Xtreme Cities Limited Release (Official Release Tomorrow) from Ultimate Terrain Group

[FlightSimDimm 16]

After seeing what Apple maps just did to 3D cityscapes, I think I'll wait until someone figures a way to integrate this to the flight simulation...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEd1vvqiDnQ#t=27

[Guest]

After seeing what Apple maps just did to 3D cityscapes, I think I'll wait until someone figures a way to integrate this to the flight simulation...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEd1vvqiDnQ#t=27

 

Oh my... Well, I guess that IS the future...

[RoboRay 126]

Must I be the first to complain about the blurries in that video?  :rolleyes:

[akriesman 0]

Guys,

 

Developer here again.   As I mentioned at first, I rarely visit public forums, because I feel that public forums are a place where the general public should be able to give their honest opinions.   And, developers can get a little sore (and biased) when information is presented in a manner that is incorrect.

 

So, I have chosen over the last 10 years to let our customers handle the spread of information, good or bad.       As a result, I probably won't be responding much here if at all.

 

However, if anyone has any questions or comments at all, feel free to visit our Flight 1 support forums at the location below.

 

http://www.simforums.com/forums/xtreme-cities-series_forum55.html

 

If you guys think there is a good reason for developers to visit public forums and give their opinions, I would be interested in the feedback.   In the past, I have seen a lot of developers push their own agenda and basically hurt their reputation.    I want to provide the best service to the community, without overstepping boundaries.

 

Thanks !

 

One more thing regarding the Apple 3D buildings:

 

https://www.youtube....Ed1vvqiDnQ#t=27

 

I am pretty familiar with this technology as I was in touch with google about it about 1 year ago.    I also believe this is the future for flight sims.  However, it is not going to be the near future.  IMO, flight simulators are going to have to change their terrain modeling to be able to do what you see from Apple right now.    There are some places in Google Earth that use the same logic, only not as high resolution.

 

Cheers. 

[smpetty 6]

Must I be the first to complain about the blurries in that video?  :rolleyes:

 

Hilarious 

[FlyIce 354]

After seeing what Apple maps just did to 3D cityscapes, I think I'll wait until someone figures a way to integrate this to the flight simulation...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEd1vvqiDnQ#t=27

Every time I see such video I'm drooling all over the place thinking about the days flying over such cityscapes in the flight sim, and, of course, with a future Oculus Rift of 8K screen....

[hawkeye52 8]

Hey guys I've finally gotten to fly around a bit I flew around both San Antonio and Austin.  Really impressed so far.  I normally can pull 40 FPS in Orbx Regions and close to 60 FPS out in the boonies where I don't have addons so getting between 30 and 45 here isn't bad with everything turned on.

 

Here is an album of screenshots!

http://imgur.com/a/XK4Q4

[FlyIce 354]

Very nice! Beautiful screenshots. Flight1 really should put your screenshots on their website. Couldn't wait for them to roll out my home city (Pittsburgh).

[wolke85 150]

 

 

If you guys think there is a good reason for developers to visit public forums and give their opinions, I would be interested in the feedback. In the past, I have seen a lot of developers push their own agenda and basically hurt their reputation. I want to provide the best service to the community, without overstepping boundaries.

 

... i think it is really okay and actually welcome by the "public" community to join public forums every now and then asa developer - and be it only for pointing people into the direction of the dedicated developer's very own forums.

But some public interaction and communication with the comunity "out there" certainly ain't wrong.

Only my two cents here though.

:smile:

 

Hey guys I've finally gotten to fly around a bit I flew around both San Antonio and Austin.  Really impressed so far.  I normally can pull 40 FPS in Orbx Regions and close to 60 FPS out in the boonies where I don't have addons so getting between 30 and 45 here isn't bad with everything turned on.

 

Here is an album of screenshots!

http://imgur.com/a/XK4Q4

 

 

Very nice! Beautiful screenshots. Flight1 really should put your screenshots on their website. Couldn't wait for them to roll out my home city (Pittsburgh).

 

+1

[theskyisthelimit 48]

I've been doing some testing (see my flight-stew link for photos) and its gone well.. up to a point.. i think this may be a regional issue but not due to the addon..

 

el paso texas, i just verified this..

 

This is on my test machine, not my full blown machine (650ti boost on the test machine, i use a 780ti on the full one)..

 

if you fly in a c172sp (default/microsoft) in el paso, mid city in the VC, i'm holding a test frame rate of 30ish, no issues (fair weather), this is with everything turned on.. switch to a carenado made craft, a36, c90 or even the ants p92 eaglet i still hold 26-30 frame rate (incidentally this area only drops about 5 fps from default with everything turned on).. 1920 res..

