What the Users Say:

I downloaded the free SS software, installed it, and within minutes I completely populated a small airport with standard FSX aircraft, trees, cars, trucks, lights, etc, and improved this little local airport 100%...

This is a sweet little gift of a program and works flawlessly all within FSX... It worked great in top-down plan view, as well as any other view you want to use... I do wish I had a nice FSX pointer or crosshair like we had in FS9 to use, so I could see the smaller objects I was adding, that always seemed to hide behind my Baron, but a quick little top-hat movement on the joystick changed the position enough so I could grab the new component and move it where I wanted it...

Object scaling and rotation were super easy... Once the XML is created you just instantly make a bgl, then place it in the scenery directory you want it go, then go to FSX's scenery button within your active FSX session, turn off your scenery where the new scenery bgl is now located, say ok and when it's done unloading that scenery, reopen the FSX scenery command again, and turn that scenery back on, and say ok...

After it reloads your scenery it will have read your new bgl and everything you added will be there... This is a really great little tool and I have never owned their EZ scenery creator so I have none of their libraries and only installed default FSX objects... I saw no FPS hits with everything I added and I added a lot...

From post in FS Forum

Why FSX Deluxe Edition?
In addition to its slick packaging, many user's purchased the Flight Simulator X Deluxe Edition because it includes several new aircraft.

The Deluxe Edition also includes some very sophisticated tools, especially for "developers".

One set of tools called the "Mission Builder", lets users make very detailed missions while FSX is running, complete with 3D scenery, special effects, voices and much more. Building a full-fledged mission takes a considerable amount of skill, but the tools are there to perform the various tasks.

The Object Placement Tool
The Mission Builder component for designing scenery is called the Object Placement Tool. This is a flexible utility that lets you select and place 3D objects in the mission with "drag and drop" ease.

When you "drop" a 3D object into your scenery, you see it "live" in Flight Simulator X on the screen. You can then "drag" the object around within the landscape until it is at the desired position. As you adjust the various aspects of the object: it's orientation or scale for example, you also see the modified object reflect the changes.

When adding a second 3D object, the live preview lets you you'll adjust its position relative to the first. So the Object Placement Tool gives you true "what you see is what you get" scenery.

When you've completed your scenery, you'll save the Mission which retains the position and characteristics of all of the 3D objects.

The drawback of the Object Placement Tool is that the 3D scenery appears only for the duration of a mission. So if you are not flying the mission, you won't be able to see the scenery.

Scenery Shortcut to the Rescue
Since the Mission Editor saves all of the information about these 3D objects, we need a way convert the mission scenery into a true FSX scenery file.

Here's where Scenery Shortcut comes to life. This clever program converts the mission scenery files into true FSX scenery files ready to fly and to share with others.

After you install the SDK you'll have to edit a file to activate the Mission Builder's Object Placement Tool. The name of the file is dll.xml and you'll find it in this folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\FSX\

Use wordpad or notepad to edit the file. Find the group of statements that are identified with <Name>Object Placement Tool</Name>. If not already changed, you'll want to change the <Disabled>True</Disabled> so that it reads <Disabled>False</Disabled>.

Below are the group of statements which activate (or deactivate) the Object Placement Tool when FSX is started.

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>Object Placement Tool</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>..\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Mission Creation Kit\object_placement.dll</Path>
</Launch.Addon>

After you make the change to the file, save it. You're now ready to design new scenery.

Making Scenery Step by Step
To get you started, we've prepared a few videos that show you how to make your own new scenery. Later, you'll download those videos for viewing along with the Scenery Shortcut program.

For now, we'll walk you through the exact steps that you'll follow to produce new FSX worlds.

Position yourself where you'd like to build your scenery
Start Flight Simulator X and go to the geographic area where you'd like to build new scenery. The two easiest ways of doing this is to use the Go to Airport and Map menu items. Put FSX into "slew" mode and move (slew) to the desired location.

TIP: You can save yourself time by saving this geographic area as an FSX flight. Later you can Load this flight to return quickly to your scenery location.

From the menu, select the Object Placement Tool from the Tool menu item.

Use the Object Placement Tool to add 3D objects

Click the Objects tab and then click Add.

From the highlighted Object Category drop-down list choose Scenery and from the Named Object drop-down list choose any of the 3D objects.

This second drop-down list contains hundreds of named objects. After a few minutes of experimentation, you'll become familiar with the naming convention. As you are choosing one of the object names, the corresponding 3D object appears on the FSX window (beneath the Object Placement Tool window). When you have decided on a specific 3D object, click Add again and move the Object Placement Tool window to the side so it doesn't obscure the FSX window. Be careful not to close the Object Placement Tool window, just move it to the side

The selected 3D object appears with bounding box in the FSX window. You may have to move the Object Placement Tool window to the side to see the object.

