Whenever I go to Norilsk or anywhere in northern Russia the clouds seem very thin and deformed. They are like tall, but horizontally thin. It is very strange... does anyone else know anything about this?

This is an effect of the FSX geometric model of the earth.  FSX does model a spherical earth, therefore as one approaches the poles the longitude lines get closer and closer together.  Unfortunately, the textures also distort correspondingly.

 

The texture sizes are optimized for app. 45 degs latitude and so look pretty good there, but as you go south or north of this they either stretch or contract. 

 

I have always hated this effect and thus don't fly above 65-70 degs. latitude if I can help it.

 

Dave 

This is an effect of the FSX geometric model of the earth.  FSX does model a spherical earth, therefore as one approaches the poles the longitude lines get closer and closer together.  Unfortunately, the textures also distort correspondingly.

 

The texture sizes are optimized for app. 45 degs latitude and so look pretty good there, but as you go south or north of this they either stretch or contract. 

 

I have always hated this effect and thus don't fly above 65-70 degs. latitude if I can help it.

 

Dave 

 

That's too bad, but then again I guess that's one of the down sides of making a spherical earth.

 

P.S. I decided to get in my C-130 and fly to the North Pole, and I see what you mean about the textures getting stretched! If you land really close to the north pole,it creates quite an optical illusion because the textures are rediculously stretched and get thinner and thinner until they reach the exact point of N090W000 (North Pole).

This is weird, usually the clouds aren't affected but up to the north there is issues with ground shadows and they seem to flicker heavily. Also the sky somehow turns orange with a very strange dark/orange lighting effect on early morning like if it's the end of the world. Happens only occassionally though and no, it's not like this in real life. FS9 though...

 

As for FSX, I don't know what you're flying. But for soviet airliners ocassionally you fly out of course in these areas due to badly modelled magnetic inclination unless attentive (I guess).

This is weird, usually the clouds aren't affected but up to the north there is issues with ground shadows and they seem to flicker heavily. Also the sky somehow turns orange with a very strange dark/orange lighting effect on early morning like if it's the end of the world. Happens only occassionally though and no, it's not like this in real life. FS9 though...

 

As for FSX, I don't know what you're flying. But for soviet airliners ocassionally you fly out of course in these areas due to badly modelled magnetic inclination unless attentive (I guess).

 

I usually fly modern airliners, so luckily I don't have magnetic issues when I'm flying around up in Siberia. On a side note... I've never flown anything Soviet other than the An-2, but I'd like to. So I'm wondering what soviet airliners you might fly that offer a good amount of immersion and realism?

I usually fly modern airliners, so luckily I don't have magnetic issues when I'm flying around up in Siberia. On a side note... I've never flown anything Soviet other than the An-2, but I'd like to. So I'm wondering what soviet airliners you might fly that offer a good amount of immersion and realism?

As for airliners, Tu-154B-2 available here: http://www.protu-154.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12840

 

However, it is to be noted that this airplane requieres an intense learning curve that might take a week or two. But it is completely worth it. If you don't want to fly with complex NVU, there is a KLN90B gps available as to not cause course problems as newbie.

 

The Ilyushin IL-86 available here: http://www.avsim.su/f/fsx-aircrafts-79/ilyushin-il-86-fsx-34990.html

 

It severely lacks english documentation though, nothing like  the widespread documents for Tu-154B-2.

 

Another good plane is this Tu-144D available here: http://www.avsim.su/f/fsx-originalnie-samoleti-79/tu-144d-v3-5-44272.html

 

Lacks english info, available to fly though with the lack of documents there is.

 

This yakovlev yak-40 over here: http://www.avsim.su/f/fsx-originalnie-samoleti-79/yak-40-dlya-fsx4-2-53240.html

 

By far the easiest and has an extensive english manual over here: http://www.avsim.su/f/fs2004-aircrafts-40/flight-manual-for-suprunov-design-yak-40-v-2-0-1-rev-17-feb-2007-fs9-50894.html?action=download&hl=

 

 

Also, An-24RV is being currently developed for FSX with modern VC. There is Tu-134A-3 that can be modified to work with FSX as well if you want it, as I have to change a few properties in order to make it compatible.

 

If you need any help... Just ask