Hey everyone. I built my new system and need some opinions. I want to install some environment programs but at a bit of a loss for which ones. I already have Active sky Evolution but am wondering about these ones.Real Environment ( can you deisbale the weather portion since I already have ASE?)Flight EnvironmentGround EnvironmentAny others?I have been out of the loop for a while on what is available out there. Can I get some opinions on which ones to buy? thanks!

Hey everyone. I built my new system and need some opinions. I want to install some environment programs but at a bit of a loss for which ones. I already have Active sky Evolution but am wondering about these ones.Real Environment ( can you deisbale the weather portion since I already have ASE?)Flight EnvironmentGround EnvironmentAny others?I have been out of the loop for a while on what is available out there. Can I get some opinions on which ones to buy? thanks!

If I had to choose from these, I would go for REX. Having in mind You already have ASE, You can turn off REX's weather engine.Having REX, FEX is not needed, they do basically the same. I like both textures a lot (but prefer FEX clouds just a little more), but REX is not only a clouds.GEX is also very good when You fly slow and low in VFR.If You have good quality sound card and speakers, go for Sound Environment X (SEX as shortcut, nice...) - I like it very much, but have to replace the fuel pump sound as well as some of the door_shut sounds.Airport Environment X is also nice - take a look on the screenshots.

REX - must have, transforms so much of the sim from water, clouds, sun, lighting, taxiways, runways, and parking spaces. I don't use the weather, just the textures.UTX - another must have, great night lightingGEX - highly recommend, UTX and GEX go very well togetherSceneryTech or FSGenesis - improves the FSX landclass, more accurate terrain and town/city placement

FEX, GEX, UTX, FSGenesis for mesh, SceneryTech for landclass, XGraphix to customize runways, taxiways, etc are the basics.

Hi,GEX is very good especially if you use it together with UTX - both are highly recomended.REX works fine with ASE and it seems to be the most popular program for the sky/water textures but FEX is equally good too.Personly I like Xgraphics the best even though it uses slightly lower resolution textures than either REX or FEX. What I like about Xgraphics is the way it supports advanced integration with ASE to automatically select the most appropriate textures depending on the weather that ASE is producing. The quality of the textures are also very good even though they are a lower resolution than GEX or FEX.

Ultimate Terrain is a good overall upgrade in lieu of going for specific sceneries, since it improves the default terrain quite nicely, although it is a subtle change. The night lighting bloom effects of UT are a massive improvement, but the night lighting effect does affect performance slightly, since you have to have bloom on to enjoy it. Personally, I do think it is worth the hit in FPS for the effect it creates though, since it is a big improvement, especially if you like taking screenshots at dusk.I've not got FS Altitude, but that product range does look like that might be a nice overall change to FS if you make airliner flights and want good high altitude scenery, so you might want to check that one out. They have some videos on their site which show it off to good advantage. When I have the cash to spare, this one is on my shopping list.REX and FEX do much the same thing, but I suspect REX has a slight edge over its rival in terms of its different taxiways, apron and airport lighting features. It is worth noting though that REX and FEX seem to interpret default FS weather quite differently, but since you have Active Sky, you'd probably use that anyway, so it might be a moot point, and it would negate some of the whistles and bells that REX offers in that regard, which brings FEX back into more equal contention if you are considering one over the other. So check some screenies for them both. And yes, you can disable the weather interpretation and simply use them as cloud, airport and water texture sets, with ASE doing the interpretation of how the weather will display. In actual fact, the weather engine in REX is pretty good, but ASE does it better (rather understandably, since that is its specialisation). Since ASE does more tricks and is far more customisable in terms of performance, REX or FEX clouds with ASE real world weather can do some really convincing stuff in FS, which means that apart from the other fancy stuff REX has, your choice will be down to which cloud set you prefer. If I had to pick one, I'd go for REX (and in fact do because I like its airport apron improvements), but that is a personal choice and not a reflection on what FEX offers, which is also pretty damn good.Al

All of these environment applications get me confused. UTX, REX, FEX, GEX, X Graphics overlap in affecting textures for roads, night lighting, aprons, taxiways, water. How do you know which application best controls which component, and how do you establish which is in control when you have them all?

All of these environment applications get me confused. UTX, REX, FEX, GEX, X Graphics overlap in affecting textures for roads, night lighting, aprons, taxiways, water. How do you know which application best controls which component, and how do you establish which is in control when you have them all?

Best thing to do is to check the sites of the various programs...Main focus of the mentioned programs (in short: very short):UTX = real roads and waters (roads, railroads, rivers, lakes, coastlines, etc. are where they are in real life and up to very small ones)REX = better textures for clouds, skies, waters, airports plus a weather engine and a (not too good) flight plannerFEX = better textures for clouds, skies, watersGEX = better generic ground texturesX Graphics = better textures for clouds, skies, waters (but rather outdated and certainly not as good as FEX or REX)ASE (which you didn't mention) = weather engineSo REX and FEX and X Graphics are rather similar programs (I would only get one of them: my choice would be REX) and REX can also do what ASE does (weather engine): UTX and GEX are totally different addons.

All of these environment applications get me confused. UTX, REX, FEX, GEX, X Graphics overlap in affecting textures for roads, night lighting, aprons, taxiways, water. How do you know which application best controls which component, and how do you establish which is in control when you have them all?

Before installing any new textures using REX, FEX, Xgraphics, UTX roads etc have a look in their settings options and you can choose exactly which texture eliments you want installed and which you want left alone. They also have a back up option incase you decide to go back to the default FSX textures.