I have been thinking recently about certain comments that people make from time to time with respect to FSX addon scenery. Some people don't like photographic scenery because it looks too "flat", or because some of the textures (particularly buildings) look a bit "low res" when close to the ground. Others don't like "3D" custom autogen tree packages, because they don't look convincing enough, or because they look stupid without 3D buildings. These criticisms are quite valid, but I get the feeling that part of the reason for this is because we have the ability to look at our planes using a variety of external views.To cut a long story short....if you look too closely at addon scenery, you will always find flaws. Whilst these flaws are much harder to find in the best addon packages, they are not hard to find if you go looking for them........and that's the point of this little essay. Switching to an external viewpoint just after take off from an airfield set in photographic scenery will give you a golden opportunity to see those terrain textures in the worst possible light. They are obviously going to look "low res" at less than 100 metres altitude, and this is far more apparent in an urban location (fields of grass look great from virtually any altitude, so they aren't part of this discussion). Similarly, that external viewpoint will highlight the slightest mismatch between a group of 3D trees and the underlying texture. Perhaps even worse, you will also be able to see that those "3D" trees are actually just two or three flat "2D" interlocking planes.So, what's the solution? Well, as far as I am concerned, it's very simple....STAY INSIDE THE COCKPITIf you do that, everything starts to look more convincing. Those terrain textures that are directly surrounding the position of your plane can't actually be seen, and those that you do see (using those wonderful inventions called "windows") are more subtle to the eye. They aren't quite so stark and obvious when viewed from the cockpit, so any "low res" look at low altitude is masked to a certain extent. Similarly, those 3D trees can't be inspected quite as closely as they can from the outside, so their true nature is hidden. In addition, they seem to blend more convincingly with the terrain textures when viewed from the cockpit. In fact, all of the various scenery elements seem to work together far better, and that's because you can't see the flaws as easily as you can from the outside.I guess my point is this.....if you want to get the best possible feel of reality from your scenery addons, then view them from the comfort of your plane's cockpit. After all, that's where real pilots see the outside world :(

I guess I am one of the know moaners :( (specially about photoreal) but I never ever leave the VC... I never fly with an outside view (I don't know a real life pilot who does that, so I don't do it either) and still I have comments... I understand what you are trying to say (and IF I would indeed use outside views I might comment even more!) but your solution is no real solution, I am afraid... :(

hi, I agree.When I was an aviator, I never flew outside the aircraft, so in FS I never use the outside view when flying. I prefer screenshots from the VC too.

I have been thinking recently about certain comments that people make from time to time with respect to FSX addon scenery. Some people don't like photographic scenery because it looks too "flat", or because some of the textures (particularly buildings) look a bit "low res" when close to the ground. Others don't like "3D" custom autogen tree packages, because they don't look convincing enough, or because they look stupid without 3D buildings. These criticisms are quite valid, but I get the feeling that part of the reason for this is because we have the ability to look at our planes using a variety of external views.To cut a long story short....if you look too closely at addon scenery, you will always find flaws. Whilst these flaws are much harder to find in the best addon packages, they are not hard to find if you go looking for them........and that's the point of this little essay. Switching to an external viewpoint just after take off from an airfield set in photographic scenery will give you a golden opportunity to see those terrain textures in the worst possible light. They are obviously going to look "low res" at less than 100 metres altitude, and this is far more apparent in an urban location (fields of grass look great from virtually any altitude, so they aren't part of this discussion). Similarly, that external viewpoint will highlight the slightest mismatch between a group of 3D trees and the underlying texture. Perhaps even worse, you will also be able to see that those "3D" trees are actually just two or three flat "2D" interlocking planes.So, what's the solution? Well, as far as I am concerned, it's very simple....STAY INSIDE THE COCKPITIf you do that, everything starts to look more convincing. Those terrain textures that are directly surrounding the position of your plane can't actually be seen, and those that you do see (using those wonderful inventions called "windows") are more subtle to the eye. They aren't quite so stark and obvious when viewed from the cockpit, so any "low res" look at low altitude is masked to a certain extent. Similarly, those 3D trees can't be inspected quite as closely as they can from the outside, so their true nature is hidden. In addition, they seem to blend more convincingly with the terrain textures when viewed from the cockpit. In fact, all of the various scenery elements seem to work together far better, and that's because you can't see the flaws as easily as you can from the outside.I guess my point is this.....if you want to get the best possible feel of reality from your scenery addons, then view them from the comfort of your plane's cockpit. After all, that's where real pilots see the outside world :(

