Flight Simulator 2002 SDK

ATC Voicepack SDK:

This programmer's reference for the ATC Voicepack Software Development Kit (SDK) describes the tools used to design and build air traffic control voicepacks for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002. The term "voicepack" refers to a compressed file (.gvp file) that contains all of the content (audio and text) required by the ATC system. The SDK includes the information you need to create a fully functional voicepack for Flight Simulator 2002. ATCVoicepackSDK.exe (18mb)

Aircraft Container SDK:

The Aircraft Container system organizes Flight Simulator 2002 aircraft files and attributes so that most aircraft-related files are located close together. This logical and consistent organization makes the files easy to customize. aircraftcontainer_sdk.exe (183kb)

Traffic Database Builder Utility:

You can use the Traffic Database Builder to replace the default traffic database that ships with Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2002. By changing the database, you can customize air traffic routes and schedules to match real airline schedules, add realistic regional traffic, and so forth. TrafficDatabaseBuilder_SDK.exe (217kb)

FSEdit SDK:

The Aircraft Editor (FSEdit) included with Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition is a tool with a graphical user interface. You can use it to:

Modify, add, or delete aircraft.
Add, delete, or change aircraft panels, including gauges, instruments, and radios.
Change, play, or remove sound files.
Modify aircraft textures.
Alter flight dynamics.
FSEdit_SDK.exe (228kb)

Special Effects SDK:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 introduces a new special effects system, which had its debut in Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2. Simply put, the special effects system places emitter points in the Microsoft Flight Simulator world, which then spew forth particles. These particles can have rules of physics applied selectively and creatively to approximate a variety of real-world effects--from wakes on pontoons to fireworks above Las Vegas. This particle-based effects system has been improved from the previous version, especially with the introduction of the "controller effect. " A controller is an effect that can emit other effects, creating a great degree of subtlety and variety.

Download the Niagara Falls sample FinishedNiagaraSample.exe (2.1mb) Specialeffects_SDK.exe (743kb)

Panels and Gauges SDK:

The Panels and Gauges SDK for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 provides the information you need to create new gauges and panels for aircraft in Flight Simulator 2002. This SDK includes the following:

Information on programming panels and gauges. Sample code for several typical gauges that you can modify for your own use. You can find these samples in the \sample subfolder of the location where you install this SDK. The complete Gauges.h file for Flight Simulator 2002. AircraftPanels_SDK.exe (1.08mb)

Autogen SDK:

Through the use of automatically generated (autogen) scenery, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 displays buildings and vegetation throughout the simulated world. Flight Simulator 2002 creates and displays this scenery at runtime using one of two methods: a lookup table or handcrafted texture annotations that specify footprints for the objects. To define the appearance of both the buildings and vegetation that are generated, autogen uses texture sheets. Autogen_SDK.exe (4.3mb)

MakeMDL SDK:

MakeMDL (MakeMDL.exe) is a program that converts 3-D models you create with modeling tools, such as gmax (a 3-D modeling tool from discreet included with Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition), into scenery or aircraft objects that work with Microsoft® Flight Simulator 2002. MakeMDL_SDK.exe (614kb)

MDL Format SDK:

In Microsoft Flight Simulator, aircraft model (MDL) files contain the texture and animation information for 3-D aircraft models. The MDL Format SDK includes the following files:

MDLFMT.doc - An introductory document that describes the file format details (including file layout, the standard parameter block, and the parameter dictionary GUIDs) for aircraft model files used by Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002. MDL_Format_SDK.exe (119kb)

GMAX Scenery Tutorial:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition includes gmax, a 3-D modeling tool from discreet. By using gmax, you can create a model of a building, and apply textures to that model, and then export the model to the MakeMDL program, which places the model in Flight Simulator at the coordinates you specify.

