The truth about FTX Global vs GEX World

[Kaboki 437]

 

 

Could someone do me a favor who has FTXG and post a few screen shots of the night lighting,

 

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/64168-ftx-global-patch-110/

[PIC007 82]

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/64168-ftx-global-patch-110/

 

Thanks but I dont want PR shots, I want to see what users are seeing

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Just stay with gex and utx they are not rogue like ftx is. GEX will be improved anways but it plays well with other add-on free or payware.

[DickB 6]

I can look in the FSX SDK to see what all of the original files are for, and what their attributes and values are.  Has ORBX published what their changes incorporate?

 

This list may not be exhaustive:

 

 AutogenDescriptions.spb

- default.xml

- lclookup.bgl

- RoofDescriptions.spb

- terrain.cfg

 

I also noticed there is a thread on the FTXG support forum for users to report airfields with trees in the runway.

 

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/62900-trees-on-the-runway-report-here-please/

[scott967 62]

Who cares as long as it works. Again, give me an example of any addons that don't work with FTX Global?

 

They do change the files so they can do things the SDK never alllowed them to do, so that we a customers get a better product. For all I care they can rewrite the whole freaking SIM as long as everything works..

 

 

I care, so that's one I guess.  If you don't know what was changed, it makes it kind of hard to see if it breaks stuff, don't you think (some changes could be subtle)?

 

As far as editing / replacing models in the autogen description spb files, the sdk lets you do it so it isn't a case of being "allowed", the question is that the autogen is shared by all terrain addons, so if every developer released his own version of the descriptions it would be chaos.  Now I suppose it could be that one developer's mods are so great that everyone would want that version, and that version only, though it would be nice to know exactly what the changes are.  The same general thing with terrain.cfg.  On that one we've had a mod version that was created not long after fsx was released, and it seems to co-exist in the wild with the default one so it isn't the end of the world, but it depends on what is being changed from the default.

 

As far as mods to lclookup.bgl, the developer from what I've read claims his mods are proprietary so he won't divulge what is changed, though I suppose it could be reverse engineered.  I'm guessing among other things he might have changed the landclass texture remapping that occurs on sloped terrain, but that's just a that, a guess (don't own the product as I don't want to have to do a separate install of fsx just to be safe in testing though the suggestion of Nick to use symbolic links to create a sandbox is intriguing).

 

scott s.

.

[Kaboki 437]

 

 

Thanks but I dont want PR shots, I want to see what users are seeing

 

This is what I see

 

 

GEX will be improved anways but it plays well with other add-on free or payware.

 

Again, tell me what addon doesnt work with FTX Global....

[Kaboki 437]

so if every developer released his own version of the descriptions it would be chaos.

 

And many do, e.g Earth Simulations, France VFR, Some aerosoft sceneries, 29 Palms, FlyTampa and probably more.

Orbx has actually merged these autogen scripts with most of these sceneries so they have solved that comp problem.

And they, ES and 29 Palms seem to be the only ones that do this so the addons can work together.

JV tried to get in touch with France VFR devs so their autogen could be merged too, but didn't get a response....

It's the price for having custom autogen and make things look pretty, and most of these issues are solved by Orbx.

 

Why isn't anyone flaming these other companies? Always blame things on the big evil Orbx company....

This Orbx bashing is starting to get ridiculous <_<

 

 

I also noticed there is a thread on the FTXG support forum for users to report airfields with trees in the runway.

 

What you see in default, you will see in FTX Global, unless you have better landclass under the hood.

[Phred98765 2]

Kaboki,

 

The other companies that you list make sceneries for limited areas.  FTXG replaces textures and landclass calls for the world.  That's the thing that both interests me (due to Orbx's awesome quality) and gives me pause (due to Orbx's sometimes non-transparent attitude.).

 

Back in the day, Microsoft / Aces put all of their cards on the table in regards to literally everything needed to make something that would work with Flight Simulator.  (Heh, "Aces"... "cards.")

• Maybe I'd like to put some "better landclass under the hood" after I install FTGX.  Where are the guidlelines for me to start?
• Maybe I'd like to tweak and innovate - for myself mind you - using their autogen and textures and other widgets.  Where can I go to see what's what??
• Maybe I'd like to know "what won't work after I install this?"  Without full and free documentation, how could anyone answer that without first buying the proverbial "pig in a poke?"

One of the things that I greatly admire about the Microsoft FS line is that they came to a point where they released enough information to everyone (who cared to read) that would allow anyone to make add-ons that Microsoft themselves never could have imagined.  (I mean, look at what we can choose from today!  Orbx imagined, and look what they've done!)

 

See, back in the day Microsoft was the big dog on the block.  But when it came to their piddly little Flight Simulator franchise, they opened up literally everything. 

 

Imagine if Microsoft had approached their competitors at the time to ask their competitors to "work with us."  On the contrary, Microsoft did the opposite... Microsoft gave away the keys (the values and meanings... the codes...) for their system to everyone.

 

Orbx started as doing regional Australian packages.  I never gave them a second look until I installed their demo of Tasmania.  Blown away, I was.  After that, I bought everything they released for a few years until... things changed.  Then I swore that I would get off the bleeding edge of purchasing and wait to see what developed with their p.

