SAMPLES, TUTORIALS AND PRIMERS

Here we have a number of samples, tutorials and primers for using the different Developer Mode tools and for creating add-on packages that can be distributed to people to use in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

 

 

Primers

This section provides additional information on some of the internal systems that are used by Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to generate the world, the objects in the world, as well as the behaviors of those objects:

 

 

 

Tutorials

Below we list some tutorials and primers that are also included with the documentation. These cover a variety of topics, and are for different skill levels from very basic to very advanced:

 

 

We also have a complete tutorial that covers the creation of an aircraft, including modelling, animations, sound, the different configuration files, etc... You can find this from the following link:

 

Samples

You can find the sample files as a separate download from the Help menu in DevMode. When installed you will be able to find them in the following location in the SDK install directory:

<SDK ROOT>\Samples\

Most of the samples show very basic add-ons and have accompanying documentation to explain how they have been set up and can be used. In general they try to focus on one aspect of content creation for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and they are designed for you to study and learn from, since a "complete" add-on package will generally require a combination of multiple things that each individual sample shows.

 

Before looking at the samples themselves, we recommend that you read the SDK Introduction, and the SDK Overview to get a general idea of how add-on packages are created and what they contain. Also be aware that creating an add-on that uses some of the things shown in these samples may require knowledge of third-party tools like Autodesk 3DS Max, or a knowledge of programming languages like C++.

 

 

DevMode Projects

The DevMode Projects folder contains samples that are designed to be opened within Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 when Developer Mode has been enabled. These samples are deliberately created to show specific features of the different DevMode editors and it is expected that you not only test them in DevMode, but that you actively inspect the different files and folders that make up the projects.

 

  • EFB:
    1. This is a package that is designed to be a template for any apps that you make using the Electronic Flight Bag API. You can find more information about this template and how to get started using it from the following page: EFB Template Sample

 

  • Misc:
    1. InputProfiles - Shows a simple package that is used to add custom input profiles for a generic gamepad controller.
    2. SimpleFX - Shows how to setup some simple VFX using The Visual Effects Editor in DevMode.
    3. StandaloneModule - This sample project illustrates how you can make a single, "stand alone" WASM module.
    4. TrafficVehiclesSample - Small example showing how you can override the traffic models used for road traffic.

 

  • Sceneries:
    1. Airport KALO - Illustrates the full range of possibilities when creating an airport in a simple, yet complete, package.
    2. AirportLFPG2024 - intended as an example to showcase how a typical SimProp Container object has been created as part of an airport package.
    3. Airport Services - Intended as an example for studying, or as a template for creating your own Airport Services projects.
    4. LivingWorld - Intended as an example file for studying, or as a template for creating your own Living World projects.
    5. SimpleAerial - Illustrates the process of creating a new package of aerial images to blend with in-game aerial imagery.
    6. SimpleAirport - Illustrates the process of creating a new airport.
    7. SimpleBiomes - Illustrates the process of adding biome definitions and overriding vegetation placements.
    8. SimpleNavData - Illustrates how a simple NavData file is setup, and the effects it has on the world.
    9. SimpleProjectedMesh - Illustrates how to view the Projected Mesh object in a scene.
    10. SimpleScenery - Illustrates the process of creating a new scenery.
    11. SimpleWasmAirport - Illustrates the use of WASM in an airport project.
    12. SimplygonSimpleScene - Illustrates the use of the Simplygon SDK to create LODs automatically.

 

  • SimObjects:
    • Aircraft:
      1. SimpleAircraft - How to setup and define a basic aircraft project. This project is an example of a simple Modular SimObject and contains a basic aircraft with three different liveries.
      2. WASMAircraft - How to use various different WebAssembly APIs in aircraft. This project is an example of a simple Modular SimObject and contains the modules for the following aircraft:
        1. ChartsAircraft - Showcases some features of theWASM Charts API.
        2. CommBusAircraft - Shows how to have cross-module communication between WASM and JS modules.
        3. FlowAircraft - Illustrates how the Flow API can be used across various different API formats (JS, WASM, SimConnect).
        4. GaugeAircraft - Creating and building custom WASM gauges, and linking them to the aircraft.
        5. GaugeAndSystemsAircraft -Illustrates how a WASM system module can be used to generate and transmit data.
        6. GdiplusAircraft - Using a static library to extend the graphic capabilities via a GDI+ wrapper of the low level API.
        7. IOAircraft - Illustrates some of the different aspects related to reading and writing files using the IO API.
        8. MapViewAircraft - Illustrates a glass cockpit display showing weather information, created using WASM.
        9. MouseAircraft - Obtaining mouse information, and triggering sound events.
        10. NetworkAircraft - Shows three glass-cockpit displays that will use different configurations of the WASM network API when clicked.
        11. PlannedRouteAircraft - Shows how the Planned Route API can be used to pull data from the EFB.
        12. SoundAircraft - Small example illustrating how to generate sound effects in an aircraft cockpit.
        13. VarsAndEventsAircraft - Shows examples of use for the Events API and the Vars API.
        14. VFXAircraft - Illustrates some of the WASM VFX API methods.
      3. DA62 - This is a sample airplane model that can be downloaded separately from the Help menu.
      4. DA62 Mod - This is a small sample containing a few files that illustrates how to modify an existing modular SimObject.
      5. Cabri G2 - This is a sample helicopter model that can be downloaded separately from the Help menu.
    • Animals:
      1. Bears - The BearsSample project is designed to illustrate the creation of an animated SimObject that has various skins and is based off a single mesh and animation set..
    • Vehicles:
      1. AirportVehicles - Shows how to set up an airport vehicle along with variations of that vehicle..
    • Landmarks:
      1. Jetway - Illustrates how to add a Jetway asset to an airport.
      2. WindsockSample - Shows how to set up a basic SimObject for using in scenery.

  

Most of the samples can be added to the game directly using the Developer Mode tools, but if you close and restart the game, they will no longer be available. If you want to maintain these packages in the game without the need for loading them through the Project Editor again, then you can copy the package folder for each one into the Community packages folder so that they are available without having to reload the project when you restart the game (see here to find where the Community folder is if you don't know).

 

 

ModelBehavior

This folder contains multiple sub-folders with files containing the different Model Behaviors used in the default aircraft that are available in the simulation. In previous versions, these files were available from the install location, however now that packages are both compiled and streamed, it's virtually impossible access these files for study. As such, they have been made available as part of the SDK so that they can be studied and learned from, or even copied and used in your own aircraft if required.

 

 

VisualStudio

This folder has those samples that are for use with Microsoft VisualStudio:

  • PackageInstaller - The PackageInstaller sample is a Visual Studio 2022 solution which demonstrates how users can create installers for add-ons through the WiX Toolset.
  • SimConnect Samples - This is a folder which contains a number of sample projects that can be used as reference material for using the SimConnect SDK.
  • SimvarWatcher - The SimvarWatcher sample is Microsoft Visual Studio project that shows how to connect to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from a C# application in order to retrieve simulation variables.

 

 

WwiseSampleProject

The WwiseSampleProject folder contains two sub-folders with Wwise sample projects designed for the legacy Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, as well as an updated sample project for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. For all modular aircraft and aircraft created in MSFS 2024 you should be using the 2024 version of the project. The other project is supplied for people who have legacy aircraft that they wish to edit in this version of the simulation, without updating the entire project.

 

You can find an overview of the sample and how to use it on this page:

 

And full documentation for creating audio for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 can be found here:

 

Related Topics

  1. Developer Mode
  2. The SimObject Editor
  3. The Scenery Editor
  4. Programming APIs