The tutorial consists of the following three parts:

Creating a model of a house: you create a simple model consisting of a one-story house with a garage.
Applying textures to the model: you apply texture to each of the polygons of the house to add real-life qualities.
Placing the model in Flight Simulator: you export the model to the MakeMDL program, and then check the model within Flight Simulator. gmax_scenery_tutorial.exe (5.02mb)

CAB File SDK:

If you create add-ons for Flight Simulator, you can use the Cabdir utility (cabdir.exe) to combine all the folders and files in a directory into a single .cab file (similar to a .zip file), simplifying the process of distributing files to end-users, whether they download the file from a Web site or install it from a CD or floppy disk. You can use a setup utility to extract and install the files for end users or explain that they can manually view and copy files in the .cab file. Cabfile_SDK.exe (147kb)

Netpipes SDK: Data Input/Output:

This SDK describes Netpipes.exe, a utility that opens a data stream to and from instances of Flight Simulator that allows you to capture an aircraft's position, velocity, and other information about the simulation and play it back in another application or instance of Flight Simulator. You can use the Netpipes technique to capture data for later analysis or playback and to drive an external application in real-time. Netpipes_SDK.exe (179kb)

Developing Multiplayer and Flight Instructor Add-Ons for Flight Simulator 2002:

Flight Simulator 2002 provides support for peer-to-peer multiplayer flying. By leveraging Microsoft® DirectPlay® technology, Flight Simulator enables multiple users to share the same airspace through a connection with a modem, a Local Area Network (LAN), or the Internet. It's relatively easy for end users to connect with others using this technology. (155kb) Multiplayer_SDK.exe (155kb)

ABL SDK:

ABL or "Adventure Basic Language," is a scripting language used by several Microsoft games, including Flight Simulator 2002. It is a replacement for the Adventure Programming Language (APL) used in previous versions of Flight Simulator, but the goal is the same: to provide developers of adventures and lessons access to and control of aircraft and game parameters without requiring extensive programming knowledge. EN-US/ABL_SDK.exe (250kb)

Flight Simulator 2002 Scenery SDKs:

Have you ever heard the expression, “It's a small world”? Well, when you're trying to simulate it you quickly realize it's not! Flight Simulator 2002 offers the most realistic world environment in the history of the franchise, and to help you customize all of that content we've developed a series of SDKs. Although the complete list might look daunting, the good news is that not all of them are required. In fact, each SDK covers a unique aspect of the scenery system, enabling you to choose only the documents that you need.

To help you choose, we've provided brief descriptions of each document, and we divided them into two categories. The Basic SDKs explain how to customize scenery content with little or no custom programming. This part includes the Autogen SDK and the Custom Terrain SDK. For more complicated tasks, where programming experience and knowledge of the Flight Simulator BGL file format is required, check out the Advanced SDKs. To download the individual SDKs, click the titles below.

Basic Scenery SDKs:

Autogen: (previously released as a standalone SDK) Explains how to modify the way the Autogen technology in Flight Simulator creates objects on the ground. (4.4mb)
Custom Terrain Textures: Explains how to add custom terrain to the simulated environment. This SDK covers importing land class and DEM (Digital Elevation Model) data and how to texture the data by replacing standard land-class based textures or by importing aerial or satellite photos. (9.7mb)

Advanced Scenery SDKs:

BGL Compiler: Describes the latest version of the BGL scenery language compiler. (0.5mb)
BGLFP: Describes new floating-point data structures and operators incorporated into the BGL scenery language. (0.2mb)
Flight Simulator 2000 Scenery SDK: Describes the overall structure of the scenery system, including how to add scenery area and create scenery objects using BGL. Note: this information is unchanged from Flight Simulator 2000. New Flight Simulator 2002 scenery features are described in the additional SDKs described on this page. (0.3mb)
Terrain SDK: Explains how to add new line and polygonal data such as roads, rivers, coastlines and lakes to the terrain system. (0.5mb)
Taxiway Markings: Explains how to add markings (including edge, center and hold-short lines) and lights to the taxiways you create. (0.2mb)

Note: With the addition of the Scenery.SDK the (SDK) series is now complete for FS2002.