Notice: This program is unsupported freeware. The FS98 edition is included, and any CD extras that may be mentioned are not included (these were on the CD Edition of the title and are not core to the program).
Please note that Flight One Software or Flight1.com can't offer any support on this title.
Please visit http://www.flight1.com for other Flight Simulation products.
Introduction
Features
Requirements
Installation
and Setup
Installation
Configuration
Uninstalling FSClouds & Textures Pro
Using FSClouds
& Textures Pro
Settings and Requirements
Cloud Types
Weather Settings
Ground Textures
Notes and Limitations
SAM
SAM Launcher
SAM Applet
SAMedit
SAM Photo Lab
SAM Tutorial
Flight Rally
Packing for Your Trip
Thank you for choosing FSClouds & Textures Pro. We hope it provides many hours of discovery and enjoyment as you take of into a new and enhanced Microsoft Flight Simulator™ world.
FSClouds & Textures Pro has a variety of features and functions that enhance Cloud, Ground, Weather, and Seasonal environments.
FSClouds has nominal requirements. In most cases, systems capable of running Flight Simulator already meet performance criteria. However, a few items are necessary.
Please be sure to read any text files on the FSClouds & Textures Pro CD and any addenda that may be inside the software package for important updated information. Please refer to the Trouble.Doc file on the FSClouds & Textures Pro program CD and the root Flight Simulator™ folder for additional troubleshooting hints and FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions). You may also find helpful hints, add-ons, and updates on the Flight One Software World Wide Web Site at http://www.flight1.com.
The FSClouds & Textures Pro CD is autorun-enabled. Simply inserting it in your CD-ROM drive should launch the FSClouds & Textures Pro Setup program. If you have disabled autorun, you may run Setup.exe by selecting Start and Run on the Windows task bar and entering D:\Setup.exe. If your CD-ROM drive uses a different drive letter, please substitute the appropriate drive letter in place of "D". You can also double click the Setup.exe program icon from Explorer or File Manager.
Because FSClouds & Textures Pro works alongside Flight Simulator™, reliable operation requires proper configuration. FSClouds & Textures Pro requires some specific Flight Simulator™ settings and offers automatic Flight Simulator 98™ configuration. After launching SAM, press the "Opt" button to access the FS98 Auto-Configuration area. We recommend this quick and reliable configuration method. Please verify these settings before using FSClouds & Textures Pro.
You may also manually configure Flight Simulator™. The following list details the specific settings FSClouds & Textures Pro requires to work properly with Flight Simulator™. Most options are available from the World menu option’s Weather dialog or the Option menu’s Preferences dialog. If these options do not appear in the Weather or Preferences dialogs, please refer to the Flight Simulator™ documentation or online help.
Performance may improve when the Windows 95 and 98 taskbar is not "Always on Top". You may change this setting by right-clicking an unoccupied area of the taskbar and selecting Properties, enabling Auto Hide, and disabling Always on Top.
FSClouds & Textures Pro disables the Microsoft’s™ introductory video clip to improve transitions into Flight Simulator™ flights.
Uninstalling FSClouds & Textures Pro
The Un_fsc.bat file, located in the default Flight Simulator™ folder, uninstalls all versions of FSClouds & Textures Pro from all versions of Flight Simulator™.
After installing and configuring FSClouds & Textures Pro, it’s time to prepare to go flying.
FSClouds & Textures Pro places a SAM shortcut on your desktop. Clicking the icon launches SAM and is the first step to your improved flying environment. If you have deleted the SAM shortcut, you can create a new one by right-clicking on your desktop, selecting New, Shortcut, and Browse. The Sam.exe file resides in Flight Simulator’s™ root folder, for example: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\Sam.exe.
The SAM interface offers several pre-created Flight scenarios. Selecting a Flight launches Flight Simulator 98™ and prepares you for flight. When you start a SAM Flight, always let SAM start Flight Simulator™. SAM also includes the Cloud Applet and several other features that this Handbook will explain in later sections.
