Building Walls In Sim Airport: A Step-By-Step Guide

In SimAirport, players can build their own airports from scratch or use a prebuilt airport as a starting point. Constructing an airport requires a range of elements, including a ticketing area, security boundary, airplane gate, taxiway, runway, and baggage area. To build walls, players need to use the Build tool, which allows them to construct foundations and walls, as well as create indoor zones. The build menu is divided into sections for floors, tools, and roads, with the tools section providing the necessary building tools such as foundations and walls. Players can also use the foundation tool to create a room by clicking and dragging a box, which will automatically place walls along the edge.

Constructing foundations

Constructing the foundation for your airport in Sim Airport is a crucial step, as it will provide the necessary support and stability for the entire structure. Here's a detailed guide on constructing foundations:

Planning and Permits:

Before you start building, make sure you have the required permits from your local building authority. This ensures that your construction complies with local building codes and regulations. It's also essential to create a detailed plan that includes dimensions, layout, and specifications for your foundation. Consulting a structural engineer at this stage can help ensure your design is robust and code-compliant.

Site Preparation:

Clear the construction site of any vegetation, debris, and large rocks. Use shovels and digging equipment to excavate the area. Mark the perimeter of your foundation using stakes and mason's line to ensure a straight and level layout. Excavate the site to the required depth, typically below the frost line, to prevent heaving. Ensure the base is level to provide a stable foundation.

Install Forms and Footings:

Build wooden forms around the perimeter of the excavated site to shape the footings. Secure the forms with stakes to keep them in place. Spread a layer of gravel or crushed stone inside the forms to enhance drainage and provide a stable base for the concrete. Mix concrete and pour it into the forms, ensuring an even spread. Use a trowel to smooth the surface and remove any air bubbles.

Building the Foundation Walls:

If using concrete blocks, start by setting the first course of blocks on the footings, using mortar to secure and level them. Continue laying courses of concrete blocks, applying mortar between each block and staggering the joints for increased stability. If using poured concrete, set up wooden forms for the walls, ensuring they are level and secure before pouring the concrete. Place rebar within the forms for added strength, and pour the concrete in layers, allowing each layer to set slightly before adding the next.

Waterproofing and Drainage:

Once the walls are constructed, apply a waterproofing membrane to the exterior surface to prevent moisture infiltration. Install a drainage system, such as a French drain, around the foundation's perimeter to divert water away and reduce the risk of water damage. Backfill the excavation with soil and compact it using a tamper to ensure stability and reduce settling. Grade the soil away from the foundation to ensure proper drainage and prevent water accumulation.

Finishing Touches:

Install anchor bolts into the top of the foundation wall to secure the structure to the foundation. Clean up the construction site by removing any remaining debris and tools, ensuring the area is safe and ready for the next phase of construction.

Tips for Success:

• Use high-quality materials: Invest in high-quality concrete, rebar, and waterproofing materials to ensure a durable foundation.
• Follow building codes: Adhere to local building codes and regulations to ensure compliance and safety throughout the construction process.
• Work methodically: Take your time and pay attention to detail at each step to ensure a robust and compliant foundation.
• Prioritize safety: Always wear appropriate safety gear and follow safety guidelines to protect yourself and your workers from potential injuries.
• Regular inspections: Periodically inspect the construction to ensure it aligns with your plans and identify any issues early on.

Using the Build tool

The Build menu is divided into three sections: Floors, Tools, and Roads. To increase passenger satisfaction, players can select from various floor types, including carpet, stone, wood, and generic flooring, but these can only be placed indoors.

The Tools section includes the necessary equipment for constructing foundations and walls, allowing players to create ""indoor zones" required by certain objects and areas. The foundation tool, for example, lets players click and drag to create a room, with walls automatically generated along the edges. Players can then use the wall tool to further divide their space into different rooms.

The Roads section provides objects such as roads and taxiways to facilitate ground and air traffic navigation.

Additionally, the Build menu offers three other useful tools: Area Sell, Clear, and Demolish. Area Sell allows players to sell any supply objects within a selected area, including dismantled objects and those in delivery zones. The Clear tool removes objects and walls within the selected area while leaving the flooring intact. Meanwhile, the Demolish tool strips walls and floors down to grass but cannot be used if the first coordinates of the demolish zone are indoors; instead, players must start from an outdoor area or use the Clear tool first.

Players can also build on multiple floors, with the second floor accommodating larger airplanes that require docking from the upper level.