I also agree about looking from the inside either from the cockpit or the cabin.Nowadays company's scenery design has evolved, the top being FTX.But I am very critical about all (we can find quit alot) the companys doing poor quality photosceneries. Especially because one may find high quality sceneries for free (Spain, Slovakia, Netherlands, US- BlueSky)When we think about FTX wich made seasons and autogen, compared to some US photosceneries of poor quality they are different world. Photosceneries are at best in mountainous regions (Hawai, Alps, New Zealand, Spain etc...)I like some megasceneryX, Aerosofts (but not all), Newport (not all), FranceVFR (but not FSAltitude), Dainese and some more fantastic freewares (already mentioned) and probably not remembering somes...The screenshots I do are also from the inside POV. But when doing videos I will try every cameras availables. In that case I will do many takes and cut when something "not" nice shows in the field of view.Also flying with three screens shows us the sceneries in quit a realistic way. The pixels are always sharper from the side views because of angle of view. In some cases it may lead to dangerous situations (looking too much flying less!!)The chance we have as simmers is that all world is here, so much places to discover, so many landings..RV

I really like those "a real pilot never flies outside his plane" comments, they add a huge amount of realism to a discussion about flight simulator sceneries. :( Did you check your oil lately? Smells like some fuel has gotten into it ...The thread starter is indeed right when he reminds people of judging all kinds of scenery from the through-the-window-view although you will miss some detail on the newer extreme detailed stuff.

The thread starter is indeed right when he reminds people of judging all kinds of scenery from the through-the-window-view although you will miss some detail on the newer extreme detailed stuff.

That's why I use the Ultralight to check out those! :(

I really like those "a real pilot never flies outside his plane" comments, they add a huge amount of realism to a discussion about flight simulator sceneries. :( Did you check your oil lately? Smells like some fuel has gotten into it ...The thread starter is indeed right when he reminds people of judging all kinds of scenery from the through-the-window-view although you will miss some detail on the newer extreme detailed stuff.

This a job for BOBgoing for a walkRV

My post certainly wasn't a criticism of any "moaners" that might be lurking around here :( I have directed my fair share of critical comments towards flight sim addons, user designed tracks for racing simulations, and "bog standard" FPS games in the past :( The reason for posting was because I had been checking out a few airfields in a package that I am currently beta testing, and that involved switching to the outside (F11) view just after take off. When I did this, I couldn't hlep noticing the relatively low res ground textures. It wasn't a surprise to me, since I am well aware that photographic scenery textures (like any other terrain textures) look worse near the ground than they do at 5000 feet. It's just that I don't often see them at close range when I am actually flying a plane in FSX. The somewhat restricted view available fron the cockpit "protects" me from graphical evils, and that is something for which I am eternally grateful.Long live the VC! :(

The best of both, cockpit to 3K, external above when siteseeing, works great for me :(

The best of both, cockpit to 3K, external above when siteseeing, works great for me :(

Ever since I was a little boy, I had a PASSION for GEOGRAPHY which ultimately encompasses SCENERY. When I fly, I apply the old ADAGE - which is still very applicable to many other hings, "VARIETY is the SPICE of LIFE".Sometimes, I enjoy the outside, strictly scenery, sometimes I enjoy the inside with all electronics displayed, and sometimes a combination of both. Why do you think developers, do SCENERY, AIRCRAFT, PANELS, ETC........ because we enjoy them ALL!!Go ahead, SPICE UP your life, with ALL THE VARIETY that is available - COMBINATIONS, MIXTURES, or ONE THING AT A TIME. The French say:"Chacun a son Go

Yes, perhaps I should have said "stay in the cockpit until you get above 2000 feet, and then you can do what the hell you like" :(

Also, using your wife's eyeglasses instead of your own will make the imperfections less noticable. :(