FSClouds backs up the Flight Simulator™ configuration at the beginning of each new Flight session. If you abort a session before closing the Flight Simulator™ window, be sure to reset any necessary settings from SAM’s Options area.
Using FSClouds & Textures Pro is easy and straightforward. However, it manages weather differently than traditional Flight Simulator™ methods. Understanding these differences is very important; it is the key to creating unlimited Cloudscapes.
For the most part, the new Cloud Textures lie within two fundamental Sets. Set 1 and 2 contain Light, Medium, and Dense textures. Set 1 offers default cloud enhancements. Set 2 provides more specialized options. Each contains some characteristic differences. Set 2’s Light Clouds contains widespread but more-clustered Clouds. Its Medium texture covers a broader area with unbroken cloud-cover. The Dense texture is mostly overcast, with a few rays of sunlight shining through.
Instead of Flight Simulator’s™ default method of varying the density of a single cloud texture, FSClouds & Textures Pro uses multiple Cloud Textures to give the best overall coverage effect. Remember the following weather-related features.
Don’t be intimidated. It isn’t really important to understand all the subtleties, except to know that most Clouds use the 7/8 setting. Most effects occur by simply varying a Cloud’s texturing. You will quickly discover the setting you prefer most.
Most cloud types work best with 30 miles visibility. 15 to 30 miles tends to work best. It strikes a nice balance between the horizon and cloud textures. Cirrus Clouds appear best with 20 to 30 miles of visibility at a minimum 15,000-foot base. Thunderstorms work well with an appropriate overcast Layer set to the base of the Thunderstorm Layer.
Special Thunder and Lightning Adventures add thunder and lightning to your flights. You must install the lightning textures from the SAM Options area before lightning becomes visible. Lightning appears better in dark conditions, so set your flight time accordingly. Simply select one of the several Lightning Adventures from the Flight Simulator™ File menu’s Adventure dialog. Each Adventure covers a different geographic area, including eastern and western North America, the Caribbean, and most of Europe. Lightning Adventures also include thunderclaps. For the most realistic effects, disable Stars and Moonlight from Flight Simulator’s™ Options menu. You cannot change weather settings during Lightning Adventures.
FSClouds & Textures Pro includes many weather-related Flight Challenges with varying degrees of difficulty. You can view information about each Flight from the S.A.M. menu.
FSClouds & Textures Pro has many new Ground Textures, including snow-covered winters and vibrant summers including a special "desert" setting for drier geographical areas. These new textures are "haze friendly" and create more realistic blends from the ground to the horizon. For example, Chicago’s Ground Textures look extremely nice with 15 to 20 miles visibility. The Western United States are improved using up to 30 miles visibility. However, Winter Textures look best with about 10 miles. Nighttime winter effects are especially impressive in a dark room without instrument panel lights.
If you mix FSClouds & Textures Pro’s Summer Textures with Flight Simulator’s™ Winter season, you will see a texture mix as well. It is always best to use Summer Textures in the summer and Winter Textures during winter.
To work properly, you must have installed the Europe series sceneries to Flight Simulator’s™ default scenery folder. (i.e. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator\Scenery\Europe1 [or 2]). To prevent texture mismatches, we strongly recommend matching the FSClouds seasonal settings with Flight Simulator’s™ when using the Europe 1™ and Europe 2™ add-on sceneries.
Keeping the following considerations in mind will help you get the most from FSClouds & Textures Pro.
SAM is the gateway to FSClouds & Textures Pro. It is the user interface that enables you to select and manage custom Weather, Cloud, and seasonal situational effects. SAM launches Flight Simulator™ using any previously saved Flight Situations that include FSClouds & Textures Pro effects, including Clouds and Ground Textures. SAM also contains tools for custom in-flight two-layer Cloud setting creation and a Layer Maker to automatically create Cloud and Wind Layers. You can create and modify as many SAM files as you like.
