How To Start Modding for YSFlight:[]
First decide what you wish to make. Is it a map? An aircraft? A ground object? These questions will help you narrow down the software you will need to learn and which tutorials to read or watch. No matter what you wish to make, it is important to start small and work your way up towards bigger, better, and more detailed addons.
Some people have a talent for map making or modeling aircraft, but in most curcumstances it is practice that makes perfect. Modders like Decaff_42 constantly stress the need for practice in their tutorials. By putting in time and effort to learning the programs and techniques used by modders, it is possible to quickly gain expereince and begin producing well liked and respected addons for YSFlight.
Map Making Programs:[]
Making Maps for YSFlight is one of the easier ways to begin modding because it only requires the use of a single program. There are several tutorial options available to view and learn from.
While there are other useful tools to get references from and use in your map making expereince, Scenery Editor is the only absolutely required tool.
Aircraft Creation Programs[]
Prior to 2009, there were upwards of a dozen programs used to create aircraft, each one performing different functions. These "Legacy Programs" have fallen out of favor in recent years, with two exceptions, due to the adaption of Blender to YSFlight Modding purposes. The Scripts, called YSFS Blender Scripts, were created by Cobra, Vincent, Kurosaki, and Crouch and allow for a different, more centralized approach to modeling.
Of the Legacy Programs, only Gepoly/x and DNMViewer are still used by some modders as they offer some slight advantages over blender for specific purposes.
Legacy Programs[]
The Legacy Programs can still be downloaded and used on modern computers. They can be found in two places including YSFlightHeadquarters and the YS Paint Kit. Some of the main Legacy Programs are:
- Gepoly/x
- Surfviewo
- Gepoly/o
- DNMViewer
- SUZY's Tools
- Raptor's PERL Scripts
- YSVRML2.0
Blender[]
Blender is a free multi-platform 3d modeling program that can be used for modifying Airplanes, and ground objects for YSFlight. Using the YS Paint Kit and Python, aircarft can be imported and exported. Previously users had to install each seperately, but now there is an all-in one download that can be found here.
YS Paint Kit[]
The YS Paint Kit is a collection of useful programs, fonts, and scripts for painting and modifying aircraft. It can be downloaded from Mediafire. While all the programs are meant for windows operating systems, the scripts and fonts can be used on linux and Mac.