What does 'high level' mean in FS9 Scenery Library

hobby · Post by **hobby** » 28 Mar 2007, 17:49

I have been using successive MSFS programs since 1995 and have always been puzzled by the phrases 'place at high level' or 'high priority' in the Scenery Library. I am sticking with FS9 at present.

I find such wording to be ambiguous. Does it mean Priority1 in the FS9 scenery Library is high level on the basis that it is the first priority that one sees in the pririrt list or does 'high level' mean the highest number in the FS9 Scenery Library Priority List?

I have recently decided to confine my routine flying to the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Netherland and Belgium. Having made that decision I deleted from my FS9 Addon Scenery files tens of airport sceneries for Australia, the Pacific region, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco and Cyprus.

Because I have family in the New England area I have retained scenery for that part of the US together with MAAM and Freeflow areas.

Looking at recent scenery correspondence by Dan brought this priority question to my mind once more.

Below I have given an overall picture of my current FS9 Scenery Library:
What I would appreciate advice on is which priority number should these sceneries be given in the FS9 Scenery Library to give the best possible rendition of the scenery. I usually fly at between 4000ft and 18000ft dependent on whether I am flying the DC3, Shorts 330 or 360, or
a turboprop airliner. Very occasionally I take to the air in an HS125 or a 737.

Right at the top I have 'Roads and Rivers of Europe' at Priority No.1
Then comes UK2000 Scenery Parts 1-7 with 7 at Priority 2 and Pt 1 at Priority 8. These are followed by 'Stansted Extreme' and 'Glasgow Extreme' in the same series.
Various European airfields follow with the last at Priority No.101. That is immediately followed by 'FSGlobal 2005 Europe' at Priority No.102 then comes 'FS Global 2005 Africa' and then 'FSG Asia'

Priority No. 105 is MAAM LC followed by MAAM scenery and then various US airfields and all Freeflow sceneries until I reach Priority No. 132 which is 'FS Global 2005 North America.'

Then follows the standard FS9 default entries.

I have never been able to work out whether 'UK 2000 AFcad2 High Level' should have a Priority number nearer to '1' than Part 7 of that series or whether it should be immediately below 'Uk2000 scvenery Part 1'

Considered conclusions and experiences of Forum members would be much appreciated and would be acted upon.

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 28 Mar 2007, 19:08

High level mean at a lower number thus placing the scenery "higher" in the list (closer to the top)

1 is higher than 5.

Basically you should also try to install you sceneries in the following order.

Meshes - LandClasses - Textures (where meshes are "lowest" = higher number)

See it as if you where to model a landscape:

First you place the contours (meshes)
The you define what should be where (forests, cities etc = Landclass)
Then you draw the actual textures

From the bottom - up

I hope this clears the clouds...if not, I'm outta here... ;-)

hobby · Post by **hobby** » 28 Mar 2007, 22:11

Many thanks Dan.

I hope that your answer may also have helped someone else.

Best wishes, Hobby

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 29 Mar 2007, 08:37

I might add, that if you have more than one mesh for a specific area but with different Level Of Detail (LOD)

The lease detailed should be placed under the more detailed. so that the higher in the list, the more detailed. In that way you might minimise those areas where you often see "through" the landscape where to squares next to each other doesn't render at the same time...