Disappointed with MegasceneryEarth San Francisco

[Guest ryebred]

I received an email from PCAviator announcing the release of MegasceneryEarth San Francisco yesterday and even though I was not too impressed with the four Washington tiles that I downloaded from them, I could not resist downloading my home location. After downloading and installing the three tiles of the bay area, I loaded FSX up and took a flight. Initially, I was very unimpressed as the colors were really washed out and the textures were not very sharp. In the Washington area, some spots looked much better than others so I was hopeful that maybe some spots in the bay area would look nice. After flying the entire coverage area, I am sad to say it did not get any better. A few spots in Sonoma and on approach to Napa airport looked decent and the hills near Sunol golf course had a realistic summer color to them but everywhere else had washed out textures. Flying at 3,500 it looks like San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward and San Jose are covered in snow because there is so many washed out white textures from the buildings. There are also multiple images of several airports in the area. The FSX airport and then a photoreal image of the airport next to it. I know this is due to the FSX airport not being in the proper position but it really takes away from the look.I guess I got spoiled with MegaScenery's original offerings. They had high quality textures, no color variation, autogen that looked right and was in the proper spots and none of the multiple airports problems. I don't think I will be buying anymore MegasceneryEarth tiles unless the quality significantly improves. I suspect. like everyone else, they are trying to cut costs and so that is why they chose this different path from what they have been producing for the last 5 or 6 years but I am very sad that they made that decision.

[Guest rdg]

I received an email from PCAviator announcing the release of MegasceneryEarth San Francisco yesterday and even though I was not too impressed with the four Washington tiles that I downloaded from them, I could not resist downloading my home location. After downloading and installing the three tiles of the bay area, I loaded FSX up and took a flight. Initially, I was very unimpressed as the colors were really washed out and the textures were not very sharp. In the Washington area, some spots looked much better than others so I was hopeful that maybe some spots in the bay area would look nice. After flying the entire coverage area, I am sad to say it did not get any better. A few spots in Sonoma and on approach to Napa airport looked decent and the hills near Sunol golf course had a realistic summer color to them but everywhere else had washed out textures. Flying at 3,500 it looks like San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward and San Jose are covered in snow because there is so many washed out white textures from the buildings. There are also multiple images of several airports in the area. The FSX airport and then a photoreal image of the airport next to it. I know this is due to the FSX airport not being in the proper position but it really takes away from the look.I guess I got spoiled with MegaScenery's original offerings. They had high quality textures, no color variation, autogen that looked right and was in the proper spots and none of the multiple airports problems. I don't think I will be buying anymore MegasceneryEarth tiles unless the quality significantly improves. I suspect. like everyone else, they are trying to cut costs and so that is why they chose this different path from what they have been producing for the last 5 or 6 years but I am very sad that they made that decision.

Hi,I have a number of the Washington Tiles and I too was a little disappointed at first. I did have their original Pacific Northwest scenery but I cannot remember, so I cant compare the new to the old. I understand there is more than one source for satellite imagery, but I dont have a clue as to their decision process. I can tell you this, I had used the Washington tiles for a week or so and, like you, was a little disappointed. So, I went to the scenery library and ticked the UTX and GEX back on. I Took a flight and although the colors were rich and the textures were clear, it was lacking something. Where it lacked was realism. I was cruising around and telling myself this looks really nice, but, it did not have a hint of reality because everything was make believe. So, I am back to the tiles. Although they do lack in many ways, I really enjoy it more because I am flying over the real thing. I was able to adjust color-saturation-brightness-contrast and did get a little improvement. Serious flight simmers want everything to be perfect and it takes time to realize that perfect is not going to happen at least in the near future. Some of us tweek the cfg and get that perfect defrag, and manage to have only 2 services running, and we do this until the wee hours of the morning to achieve 1 more frame and the ultimate smoothness, while others look for that perfect sky and water color. I have to really stop myself sometimes or I would not get any flying in at all. Good Luck!Bob

[flyerkg 62]

So, I went to the scenery library and ticked the UTX and GEX back on. I Took a flight and although the colors were rich and the textures were clear, it was lacking something. Where it lacked was realism.

Hi Bob,I am currently using UTX and GEX and have been somewhat anxious to improve the quality of California. Thank you for the comments on MegaScenery Earth San Francisco. I will probably buy it because I would rather see photo scenery of where things really are on the ground. The only problem I have is the static images of vehicles on the road as FSX traffic moves over these images. I guess you have to take the best of everything and move along.Keith

[Guest bekfreak]

Hi Bob,I am currently using UTX and GEX and have been somewhat anxious to improve the quality of California. Thank you for the comments on MegaScenery Earth San Francisco. I will probably buy it because I would rather see photo scenery of where things really are on the ground. The only problem I have is the static images of vehicles on the road as FSX traffic moves over these images. I guess you have to take the best of everything and move along.Keith

I'm dying to get the tiles for Jersey. I'll start out with South Jersey...it'll be interesting to fly along those areas. They also look to include some of Pennsylvania another area I'll add areas for. :)

[cmpbellsjc 2,960]

I agree with you guys. I had been looking forward for so long for someone to do Ft Lauderdale/Miami Florida, and then MegaEarth announced that they were doing that, plus the whole world, I was really excited. That excitement came to a quick end when I d/l the Ft Lauderdale/Miami tiles. I was and am, really disappointed. The only thing I use them for is the night textures which I like better than GEX's night textures, but that is all.I think that with the exception of a few areas, from what I have seen the photo quality is not so good with most areas. I feel like the product that was touted as the most exciting thing to ever happen to flight sim, became the most disappointing thing to ever happen to flight sim. Unfortunately I don't think the quality will improve because from what I have read from posts from the developer, them seem to be quite pleased with the product they have turned out. If the new product had the look of the MegaScenery titles I would be downloading everday, but after what I got in Florida and from what I have seen posted of the other areas there is no way I will waste any more money on this product until they get better source material.

