Ground textures

[MSFS 2024] Questions & Community Discussions Airports & Sceneries
1

I’m working on updating my sceneries for MSFS2024. The replacement taxiway lines and ground marking clearly got better (they have more resolution and bumpiness/texture to them). In MSFS2020 I started with stock Aso_Taxiway.dds file and made my custom textures based on that. But I can’t find that file or similar in MSFS2024. I can’t see good samples in the SDK either.

  • Can someone point me to the relevant files?
  • What is the optimal resolution now for ground markings, like runway threshold ground signs etc.?
  • Are there stock striped runway centerline and touchdown markings now (most Canadian runways are painted that way instead of solid white lines)?
  • Any docs or tutorials on the new ground markings and textures?
2

I’ve used the same UV mapping and the same files I had created for 2020 based on the same dds file you mentioned for taxiway lines.

There’s now an option to add black outline to the colored lines, assuming you are using the default material for the lines or if your custom file has transparency on both sides of each line type.

I haven’t seen anything to customize runway lines/markings

3

Ah, that’s great, thank you. Actually the main reason for the replacing the default lines was the lack of a black outline. Now that it’s a feature, I may switch back to the default material, adding the black outline when needed.

Now I need to figure out how to add “surface texture” to custom ground markings that now appear too flat. If they work similar to other MSFS materials, I need to figure out how to create plausible normal maps from the flat markings I have, and see if ORM (composite) files are required or can be omitted.

4

Comp maps for materials follow this RGBA setup:

Red - Black (metal doesn’t work for ground textures)
Green - Normal Red Channel
Blue - Roughness
Alpha - Normal Green Channel

I didn’t get around to creating custom COMP for painted lines yet in 2024 but I’m certain it’ll work as it does for painted apron elements.

5

Yes. I’ve created custom comp for lines. It works the same as airing apron materials.

Also, I read in another thread, if no comp is specified for lines materials, it will apply the default one.

6

The lines in 2024 do look nice. I wonder if Asobo could add an ‘Enhanced Taxiway Centerline’. These are very common!

enhanced-taxi-centerline
enhanced-taxi-centerline448×241 44.7 KB

7

Are you referring to this type? If so, that type has always been there.

image
image682×178 39.6 KB

1 Like
8

Well, I’ll be ‘word not allowed’. I am really not sure how I missed that…I hand painted them on my last project but will make my current one a bit easier :laughing:. Thank you for correcting my mistake thinking they didn’t exist!!!

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9

Thanks! So I guess it means if I leave out the COMP and just use main albedo texture and normal it should work for apron ground markings, right?
Do you know of an easy tool to create normal maps for flat images or a way to do it in Photoshop?

10

I use GIMP for COMP ground textures. This textures are different from the COMP textures in 3D models.

@Gobby describes how is made in the reply above: