The Mind-Boggling Realism of ORBX

[FleaJump 7]

I'll start of this short post with a link to the newly available Palm Springs Airport, from ORBX.

 

https://fullterrain.com/product/kpsp

 

 

Browsing the net for FSX scenery products, I stumbled on ORBX for FSX and P3D, and, having never heard of the company before, I took a look at the images from Palm Springs Airport, which apparently is bundled with an eerily precise rendition of the ENTIRE Palm Springs area, and I must say that I was just about speechless at the level of detail visible in the ORBX world.

 

I own a fair number of airport scenery products from  FSDT, UK2000, and Fly Tampa, along with several Mega Scenery products, BUT, when I set eyes on what ORBX has to offer in the Palm Springs area, I simply could not believe my eyes, for what has been created is as close to Google Earth ground imagery as has EVER been produced by ANY developer, bar none.

 

Despite my excitement, I did note the "catch", with respect to acquiring ORBX Palm Springs, namely that I would have to shell out $67 for ORBX FTX, as a pre-requisite for being able to install the Palm Springs airport, which costs $33, for a total cost of about $100 USD, but this extra cost did not dampen my enthusiasm for this ground-breaking product called ORBX.

 

Before I finally make up my mind to splash out the cash for ORBX FTX and ORBX Palm Springs, I thought I had best consult with others in this forum who may already own this product, particularly if they already use Mega Scenery products as well.  Specifically, I am concerned that since I already own Mega Scenery Southern California, whether there is a chance that ORBX and MSE Southern California may interfere with one another and thus degrade the scenery due to inherent incompatibilities between the two products, whereby I might have to un-install my beloved Mega Scenery products to make way for ORBX .

 

Secondly, just looking at the almost microscopic detail offered by ORBX ground scenery, I couldn't help but wonder whether my computer system, which handles FSX with decent frame rates, may develop stutters in the imagery, if I rush out and install ORBX without properly researching the frame-rate impact of ORBX FTX and ORBX Palm Springs scenery first, in this forum.

 

Please check out the ORBX website page in the above link, and I think you will agree with me that  IF it works as advertised, ORBX represents a quantum leap in ground scenery rendition for FSX, which effectively bridges the gap between the majestic beauty Google Earth one one hand, and ground scenery products for FSX on the other.

 

Any advice or cautionary notes with respect to acquiring ORBX, particularly on the subject of frame rate impact,  and compatibility with Mega Scenery products, would be enormously appreciated.  Much thanks in advance.  

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Photoscenery kills "4th party" autogen, so the respective PS "tiles" have to be disabled.

 

KPSP airport works well in default scenery; no need to buy FTX Global base. (But it is well worth it for many others.)

You may have to adjust your graphics options (= create a new graphics profile), paying special attention the autogen slider. (Details can be found in any ORBX manual.)

 

And welcome to the "real" FSX world after more than 6 years of AVSIM membership!  

[kevinfirth 1,392]

One may wish to temper one's enthusiasm slightly, whilst the bespoke airfields and immediate surrounding areas in Orbx products are usually well detailed, the wider general OrbX world is vector based Landclass scenery, which whilst undoubtedly pretty to some eyes, could hardly be accurately described as mind bogglingly realistic..

 

Landclass based scenery does have some advantages in some situations of course, but when consideration is limited merely to its level of accuracy/realism, it cannot compare with, for example, Earth Simulations Isle of Man or NW Scotland photosceneries

[WR269 367]

I have recently purchased Orbx Pacific North West. Set out on a navex flying a Cessna and yes I found it mind boggling. I could follow the vfr maps from sky vector, identify roads, bridges, train tracks, rivers etc. and the scenery quality was amazing. We are very lucky to have a variety of developers making scenery to suit any body's palate.

I ended up buying Northern Rockies and look forward to more vfr flights.

[Gartro 18]

Oliver is correct about it working with Default scenery.

 

I only have the FTX/Orbx Regions (except Norway). I don't have Global. I only have Default scenery for this part of California.

