Lago FSSE users please

[Guest]

Just want to get an idea of what you think of this product. Do you have to move the objects around yourself each time or do they just surround the aircraft when you stop? What do you like or dislike about it?I am looking at purchasing it but would like input before hand.Thanks.http://www3.telus.net/midget_ice/Radar_small.gifThis ain't no game kid!http://www3.telus.net/midget_ice/Radar_small.gifhttp://www3.telus.net/midget_ice/dansig.jpg

[Guest JonP01]

Dan,The actual end result of using FSSE is just like using a "permanent" scenery program. That is, wherever you place an object, that is where it stays. You can, of course easily edit the location of any object after you have placed it by going into edit mode and selecting the scenery file you wish to edit. So really, the results are precisely the same as with a non WYSIWYG program, it is just the execution that is different. Whether you think the execution of FSSE is better than a traditional scenery program really depends on what you want to use it for. People might argue the learning curve when using FSSE is very easy, and this is in fact true. But to be honest, the learning curve on traditional BGL-based scenery programs - at least the ones I have seen - is easy as well. It is where you start designing custom objects, etc where the difficulty and learning curve shoots up, and of course FSSE does not let you do any of this in any case - it is purely an object placement program.I think the program is excellent if you wish to enhance a modern, busy airport. The advantage of using FSSE is that you can get the placement of an object absolutely 100% correct - and relatively quickly as well - because you are placing the object in FS2002 itself and you can physically see the object being manipulated in its surrounding environment. With other scenery programs it can often take longer and you may need to have a couple (or more) goes at it before you get it just right. And this also entails re-compiling the bgl file, copying it across to FS2002 and refreshing the scenery library. More time consuming than using FSSE in this paticular example. And editing the location of an object using FSSE is far simpler as well - again, you just select the scenery file you want and then simply move the object - no oopening the source code, editing, re-compiling, copying across and refreshing - it is all done immediately in front of your eyes.On the downside, in my opinion it is not much good for enhancing small out-of-the-way aerodromes (for example, single strip, non-controlled, etc), mainly because there is not a whole lot of suitable objects to choose from. The other shortcoming is that the appearance of the objects (by that I mean the textures) can't be changed in any way. So if, for example, you can't find a static aircraft for the particular airline (or nationality) you want, then tough luck. I shouls also add that if you wish other people to use your scenery, they also require a licensed copy of FSSE. Unlike BGL files, all FSSE scenery needs the enhancer installed and running in order to be able to display.That said, I don't use FSSE for any of the above purposes in any case. Where I have found it shines is in adding 1,000s of similar objects such as power pylons, lighthouses, factories and masts acrosss large areas. I have a project planned to do just this with FSSE (to match VFR charts), but am now waiting for FS9 to come out to make sure I won't have a problem with it. In my "test runs" of using FSSE for this purpose, I have found it to be second-to-none. Once I have the coordinates of all the objects, together with their magnetic orientation, it's just a matter of place, place, place!So in summary I think it is an excellent product so long as you know up front that it is going to have suitable objects for you to use, and that you are cogniscent of the caveats I have mentioned above. If the proprietary object list doesn't appeal, then perhaps you should look elsewhere for the time being. But you should not just restrict yourself to using FSSE in any case. There are some things that are still done better with ordinary scenery programs, because of the limitations I have stated above. Personally, the scenery I have developed or am developing is a combination of traditional BGL files, FSSE files and landclass files and I can't really see that mixture changing in the future.

[Guest]

The objects don't surround the plane when you stop; they are stationary after you place them. You can move them again, but it means going back into the program. IMHO, this is a neat program, well worth the money. I use FSSC to build sceneries now, but I still use FSSE in tandem with it.One word of warning: both are highly addictive ;)DaveOntarioCanadaCYYZ

[Guest]

Its simple, its fun. I'd buy it again, if I had to. ;-)Cheers,MouseI think that the BEST thing about it is that you can add a little bit of this or that at your airport and see how/if your framerates are effected. If they arent, add more. If they are, add less.

