Tell me how Photoreal America works!

[spilok 1,132]

This Photoreal America (on Avsim's front page) looks interesting to me. You get a hard drive, worth $100 with the package. How exactly does this hook up to your computer and FSX system? With FSX on my C drive and containing all my addons, scenery, etc., I'm curious as to how this scenery interacts with my current system. FSX has never run better than it does now. What do I give up, and what do I gain? How's the speed compared to my Raptor C Drive? Is this an easy , transparent addition that complements what I have or what? Sorry for the ignorance on this, but I would like some answers.Stan

[sluihn 68]

Hello... I ordered this as an alternative to tileproxy. What i got what a hard drive containing photograhic scenery of the states divided into folders each containing a state. First plug the usb hard drive into computer and let it recongize... Now you just add the states you want to use to your scenery config via FSX. Since i use Orbx PNW i just didnt add Washington or Oregon (so the photoscenery wouldnt corupt orbx.) and wow... Now i have an awesome scenery which to fly over. I wouldnt fly Colorado... Nevada... especially the gran canyon area into Vegas without it. The hard drive supplied worked great outta box... but i had an internal drive i transfered files to it and with either way not much in blurriness but you have to remember it is a computer simulation... your system errr mileage will differ. And Sim savvy keeps updateing his work (for free)... he is now offering a newer/better california scenery owners can download or just send a disk and he can upload it to disk for you minus postage. I am happy i bought this considering downloading all these files (ie..tiles) for one state would have taken a year or two for me to accomplish. Now I take off from local airport fly over my new house and beyond. Most if not all payware scenery i buy (Blueprint sceneries... Aerosoft.... FSDreamteam.... Flytampa has worked flawlessly with simsavvy some of my airports i made myself just need adjustments in heading... very minor because you just have to line it up with scenery. But i get most enjoyment when flying the Appalachian Mountains to Colorado's Aspen to coloarado springs... I dont have a ppl but man with this scenery i can certainly fly fsx like i do. (not affiliated with Sim savvy just put way to much money into fsx)Hope this helps..Steve

[brucek 38]

Hello... I ordered this as an alternative to tileproxy. .............Hope this helps..Steve

Hi Steve,Do you get seasons and night textures with this product?Thanks, Bruce.

[greggerm 312]

Do you get seasons and night textures with this product?

No - much like most photo scenery packages, you do not get seasons or night textures.Seasons would quintuple the size of the scenery - raising it from 350 GB to 1.7 TB. More importantly, the photographic sources do not exist for the scenery across all seasons. When you think about it, aerial photos are mostly useless in wintertime when the ground may be covered with snow, obscuring details. There are very few (if any) available photo sources which would have all seasons available, and this would likely raise the cost of production by a significant amount if Larry were to utilize them. Night textures are also not included. They would need to be hand-made, and this is a serious challenge for any developer who is blanketing the entire United States with photo coverage... not to mention that it would double the size from 350 to 700 GB. That being said - I am also a SimSavvy/Photoreal America owner, and love it! Despite photoreal's shortcomings in the simulator, it brings a serious amount of realism to the table and if you are a VFR pilot, it is a very worthwhile investment. Airline push-button pilots might not find it to be as useful, but bug-smashing local pilots will find an entire nation to explore. -Greg

[brucek 38]

No - much like most photo scenery packages, you do not get seasons or night textures.Seasons would quintuple the size of the scenery - raising it from 350 GB to 1.7 TB. More importantly, the photographic sources do not exist for the scenery across all seasons. When you think about it, aerial photos are mostly useless in wintertime when the ground may be covered with snow, obscuring details. There are very few (if any) available photo sources which would have all seasons available, and this would likely raise the cost of production by a significant amount if Larry were to utilize them. Night textures are also not included. They would need to be hand-made, and this is a serious challenge for any developer who is blanketing the entire United States with photo coverage... not to mention that it would double the size from 350 to 700 GB. That being said - I am also a SimSavvy/Photoreal America owner, and love it! Despite photoreal's shortcomings in the simulator, it brings a serious amount of realism to the table and if you are a VFR pilot, it is a very worthwhile investment. Airline push-button pilots might not find it to be as useful, but bug-smashing local pilots will find an entire nation to explore. -Greg

Thanks Greg, this product sounds very promising...Bruce.

[yankeegolf3 51]

hi,When you use simsavvy and ultimate terrain, the ultimate terrain night textures do show. It gives a very nice effect. In my opinion there is no need for night textures with this combination. The summer textures are the best for VFR flying. Think of it, it will take you years to explore the entire US in summer only, I don't miss the other seasons, I will be dead by the time I finish the summer flights....

[PingPong 60]

hi,When you use simsavvy and ultimate terrain, the ultimate terrain night textures do show. It gives a very nice effect. In my opinion there is no need for night textures with this combination. The summer textures are the best for VFR flying. Think of it, it will take you years to explore the entire US in summer only, I don't miss the other seasons, I will be dead by the time I finish the summer flights....

That is awesome, I just ordered the package last week for my long Cross Country flights and I was wondering about what to do at night.Can't wait to get my hands on this...

[yankeegolf3 51]

That is awesome, I just ordered the package last week for my long Cross Country flights and I was wondering about what to do at night.Can't wait to get my hands on this...

Hi this what you get at night:Enjoy

[spilok 1,132]

Thank you. It looks as though this is promising! Good statistic...."you'd be dead before you fly the U.S. in Summer textures". I like that...because you're probably right. As a matter of fact, you might even upgrade to FLIGHT before you get to use all that's included in this package.Stan

[dfish 1]

This looks great, but being a Canadian I love my winter textures also, if I had UT would that show up for the winter.Dave F.