The FSClouds & Textures Pro Handbook contains a step by step SAM tutorial that highlights many FSClouds & Textures Pro features. It offers an excellent demonstration of the features described herein.
The SAM Launcher window contains several items. The left side lists SAM files included with FSClouds & Textures Pro and will also list any custom files you create. SAM displays a Photograph and brief Description of each Flight. The SAM window contains the following items and features. You may also find additional online info by selecting any "?" button.
The SAM Applet can switch and manipulate multiple Cloud Layers and types during flight. A SAM Applet window will appear just before Flight Simulator™ launches to indicate the Applet Check Box is enabled. During flight, you may access the Applet window pressing switching tasks using Alt+Tab or Alt+Esc. The Applet window is also accessible from the Windows™ Taskbar. You can also activate the Applet by pressing SAM’s Appl. Button. You do not need to start Flight Simulator™ from SAM to use the Applet.
Select the Cloud Layer you want to modify, choose a Cloud Type, and the Applet takes care of the rest. SAM uses a "2 Pass" system to automatically adjust Flight Simulator™ to your new Weather settings. Updating Flight Simulator™ may take several seconds. Simply sit back and watch as the weather magically changes around you. Please do not disturb the keyboard during this process. When complete, just click the Flight Simulator™ window with your mouse to resume flight. It’s that simple! All FSClouds & Textures Pro textures are available from the SAM Applet. Its online help facility can provide detailed feature explanations.
If you have 2 active Cloud Layers, you can change either Cloud Layer to a custom cloud style to create more realistic conditions, such as a high Cirrus Layer over a lower medium Layer. You can adjust cloud altitudes without affecting its style. If you create multiple Layers, do not adjust the first-modified Layer’s density last, as changes may transfer across from the other Layer. It is best to leave everything up to the Applet. For best results, create a two-layer cloud Situation using Flight Simulator’s™ World/Weather/Clouds menu, setting a 7/8 density for the lower level. Save this Situation, use SAMedit to create a SAM Flight that includes this Situation and specify the desired lower Cloud Layer style. After launching your SAM Flight, you may use the SAM Applet to adjust the upper Layer.
If you intend to use FSClouds & Textures Pro to create custom weather in conjunction with an Adventure, we recommend installing the Multi-texture cloud as the default Flight Simulator™ Cloud Type and running your Flight without SAM.
The SAM Applet includes a Layer Maker to automatically create cloud or Wind Layers for the active Flight. The first step is to specify a Layer’s altitude. Clouds use a 300 feet-per-layer depth setting. Wind Layer thickness begins at the selected altitude and continues until another Layer occurs above. The 30,000 Ft. option extends to 36,000 Ft. for winds. The Tutor1.sam file does not include Weather settings and is an ideal starting-point for experimenting with making Layers. Layer Maker supports up to two Cloud Layers and four Wind Layers.
Using the SAM Applet in 3D-Accerated Mode
Because various 3D Accelerators perform their jobs differently, it may be difficult to predict how a specific card may behave when switching tasks back and forth to the SAM Applet. Though you should expect little difficulty, simply reverting to non full-screen mode by pressing Alt+Enter before accessing the SAM Applet should remove any potential obstacle. Simply return to full-screen mode by pressing Alt+Enter after switching back to Flight Simulator™.
SAMedit is SAM’s file creation and editing facility. SAM files contain combinations of Flight Situations, Weather, Textures, Descriptions, and Flight Photographs. A SAM file may include any or all of these items, but every SAM file MUST contain at least a Flight Situation. FSClouds & Textures Pro supports an unlimited number of SAM files. To create a SAM file, launch SAM and select the SAMedit button. To begin, select the "Open Flight" box in the top-left corner and select a Flight to be the basis of your SAM file. Remember that most cloud textures require at least one 7/8 coverage Cloud Layer. The following section discusses SAMedit’s various settings and options.
