The Mysteries of FTX Global

[Howellerman 104]

First off, I am an Orbx fanboi.  There, I said it.  

 

When I installed FTXGlobal at lot of really good things happened. Most of them have been documented elsewhere.

 

However, when I set FTX Central to "hybrid" a wondrous and mysterious thing happened - it improved my installation of NA PNW!!!

 

Two screenshots, first one hybrid, the second NA PNW. They both taken at high-noon, clear weather, at my reference airport of KTTD (Portland-Troutdale) Notice the decreased number of trees and objects in hybrid mode, and the radically different building. Gone is the weird building with the skewed perspective. There is a new escarpment on the small bluff. These small changes continue as I flew up the Columbia Gorge, and when I have time I will take some more comparison shots.

 

This is but one example, and while I don't understand it, I like it! There is just an increased feeling of "openness" to the landscape in hybrid mode. Golf courses really pop out, and grassy fields are are different enough to that I caught myself thinking "I don't remember seeing that there before". They were, but they were not as delineated as when in hybrid mode. The landscape just feels more real.

 

Velly intellesting...

 

 

 

 

[ppo 67]

intellisting as you say. Had not noticed that.

Worthy of mention is also when you fly out of FTX areas (Hawaii for example) and keep FTX Global on without Hybrid Mode you will notice an improvement on the scenery.

I will try and produce some screenies also to prove my point.

Pierre

[Howellerman 104]

 

 

Worthy of mention is also when you fly out of FTX areas (Hawaii for example) and keep FTX Global on without Hybrid Mode you will notice an improvement on the scenery.

 

Hi Pierre, 

 

I have observed similar effects before myself, but that was before FTX Global become available - things just looked better.

 

I think the Orbxlibs textures and autogen are the reason?

[Paul K 1,317]

Howellerman, there is a thread by John Venema on the Orbx forum, that might explain what you are seeing. If I recall correctly, when hybrid mode is enabled, there is a compromise between what you see in the FTX region ( i.e. PNW, PFJ, England, Scotland etc ) and what you see when you fly out of that region into FTX Global territory. Basically, you see less details in both, when running hybrid mode, but you can fly into and out of each scenery without having to interrupt the flight by selecting one or the other using FTX Central. I'll try to find the actual thread, but thats the gist of it.

[Howellerman 104]

Howellerman, there is a thread by John Venema on the Orbx forum, that might explain what you are seeing. If I recall correctly, when hybrid mode is enabled, there is a compromise between what you see in the FTX region ( i.e. PNW, PFJ, England, Scotland etc ) and what you see when you fly out of that region into FTX Global territory. Basically, you see less details in both, when running hybrid mode, but you can fly into and out of each scenery without having to interrupt the flight by selecting one or the other using FTX Central. I'll try to find the actual thread, but thats the gist of it.

 

Heya Paul, 

 

Yes, I had read that thread and it makes complete sense. What does not make sense to me is that Hybrid mode replaced the PNW buildings in the starboard view with better ones, to my thinking, and more appropriate to the rail road track that lies south of the airport. I was also surprised to the see the difference in the appearance of the small bluff in hybrid mode - it looks more realistic, whereas the PNW "full" mode covers the bluff with vegetation.

 

I would think the Full PNW mode would be the "reference" for the area, but I find myself enjoying the Hybrid mode more. I also want to play with land class assignments: I have both FSGenesis and SceneryTech landclass products, and after participating in a thread on the FTX forums (search "fsgenesis landclass") I want to see what happens with reprioritizing landclass assignments in the FSX Scenery Selection.  

 

Fun stuff! And thank you Google for Google Earth - invaluable tool for verifying landclass definitions!

 

JKH

[Howellerman 104]

Well, I should have known better.

 

Just verified with Google Earth that PNW, and *not* hybrid Global/PNW is the more accurate depiction of the Columbia Gorge.

 

Still like the other buildings, though...