Colorized Textures vs. FS Relief 2 vs. BlueSphere

[Guest MEA707]

I currently have Steve Kempf's Colorized Textures and now there are two new excellent texture updates, FS Relief 2 and BlueSphere.I'm sure that the 3 or 2 of them cannot be combined since certain files will overwrite each other. So which one do you all recommend?I would like to use Chris Willis' cloud updates for the FPS improvement and his excellent new night light textures. I'm also using Chris Arrington's Airport Environment Upgrade MX (Master's Edition).I'm using Bill Lyon's amazing Calm water textures.Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.Regards

[John F 2,423]

I tried Steve Kempf's colorized textures and liked them quite a bit in certain areas like Asia. Then someone recommended the woods and desert texure modification from some time ago...a big improvement for the US, both west and east.But today I installed the BlueSphere Project textures and was simply amazed. The visual integration of ground and sky elements is extremely lifelike. This is what I have been searching for all these years as MSFS evolved. I'm really, really happy now.But, of course, your taste may vary. Backup your files and try them all!John

[Guest stevekempf]

John, I'm with you. I am using the Blue Sphere textures and they are really nice. They do (to me anyway) look more realistic. If my vote matters, that is.. :) I never *truly* liked the ones that I made. They were the result of a rainy day, the wife and kids out of town, and just an attempt to add some pizazz to the blahhh default FS textures. I only uploaded them because several people requested it. Hope this helps.Steve Kempf.

[Dark Moment 0]

NOW you tell us, Steve, ha ha! But full marks to you for your humility in stating your own preference. I am sure that your textures do, and will, appeal to many, and well done.I am a bit confused now myself, though. Particularly, when it's not clear from, say, Gerrit's install what gets overwritten. I now have a funny mix of yours, Gerrit's, Chris W's, Chris A's, Bill Lyon's, other chaps' whose names escape me and can only be grateful that I didn't go for all the payware stuff too!And soon to come ... more from Lennart! Aarrrgghhhhhhh! We're spoiled for choice, for sure. But I, for one, am certainly not complaining. It's all fantastic work.Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/newlogo.jpg

[Guest SlimDady]

Does anyone know where i can find some screenshots of bluespear texturesi saw it in the library but it had no preview with it

[John F 2,423]

If you download the comparison preview fs9envo1.zip, I believe you will get some screenshots with it.John

[Guest SlimDady]

thanks

[Guest MEA707]

Thanks for the replies everyone.I've just installed all the BlueSphere packages except the Service Pack and Visibility Layers packages. Does anyone recommend I install these last 2 packages?It is to my understanding that BlueSphere overwrites Chris Willis' clouds and Bill Lyon's water updates, am I correct?If so, does anyone recommend I install those, or should I stick with the BlueSphere clouds and water?Regards

[Guest stevekempf]

>I am a bit confused now myself, though. Particularly, when>it's not clear from, say, Gerrit's install what gets>overwritten. My installer put a text file in your main FS2004 folder called "images_list.txt". That is a list of all of the files that were overwritten by my set. That (I believe) are all of the default scenery tile textures not including water textures. Hope that helps.Steve

[Guest CapHavoc]

Howdy,Re: the BlueSphere SP: just contains the cloud and tree textures (for convenience); the Visibility Layer pack is a definate must have, IMO (even if you only use the cirrus_overcast03.bmp and keep Chris' cumulus).Re: overwriting: yes, Chris's clouds; definately not anyone's environmental .bmp updates.Am using Chris's clouds, but BlueSphere's cirrus_overcast. No problems as far as I can see, but then I'm running a P4 2.6, 512 Mb Ram and a GeForce Ti4800 (128 Mb). YMMV, of course.