Floors, tools and roads

The Build tool, or Buildings & Terrain, allows players to construct foundations and walls for their airport. The build menu is split into three sections: floors, tools, and roads.

Floors

The floors section contains a list of floor tiles that can be built indoors to increase passenger satisfaction and movement speeds. Floors can be made from materials such as carpet, stone, wood, or generic flooring. It is important to note that floors cannot be placed outdoors or on top of pending construction projects.

Tools

The tools section provides the necessary equipment for building an airport, including foundations and walls. With these tools, players can construct indoor zones required by some zones and objects.

Roads

The roads section includes roads and taxiways necessary for ground and air traffic navigation within the airport.

Additionally, the build menu offers three other tools: area sell, clear, and demolish. These tools allow players to sell or remove objects and walls within a selected area, and to strip down floors and walls to grass.

Multiple Floors and Roads

Players have noted that it is not possible to have a floor above roads in the game. This restriction limits the ability to have baggage vehicles reach all gates while keeping passengers safe within the terminals. Some have suggested allowing hanging" buildings with support beams and a limited extension from the base.

Underground Levels

Underground levels can be built using the "Level Selector" UI on the right side of the main UI HUD. Players can use the default hotkeys "[" and "]" or PageUp/PageDown keys to switch between levels. Once on the desired level, a foundation can be built, and then baggage objects can be placed on the ground floor once the foundation is complete.

Building Tips

To create a room, players can use the foundation tool to drag out the desired size and the walls will automatically be placed along the edge. Players can then use the wall tool to create different rooms within the foundation.

Building Staff

The building staff in SimAirport can phase through walls to reach building sites, eliminating the need for micromanagement and ensuring they can access the necessary parts and complete their tasks efficiently.

Clearing and demolishing walls

Firstly, it's important to distinguish between load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls. Load-bearing walls support the weight of the structure above, such as the floor or roof, and their demolition can compromise the structural integrity of the building. Non-load-bearing walls, also known as partition walls, only serve to divide the space into rooms. In Sim Airport, the "foundation tool" is used to place foundations and create walls for the airport.

Before demolishing any walls, it is essential to check for electrical wiring, plumbing pipes, HVAC ducts, or gas lines within the walls. In the game, the "clear" tool will remove any objects and walls within the selected area, but it will not remove flooring. If you need to remove flooring, you will have to use the "demolish" tool, which will strip everything down to grass. However, you cannot use the demolish tool if you start selecting the coordinates of the demolish zone from an indoor area.

To ensure a safe and controlled demolition process, it is recommended to cover the floor below the wall with cardboard or plywood to protect the finish. You should also be cautious of any utilities such as electricity, gas, water, and sewer lines, ensuring they are disconnected before starting the demolition work.

When executing the demolition, follow a systematic approach. For non-load-bearing walls, use a reciprocating saw with a demolition blade to cut nails between the bottom plate and the stud. Pry the stud free and repeat for each stud. Then, remove the top and bottom plates using a reciprocating saw. For load-bearing walls, you will need to install temporary support walls on both sides of the wall you're removing to ensure structural stability during the process.

Finally, manage the debris and recycle materials such as concrete, metal, and wood. Segregate and transport these materials to appropriate facilities for recycling or disposal.

Building multiple floors

Firstly, it's important to understand that foundations are essential for building any structure in the game. A foundation serves as the base for everything you construct, and placing one will automatically create a floor surrounded by walls. When building multiple floors, you must place a foundation on the ground floor first before adding additional levels.

To create a second floor, follow these steps:

• Use the foundation tool to place a foundation on the ground level, creating your initial floor and walls.
• Once the ground floor foundation is placed, you can start building the second floor. Press "Page Up" or "Page Down" on your keyboard to change between floors.
• On the second floor, place another foundation. This will create another set of walls and a floor, directly above the ground floor.
• Repeat this process for any additional floors you wish to add.

It's important to note that some objects and infrastructure in the game require foundations on specific floors. For example, baggage infrastructure, such as baggage carousels or depots, need a foundation on the floor below them.

When building multiple floors, it can be challenging to visualise the exact location of items on different levels. One approach to overcome this is to place a foundation on the upper or lower floor first, ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place. While this may require using more foundation than necessary, it guarantees the correct placement of items that transition between floors.

By carefully planning and constructing multiple floors in SimAirport, players can expand their airport vertically, creating a more efficient and engaging game experience.

Frequently asked questions