 

I'm in the waiting mode for FTXG, which is a massive complete replacement of a significant portion of the Microsoft/Aces "open deck" that keeps me in the FSX/P3D world.  (Heh, "Aces" "open deck".)

 

A tipping point for me to commit to FTXG would be a simple declaration of intent towards freeware and/or 3rd party publishers.  Since FTXG is "Global" in name, it's demanding more than anything targeted at "France" or "the UK" or "Oceania" would ask for, so there's just no comparison there. 

 

Failing to know anything of Orbx's plans or details for FTXG 3rd party add-ons by... the holiday season, let's say... if I'm still interested in the FTXG experience at that time, I might bite the bullet and spring for a separate P3D or FSX Gold installation just for FTXG and my Orbx sceneries and see what comes from there.  Far from "Orbx bashing" I'm just wishing Orbx were as open and trusting as cuddly old Microsoft was... in the day.... ^_^

 

You come across as awfully defensive for Orbx's side... and there's really nothing wrong with that... but your bashing of others equally isn't really needed.  I've invested in all of Orbx's regional packages and in many of their early airports and while I'm sorely tempted to take the FTXG plunge, I'd just like to know before I do... what are the specifications for building my own personal add-ons that would work with FTXG??

 

So don't ask me again what I'm giving up if Orbx won't tell me what I'm giving up.

[hs118 707]

 

 

Again, tell me what addon doesnt work with FTX Global....

 

http://fsxtimes.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/204-ftx-global-second-impression/

[UlfB 7]

Here is how FTX Global really looks at night over a Swedish town with 80 000 inhabitants.

 

 

 

 

And this is the same city with GEX and UTX.

 

 

 

No FSX bloom, ENB series or no post processing what ever.

And the FTX Global night lighting is very far from realistic. Nice Christmas Tree, but still not realistic. That's why I prefer GEX and UTX Europe ;-)

[molleh 451]

Your screenshot doesn't belie the heavy FPS impact of UTX's lights...

[Kaboki 437]

 

 

FTXG replaces textures and landclass calls for the world.

 

Yes and it does without braking anything, contrary to what others claim in this thread. The autogen issue is something you run into when having the regions, and most of those issues are already solved....Thanks to Orbx, ES, 29 Palms.....

 

 

 

Maybe I'd like to put some "better landclass under the hood" after I install FTGX. Where are the guidlelines for me to start?

 

You can add whatever you hart desire to FTX Global without having to worry about a damn sh... And if e.g France VFR and ES don't work toghether it has nothing to do with FTX Gobal because they don't work together even in default because of the custom autogen files...

And go to the Orbx forum, you will get help to use UTX, Aerosoft airports etc etc etc etc etc etc. They are infact very helpful with howto integrate other devs sceneries. Like the guide Holger Sandman wrote on Ancourage X and SAK

 

 

 

You come across as awfully defensive for Orbx's side... and there's really nothing wrong with that... but your bashing of others equally isn't really needed

I am because most things said in this thread is just irrelavant and bullsh.t. Like I tried to ask several times in this thread, name a product that does not work with FTX Global?

 

Im not bashing others, just saying how it is, everyone has some dirt on their hands when it comes to the autogen scripts(Orbx has it with their regions), and now some of them are actually trying to correct that and merge those autogen files. While others don't want too....

But Orbx seem to be the only ones getting blamed for having custom scripts in their regions even when they have actually done something so there won't be incomp problems..

[Phillip Gallagher 101]

FTXG is great and i highly recommend it.  However, it makes the world way way too green.  Anyone know when the will have a patch to address this?

[Kaboki 437]

http://fsxtimes.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/204-ftx-global-second-impression/

 

I have all those sceneries and haven't seen any problems with them, except Santorini in hybrid mode(in normal mode it works) because they also use custom autogen scripts and it has to be merged to get it to work. The makers of Santorini could simply ask Orbx to merge the scripts with theirs and it would have been solved just like with ES and 29 Palms. Same goes for France VFR and Flytampa Grenadines....

 

But in Native FTX Global mode there is no issues, the hybrid mode is to have all the regions active at once and offcourse it will cause issues a few Places, even their own regions don't display correctly with it....

 

So with only FTX Global alone there isn't anything to be concerned about....

 

I can name 3 sceneries that I can't get to work in hybrid mode, France VFR, Flytampa Grenadines and Santorini I already mentioned them earlier too.

It's 3 out of several hundreds of addons I have! And it could have been solved if they was willing to actually let Orbx merge those files.

 

I saw they mentioned Madeira, I have MadeiraX and it works flawlessly with Global even in hybrid mode, same with El Hierro..

[UlfB 7]

Your screenshot doesn't belie the heavy FPS impact of UTX's lights...

I didn't notice any difference, but that might be due to my system. Might be that the FTX Global is better suited for simmers with older hardware. I prefer the GEX and UTX anyway. I don't mind if other simmers prefer the FTX Global lightings. That's perfectly OK with me. I posted the images to for anybody to be able to compare FTXG with GEX/UTX. Nothing more or less.