 

When FTX AYPY came out, I was deterred from buying it because the product description created the impression that Global is a mandatory prerequisite for it. I then read a post by someone who said that it worked well with Pac Sim's PNG Bush Flying product which I had. I then bought it and had no problems.

 

Having learned from that experience, when Palm Springs was released even though I only have Default scenery for southern California, I disregarded the Global description, "bit the bullet" and bought it and found that it worked without any problems for me. I din't have to do any adjustments.

 

Gary

[FleaJump 7]

The replies here have simplified what appeared to be a complicated problem, and I thank you guys for having taken the time to explain the most important fact that I need to know, namely that ORBX Palm Springs Airport does NOT require the ORBIX Global to work properly, that slightly misleading "strong recommendation"  made on the ORBX website product page notwithstanding.  

 

Oliver you are right that I am very new to FSX ha ha.   It has taken me literally 6 years of unsatisfactory computer upgrades to finally wind up with an affordable system capable of running FSX at or above 30 fps frame-rates, with all my favorite addon airport scenery and aircraft factored in.

 

I have a ton of addons for FS9, which I have used to enhance the realism of my sim sessions all these years, as I patiently waited for hardware speeds to catch up with the needs of FSX.   Now that I have FSX running as intended, I am like a kid in a candy store, scouring the net for scenery to liven up the default FSX environment look ever more as time goes on and new products raise the bar higher.

 

With FSX running smoothly on my system, I have been on the lookout for the next generation of scenery addons, and, until I read the cautionary note added here by Kevin Firth, I presumed that ORBIX must be at the very cutting edge of FSX scenery artistry, though I do remain very interested in ORBX's product line, having read the above thumbs-up review from Will Reynolds, at least with respect to the Pacific North West coverage by ORBX

 

The above responses have been very enlightening, and for now I will refrain from buying ORBX Global, and instead purchase just ORBX Palm Springs Airport, for use with Mega SceneryX Southern California.

 

Muchos gracias Amigos.   Much thanks indeed, for the cost cutting advice offered here.   

[kevinfirth 1,392]

Please dont take my post as a knock on Orbx, I think their airfield sceneries are very good, and their regions and ftx global suit many peoples needs, esp when we have a 32bit memory limitation to work within :(

 

What you will end up buying should depend on the type of flying you do, where you do it, what a/c you fly and what level of detail is acceotable to you.

 

For myself, most of my flying is low and slow GA VFR in the UK. As a rw pilot I personally cannot abide the way landclass scenery like the OrbX UK region has vector roads that criss-cross and conflict with urban textures, it is so obviously wrong to me that I can't use products like that, so I use quality photoscenery. I have found that the new photoscenery being offered with full seasons and 3D autogen is as close to real as it gets at the moment. It only covers small areas of even the UK right now, although there is full tree coverage through other products. I think especially looking forward a year or so to a 64bit versipn of Prepar3D, fully detailed photoscenery will be much less susceptible to OOMs and will become more popular...

 

Other people's perceptions differ, ultimately the only one that matters is yours

[FleaJump 7]

Flying low and slow under 3,500 feet AGL has also been my flight sim preference as well, hence my strong interest in ground scenery addons, but because of my fascination with the automation and power of big commercial airliners, my flight sim sessions typically take place in one of the PMDG Boeings, or my old favorite the Level D 767, taking off on short touch-and-go circuits of the sort that would only ever be flown with real aircraft in training scenarios.

 

Returning to the subject of ORBX, I watched a couple of user-made Youtube videos comparing standard FSX ground scenery with ORBX  scenery coverage for the same areas, and the footage in those reviews was nowhere near as impressive as the still photographs posted in the ORBX website to advertise Palm Springs airport, which I found so spellbinding that I rushed here to start this thread about ORBX.  

 

I'm about to go ahead and purchase a copy of ORBX Palm Springs to test the waters with this company that is so new to me, and, if the product matches the hype, I might be tempted to make a couple more buys for specific regions such as the Pacific North West, while resisting the temptation to go the whole hog and acquire ORBX's all-encompassing FTX Global, just to be sure there won't be any conflicts with my other ground scenery products that have served well all along.

