I've just installed FSX after having been away from FS (9) and (X) for several years.  I have a new computer with:

Intel I7-4770K 3.5 ghz (liquid cooled)

8 gig ram

120 GB Samsung SSD for operating system

WD 500 GB Caviar Black for the E drive (dedicated to all things FS)

Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 2GB

Win 7 Home Premium

750 watt Corsair RM750 PSU

 

CPU was 10% overclocked but for some reason the overclocking was lost when the computer was in sleep mode and then wakened.

 

This is my flight sim computer and I haven't loaded anything other than Chrome, and Thunderbird as well as Avast.

 

So, with all that in mind, I live and fly in the PNW (Oregon mostly) and would like some realistic terrain, some good scenery, and a good weather generator. 

 

I used to have (for FS 9) Ultimate Terrain, and Active Sky (back when Active Sky first came out) and they were the cat's pj's back then.

But, this is FSX and I am way behind in what is good, best and what to stay away from.

 

I fly mostly general aviation (props) some twin engine.

 

Any helpful suggestions and/or recommendations sincerely appreciated.

 

Leafhopper

FSGRW for weather

ORBX Pacific North West for scenery

Realair Duke V2 for a twin

 

I think the majority of people will agree with my scenery and aircraft choice. Weather programmes are a bigger argument.

 

Be aware, if you like Orbx scenery, you might spend more money on their other scenery than you planned!

I'm not sure about Orbx from the comments I've been reading.  I was about to push the buy button but then I read about the problems with FTX from Orbx and got a little skittery.  I don't want trees popping up in the rural airports I fly to.

I haven't heard of FSGRW...I best check up on that.  The realair Duke sounds like a good one, I had their Marchetti(sp) for FS9 and I loved it! Hmmm, I best check that out too, now that I think about it!

 

Leafhopper

I have used Orbx for about a year now with no issues at all . FTXG is their newer product which came out

over the summer . It replaces FSX default textures with Orbx textures on a global basis . Just this week

they released a free demo of the entire country of Iceland . There are two links here :

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/67070-ftx-global-iceland-demo-on-version/ and

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/67069-ftx-global-iceland-demo-off-version/

Good luck to you on what ever direction you take .

 

John

 

 

I'm not sure about Orbx from the comments I've been reading.  I was about to push the buy button but then I read about the problems with FTX from Orbx and got a little skittery.  I don't want trees popping up in the rural airports I fly to.

I haven't heard of FSGRW...I best check up on that.  The realair Duke sounds like a good one, I had their Marchetti(sp) for FS9 and I loved it! Hmmm, I best check that out too, now that I think about it!

 

Leafhopper

 

Tree´s popping up?  Never heard or seen that in any Orbx scenery.   If you have concerns, then download the Orbx PNW Demo and try it!  It also has KHQM for free.

 

I use FSGRW over Opus (many peoples favourites) as I find FSGRW has better simulation of wind gusts and turbulence.  It also has a very simply user interface where as Opus has become very complicated over time.

 

Again, if you are unsure, download the FSGRW demo and try it first, it´s does not have all the features of the full release but it will give you an idea.

I'll do that and try the FSGRW demo. Does it have it's own cloud textures or is it strictly a weather generator using default clouds?

Johnbow 72, I'll check out the FTXG demo.  I think this is the one I heard about the trees popping up and problems people had trying to uninstall.  I'll go back and re-read these comments.  I've read so much in the last couple of days, that, I might have things confused.  I'll check it out.

 

Leafhopper

Here was a review that was done on FSGRW : http://mutleyshangar.com/reviews/np/fsgrw/fsgrw.htm

I have had great results with this program .

Thanks for the link, johnbow72!

Is UTX the best terrain mesh generator?  I remember, I think, that UT is strictly mesh and that I would need textures from another source or use the default textures.

Thanks for the link, johnbow72!

Is UTX the best terrain mesh generator?  I remember, I think, that UT is strictly mesh and that I would need textures from another source or use the default textures.

 

 

UTX has absolutley nothing to do with mesh. It is vectors (roads, rivers, lakes, coastlines etc.).

 

I've purchsed most of the high quality addons for scenery over the years and nothing comes close to ORBX for the PNW. It is the best scenery ever made for FSX in my opinion, and I've been flying that area since FS2002 with every addon available. So for you I would recommend:

 

Scenery: ORBX FTX NA Pacific Northwest https://fullterrain.com/product_nablue.html There is a free demo for you to download of the scenery, so you can try before you buy! With ORBX scenery you don't need mesh - everything is included! I recommend you take a flight in the demo area before you install the demo. It will show what an amazing improvement the oRBX scenery really is.

 

Weather: Fast, easy to use and realistic: Pilot's FS Global Real Weather. http://www.fly2pilots.com/cms/Ui/Pages/Products/MainPage.aspx?id=253b8b5c-0a91-4935-8d01-b3c70aee6034

 

Twin aircraft: RealAir Simulations Beechcraft B60 Duke is my all time favourite twin for FSX. Milviz Cessna 310 is not bad either, but the aircraft isn't as cool in real life, so the Duke would be my #1 choice. http://www.realairsimulations.com/dukeb60v2_overview.php?page=dukeb60v2_overview  http://milviz.com/fs/item.php?id=C310R

For me the best results in Orbx world has been FSGenesis for the mesh and UTX for the vector info .

FSGRW for weather

ORBX Pacific North West for scenery

Realair Duke V2 for a twin

 

 

Good suggestions for you Leafhopper, but I would replace FSGRW with OpusFSX as your new weather engine, because it offers just as good (if not better) weather in my opinion, but also gives some other fantastic features, such as 'dynamic camera shaking' during aircraft movements (excellent), camera utilities, etc.     Whereas for the same (maybe even more?) money, FSGRW only gives the weather engine.

Each to their own

 

Like I said, WX progs are a can of worms.

 

I find FSGRW offers much better weather than Opus and the dynamic camera in Opus is not very dynamic at all and you end up in the opus setup menu more than flying the plane!

AH HA! Now it comes back to me! FSGenesis is the mesh generator! Thanks!

 

Okay, I think I'm getting the right picture.  FSGenesis for mesh, UTX for vectors, ORBX PNW for scenery.

Weather...More in depth research needed on my part. I have seen videos of several weather generators and, frankly, they all look pretty good. 

 

Adjusting and fiddling around I would like to avoid as much as possible. I remember FS9 and all my addons...hours upon hours of adjusting, tweaking, and fiddling for minutes upon minutes of flying.  I'm old and cranky now, not sure I want to repeat that process. But, I know it's coming.  I know I can get 2 FPS more if I just do this or change that.

 

It's the "Return of Nightmare on My Street"! Why, oh why, do I do this to myself?

 

Leafhopper

Just to add to the mix, I use Rex essential for weather, plus you get new cloud, sky,water,wave animations, as well as runway and ramp textures, and new thunderstorm sounds. And much more.

And I just saw on Avsim front page you can get it right here in the Avsim marketplace and it's 50% off. Pretty sweet deal.

 

Glen

glenm:  I was really considering REX and with the sale price, I went ahead and bought it...but!

 

Avsim charged me the full price and didn't tell me where to get the software!  I'm sure they will work it out and let me know, I guess I must have been the first or in the first few to jump on it,,,before they were ready for prime time.   I'm sure they will sort it out...I hope.

 

Leafhopper