12 replies to this topic

[Christopher Low]

A scenery package that includes lots of impressive 3D UK landmarks is something that I have always wanted to see, but no developer ever seems to want to take on the challenge. Maybe past research has suggested that a package like this would not be financially viable? I do not know if this is the case or not, but what I do know is that a package like this would be a perfect companion for UK photoscenery in FSX. PlayHorizon included a handful of 3D landmarks in Version 3 of GenX, but that's all it was......a handful. There are so many other large and/or impressive landmarks scattered across the UK landscape, and I would love to be able to see them as I fly past. All of those massive cathedrals, abbeys, castles, bridges, football/rugby/cricket stadiums, and plenty of unique landmarks like Glastonbury Tor, Blackpool Tower, the Eden Project domes.........so many interesting landmarks to see throughout the UK.

 

PlayHorizon gave us a few (admittedly impressive) 3D bridges in GenX version 3, but there are so many more large and impressive bridges in the UK......

 

The Isle of Sheppey Road Bridge in Kent

The Orwell Road Bridge in Suffolk

The Runcorn Rail Bridge (strangely not included in GenX 3)

The Flintshire Road Bridge not far from EGNR Hawarden

The Cleddau Road Bridge in south Wales

The Barmouth Rail Bridge in north western Wales

The Thelwall Viaduct Road Bridge that takes the M6 over the Manchester Ship Canal

The Avonmouth Road Bridge that takes the M5 over the River Avon just south of Bristol

The Pontscysyllte Aqueduct in north Wales

The Ribblehead Viaduct in northern England

 

......and plenty more impressive rail viaducts and motorway road bridges!

 

What about a detailed version of Lincoln Cathedral? This massive building (once the tallest in the world with its twin spires) dominates the flat Lincolnshire countryside.....and this is only one of hundreds of major historical buildings (cathedrals/abbeys/castles/ruins) in Great Britain. Imagine being able to see them (or use them as VFR waypoints) as you enjoy "low and slow" GA flights!

 

Major sports stadiums are superb visual landmarks, but we have almost none in FSX! Where is Wembley Stadium? Twickenham? Old Trafford (both football and cricket)? The Millennium Stadium? Yes, I know that ORBx users have some, but what about us photoscenery users? How many of you would love to see detailed versions of landmarks like these in FSX?

 

Maybe scenery like this would be a step too far for the "VAS challenged" environment in FSX? I suspect that it might, but I would still love to be able to see some of the most prominent landmarks during my flights. Is a scenery package like that a possibility, or just a pipe dream?

 

Earth Simulations are working on their Autogenesis project for the UK, and this will include lots of interesting stuff like radio towers and lighthouses, but it will not include "one off" landmarks like unique bridges, cathedrals and castles. It would be rather nice to see Landmark scenery packages that add detailed representations of unique buildings and bridges to these areas.........

 

What does everyone else think about this?

Edited by Christopher Low, 29 December 2013 - 04:20 pm.

[Too Low Terrain]

Hello Chris,

 

 

There does seem to be a shortage of famous landmarks that can used with GenX. The only thing that I could find was, an addon that gives you all the premiership stadiums (over at simmmarket), though looking at those screenshots, it would be hard to see if this aligns with photoscenery.

 

Whether there will be anyone willing to make these landmarks, I'm not sure. I think that such a project would have to come from us -  the flightsimming community.

 

That VAS problem, is a real sticking point.  I am one of those who constantly suffered oom's, when flying between London & Earth simulations Channel Islands. You can only see this problem getting worse with Autogenesis. It's why I'm moving over to P3D, to see if the DX11 can make better use of VAS. I still think that I will suffer the same problems, especially with the newer 30cm photosceney. It begs the question about whether you want to have 3D objects or not.

 

Is XP10 the answer? Without that big 3rd party support that we see with the Microsoft flightsims, I'm really not sure right now.

 

All the best

 

Martin

[Christopher Low]

Good points, Martin. I too have suffered from OOM problems in FSX, but that is partly because I refuse to run it at any less than maximum detail levels. I didn't purchase a fast i5 2500k powered PC two years ago to run FSX at medium settings, and I don't intend to start now!

[Too Low Terrain]

I think there's the problem Chris. Photoscenery with 3D objects looks so good, that we keep those sliders towards the right!

 

I don't use FSX anymore - it no longer works on my PC, after updating Windows. I'm trying to pursue with P3D, as this works fine (ok, it does need those updates though).

 

I've noticed that some people using a 3rd party program, can see their VAS usage whilst running P3DV2. That is something that I'm going to look into. If VAS is a lot lower in P3D, then I might try Autogenesis with the 1.2m photoscenery, in P3D. (providing Autogenesis works fine in P3D).

 

I would think that we would have no problems, if all these photoscenery addons worked in XP10. In order to use XP10 though, we would need the professional developers to move over to XP10 - is that going to happen? I'm clueless on that one!

[cattz]

I have a good Rick Piper version of the Orwell Bridge, Chris. It's a bit old but works fine in GenX  and DX10 and the bridge hasn't changed in the 30 odd years I've been driving over and under  it 

Edited by cattz, 30 December 2013 - 11:12 am.

[kevin firth]

You can use FSUIPC to monitor your VAS.....

[Too Low Terrain]

Hello Kev,

 

Thanks for the info. I've already tried 'Process Explorer' with P3DV2, so now I can see what's going on. All I can say is, I'm glad that I've got 4GB of memory on my GPU!

[anfield ace]

Hi Guys,

Just out of interest how do you check your VAS usage, on the fly?

Cheers,

Mal...

[kevin firth]

I use an offset monitor through FSUIPC which constantly displays the VAS useage in the FSX/P3D title bar. K

[sebyh]

I just wanted to mention the oom's can be made worse if your on a 32bit system, in 33bit OS FSX can only use 2gb of memmory but in win7 64bit FSX application can use 4gb of memmory(you still get ooms but a lot less). Upgrade to WIN7 64bit make sure you installed FSX correctly(run FSX before installing each FSX service pack 1 and 2).

 

If you fly from London to any where else try disabling some scenery you will not look at as FSX will load parts of them eve if you can not see them. Disable any addon london airports you do not need for the flight in the scenery library. Flying from London to any where a issue with VAS.

[mutley]

Guys, I would love to see Lower Upham farmstrip, not commercially viable I guess. 

 

I have flown from there a couple of times right overhead your studios, it's about time I took you up on that offer of a visit and a coffee!

 

Cheers,

 

Joe

[Barry Hudson]

Mutley, coffee pot is on

[vixensea]

Chris low.mentions a scenery package of 3D landmarks,The problem being there are so many to choose from in the UK.I think that orbx in there coverage of england & wales.Have tried to include some.Eden project,Blackpool Tower etc,and a few Castles.But you cannot keep everyone Happy.I would love Corfe Castle and many Places down south.But the list would go on & on.