 

By the way Kevin I am secretly envious that you get to fly the real skies at the controls of a GA aircraft, unlike the rest of us land-lubber virtual aviators, and I imagine you get to see the patchwork quilt beauty of the English countryside from the air to a far greater extent than is possible out the passenger window of a commercial airliner, you lucky dawg.

[Gartro 18]

Tony

 

I have found that I have to temper my enthusiasm when looking at the FTX website photos prior to buying the related product.

 

They surpass anything I have been able to achieve on my computer.

 

Gary

[WR269 367]

 

 

I'm about to go ahead and purchase a copy of ORBX Palm Springs to test the waters with this company that is so new to me, and, if the product matches the hype, I might be tempted to make a couple more buys for specific regions such as the Pacific North West, while resisting the temptation to go the whole hog and acquire ORBX's all-encompassing FTX Global, just to be sure there won't be any conflicts with my other ground scenery products that have served well all along.

 

Orbx has a 33% off sale until the 2nd of January, so probably now is the time to get some quality sceneries. For what I have learnt, purchasing the Orbx Areas (such as PNW, Southern Alaska, etc) does not only give you landclass but also mesh and accurate photoreal scenery. They are updated and reviewed and I have found their forum is very helpful as well. Have a look in YouTube at landings in Israel's Farm as well as other interesting ones...Stewart and Tipella...for the VFR lovers, absolutely amazing stuff....but what I found most enjoyable: actually getting there!  Navigation without the GPS, just the old fashioned way...a chart, compass and stop watch. Great fun.

[Gartro 18]

That sale via Flight Sim Store in Australia represents exceptionally good value.

 

Even outside sale time, a  20% discount for seniors has been available for almost two years via FSS on all Orbx products . "Seniors" for this purpose means at least 65 years. To be entitled to it, all you have to do is provide proof of age.

 

Gary

[FleaJump 7]

A third off the regular price of ORBX products is good value for money, Will.  I thank you for pointing out this really good deal, and I am definitely going to acquire a couple of localized areas covered by ORBX, to see for myself just how close to the website advert pages the actual scenery turns out to be.

 

It won't be long, Gary, before I qualify for senior discounts, though I must confess that I ALREADY have those senior moments when I find myself midway through a sentence and losing track of what I started out saying, so I am tempted to claim status as an honorary senior citizen sometimes ha ha.

 

I want to again thank you guys for chiming in on the subject of ORBX scenery offerings, and my initial wild enthusiasm about the images on the ORBX website is now replaced with more realistic expectations about how ORBX stacks up against Mega Scenery and other established scenery products for FSX.  

[AVSIM Admin 4]

This is an automatic message.

 

This topic has been moved from "The Photoreal Scenery Support Forum" to "The Unofficial ORBX Forum". This move has been done for a number of possible reasons.

• The most likely reason is that the post was off topic.
• The topic could also have contained images or a video that were not appropriate to the original forum it was posted in.
• The images might not have been "illustrative" or "explanatory" in nature.
• The topic could have been moved because we deemed it to be more appropriately placed elsewhere.

Please ensure that your posts are "on topic" and contain illustrative images or videos as appropriate. Do not post videos or images just for entertainment purposes anywhere but in the screen shot or video forums. See our image posting rules here.

 

Members who continue to post off topic posts can be denied entry to specific forums in order to reduce and remove the practice. Your cooperation is appreciated.

[Anxu00 176]

 

 

They surpass anything I have been able to achieve on my computer.

Alas, there is no try before you buy with ORBX (well you could also download the demo area at their site) .  All the eye candies come with a cost, unfortunately.  You could start googling OBRX performance and check out yourself.

[LAdamson 240]

Alas, there is no try before you buy with ORBX (well you could also download the demo area at their site) .  All the eye candies come with a cost, unfortunately.  You could start googling OBRX performance and check out yourself.

 As a long time simmer (until a year and a half ago), and a (ex) long time GA pilot, flying across the vast wilderness of the western USA................I'm going to be more than thrilled with ORBX products.  They're one of the main reasons I've went with a major computer upgrade, after so many years of doing with less.