What is the best Canary Islands scenery? (for FS9)

[Joseph29 225]

I have the old Simwings scenery for the Canary Island but it hasn't been installed on my computer in more than 2 years. I want to fly around that part of the world again and I need scenery for it. I was wondering if there is anything better/newer for the Canary Islands available? Or maybe there is something coming soon? Or should I just go and re-install the Simwings scenery?

[HaraldG 559]

Hi,

 

do you look for airports only or a complex scenery add-on?

 

In my opinion, the best rendition of these islands for FS2004 has Project Canarias 2006 - get it in three parts at flightsim.com. Unbelievable that it is freeware! Unfortunately, it lacks the easternmost islands Fuerteventura and Lanzarote (and I think plans to expand the project onto these islands were never realized). Furthermore, it contains only one airport in high quality: La Palma GCLA. Finally, I remember installing it to be quite difficult; as always, I installed all into a sandbox to learn how the scenery designers made their scenery and what stock files are changed.

 

Just to have an impression:

 

 

If you really were there, you will likely know this sight very well:

You can easily combine Canarias 2006 with Simbreeze's GCTS payware (quite affordable, very good support, has AES). For other airports, I have no knowledge, particularly about the Sim-Giants products (GCXO, GCFV, GCHI). Any experience how good they are and if they are compatible with Canarias 2006 (in case of GCXO, GCHI) are welcome from my side, too. At least, they look better than the Simwings stuff.

 

You can further combine Canarias 2006 with Toni Agramonts Canaries scenery by using the airports and all of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. But if you have Simwings' airports, this would another step backwards... However, I can confirm it works.

 

Regards,

Harald

[Joseph29 225]

So ideally I should forget about the Simwings scenery and get Project Canaries 2006 and combine that with Simbreeze's GCTS scenery. Then hopefully someone chimes in about the SimGiants products. I forgot about Project Canaries 2006. I don't know why but I never gotten that scenery when it came out.

 

I wish I could get that scenery somewhere else beside flightsim. It is taking forever to download the files.

 

Oh and you asked if I look for airports only or a complex scenery add on. Ideally I would like a complex scenery add on with a good airport, but I would take a good airport without the complex surrounding area.

[HaraldG 559]

http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/2895/fs2004-canarysim-project-canarias-2006-scenery/get/

[HaraldG 559]

By the way, there are Phototerrains (freeware) for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura here:

http://vfrflightsimulator.blogspot.de/2009/07/escenario-fotorealistas-de-espana-para.html

Scrolling down into the last quarter of the site will show areas to download in alphabetical order. I discovered this site not earlier than today and will have a look at it asap.

[Joseph29 225]

That website you posted looks interesting. I will have to look through it more closely.

[Joseph29 225]

Question. Is there a way to install this scenery in a dummy folder so I can see what is being changed and installed? If so how? I don't see a way to change the installation path.

[Jure 36]

Question. Is there a way to install this scenery in a dummy folder so I can see what is being changed and installed? If so how? I don't see a way to change the installation path.

 

There is... create a fake FS9 folder on the same level where you have your real installation. If your real installation is in, for example, C:\Program files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator 9, then create C:\Program files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator 9 fake. In this new folder create the whole fs9 folder structure (folders Aircraft, Scenery, etc...) Maybe copy the file fs9.exe here as well - some installation programs look for it.

 

Once that is done, rename your real installation folder to something like C:\Program files\Microsoft games\Flight Simulator 9 real and then remove the "fake" word from your new folder structure. Now you have an empty FS9 folder structure with the registry pointing at it and whatever you install will be put here and going through folders, you will see exactly which files were installed by the installation procedure.

 

Usually I copy the newly installed files manually to the real FS9 installation and then perform an uninstall to remove the files from the fake FS9 and the registry entry. Valid for add-ons that don't check the registry every time you fire up FS9, of course.

 

Just be sure not to forget renaming both main FS9 folders back to what they were once you're done! :smile:

 

Regards,

Jure

[HaraldG 559]

Oh there's a way much easier:

http://www.sandboxie.com/index.php?DownloadSandboxie

just as an example.

I do install all sceneries this way and can either just copy them from the sandbox into my FS2004 installation, or I install them after checking what their installers do. And using the sandbox means in no way circumventing any copy protection - you will have to run all licensing routines as well. I remember it even working with FSDreamteams eSellerate module.

 

For Canarias 2006, the sandbox was ideal. You can prevent running the config tool, you just have to remember that you have to port over all seasonal terrain textures into your FS2004 installation (make four copies of them, rename each copy of them with the appropriate seasonal suffix, partially replace the winter copy by the winter textures provided to have snow capped Mt. Teide).

 

By the way, I just installed Fuerteventura and Lanzarote from the blogspot site. Although not as sophisticated as Canarias 2006 in terms of Autogen and street lighting, the sceneries do what they are expected to. I'm really eager now to hear some opinions about Sim Giants' sceneries: I created an account a their webshop but can't put the product into my shopping cart...

[sascha 314]

By the way, there are Phototerrains (freeware) for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura here:

http://vfrflightsimulator.blogspot.de/2009/07/escenario-fotorealistas-de-espana-para.html

Scrolling down into the last quarter of the site will show areas to download in alphabetical order. I discovered this site not earlier than today and will have a look at it asap.

Thanks for the HU on that VFR Spain site!

Sascha

[AndyPaul 11]

My combination:

 

- Canary Islands from Aerosoft

- Project Canarias (works with Canary Islands from Aersoft and in its configurator you can turn of the landclass)

- Real Spain for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura (Lanzarote: http://vfrflightsimulator.blogspot.fr/2013/01/real-spain-escenarios-fotorelistas-de.html; Fuerteventura: http://vfrflightsimulator.blogspot.fr/2009/07/escenario-fotorealistas-de-espana-para.html (Scroll down a bit or search, there is a link for a 36 MB file)

 

With that I have the complete Canary Islands, with payware airports, photoreal and autogen/3d Models, and nightlighting). Works and looks very well!!

[Appliance 51]

 

 

but can't put the product into my shopping cart...

 

Hi Harald.  I've seen the FSPilotShop has the Sim Giant 2004 products for sale.

[HaraldG 559]

Oh, thanks for this heads-up!

Still almost $ 50 for the gold edition, though, and no possibility to choose a single airport first...

By the way, isn't it a little out of taste to name a product "Disaster airport"?

[Appliance 51]

 

 

By the way, isn't it a little out of taste to name a product "Disaster airport"?

 

IMHO most certainly.

 

Yes I think US$50 is a little rich too particularly since AES will never be available for them.