User:Morn/Drafts

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[edit] Contributing to FlightGear

If you want to help in our ongoing effort of creating the premier Open Source flight simulator, there are many ways to get involved. Some of the areas where the FlightGear project could use your help are

  • programming — improving the existing code and adding features
  • graphics and modeling — more and better textures for the terrain and the aircrafts and creation of models of buildings for inclusion into the FlightGear scenery
  • sound — the project could use more realistic sound effects such as radio chatter and engine sound recordings
  • writing — working on the FlightGear Wiki Manual

Here are some more detailed suggestions on how to get started:

[edit] Programming

If you would like to get involved, we would encourage you to find an area where you are interested, discuss a bit about what you are doing and how you are going about it with the other developers and then go to it. Please have a look at the goals page to see what is most needed right now.

To keep development synchronized, we would appreciate if you would let the developers know in advance what you plan to work on. This way we can make sure that you have the latest versions of the relevant code, we can make sure you understand and benefit from past discussion or thinking on the subject, and also make sure that no one else's work will conflict with yours. Then send in frequent updates relative to the current CVS version. It is important to keep close communication so we all know what everyone else is working on and development stays in sync.

If you wish to participate with the FlightGear project, step one is to download the code and get it to compile on your system.

[edit] Graphics

[edit] 2D

Textures that are not too big yet convey different surfaces effectively are always in demand, especially since it is usually easier for a person without an artistic background to create a 3D model than accompanying textures. Therefore, people who can use tools like The GIMP to create great-looking textures for buildings or airplanes are always in demand.

You can find many objects in the FG objects database which have no or not very good textures, so a first step might be downloading a model and investigating how the textures can be improved.

Note that due to the GPL license of FlightGear, photos you use in the creation of textures must be taken by yourself or be released under an appropriate license like the GFDL. You cannot simply use images you found on the Web for textures!

[edit] 3D

If you wonder why e.g. your home town or local airport has no buildings, the answer is that public records of building heights and locations only supply data for very tall buildings and structures that possibly pose a risk to airplanes. Furthermore, the process which integrates the airports into the FlightGear terrain generates correct runways but is unable to create hangars and terminals in the correct locations.

If you want to improve a geographic area in the FlightGear scenery, the FG objects database is a good starting point. Many generic objects like water filtration beds, pylons, and highrises already exist and only the coordinates must be found out, e.g. with Google Maps. The FGFSDB tiles are updated nightly.

If you want to include an object which is not yet in the database, you have to model it first, using such tools as SketchUp, Blender, or AC3D. Further instruction can be found in the Wiki. The finished model is then submitted to the FGFSDB.

[edit] Writing

The FlightGear Wiki is the place where the most up-to-date FlightGear documentation resides. Many pages are still in a rudimentary form and more tutorials are needed.