Autogen versus MegaScenery?

[1Wolf 7]

Just a question regarding FSX Autogen and MegaSceneryEarth.

 

I run UTX/GEX in many places, but for some places I have MegaSceneryEarth that I use.  I'm fairly knew to Photoscenery so I hope I'm doing this correctly.  I didn't turn anything 'off' or change anything in FSX to use the Photoscenery...I just installed it.  So if I'm flying in an area that has the MSE and then leave that area....I see the UTX/GEX autogen.  I never see Autogen in the areas that have MSE and I'm guessing that is because the MSE somehow disables it for the area I'm flying in.

 

I've read in several places that if you're using MegaSceneryEarth you can turn off your Autogen to save on FPS because its not needed.

 

My question is...doesn't MSE somehow do this already?  I never see Autogen in the places I fly with MSE so does that mean that MSE automatically turned it off already?  Or can I get additional FPS savings by going into the FSX Settings and manually de-activating Autogen as well?  Is FSX still spending the processing power to generate the autogen and I just can't see it because its "covered" by the MSE and thus the processing power is being wasted?

 

Or am I better off leaving the Autogen ON so that when I fly outside of my MSE area...I have nice UTX/GEX Autogen?

 

Thanks!

[Jim Young 2,356]

You really do not need to turn Autogen off when in MSE V2 photoscenery.  Autogen DOES work for MegaScenery like in Southern California (that's photoscenery too).  This is why there is layering in the Scenery Library.  When you load FSX, the bottom of the Scenery Library is loaded and it's not loaded from the top.  MSE will suppress any autogen and it will not be loaded.  But, when you go out of the MSE area and you have autogen turned on, it will be displayed.  You are better off turning autogen on if you plan on flying out of the MSE areas.  You can simply pause the flight and turn it on too.  Your choice.  Autogen is not being generated over MSE scenery, just when you go outside of it.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[tttocs 301]

Just to be clear, there are 3 distinct kinds of "Megascenery" branded photoscenery products.  The Megascenery X line (as in SoCal, Las Vegas, Hawaii), Megascenery Earth v1 and Megascenery Earth v2.  The first two included autogen.  The last is pure photoscenery and contains NO autogen.  There's nothing to turn on or off with the v2 products, they simply don't have autogen.

 

Whether this is a plus or a minus depends on your point of view. :-)

 

Scott

[Q_flyer 766]

Personally I think the latest MegaScenery photographic stuff is fantastic.  They've really moved things along and the imagery is crisp and extremely convincing.   I bought a small trial area, and was very impressed, (even without autogen), and the only reason I haven't spent a stack load on more MSE areas is because I'm just not interested in flying in the US.

 

I feel that you only really miss the autogen on the initial climbout, and using something like Flight 1 "Instant Scenery" to place some objects close to your airports, would be a good solution.       I use the Horizon VFR UK Photoscenery, along with the Earth Simulations Treescapes product, and that is a fantastic hybrid between photoscenery and some 3d objects to add to the feeling of depth, at lower alts.

 

I just so wish someone would make some photoscenery for Norway!!!

[catchman 13]

If you have UTX, enable the 3d night-lighting and you will have lights above the photo-scenery. This keeps it more real at night. 

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Make backup ctg file with autogen and make one without autogen. UTX is good for lighting and river areas .

[tttocs 301]

 

 

Make backup ctg file with autogen and make one without autogen.

 

Why?  There's no reason to do so when you're flying in MSE v2 areas.  There is not autogen to, er... auto-gen inside MSE v2 territory, so the performance gain is there without the need for any changes, yet autogen will still be there if you transition into UTX/GEX territory.

 

Scott

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Better off having backing orig ctg file as Autogen is shut of in v2 outside photoreal areas. Nothing wrong with ctg backed up, but found fsx runs best with minimum tweaks. Everybody way of setting up fsx is different.

 

Better off having backing orig ctg file as Autogen is shut of in v2 outside photoreal areas. Nothing wrong with ctg backed up, but found fsx runs best with minimum tweaks. Everybody way of setting up fsx is different.

[cmpbellsjc 2,961]

 

 

Why?  There's no reason to do so when you're flying in MSE v2 areas.  There is not autogen to, er... auto-gen inside MSE v2 territory, so the performance gain is there without the need for any changes, yet autogen will still be there if you transition into UTX/GEX territory.

 

I agree, no need to make any autogen level adjustments when flying into or out of MSEv2 since MSEv2 doens't include autogen, there is nothing to turn off and performance will be the same in MSEv2 regardless of autogen being set at max or totally off.. At least leaving the autogen turned on to your normal levels will let it display when you exit an MSEv2 area without having to go back into the settings menu and turn it back on.

[1mikel151 71]

Why?  There's no reason to do so when you're flying in MSE v2 areas.  There is not autogen to, er... auto-gen inside MSE v2 territory, so the performance gain is there without the need for any changes, yet autogen will still be there if you transition into UTX/GEX territory.

 

Scott

Agreed, never had any issues where i needed to turn it off or even have another CFG.

For clarity, Autogen object placement is programmed onto the actual ground tiles that FSX loads. When you have photoscenery you have new tiles displayed and unless they come with autogen programmed on them, then you will not have autogen. You can use the annotator in the SDK to add your own autogen to any photoscenery tile, it is tedious which is why most companies don't do it, but very doable.

[1Wolf 7]

Thanks

 

It is indeed MSEv2 (as well as some Blue Sky Scenery) so sounds like I can just leave the Autogen on and be done with it.  I was just worried I was wasting FPS because, without understanding the way it worked, I was afraid it was still creating the autogen but it was just hidden under the photoscenery.

 

Thanks kindly for the advice and explanations.

[woodhick 504]

This might be a little (very little I think) off topic but take a look at my comments and screenies here.  Actually my friend Bill C's work

[GHD 21]

If you wish, you can add autogen to MSE using Annotator from the FSX SDK.

[fppilot 4,371]

 

 

If you have UTX, enable the 3d night-lighting and you will have lights above the photo-scenery. This keeps it more real at night. 

 

Where is this setting?  I looked though my UTX Setup app and could not identify it.

[catchman 13]

Look on the right under the Feature Tree - "Night Lighting." They have it for both intersections and major roads. You don't have to do anything extra other than turn it on.