[Guest twsimfan]

I received an email from PCAviator announcing the release of MegasceneryEarth San Francisco yesterday and even though I was not too impressed with the four Washington tiles that I downloaded from them, I could not resist downloading my home location. After downloading and installing the three tiles of the bay area, I loaded FSX up and took a flight. Initially, I was very unimpressed as the colors were really washed out and the textures were not very sharp. In the Washington area, some spots looked much better than others so I was hopeful that maybe some spots in the bay area would look nice. After flying the entire coverage area, I am sad to say it did not get any better. A few spots in Sonoma and on approach to Napa airport looked decent and the hills near Sunol golf course had a realistic summer color to them but everywhere else had washed out textures. Flying at 3,500 it looks like San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward and San Jose are covered in snow because there is so many washed out white textures from the buildings. There are also multiple images of several airports in the area. The FSX airport and then a photoreal image of the airport next to it. I know this is due to the FSX airport not being in the proper position but it really takes away from the look.I guess I got spoiled with MegaScenery's original offerings. They had high quality textures, no color variation, autogen that looked right and was in the proper spots and none of the multiple airports problems. I don't think I will be buying anymore MegasceneryEarth tiles unless the quality significantly improves. I suspect. like everyone else, they are trying to cut costs and so that is why they chose this different path from what they have been producing for the last 5 or 6 years but I am very sad that they made that decision.

Ryebred,I really appreciate your post. I was about to plop down the 15 bucks and buy the SF scenery. I thought the colors in the screen shots on PC Aviator looked a bit odd but I figured for the price it should be OK. But come to think of it Hawaii X was also $15 and it was great. Most of my flying during the past few months has been over Oahu. The Las Vegas scenery is also very good and rhe Reno stuff is fair to OK. Would be great if they had included the West side of Lake Tahoe and maybe a bit to the South of Carson City.But your report of two airport images is enough to put me off of buying the SF stuff. I had been planning to buy all of the Washington sceney but I'm not so sure about it any more either. They might just have to show me a bunch more screen shots and maybe provide some credible testimonials about it before I plunk down that much cash.Thanks again for the warning!Regards,Tom Wunder

[TPerson 15]

I received an email from PCAviator announcing the release of MegasceneryEarth San Francisco yesterday and even though I was not too impressed with the four Washington tiles that I downloaded from them...

I subscribe to PC Aviator's MegaSceneryEarth emails and I have not received any such email announcing tiles available for the San Francisco bay area. In addition I just went to the MegaSceneryEarth website and there are no tiles available for any part of California.So what exactly are you talking about?Todd

[flyerkg 62]

I agree with you guys. I had been looking forward for so long for someone to do Ft Lauderdale/Miami Florida, and then MegaEarth announced that they were doing that, plus the whole world, I was really excited. That excitement came to a quick end when I d/l the Ft Lauderdale/Miami tiles. I was and am, really disappointed. The only thing I use them for is the night textures which I like better than GEX's night textures, but that is all.

Thank you for the comments on MegasceneryEarth Florida tiles. I was looking forward to the tiles that would cover the Jacksonville area. I am still inclined to do one tile here and there for $8.00. I tried to capture a couple of screen shotsfrom New York 005. This is just south of Newark Intl KEWR at 1500 MSL. All traffic follows the roads in a nice fashion. The rest of the state is currently UTX and GEX and covered in snow texture. :(

[Guest ryebred]

I subscribe to PC Aviator's MegaSceneryEarth emails and I have not received any such email announcing tiles available for the San Francisco bay area. In addition I just went to the MegaSceneryEarth website and there are no tiles available for any part of California.So what exactly are you talking about?Todd

It was an email from PCAviator. Here is the link to purchase the product. It is available for a limited time and comes bundled with Redwood National Park which I have not tried yet.http://www.pcaviator.com/dlstore/product.php?productid=561

[TPerson 15]

It was an email from PCAviator. Here is the link to purchase the product. It is available for a limited time and comes bundled with Redwood National Park which I have not tried yet.http://www.pcaviator.com/dlstore/product.php?productid=561

Thanks for the link.Odd that it is called MegaSceneryEarth San Francisco and they don't even have it available on the MSE webpage.PC Aviator is really ticking me off with the MegaSceneryEarth series and pricing. It is getting more ridiculous and confusing everyday!Todd

[Christopher Low 5,332]

Why is this only available for a limited time? Does their license agreement run out this year?

[Guest Mower]

This kinda thread is exactly why I always "try before I buy" with payware whenever possible. I *refuse* to get jammed with nonrefundable junk.

[JiBrady 20]

At least you were able to download. I let it run overnight. This morning I see all 3 downloads failed to complete. The "free download Manager" reports "unknown server error". These are the same problems I had with the initial release of MegaSceneryEarth. I was told they fixed these problems, that you could resume downloads, but for me, I am still getting aborted downloads.I am disappointed in there service, and quality.jim

[David Roch 1,975]

At least you were able to download. I let it run overnight. This morning I see all 3 downloads failed to complete. The "free download Manager" reports "unknown server error". These are the same problems I had with the initial release of MegaSceneryEarth. I was told they fixed these problems, that you could resume downloads, but for me, I am still getting aborted downloads.I am disappointed in there service, and quality.jim

Same thing here.

[Guest soppie]

Same thing here.

I'm in the UK and gave up yesterday when I couldn't sustain a d/l rate above about 25kb/second. It's a little faster tonight but not much - gonna be a long wait. Interesting that someone's managed to get hold of it but disappointing to read their first impression. The publicity screenshots looked fine to me but then I guess they might have been specially selected.