5 meter meshes and Devil's Tower, Wyoming

[Majick 0]

Hello All,I have tried both the FSGenesis and FS Global Ultimate United States meshes, and I'm a bit baffled by the results they give for Devil's Tower. In both cases it has a rounded top and looks a bit like an upside down ice cream cone.Given that Devil's Tower has a very distinctive shape and it's top is far more than 5 metres in diameter I don't understand why the meshes don't give a better result. If this is something to do with the processing that is used to make them work overall, is it not possible for the mesh suppliers to edit the data for some place as iconic as Devil's Tower to make it look more accurate?Are there any mesh experts there who can set me straight on this?RegardsJon

[Clutch Cargo 385]

Mesh itself will not give you the detail you were hoping for. It would really need to be created as a model in something like Gmax to give you that fine of detail. Think of Uluru in Australia as an example.

[Valcor 9]

Have you checked AVSIM library? I sort of remember there being something for Devil's Tower. It could have been for FS9 though. I'd look myself but can't from my current location.

[JiBrady 20]

SimSavvy photo of Devil's tower.jimSimSavvy scenery. Devil's tower area.

[Majick 0]

I'm using SimSavvy scenery but it only provides textures and uses default mesh. The mesh is still incorrect even if I use 5m payware meshes. I had been hoping to get it right without using a 3d model, but maybe that is the only option. Why is it that a 5m mesh can't portray the shape correctly? The summat is far larger than 5m across!

[ZachLW 37]

I'm using SimSavvy scenery but it only provides textures and uses default mesh. The mesh is still incorrect even if I use 5m payware meshes. I had been hoping to get it right without using a 3d model, but maybe that is the only option.Why is it that a 5m mesh can't portray the shape correctly? The summat is far larger than 5m across!

Captain Obvious here; but have you emailed Justin of FSGenesis? He is an expert. Also, he's pretty active in their forums.

[sweetmusic 9]

When a mesh is advertised as say "5 meter resolution", is that for ALL points in the mesh?In other words, is it possible in FSX to have a variable resolution mesh? (This would be similar to variable bit rate (VBR) for encoded MP3 music.) ??

[Majick 0]

Thanks Captain, I'll give that a go!

[meshman 109]

Why is it that a 5m mesh can't portray the shape correctly? The summat is far larger than 5m across!

Mesh in this context is elevation data, not "mesh" as used in the forming of three dimensional objects. A plane or satellite flies overhead, it's laser bouncing off the terrain and reporting the differentials. These lasers are not rotational around all axis, just up and down. An accurate mesh reading would probably give you a plateau from the base to the top of the object. I don't have my 10m mesh for the CONUS installed to do a double check to see how it is portrayed.

When a mesh is advertised as say "5 meter resolution", is that for ALL points in the mesh?In other words, is it possible in FSX to have a variable resolution mesh? (This would be similar to variable bit rate (VBR) for encoded MP3 music.) ??

As you use the term "advertised", my response is yes, all the data *should* have a spacing of 5m. There are some claims around of "up to 3m resolution", which amounts to 1/10th of 1% of the coverage area. Buyers beware is my view on such marketing approaches.And it is possible for a single BGL file to hold data that is of different values at their highest levels. Some of the areas may show a resolution of 76m, while other parts could be much lower.

[Majick 0]

Mesh in this context is elevation data, not "mesh" as used in the forming of three dimensional objects. A plane or satellite flies overhead, it's laser bouncing off the terrain and reporting the differentials. These lasers are not rotational around all axis, just up and down. An accurate mesh reading would probably give you a plateau from the base to the top of the object. I don't have my 10m mesh for the CONUS installed to do a double check to see how it is portrayed.

Having re-read the FSGenesis product info I believe it is a 10m mesh not 5, although FSGlobal is variable and claims to go up to 2m at the highest res. I would still expect elevation data at 10m intervals to give a correct shape for Devils Tower. It does a reasonable job in Monument Valley where the buttes are significantly smaller.As the top of Devils tower is flattish rather than the rounded shape the mesh products produce, I can only imagine the processing of the data is introducing the rounding because in most other circumstances this gives a better result than using raw data. Anyway, I've asked Justin the question on the FSGenesis site so we'll see what he says :)

[FlyAndFight 37]

I'm surprised that no one has done a scenery of Devil's Tower and included the secret base and mothership from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".... ;)That would be a cool mission, as well.

[FxF3 0]

I'm no expert I think you need good mesh plus something like this. Addon scenery { jm_devils_tower_v10} It beats the default FSX.