FTX Global vs GEX

[NRiese]

Alright. And OpenLC will be released in 2014? As far as I can read it will be released in 7 'parts' around the world, right? I don't hope this will be too expensive :S

[woodhick]

UTX has landclass as well but not as complex as openLC will be. UTX provides vector and landclass data but from what I have seen landclass Often does not correspond to reality so it is poor at it.

 

+1

 

Yes, you might need to be a little selective about where you fly until you can build a collection of landclass programming.

 

See my above re "OpenLC"  Open LC will be Orbx version of landclass programming.  It will not cover the entire earth in one fell swoop.  You will always need to buy LC programming.  And as a disclaimer, you need to understand that all the programming we are talking about here--all other posters too--will provide only a general simulation of the earth, not an actual replica view.  Only photoreal programming can do that.  And if you are concerned about prices, you do not even want to think about photoreal scenery.  It's like a race car or yacht, if you need to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it.

[Mephic]

@Nriese

 

Mesh (fs global or similar) is elevation data - mountains, hills, valleys etc

 

Texture (ftx global, gex) is well... Texture

 

Landclass is putting terrains in right places for eg. Beaches, cities, farms etc in a place where they really are (UTX, better if orbx will deliver - openLC, scenerytech)

 

Vector - roads, rivers, etc (ftx vector or UTX)

 

You can go either gex+UTX way or ftxglobal +UTX or or ftxglobal+vector+openLC (and have complex support from orbx as these are all their productS in last combo). U cannot get vector or openLC without ftxglobal.

 

Fsglobal 2010 or ultimate mesh or fsgenesis is a must have whatever way you choose to go. If you choose orbx way than get mesh from pilots (fsglobal or ultimate) as they cooperate with orbx.

 

That's all from me

[woodhick]

 

 

I don't hope this will be too expensive

 

See my reply re yachts, fast cars and faster women. LOL

[NRiese]

@Woodhick, lol.

 

@Mephic Thank you! That made things a lot more clear for me, haha. I'll just start out with FTXG. I think it sounds awesome. Later on I think I'll extend with landclass and probably vector. Thinking of buying Pro-ATC and the PMDG 747 also, but all this will be very expensive ;-)

 

Thanks for the replies everybody!

[tttocs]

 

 

You will always need to buy LC programming.

 

I fly pretty much exclusively in NA and have two different add-on landclass packages for the area I fly (Scenery Tech and Cloud 9), currently used in conjunction with UTX and GEX.  I would say that buying landclass MAY help in some areas, but I wouldn't say it's always a must have, especially in areas like NA where FSX default landclass is often reasonable.  Probably more desirable in areas where FSX defaults are more iffy.

 

In NA, there are areas where I prefer one or the other of my landclass add-on choices, other areas where it doesn't matter much and even some areas where I think default FSX is best.  As always, YMMV, especially dependent on where you fly.

 

 

 

And if you are concerned about prices, you do not even want to think about photoreal scenery. It's like a race car or yacht, if you need to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it.

 

Absolutely true for large scale commercial products or to cover large areas (covering the US with MS Earth v2, for example, is both an expensive proposition and takes tons of disk space), but there are low-cost, free and donation-ware alternatives in many areas.  For example, Blue Sky ( http://www.blueskyscenery.com/ ) covers a good bit of the SW US, and is a great way to try out photo and see if it's for you.  Photo certainly has many advantages, but it also has many disadvantages, including the flatness when low, lack of seasonal changes and so on.  Most people either love it or hate it.  A few, like me, like it for some areas (like the aforementioned desert SW), but not so much in others.

 

Scott