Simheaven photoscenery no longer available

[tonywob 4,768]

Just to let people know, Simheaven have decided to no longer offer their photoscenery, due to costs/support etc. If you want to create photoscenery, there are still options available for you, e.g. http://zonephoto.x-plane.fr/index.php for zl16, or you can always go and get g2xpl and create it yourself.

 

Also, please don't send me emails asking me to create photoscenery (I've received numerous since the links were pulled). It's not something I want to do, and I certainly don't have the resources to do this. Please respect Simheaven's decision and leave it be. 

 

Simheaven will continue to offer their OSM continent and World2XPlane sceneries.

 

 

 

 

[jcomm 5,890]

Well, 

 

I can perfectly understand PilotBalu's decision, and I can only thank him for the investment he has been doing, every year, to provide the XP 10 community some of the Best scenery available for X-Plane 10 !

 

I used mostly photoscenery with XP10 to enhance PSX outside visuals. As a matter of fact, that is the only way to go for me as long as my PC remains the same ( in the signature bellow ) since 2011.. OSM, and W2XP converted sceneries are very heavy, and the last time I used XP10 with PSX I simply set scenery only to photo, with autogen set to the minima and no OSM at all - that way being able to attain some acceptable performance since I am running both sims in the same rig...

[tonywob 4,768]

I now must fly with photoscenery and can't really stand the default textures. It isn't the end of the world in a sense that I generate my own photoscenery anyway using g2xpl, but for others who don't want to do this, it's certainly a sad day.

 

I also see the number of users of osm data going right down now, since let's face it, it doesn't look very good without the photoscenery underneath.

[MarioDonick 752]

I also see the number of users of osm data going right down now, since let's face it, it doesn't look very good without the photoscenery underneath.

 

Both the default autogen and autogen using the Europe Library look good on the default textures. Especially on the HD Mesh v2 (or now v3) it really shows that the plausible world approach can work.

 

The problem with OSM and W2XP buildings is that they are lacking a foundation beneath the actual buildings. They are just the building object (or facade) -- without connection to the roads it looks strange. W2XP is a bit better in this regard, but not as good as default autogen.

 

Isn't it possible to add some generic property lots of buildings to the OSM/W2XP 3D objects to close such gaps between building and roads?

[tonywob 4,768]

The problem with OSM and W2XP buildings is that they are lacking a foundation beneath the actual buildings. They are just the building object (or facade) -- without connection to the roads it looks strange. W2XP is a bit better in this regard, but not as good as default autogen.

 

Isn't it possible to add some generic property lots of buildings to the OSM/W2XP 3D objects to close such gaps between building and roads?

 

It's possible, it's just a case of adding a draped texture to the actual house models and maybe fences in the world-models library (so anyone who wants to do this, go for it :smile:), so that when used without photoscenery it looks like the buildings will connect to the road. W2XP will already try and rotate the building object so it is facing the nearest road, it isn't perfect, but works ok. The actual best approach is to use agn files and instead of placing individual buildings, place agn zones. But, I can see some people wouldn't like this, and others will :smile:. Since all the information we have in OSM is the actual building and not the garden, fence (well in some instances this has been mapped), etc.. it's all guesswork to get it accurate enough to be believable.

[Humpty 751]

Its not cheap to setup a server and also use a high amount of storage space.

[alpilotx 505]

Its not cheap to setup a server and also use a high amount of storage space.

And all that is nothing compared to the bandwidth requirements (AND costs!) ... oh, and did we mention the "support hell" we freeware users have to face too? Because of some of the "less good" users out there? And I definitely do not mean, that asking question and for help is not OK ... but ignoring existing documentations (this happens very often) or completely turning off the brain can sometimes rise ones "temper" ...

[Humpty 751]

@alpilotx

 

 I completely agree, it's like setting up a linux system without reading the documents and saying that linux is horrible

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

And I definitely do not mean, that asking question and for help is not OK ... but ignoring existing documentations (this happens very often) or completely turning off the brain can sometimes rise ones "temper" ...

 

Yes, sometimes it's very hard. I get emails all the time with stuff that is written on the first page or two of the manual and in big red letters above the download. Like yourself, keeping the software freeware means that I'm not obliged to answer every email and just point people to the manual.

 

 

 

I completely agree, it's like setting up a linux system without reading the documents and saying that linux is horrible

 

Oh I love seeing this, I get a lot of it in my real life job :smile:

[Humpty 751]

@tony,

 

 you use linux @work ?

[tonywob 4,768]

Yes, we use all 3 OS's. Linux/Win and Mac

[User72 28]

In fairness, making your own photoscenery is not hard with G2XPL.

[tonywob 4,768]

 

 

In fairness, making your own photoscenery is not hard with G2XPL.

 

Agreed, it's very easy to do, just people don't want to do it theirselves, and others are saying they have a Mac and can't, etc..

[JonRD463 146]

I love G2XPL so much, it can be a similar addiction as is scenery hunting. I usually crank up the range and set it to generate before I go to bed. On average, the areas I make usually take about 4 hours or so to generate, so I always wake up to goodies. I'll also do it before I leave work so I can come home and fly around the freshly generated area.

[Don Quixote 76]

This is sad indeed, the photosceneries on SimHeaven were a wonderful service. I've made a donation some time ago but it is clear that creating, uploading and maintaining the files must be a lot of work and not cheap either (esp. when considering the huge file sizes and the resulting bandwith usage). In any case, thanks so much to all those involved for providing the sceneries!