The Photo Lab captures in-flight Photographs and Descriptions that you can assign to a Flight, making it easier to identify your SAM-created Flight. The Photo Lab is also ideal for capturing full-sized screen displays for use as screen-savers, as Windows™ wallpaper, and with other image-editing programs. This feature is not available for capturing images in 3Dfx-based cards’ full-screen only mode.
SAM uses the Photo Lab to convert saved screen shots to appropriate dimensions for the SAM Launcher window. These files reside in the Flight Simulator’s™ SAM subfolder. The Photo Lab can be used to save screen shots during flight, but it is also accessible outside of normal flight. Photo Lab includes the following features.
We’ve included a brief tutorial overview to help you become more familiar. You will learn how to create Cloud Layers with some insight into what occurs "behind the scenes". We will also demonstrate many other program topics. The online help tools are a great source for instant information. We recommend using them often. Before beginning, you must have installed Flight Simulator™, FSClouds & Textures Pro, and SAM must be ready for use according to the installation procedure.
SAM serves two basic purposes. It launches Flight Simulator and supplies various custom settings that cannot change during flight, or it launches a Flight that permits cloud changes and SAM’s other on-the-fly features. The second scenario is only available if the SAM applet is open in a Flight. You may select this option when creating a SAM file or specify it from the SAM launcher before starting the Flight. The Applet has two main functions.
This step uses SAMedit to add Cloud and Weather Conditions and other characteristics to your Flight Situation. This will eventually become a SAM file that includes a Situation, Textures, Weather, a Description, and a Flight Photograph for easy reference.
It’s time to take your Flight up for a spin. This section details launching your Flight. Future steps will use the SAM Applet and Layer Maker to add custom Clouds and weather to your Flight while it is in process.
Create Cloud Layers (Layer Maker)
Flight Simulator™ is running, and the SAM Applet is on your screen. As of yet, no cloud or Layer effects exist. The following steps will guide you through adding Layers, Clouds, and winds. Clouds can’t exist without a Layer. Do not select a Cloud Type until a Layer exists.
Assigning a screenshot Photograph is a great way to easily identify your custom .SAM flights. Let’s add one to your new SAM file.
We’re almost done. The last step assigns the Flight Photograph to your SAM file, and including permanent Cloud Layers with the Flight.
A look around you will reveal that only one cloud style is visible. SAM cannot load multiple cloud types at startup. The good news is that you may begin your Flight, access the SAM Applet, and create the additional Layer. Selecting Dense Cirrus Clouds for the upper Layer will initiate a "2-pass" process and create an environment identical to the previous tutorial steps. However, if you decide to set the Situation to include two 7/8 coverage Layers, (as we demonstrated earlier automatically with Layer Maker), SAM can display multiple Layers of the same Cloud Type.
Creating and editing Wind Layers is identical to the Cloud Layer creation process; Layer Maker accomplishes both. You may experiment with up to four Wind Layers to compliment your two Cloud Layers. Be sure to save your SAM Flight after making your changes.
SAM allows you to fly point-to-point without losing a single step (or pixel) along the way. For example, you can fly unlimited trips, from A to B, without losing a moment in time, season, or location. You will even need to refuel in real-time, not by simply restarting your Flight. Your Flight Rallies can span the world, from taxi to taxi, gate to gate. The only "Go To Airport" menu you see is when you start. From there, you’re along for every millimeter of your journey.
Lets explain by example. Select an origin and destination and launch Flight Simulator 98™ with your custom FSClouds & Textures Pro settings. For example, let’s travel from your favorite Florida airport to San Francisco, California. Save your starting point in a SAM file and start your journey. Leg one takes you to Georgia. As you taxi to the hanger, access SAM’s Flight Rally feature. Describe the leg for your records, and press a button that saves your current Flight while creating a special SAM file based on your first Flight.
