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Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK

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The Flight Simulator X SDK can be used to create add-on components for Flight Simulator X. These components can be new or replacement aircraft, instrumentation, missions, scenery, terrain, airport ground vehicles, airport runways and buildings, special effects, camera views, and many other elements in the simulated world. It must be pointed out, though, that some of these tasks, such as creating new aircraft, are very involved, demand a considerable amount of skill and knowledge, and are time consuming. Other tasks, though requiring patience and close attention to detail, can be completed in a few hours - such as designing and adding a simple gauge to an existing aircraft, configuring a new camera, creating a new graphical special effect, or completing a fairly simple new mission. (For more detail on creating missions, see Mission Creation SDK).

Unless the default installation directory is changed, the SDK installs to:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\[1]

Details

The SDK is divided into four kits:

Core Utilities Kit

This kit covers the new SimConnect SDK - the programmers interface to Flight Simulator X, Camera Configuration, and also tables of variables that can be used by client applications written for SimConnect, and other components of the overall SDK.

Environment Kit

This kit covers terrain, scenery, modeling, aircraft and boat traffic, and special effects.

Mission Creation Kit

This kit covers the creation of missions (tutorials, directed challenges and adventures).

SimObject Creation Kit

This kit covers the creation of aircraft, panels and gauges, and also all the other simulation objects that can appear (ground vehicles, boats, animals, trains, and so on).

Installation (FSX Deluxe Edition)

The SDK is not installed by default, so it is necessary to manually install the package. To do this in Windows, follow these steps: (you must be logged into an Administrator account)

  1. Insert Microsoft Flight Simulator X disk.
  2. Open the E Drive(removable disk drive in File explorer.
  3. Open SDK sub-folder.
  4. Double click 'setup.exe'.
  5. Tell the program where to install and run the application. (Default locations is: C:\Program Files(x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK)[2]
  6. Browse to the Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK folder: C:\<user name>\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\
  7. Search for and open dll.xml
  8. Edit the file so that each <Launch.Addon> section reads as follows:
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Name Of Tool</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\Object_Placement.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>

Opening in-flight SDK tools in FSX

Some of the tools that the SDK contains can be opened during flight to open these tools, follow these steps:

  1. Open FSX and start a flight.
  2. Select 'Tools' from the in-flight toolbar.
  3. Select the tool you want to use. (One of three: FX Tool, Object Placement Tool, and Traffic Toolbox)

Creating Missions Using the SDK

Missions are structured flights that have a setting, plot, and often special scenery and sound effects. There are lots of default missions that come with FSX, but it's possible to make your own using the Object Placement Tool. Although it might seem natural to open FSX, bring up the Object Placement Tool, and start work, there is quite a lot needed to create a mission before the actual programming starts.

Step 1: Create a Flight File

  1. Open FSX and go to 'Free Flight'.
  2. Select the location, time, date, and weather for your mission.
  3. Select 'Fly Now'.
  4. If you want the mission to start with the User aircraft in flight, then fly the aircraft to the position you want to start at.
  5. Press the semicolon key (;) and save the flight using the dialog that appears, entering the name of the mission, generally without spaces, of the mission you are creating.

Step 2: Create a Mission Folder

  1. Browse to FSX's installed location and open the subfolder 'Missions'.
  2. Create a subfolder entitled 'Missions in Progress', or similar.
  3. Create another subfolder within 'Missions in Progress' with the name of your mission, generally without spaces.

Step 3: Move the Flight Files to Mission Folder

  1. Browse to the 'Flight Simulator X Files' folder in Documents.
  2. Move 'name of your mission.FLT' and 'name of your mission.WX' to the mission folder created in Step 2.

Step 4: Create Mission Art

  1. Create two 380px by 232px 256 colour or 5-6-5 format images. (these will be displayed when your mission is selected in the FSX 'Missions' menu)
  2. One of the images is displayed when the mission has not been completed, and the other will be shown when the mission has been successfully completed.

Step 5: Move the Mission Art to Mission Folder

  1. Move or copy the images created in Step 4 to the mission subfolder created in Step 2.

Step 6: Create Mission Briefing

  1. Create an HTML briefing file with the name of your mission. (This briefing will appear when the User selects your mission in the FSX 'Missions' menu. It should include an introduction, details, instructions, maps, or anything else you want the User to know before they start the mission.)
  2. Move or Copy this to the mission subfolder created in Step 2.

Step 7: Create Mission Audio

Ignore this section--Page under development!!!

Scenery Objects

Scenery objects

Scenery Objects are objects such as people, buildings, bridges, or vehicles that appear in a Mission's scenery. Scenery objects created using the Object Placement Tool only appear in Missions, so they won't change the appearance of a location in free flight. There is an enormous library of scenery objects that come with FSX, and any of these objects, as well as objects created by the programmer, can be added to the Mission.

Mobile scenery objects

Mobile Scenery Objects are essentially scenery objects that have a series of programmed waypoints that allow them to move around. Note: For moving vehicles, ships, and aircraft, it is more appropriate to create AI program objects with waypoint lists.

Program Objects

There are many different types of program objects. They are arranged in groups:

  • Actions
  • AI Objects
  • Area Definition Objects
  • Group Objects
  • Mission Objects
  • Spawn Lists
  • Triggers
  • Goal Object
  • Disabled Traffic Airport Object

References

  1. ^ "Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK official documentation".
  2. ^ http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDK_Installation_(FSX)
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