How would I go about finding this out? I have been browsing for days now and can't make up my mind...utx + GEX? FTX? MegaScenery?

 

What i am after is the best looking scenery for either Washington/seattle or western Germany/cologne for largely VFR flight.

 

I don't care much about the performance hit - my machine is pretty strong - but care mostly about authenticity and near as possible to photorealism.

 

Thanks alot.

 

Oh yeah, this is for FSX of course.

I would recommend the Pacific North West by FTX/Orbx for VFR flying.  There is no MegaSceneryEarth scenery for Washington yet.  GEX replaces your default textures.  So when you are flying in default scenery areas, these textures will show.  They were optimized to provide better performance than the default textures (and I personally proved it when I reinstalled FSX and installed GEX first.  Dramatic changes in performance.  GEX has a European edition too to replace the default textures in that area of the world.  I would recommend an Orbx or someone else's product for the Cologne Germany area.  I think Aerosoft has many of the photo textures and scenery for Europe.  I personally like MegaSceneryEarth V2 scenery.  It is great for VFR flying but just to see the areas of the United States in another way rather than from just Google Earth.  You can't use Autogen for photoscenery unless the developer provided for it but that's good as Autogen is a fps killer in many cases.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Aerosoft released an Orbx-like product for Germany a little while back. I think it's called DEX or something.

ok, so I guess the question I have remaining is, if I use FTX PNW, as long as I stay IN the PNW I wouldn't get any advantages from GEX, correct?

 

And I also deduce from this that for staying in the PNW FTX would be better overall then combining GEX and UTX?

You're correct, you wouldn't get the GEX textures to display in the area where ORBX regions are active. I'd also say that FTX (be it PNW or any other region by them) is in general better than the GEX textures. However, you can combine ORBX with UTX!

For Western Germany, the best option might currently be VFR Germany, because DEX is - as far as I know - Northern Germany only at this point.

Orbx regions combine what you would get from GEX and UTX; textures, landclass, roads, rivers, coastlines, night lighting.  Orbx adds mesh and hand places textures, autogen, POI's,some photoscenery; much better imo than GEX and UTX.  Orbx will soon launch a global texture product, FTX Global.  Only textures though; none of the additions that an Orbx region offers.

 

 

However, you can combine ORBX with UTX!

You can't use Orbx with UTX.  They override each other in the scenery library. Orbx regions offers the same and more but better imo than UTX/GEX.  Now FTX Global and UTX will work great with each other.

I would recommend the Pacific North West by FTX/Orbx for VFR flying. There is no MegaSceneryEarth scenery for Washington yet. GEX replaces your default textures. So when you are flying in default scenery areas, these textures will show. They were optimized to provide better performance than the default textures (and I personally proved it when I reinstalled FSX and installed GEX first. Dramatic changes in performance. GEX has a European edition too to replace the default textures in that area of the world. I would recommend an Orbx or someone else's product for the Cologne Germany area. I think Aerosoft has many of the photo textures and scenery for Europe. I personally like MegaSceneryEarth V2 scenery. It is great for VFR flying but just to see the areas of the United States in another way rather than from just Google Earth. You can't use Autogen for photoscenery unless the developer provided for it but that's good as Autogen is a fps killer in many cases.

 

Best regards,

Jim

 

There is scenery for Washington.....

 

http://www.megasceneryearth.com/store/cart.php?target=category&category_id=107

There is scenery for Washington.....

 

http://www.megasceneryearth.com/store/cart.php?target=category&category_id=107

 

Yes, there is a MegasceneryEarth v 1.0 scenery for Washington, however it costs $120. Megascenery Earth 2.0 scenery for Washington should be available soon - they're moving from the east to west and just released Idaho. However I would still choose OrbX wherever it's available - almost as accurate plus you get full autogen.

Thanks Jimmy, I misunderstood. I thought that page was all v2.....

Thanks.

well I went with orbx. Pretty happy once I got it to work; however, their support system is very unfriendly. It's a rather involving process to register on a forum, do this, watch a video, read a PM (which I didn't get) and so forth. Eventually I got a post in though and they answered fast.

 

Thanks for all the help. I'll look into VFR Germany next.

 

 

You can't use Orbx with UTX. They override each other in the scenery library. Orbx regions offers the same and more but better imo than UTX/GEX. Now FTX Global and UTX will work great with each other.

Sorry, I got confused a bit. You're right of course!