Day Two begins by selecting the Rally.SAM file. This file brings you to the exact location you left, with an identical environment, including cloud and ground texture settings. Taxi, take off, and go west! You find a friendly Alabama airfield and drop in for a hot meal and a night’s sleep. Using Flight Rally to save your Flight will ensure you can resume your trip the very next day.
600 miles down, 1800 to go. Not bad! Hop in, start the engine, remembering you are in the exact location and status you left, realizing you are low on fuel. You may have only 30 minutes of fuel left, but there is no fuel available here. You find a small airfield offering fuel nearby, hoping to make it to the gas pump. Will you make it and continue west, or will your journey end here? That’s only part of the fun! You are lucky and make it to the fueling station. You top off the tanks and start the next leg toward San Francisco.
Three days later, during one of your last legs, you are tired and your plane has been good to you. At 8,000 feet, preparing for a long descent, a strange noise catches your attention. Fortunately, it is only "Dinner’s ready!" coming from a mere 8 feet away in the next room. Just another challenge of being a pilot. It’s a good thing you can save your Rally and continue after dessert!
A few hours later, you buzz the Golden Gate, give Alcatraz a fly-by, and dodge Coit Tower. Every step logged, and no step interrupted, just like a real trip. Well, except for the dinner part, maybe.
Before starting, you should decide a few things. First, do you want to use "real time", or "non-stop real time"? Real Time uses your computer’s clock. Non-stop Real Time uses the Flight Simulator™ flight time. Non-stop requires selecting "Flight Time" in Flight Simulator’s™ Preferences dialog. Resuming a Flight the next day will place you back at the exact time you left off.
To create a starting Flight, use SAMedit to assemble all the characteristics and save them in a SAM file. You can change weather and cloud settings en route by using the SAM Applet and SAMedit. We’ve included a sample Rally.SAM file to get you started. When you reach your first destination, switch tasks to SAM or the SAM Applet, enter up to a 200-character Description, and save your Flight. All you need to do is launch Rally.SAM to resume your trip. If disaster strikes, FSClouds & Textures Pro saves previous Rally flights as Xrally.SAM and Xrally.STN from which you can continue your journey.
Applet On/Off settings carry through all Flight segments from the previous legs. To change this setting, simply use SAMedit and save the .SAM file. Flight Rally will remember the change. At times, it may also be better to leave weather constant and avoid changes. However you can use the Applet to change your cloud type settings. If you make altitude adjustment to your Layers, make them from the Flight Simulator™ Weather menu. If you are creating a Layer, use the Layer Maker through the SAM Applet. Remember, Rally Flights’ cloud types are saved in your previous Rally.SAM file and will be retained unless you make a Cloud Type adjustment through the SAM Applet. Flight Rally automatically picks up this information. If you created multiple Layers, be sure to note which Layer you have changed so you can resume with the correct adjustments. After saving a Rally Flight, SAM will prompt you to exit Flight Simulator™. Selecting "Yes" closes Flight Simulator™, "No", returns you to flight.
If you are having problems installing or using the software, please verify these important items.
In doing this project, I was stuck with a dilemma; how to get the best possible effect from all altitudes. You can have clouds that look good from above, but look bad from below. They could look good from below, but awful from above. I hope I’ve found the right balance. With the new Ground Textures I tried to give a human presence to the scenery. What I mean by this is that when you look down you might look at a piece here or there and get the feeling that there really are people living down there. It is my hope that with this program, you will descend into a Cloud Layer, or fly in sunset with various cloud formations, look at your screen and go, "Ahhh... That's nice".
I would like to thank all the beta testers, Bill Cline for his honest critiques, Ray Proudfoot for his too honest critiques, Don Stringham for his help and SETSIT utility, and Alex Ford for his ideas and coaching.
With this latest release I want to also give credit to all the Flight
Simulation junkies over on
CompuServe. I would never have gotten this program off the ground if
it weren’t for my association
with these people. I also thank Bill Schulz who helped me realize that
Adventure programming could
create special effects such as the thunder and lightning.
