I'm hoping for a UTX type competitor.  No offense to NickN and UT, but it has had it's day and it's time for something new in the sim.  If they can do for roads and other vector data  what they have done for ground textures globally, I say go for it!   Slowly but surely, whole parts of FSX are being given such a dramatic makeover that it feels like a new sim!   There is also the possibility that Damian Clark of Active Sky fame will deliver an entirely new weather engine or environment that bypasses the crappy FSX code, that is also another game changer to look forward to in the near future.  

 

So much for FSX dying after Aces killed off development.  I applaud the talented developers who are pushing the boundaries and kicking aside the silly limitations of the old FSX code.

- A software to purchase, download, update, install and uninstall all their products. Their current way of doing things is abysmal and not worthy of a software company operating in 2013.

Something along the lines of the new PMDG operations Center perhaps?

So much for FSX dying after Aces killed off development.  I applaud the talented developers who are pushing the boundaries and kicking aside the silly limitations of the old FSX code.

Something along the lines of the new PMDG operations Center perhaps?

 

What has been done by 3rd party devs (3PD) is simply amazing, but also a testament to how generous Microsoft once was with FSX and opening it up for 3PD. The virtual globe created by Microsoft is still a work of art and if further developed it could have been an amazing graphics engine for a number of great entertainment and professional games. Just looking at howFS developed from FS2000 to FSX, it is kinda sad tinking what we could have had today (FS13?) if ACES hadn't been shelved...

 

As for PMD OPS center I wouldn't know. I only fly props, so until their DC-6 is released I will be in the dark on how it works.

The virtual globe created by Microsoft is still a work of art and if further developed it could have been an amazing graphics engine for a number of great entertainment and professional games. Just looking at howFS developed from FS2000 to FSX, it is kinda sad tinking what we could have had today (FS13?) if ACES hadn't been shelved...

 

My thoughts exactly.  So much work put into creating a worldwide database of airports, a round world model, it hurts my head to think of all the research and programming it took to make MS flight sim what it is.  That's why it pained me to learn they decided to abandon all that work with the closure of ACES.  Like a child that dies before it's parents, it was fascinating to see the base product continually growing ever 2-4 years, with both incremental and revolutionary new features added with each iteration.   Sure, some things were done half-assed, like the weather engine, and the AI could be smarter, but at least we have a plausible AI engine.  Back in my X-plane days I couldn't imagine having AI in that simulator, and I was quite surprised to see it was in MS flight sim for years. 

 

Who knows, maybe MS will have a change in heart, but I wouldn't count on it.   I think about what would things be like if we had FS11, can you imagine FSX built for today's hardware and possibly as a true 64bit app?   Imagine our beloved PMDG NGX and T7 if the developers were not held back by FSX limits, not that they haven't had success in getting around bad code with these last two releases.

I'm hoping for a UTX type competitor. No offense to NickN and UT, but it has had it's day and it's time for something new in the sim. If they can do for roads and other vector data what they have done for ground textures globally, I say go for it! Slowly but surely, whole parts of FSX are being given such a dramatic makeover that it feels like a new sim! There is also the possibility that Damian Clark of Active Sky fame will deliver an entirely new weather engine or environment that bypasses the crappy FSX code, that is also another game changer to look forward to in the near future.

 

So much for FSX dying after Aces killed off development. I applaud the talented developers who are pushing the boundaries and kicking aside the silly limitations of the old FSX code.

 

Something along the lines of the new PMDG operations Center perhaps?

Nick N won't be offended.....Ultimate Terrain X series is not his product.

Nick N won't be offended.....Ultimate Terrain X series is not his product.

Exactly. People keep speaking as if they are connected products aside from the publisher.

 

UTX works with GEX or FTXG just fine.

 

Further, Orbx has always worked hard to ensure compatibility with UT products. They even promoted UT in conjunction with the release of FTXG.

 

The animosity is not there like with NickN. So that makes me question whether they would compete directly with them.

 

Or it could even be a joint venture. JV did say that they have to settle some business agreements first which says there are partners involved. Gonna be interesting.

For all I care ORBX can just take over the entire scenery world. I like the graphical quality of their scenery (I have since VOZ for FS2004) and like not having to worry if one scenery will play well with other scenery. However before that happens I'd really like to see the following:

 

- Lower prices!

- A software to purchase, download, update, install and uninstall all their products. Their current way of doing things is abysmal and not worthy of a software company operating in 2013.

 

 

Oh how i envy your complete acceptance of their visuals. Having almost all their NA regions and one of Australia, I am a big fan (LOVE the flows), but there are many things visually, some technique wise, that I don't find appealing and that other developers do better/differently which is why I don't want them to take over my FS world and why I don't have/want FTXG.

 

As for the prices, man  for what you get, there are very cheap. I do see your point though, that to actually take over your FS world, you would need some deep pockets at current prices, LOL.

 

Considering this is a unique market with unique clientele,  I can't really compare them to any other software or game companies other than the ones that are in this market and if i did i don't think it would be fair..

Oh how i envy your complete acceptance of their visuals. Having almost all their NA regions and one of Australia, I am a big fan (LOVE the flows), but there are many things visually, some technique wise, that I don't find appealing and that other developers do better/differently which is why I don't want them to take over my FS world and why I don't have/want FTXG.

 

As for the prices, man  for what you get, there are very cheap. I do see your point though, that to actually take over your FS world, you would need some deep pockets at current prices, LOL.

 

Considering this is a unique market with unique clientele,  I can't really compare them to any other software or game companies other than the ones that are in this market and if i did i don't think it would be fair..

 

Complete acceptance is maybe a tad strong, but compared to default and the competition I think they are mostly very good. To me there need to be a balance betwwen usability and quality. That is why, scenery wise, I've just stopped using anything else than ORBX. It takes just one installation of a "don't play well with others" scenery and you're knee deep in days of trouble shooting, and worst case scenario, a reinstall.

 

Sure in a perfect world I'd be flying in a completely different sim with a comepletely different addon/modding scene, but it seems we'll be stuck with FSX/P3D for eternity. The perfect sim would look something like this in my book:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSmunh6NIQI

 

UTX works with ..... FTXG just fine.

 

.

No it doesn't. FTXG vector road night lighting does not show on UTX roads.

 

No it doesn't. FTXG vector road night lighting does not show on UTX roads.

It does with about 10 seconds worth of cfg edits. On my phone or I would link the thread. Head over to the unofficial orbx forum on avsim to find the fix.

Here's the link

I have to turn the brightness on my HDTV monitor up to 80%(!) to get PNW to look right.  It looks great there but it would be far better if they would brighten stuff up a lot.

Gee, I thought I was the only who felt this way about PNW just being too dull. I bought FTXG and have been flying PNW and all regions using the new FTXG textures. I actually like them better, although the landclass is far superior in Orbx PNW.

 

Ditto for replacing UTX, especially the coast lines, rivers and lakes definitions.

Its official. Global vector data & a partnership with PILOTS

 

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/64669-orbx-announces-ftx-global-vector-and-iceland-free-demo/

The cat's out of the bag: http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/64669-orbx-announces-ftx-global-vector-and-iceland-free-demo/?p=590558

Well, it's cool.  Looks good at night.  Am I the only one that thinks the roads look pretty bad during the day?

No you'r not.