Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

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DogTailRed2
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Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

I have the DVD versions of these however they all want to connect online to unlock.
Is there any way around this?

DogTailRed2
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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

Seems like the .esi files on the disc are just cab files that can be extracted with 7-zip.
So I'll have a play around.
Presumably I can just place the relevant bits into the prepar3d scenery library (by means of add scenery area)?

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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by Airspeed »

DTR, you're streets ahead of me on technicalities. :$
I don't know if anyone can help with authorisation via links on the following:
https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/4681 ... able-here/

DogTailRed2
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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

Hi Airspeed,

seems there are two dvd versions. The original discs (which I have) and a new version that didn't rely on registering with Earth Sims.
So I think that link is mainly talking about the new versions.

The discs I have are `locked` and require `unlocking` via the now defunct Earth Sims website.

Examining the Scilly isles discs I can extract all the data.
It will just have to be trial and error to get it to work.
I have no idea what all the cfg files for FSX do in P3D?

Just have to suck it and see I guess.

Ted.

DogTailRed2
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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

So, playing around and seeing what loads, what don't leaves me with two areas in each of Alderny and Isle of Silly which won't load;

ES-CI-Terrain (BGL files)
ES-CI-Autumn (contains .agn files)

ES-IOS-SU (contains .agn files)
ES-IOS-Terrain (BGL files)

So the above shows some commanality with the failures (I haven't tried Guernsey yet).

I've turned logging on but it shows nothing. With these areas added the sim just hangs at load.
Any idea what could be wrong? Is there a tool I can use to analyse the BGL files?

Cheers,

Ted.

Steve M
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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by Steve M »

If you have installed the scenery manually did you add the ES Autogen descriptors?
I recall there were many issues with these as initially they wiped out most other 3rd party autogen but then they produced a combined agn file which seemed to work.

Steve M

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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

Steve M wrote:
28 Apr 2020, 19:19
If you have installed the scenery manually did you add the ES Autogen descriptors?
I recall there were many issues with these as initially they wiped out most other 3rd party autogen but then they produced a combined agn file which seemed to work.

Steve M
Hi Steve,

there are descriptor files but I didn't know what to do with them?
The ones for the Scilly Isles appear to be encrypted. You can't edit them?
I'll have a look to see if I can find an old thread with a fix on it.

Regards,

Ted.

Steve M
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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by Steve M »

I have Scillies installed. If no joy PM me. The descriptor files basically overwrite the existing agn files to allow the ES agn to work. The ones I have are the combined version.

Steve M

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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by cessna75 »

I've come to this thread late, but may be able to shed some light. I'm in the process of installing all my addon scenery following a fresh install of Win10 and FSX Acceleration. My addons include boxed (CD/DVD) versions of EarthSim's Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles, all of which I've successfully installed. The Alderney installation did not rely on the dreaded ESI, just a straightforward installer needing input of serial code and confirmation of folder locations - all quite painless! Guernsey and Scilly did use ESI and so involved some faffing about!

The secret when installing scenery that uses ESI seems to be:

1 Make sure you are NOT connected to the internet. (If you are connected, ESI will try to phone home and fail, in which case the installation fails).

2 Once the ESI process starts there are some initial screens where it seems to be checking stuff then the main [large] ESI screen opens. At this point, don't click anything! In the centre of the screen there will be a "Install now" button but this should be ignored (I think it relates to the download version of the scenery, not the boxed). On the right of the screen there will be a box with progress bar saying "Communicating with EarthSim" or similar. After a few minutes it will realise that it can't communicate, then a box in the top right of the screen shows a green "Install" button. Clicking this should start the scenery installation process and progress bars are displayed. At some point it will ask for the serial code and folder confirmation.

3 Once complete, a tab in the top left can be used to show that the scenery is installed.

4 If you have other EarthSim scenery to install, you need to uninstall the original ESI. Each scenery expects to use its own ESI and if there is already an ESI installed, the later installation will foul-up! Uninstalling using the standard Windows uninstaller will remove just ESI but leave the scenery intact.

This worked for me, hope it helps!

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Re: Earth Sims Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles.

Post by DogTailRed2 »

cessna75 wrote:
10 May 2020, 15:14
I've come to this thread late, but may be able to shed some light. I'm in the process of installing all my addon scenery following a fresh install of Win10 and FSX Acceleration. My addons include boxed (CD/DVD) versions of EarthSim's Alderney, Guernsey and Scilly Isles, all of which I've successfully installed. The Alderney installation did not rely on the dreaded ESI, just a straightforward installer needing input of serial code and confirmation of folder locations - all quite painless! Guernsey and Scilly did use ESI and so involved some faffing about!

The secret when installing scenery that uses ESI seems to be:

1 Make sure you are NOT connected to the internet. (If you are connected, ESI will try to phone home and fail, in which case the installation fails).

2 Once the ESI process starts there are some initial screens where it seems to be checking stuff then the main [large] ESI screen opens. At this point, don't click anything! In the centre of the screen there will be a "Install now" button but this should be ignored (I think it relates to the download version of the scenery, not the boxed). On the right of the screen there will be a box with progress bar saying "Communicating with EarthSim" or similar. After a few minutes it will realise that it can't communicate, then a box in the top right of the screen shows a green "Install" button. Clicking this should start the scenery installation process and progress bars are displayed. At some point it will ask for the serial code and folder confirmation.

3 Once complete, a tab in the top left can be used to show that the scenery is installed.

4 If you have other EarthSim scenery to install, you need to uninstall the original ESI. Each scenery expects to use its own ESI and if there is already an ESI installed, the later installation will foul-up! Uninstalling using the standard Windows uninstaller will remove just ESI but leave the scenery intact.

This worked for me, hope it helps!
Alderney, Scilly Isles and Guernsey.
What does the CD box art look like? Is it playsims branded?

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