 

Now for the troubling part (again, even without xtreme cities turned on, i experience this drop for this area..  New Orleans, near the city, mid air, inside the VC:

Default cessna, no worries.. 30 fps, smooth

 

Now, try the a36, the c90 or the p92 eaglet and the frame rate tanks (maybe the hd vcockpit has something to do with things, this even at 1024 resolution).. it becomes say 9-13 fps on my test machine.  studdering mess (and again, even if you turn everything off this continues)

 

This can be replicated on my beast machine 780ti.. frame rates a little higher but same issue no less..

 

EDIT: testing the same with DD NYCx in a C172 default craft.. 27 fps.. switch to P92 and this becomes 17.. so its definitely a general issue, which is probably common, more hit in certain regions than others.

 

I think New Orleans in general must not play nice with certain add-on aircraft.. has anyone seen this?

 

Overall, with maybe a 5 fps hit (single screen tests so far), this product is doing well.

[theskyisthelimit 48]

 

Now for the troubling part (again, even without xtreme cities turned on, i experience this drop for this area..  New Orleans, near the city, mid air, inside the VC:

Default cessna, no worries.. 30 fps, smooth

 

Now, try the a36, the c90 or the p92 eaglet and the frame rate tanks (maybe the hd vcockpit has something to do with things, this even at 1024 resolution).. it becomes say 9-13 fps on my test machine.  studdering mess (and again, even if you turn everything off this continues)

 

This can be replicated on my beast machine 780ti.. frame rates a little higher but same issue no less..

 

I think New Orleans in general must not play nice with certain add-on aircraft.. has anyone seen this?

 

I was able to trace the problem.. in areas like New Orleans, the heavy hitting high def cockpits are causing spikes in fps then drops, hence stutters.. at least in combination with Orbx Vector.. specifically the entry in scenery.cfg ORBX!Vector_CVX

 

If i disable just this, then everything is smooth no matter what aircraft is used.  I was now going to dig into the Vector settings and figure out which one (with CVX enabled) is causing the issue (terrain elevation = cvx?)

[FlyIce 354]

I was able to trace the problem.. in areas like New Orleans, the heavy hitting high def cockpits are causing spikes in fps then drops, hence stutters.. at least in combination with Orbx Vector.. specifically the entry in scenery.cfg ORBX!Vector_CVX

 

If i disable just this, then everything is smooth no matter what aircraft is used.  I was now going to dig into the Vector settings and figure out which one (with CVX enabled) is causing the issue (terrain elevation = cvx?)

 

Good to know that since I'm running FTX Global + Vector + OpenLC Europe. Wonder you should post this to Orbx forum so they can find a fix....

[theskyisthelimit 48]

Good to know that since I'm running FTX Global + Vector + OpenLC Europe. Wonder you should post this to Orbx forum so they can find a fix....

I'm still trying to fully confirm that its not some other weird interaction though.. you or anyone else i guess could try the same experiment.. pick a "hi-def" cockpit like a carenado with the cvx entry enabled, note the fps for about 5 seconds (and stuttering) then turn off the cvx entry and repeat.. if its smooth as nails and no jumping around in fps then perhaps there is more to this.  Either way, again, wasnt the fault of xtreme cities, but it could make many think it is.

 

At least on my system, i noticed something interesting.. with vector and the New Orleans up close to the city view, there is the river present with Xtreme Cities activated.. turn off Xtreme Cities and if you have Vector turned on in the scenery library it vanishes. (Mississippi)

[Kuragiman 227]

I wish this product or that a similiar product would do building/tree population AROUND airports and not just city centers.   That is the ONLY bad thing when doing photoreal flying are the landings and takeoffs are a bit flat.   Some airport designers do populate around the airports, such as FlyTampa Midway, but it's not enough.   Any commericial guys out there want to run an Airport building populator?     *shakes wallet*   Say... 3 radius miles around each major airport in the US and Europe?  Pwease!?

 

On a note more in line with this topic, I'll be doing a full blown video review on my flight blog channel this weekend for anyone who wants to see how to install, options and then performance testing.

[wolke85 150]

 

 

On a note more in line with this topic, I'll be doing a full blown video review on my flight blog channel this weekend for anyone who wants to see how to install, options and then performance testing.

 

Sounds good - will certainly take a look at it and check it out as soon as possible!

Thank You very much!