[Guest H_Kev55]

With all due respect, you can change the textures as they are able to be edited with a paint program. I've changed the colors of the Lago default hangers to match the ones at my local airport.All in all...best 20USD I've ever spent on this sim.KJ

[Guest]

>Just want to get an idea of what you think of this product. >Do you have to move the objects around yourself each time or >do they just surround the aircraft when you stop? What do >you like or dislike about it? >>I am looking at purchasing it but would like input before >hand. >>Thanks. >Being the person behind the concept of FSSE I can hardly recommend it, so I let reviewers do it for me:-) The product page on our website (think it is down for maintenance right now) has a list of all known reviews. Why don't you check those out?Mathijs KokLAGO

[Guest]

Many people have gotten weary of reviews as hardly any negative ones are ever published.This has led some people to believe that companies pay reviewers to write positive stories (which may occasionally indeed happen), and therefore to distrust all reviews on principle.As people who do like a product hardly come forward with a recommendation without being asked (you'd sound like you were advertising which is also frowned upon :-lol) questions like this will continue to appear.

[Carabou 0]

Hi Dan,FSSE is a fantastic program, one of the best made for FS2002. It expands your enjoyment by letting you enhance airports/airfields which otherwise might be routine default ones.I definately recomnmend getting the program.Have fun...Howard

[Sidney Schwartz 11]

Hi Dan,It's a trade-off between ease of use and functionality. If it was any easier to use, you wouldn't have to actually be awake to use it. :) In that respect it's exceedingly clever. On the other hand, you have to be willing to settle for a fixed number of objects that you can use. For me it's a good trade and I think it's an excellent program that does just what it claims to do. It's an airport ENHANCER not an airport DESIGNER. As long as you keep that in mind you should not be disappointed.Someone else here has pointed out the relatively limited number of static aircraft in FSSE. I would agree, especially the ga aircraft, of which there are two and one is defective (it has no landing gear). This is certainly an annoyance. On the other hand, if you use something like PAI or MyTraffic to populate your airports with ai traffic, the static aircraft become not only unecessary but they get in the way. I no longer even use them in my FSSE scenery.The combination of FSSE and AFCAD can give you great results. Here's a page with some screenshots of my FSSE airports:http://sidneyschwartz.homestead.com/downloads.htmlAll the planes you see are ai aircraft, and they are lined up pretty nicely with the jetways I added using FSSE.Sidney Schwartz [KPDX]MyTraffic/Radar Contact/FSMeteo/FSSE/FSassist/FDC

[Guest byoung]

FSSE - Home of the "Well Hung" Squirrels.. :)

[Sidney Schwartz 11]

I had forgotten about that! :)I think the squirrel got "fixed".... :)Sidney Schwartz [KPDX]MyTraffic/Radar Contact/FSMeteo/FSSE/FSassist/FDC

[Guest byoung]

Sid,Do you still have that picture of the FSSE Squirrel on the runway?It would be a riot to post it... If AVSIM doesn't get raided :)Barry

[Guest]

>I had forgotten about that! :) >>I think the squirrel got "fixed".... :) >>Sidney Schwartz [KPDX] >>MyTraffic/Radar Contact/FSMeteo/FSSE/FSassist/FDC No way. If the 'Creator' created the little critter with huge cojones it's not up to LAGO to remove them. The object was however removed for the boxed version of the boxed product for the US market on demand from the distributor (together with the McDonald restaurant).I still remember a screenshot made by Jaaky Krant where he inflated the animal to skyscraper proportions, put her across a taxiway and called it a de-icing station...Mathijs KokLAGO

[Guest JonP01]

I'm using those McDonalds restaurants as some of my VFR landmarks...afterall, there must be one every few nautical miles at worst. There are 4 of them within 5 minutes of my house! :-lol

[Guest]

Definitely. IMO on a level with FSTraffic2 for FS2000, one of those must-haves.