here is the same problem that was reported in a thread 2 years ago which unfortunately ended without a final resolution from the person who started it. It was titled "Cologne Flickering". I believe it was the same problem I am experiencing with Madeira X. And someone (cmpbllsjc) above also reported that they had the similar problems with the Madeira scenery and they corrected it with mipmapping. In that thread 2 years ago you talked about using Image Tool to make Mipmaps of the bmp files. I installed Image Tool and ran the command prompt as you suggested in your post and I got back all the options to use. However, what do I do from here to convert all the .bmp files in the Madeira X texture folder to mipmaps to see if this corrects the problem I am having? This is where that post from 2 years ago ended - unfortunately. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Hello Al, Follow the links in this thread here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 Hello Al, Follow the links in this thread here. Shaun: I have already read all these posts before. One is the thread that I referenced above where it just ended. I am still unclear how to proceed. The details are lacking in those posts - at least as far as I am concerned. Sorry to ask, but can you please outline exactly how to proceed from here. As I mentioned I have Image Tool installed and I placed the .exe in the root of my Windows folder and when I use the Command prompt (Imagetool -h), that you suggested, in one of your posts, I get the "OPTIONS" list but do not know where to go from here. This is where that last thread just ended. In one post I found these commands mentioned as well as making a bat file: imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT1 -detail -e bmp *.bmp imagetool.exe -r -batch -DXT3 -detail -e bmp *.bmp But I am not sure what to do with these or how to make a bat file for these to convert all the .bmp files. Would appreciate some detailed direction at this point. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Hello Al, Let me see what I can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 Hello Al, Let me see what I can do. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Hello Al, Okay make a copy of your texture folder as a backup so you have the originals. Now copy the imagetool.exe into the original texture folder and also the attached image.bat file. (unzip first) Then double click on the .bat file and let it do its work. Now go to the backup folder you made and search it using lm as the search term, select all the textures and paste them into the texture folder you jsut converted, then run FSX and see what its like.Batchfile.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Hello Al, Okay make a copy of your texture folder as a backup so you have the originals. Now copy the imagetool.exe into the original texture folder and also the attached image.bat file. (unzip first) Then double click on the .bat file and let it do its work. Now go to the backup folder you made and search it using lm as the search term, select all the textures and paste them into the texture folder you jsut converted, then run FSX and see what its like. Shaun: Thank you so much for getting this to me. Very much appreciated. Now I see how this batch file with a bat command works. I set it up and ran it with your other instructions and there is a BIG difference in the flickering/flashing lines. The flashing or flickering runway, taxiway and other line markings has dramatically reduced. Also the airport itself on approach does not flash/flicker like it did before. However, I still have the flashing/flickering of the ground textures to the left and right of the runway, especially the ground and runway extension on runway 23. The runway itself is perfect. however the ground on the left and right of the runway still has this flashing off and on effect. As I get closer to the airport, it clears up. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS TO CORRECT THIS? Can you explain exactly what the bat file you sent me is doing? Is it mip mapping all the DXT1 .bmp files? What about the DXT3 files? Anything need to be done with these? Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Hello Al, It does this with mine as well flashes white for a split second, its possibly the transition in the mip-mapping. You could try just sorting out the ground textures for the airport only and try changing them. This would mean going through them in Imagetool to find out which ones they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Hello Al, It does this with mine as well flashes white for a split second, its possibly the transition in the mip-mapping. You could try just sorting out the ground textures for the airport only and try changing them. This would mean going through them in Imagetool to find out which ones they are. Shaun: No, this was my original problem. It behaved this way even before the change to mips. And it is not just a single flash, it flashes/flickers constantly until I get a certain distance from the approach end of the runway. Then it clears up. Any other thoughts? The mipping cleard up, for the most part, all the taxiway/runway lines that flickered. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 16, 2009 Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hello Al, Are the scenery settings set as per the manual on page 34 especially the mesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 16, 2009 Author Share Posted July 16, 2009 Hello Al, Are the scenery settings set as per the manual on page 34 especially the mesh. Yes. Even tried some others settings but no change. Even when I approach the airport landing runway 5 - the same problem - flashing/flickering of the concrete/asphalt to the LEFT and RIGHT of runway 23 end - the section that is built over the water. However, the runway surface itself (from white line to white line) is perfect, totally normal appearing - this is really strange. And as I get closer to the airport (at about 5nm), it completely clears up. So what is the difference between the textures of the runway compared to the textures to the left and right of it on the 23 side? I even tried flying perpendicular to the airport from the ocean side - same appearance on the runway 23 side. Can't believe I am the only one experiencing this problem - has to be a way to fix this - I hope. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Hello AI, You could try searching through the texture folder for all the airport textures then place then in another folder and copy the imagetool.exer and the .bat file there. Open the .bat file in Notepad and change the type of DXT file by changing the number and then save it and run the .bat file then copy the textures back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 Hello AI, You could try searching through the texture folder for all the airport textures then place then in another folder and copy the imagetool.exer and the .bat file there. Open the .bat file in Notepad and change the type of DXT file by changing the number and then save it and run the .bat file then copy the textures back. Thanks Shaun: But how do I identify the "airport texture" files? Is there a simple way to do that? But the interesting thing is that it is ONLY the textures to the left and right of runway 23 extension. Just for my information - we did the DXT1 files before - what were these ones that I already did the mipping on? Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Hello Al, You can open them in Imagetool to check. I'll have a look and see whats what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Hello Al, You can open them in Imagetool to check. I'll have a look and see whats what. Thanks Shaun - because I looked and have no idea whats what in there. Appreciate your continued help with this issue. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz 0 Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 Hello Al, You can open them in Imagetool to check. I'll have a look and see whats what. Shaun: Any further news on this? As I mentioned above I took a look at these files and not sure where to go. If you have any thoughts on how to proceed, would appreciate it. Otherwise I just need to move on for now. Thanks, Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Sorry Al, Was distracted but will look today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Fletcher 570 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hello Al, I checked the texture folder and see files named LPMA_Base_0001 to LPMA_Base_0013 These seem to be the base textures for the airport. However I think what the flashing is is the textures above them being loaded or drawn into the sim or possibly even being removed because it has textures that overlay these with transparencies like the apron numbers etc. So I dont think theres possibly a great deal that can be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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