Note about the named objects

The drop-down contains hundreds of named objects listed alphabetically.

With a little experimentation, you'll get a feel for the naming convention.

When you select one of the names from the list, the actual 3D object instantly appears in the
<-------- FSX window

When the bounding box is green, you can reposition the object by dragging it across the landscape. For best results, drag slowly; otherwise the object may move too fast.

If you have added more than one 3D objects, select the desired object from the Object Placement Tool window.

As you select a diffrent object from among the SCENERY OBJECTS, the color of the corresponding bounding box changes from yellow (not selected) to green (selected).

Save the mission file
When you're done adding objects, you'll save the scenery layout. Click the Mission Tab and then Save Mission. Type a name for the mission file and click Save.

Note: You can also click Save Scenery and type a name for the scenery file. Scenery Shortcut is able to convert scenery designs that are saved either as a Mission xml file or as a Scenery xml file.

After you save the mission file, click OK.

You'll notice that the scenery will disappear from the FSX screen.

But don't panic, we've closed the Mission Builder tool and as we've mentioned previously, this type of scenery lives only for the duration of an FSX mission.

Convert the scenery with Scenery Shortcut
Now we're ready to create the new scenery file by calling on Scenery Shortcut to generate a new scenery file from the layout.

Minimize Flight Simulator and click on the Scenery Shortcut icon.

Click Choose and select the mission filename containing the scenery from above. Click Open.

By default, the scenery is converted to a BGL in the FSX \Addon Scenery folder. We recommend that you use this default location.

Click Convert. That's it, you've just created a true FSX scenery that duplicate the mission scenery.

Refresh the Scenery Library
Since FSX is already running, we'll need to refresh the Scenery Library in order to view it.

From the main menu, choose World | Scenery Library.

Review the Scenery areas. You'll need to make sure that Addon Scenery is checked (enabled).

Click OK.

In a few seconds, the scenery library is rebuilt.

View the new scenery in FSX

When the library is rebuilt, the FSX window reappears.

Looking out into the desert landscape, we see that the two sets of baggage are now part of the scenery.

Below are a few more scenery creations that were made with the Object Placement Tool and Scenery Shortcut.

Order Scenery Shortcut, download and view the videos
If you believe that this is a great way to design new FSX scenery, then we invite you to order Scenery Shortcut.

Best of all the price is FREE.

Why Free? By designing scenery using the method that we've outlined, the capable Object Placement Tool is doing most of the work. Peter Jacobson's Scenery Shortcut cleverly converts the mission data into a true FSX scenery file. As mentioned earlier, one of our goals was to find an easy way to build new scenery. We think we've met our goal and want to share these techniques for you to use.

We hope that you will send us images of the new worlds that you create with the help of Scenery Shortcut. And a big thanks to Peter Jacobson. Please send jpgs (2MB or less) to info@abacuspub.com

To help you get started, we have also prepared two tutorial videos.

The first video show the steps that to follow to create new scenery - just as we've done above.

The second video shows the steps to follow to edit (change) an existing scenery project.

After you download and install Scenery Shortcut, the videos will be ready for you to view from the Start menu | Programs | Abacus | Scenery Shortcut.

Scenery Shortcut Gallery

Below are a few examples of scenery that was made with the Object Placement Tool & Scenery Shortcut

Your friends will need neither the Flight Simulator X SDK nor Scenery Shortcut to enjoy your new scenery - unless they want to create their own new worlds.

The libraries contain many more generic 3D objects: square buildings, rectangular high rises, single family homes, multiple family dwellings, sports stadiums, transportation vehicles, and much more. In addition to the default FSX libraries, Scenery Shortcut includes several libraries with hundreds additional 3D objects that you can use for your own sceneries. To the left are some of the signs that you'll find in among the new libraries. click to enlarge

The beauty of the Object Placement Tool is its ability to use these huge built-in libraries of 3D objects to create entirely new scenery. Using this new software, you can precisely place these 3D objects anywhere in the FS world.

Note: the EZ-Libraries are Not Available At This Time
Included with Scenery Shortcut is a set of libraries that we've built from the ground up. They contain several hundred 3D objects. Known as the EZ-Libraries, they are filled with vehicles, signs, buildings and other unique objects to use in your own designs. The EZ-Libraries are freely available to all Flight Simulator users to download and install on their Flight Simulator systems, thereby simplifying the sharing of your sceneries that use any of these 3D objects.

Developed By:
Peter Jacobson

Project Manager:
Adam Howe