FS98 Scenery Clinic

Have you ever wanted to add some scenery to FS98 but been scared off by the warning window that pops up every time you try to use the Scenery Library? I must admit that I was a little nervous to start with.

After a great deal of experimenting I have come up with what I consider to be the easiest method of scenery installation. Some of the ideas are not mine, I just use them. Why not print this out and give it a try?
Always read the designer’s installation instructions first. You're not obliged to follow them but there may be other considerations not covered here.
I strongly advise you to ignore instructions to paste BGL files direct to the FS98\Scenery folder.....!

TIPS: Try using the right-click mouse options in Windows Explorer or My Computer.
NOTE: The scenery used in this example is purely imaginary. Your scenery will obviously have a different name. Choose one that is short and easy to remember, e.g. Guad for Guadalcanal.

WHICH SCENERY IS SUITABLE FOR FS98?
There is a vast amount of Freeware FS98 add-on scenery available from the Scenery section at Simviation.
To display correctly most FS98 scenery will require the Airport & VOD Textures. txtur202.zip & vodtex30.zip here. Installation is simple. Download the files & unzip to a Temp folder first.
Then paste all the extracted files into the FS98\Texture folder.

NOTE: Scenery designed specifically for CFS, FS2000, CFS2 & FS2002 is NOT compatible with & will NOT work in FS98

SCENERY DIRECTORY

To use my easy installation method you need to create a remote Scenery Directory folder on your hard drive, completely separate from the FS98 main directory.
If you have more than one HD you can put it on any of them, but I will use the [C:] drive in this example.

To create the Scenery Directory, open the [C:] drive in Windows Explorer or My Computer & create a New Folder. Rename the New Folder to Addon. That’s it......!
The path to the Scenery Directory will be C:\Addon, or c:\addon as it’s not case sensitive.

SORTING SCENERY FILES

The designers all have their own methods for scenery installation & file configuration.

With some you will get a folder full of mixed files, while others come ready configured for installation.
For the purposes of this tutorial I will use some imaginary scenery named Crusoe Island, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. It’s of the mixed files variety. Let’s sort those files into folders, ready for installation.

Open the unzipped Crusoe Island folder in Windows Explorer or My Computer.
Create a New Folder inside the Crusoe Island folder with all the other files, renaming it Scenery.
Click View on the Menu Bar and select Arrange Icons/by Type from the Drop Down Menu.
This will sort the files making them easier to find.
Highlight all the files ending with .bgl and drag them into the new Scenery folder.
Make sure you get them all.

Now create another New Folder, this time renaming it Texture.
Drag all the remaining files, except any ending with .STN, into the Texture folder.
Some files do not need to be in the folder but it won’t matter.
Paste any .STN files into the FS98 situatio folder.
Finally, create a third New Folder, renaming it Crusoe. Drag the Scenery and Texture folders into it.

You now have a Crusoe folder containing two sub-folders named Scenery and Texture. This is how a correctly configured scenery folder should look.

INSTALLING SCENERY

To install the Crusoe Island scenery simply paste the Crusoe folder into your new Addon scenery directory.

ACTIVATING SCENERY

Before you can use it, the Crusoe Island scenery will need activating in the dreaded FS98 Scenery Library.

Fire up FS98 and select Fly Now!
Allow the simulation to load and settle.
If you’re in Full Screen mode hit [Alt]
Click World on the Menu Bar and select Scenery Library from the drop down menu.
The warning window will appear, click OK
Click [Files] then [Add]

You need to type the path to Crusoe Island in the ‘Scenery area path’ box.

The path is short & logical. Type the following in the box exactly as shown.
c:\addon\crusoe\scenery\*.bgl

Note that it’s not case sensitive. You must get it exactly right.
You can now type Crusoe Island in the ‘Scenery area title’ box.
If the path is incorrect it won’t let you. Go back and check it.

Select Local for ‘Scenery area type’ and check the ‘Scenery area active’ box.
Leave the ‘Scenery area layer’ as 0001.

Now click OK three times to return to FS98.
That’s it! You have installed and activated the Crusoe Island scenery.

USING SCENERY

Most add-on scenery won’t show up on the default FS98 Airport list. To use it you will need to click the ‘Scenery from 6.0 and before’ button. It can be accessed in flight from the Flights or World/Go To/Airport options on the FS98 Menu Bar

Remember to click ‘Airport/Advanced Scenery/Scenery from 6.0 and before’.
Crusoe Island should be on the ‘Scenery areas’ list.
Click on it. There may be one or more airfields in the ‘Search results’ box.
Select one, click OK and you should go there.

Click World/Time and Weather on the FS98 menu bar to change the time.

AUTHOR’S COMMENTS

This method of scenery installation has been extensively tested for me by beginners all over the World.
It appears to work well with all types of scenery in all the MS sims.

I would be interested in any feedback and suggestions for additions to the article.

Good Luck!

Mail me