GEX Released for P3D

[vgbaron 3,486]

Yes Ssnake51 - the downloadable version is the correct one.

 

This is also another to look at:

 

http://forum.avsim.net/forum/737-freemeshx-global-support-forum/

 

I have both installed and so far, all is well.

 

Vic

[Ssnake51 3]

Thanks, Vic.

 

 

Hal

[toby23 136]

Short comparison of GEP3D and FTX Global

 

After removing FTX Global and installing GEP3D and UTX USA and EU, I spent a few hours doing low level VFR flights around KLAS, KSEA and over England and Scotland, here's what I think..

 

- GEP3D is fantastic in the USA. The colours and textures used around KLAS, for example, are very realistic, warm reddish hues and sandy tones that blend in very well with FSDT KLAS. The same goes for the pacific northwest. It is definitely not as green as I expected, or am used to, having used FTX PNW for nearly five years now(!), but as I don't know the area in reality, I can't comment if this is realistic or not.

 

- When flying over England/ Northern Europe, the GEP3D textures are not very representative of the real thing, which is understandable as it is limited by the amount of textures it can use for certain areas, in comparison to FTX Global, which can be used with a custom Landclass system for Europe, Open LC EU, that comes with it's own extensive texture set, designed specifically for Europe and to overcome the limitations of the stock system.

 

For now, FTX Global provides a more realistic looking Northern Europe, unless you have photoscenery. GEP3D textures are better suited to Southern/ Eastern Europe and warmer climates. The fields are all a bit too small in my opinion, compared to what I see in reality when flying over Europe.

 

- GEP3D provide textures for custom UTX landclass areas, for example urban industrial, and these look great. FTX Global does not provide textures for these areas, so you have to use the default UTX versions.

 

- GEP3D provides updated autogen building textures, which look great.

 

- GEP3D provides very believable city layouts, in the USA, by combining clever texture design and autogen placement. If you don't look too closely and don't know the area, it's very easy to feel that you are flying over a real city. I don't fly with such dense slider settings but if you do, you're in for a treat. The colours of the streets in the USA is much warmer than you might expect and this really adds to the feeling of flying over somewhere warm and to me, foreign.

 

Tesselation and bleaching of textures

At first I tried with Tessellation on and HDR off but this over-exposed the ground textures too much, which is a common problem with P3D unfortunately, and one that will hopefully be fixed in an upcoming update. Even using Reshade/ SweetFX, I couldn't control the exposure enough to be able to see the details clearly in lighter coloured textures, e.g. roads, parking lots, roofs etc. As soon as I switched Tessellation OFF, the textures were transformed and looked just like in the GEP3D promotional screenshots, clear, high quality and very detailed, perhaps with a bit too much sharpening, but everyone has their own preference and taste.

 

Conclusion

Since recently installing GenX VFR photoscenery for England and Scotland, I do most of my flying there but I am keeping GEP3D textures installed for regional flights in the USA between payware airports not covered by FTX full fat regions. I will continue to use FTX full-fat regions for shorter VFR flights as I love the detail provided.

 

I wish that I could use GEP3D textures in the USA and a mix of GEP3D city textures and FTX Global field textures in Europe but as I have to choose between both and as I fly more in the USA when not flying over England and Scotland, I will keep GEP3D installed, at least until I see what Orbx have achieved when/if they release an Open LC pack for the USA.

 

I did not see any difference in performance between FTX Global textures and GEP3D textures.

[Jetset408 108]

Toby, thank you for taking time out to write the review. Very much appreciate it and I have found very useful.

 

Rich

[ceno 0]

 

Short comparison of GEP3D and FTX Global

 

After removing FTX Global and installing GEP3D and UTX USA and EU, I spent a few hours doing low level VFR flights around KLAS, KSEA and over England and Scotland, here's what I think....

 

I am also testing GEP3D these days...and agree nearly 100%

The combination GEP3D+UTX Europe V2 is really great, I think Autogen is superior and more realistic compared to FTX.

After removing all the FTX Products and only using UTX/GEP3D i get better performance as well.

 

And now comes the dilemma, FTX overdoes it (in my eyes) with too vibrant colors, extreme green and so on.

GEP3D is the opposite, all looks a little too bleached out, a little too brownish/reddish...this is not what the ground colors look like here in Central Europe.

Another thing i dont like that much are the Mountain/Rock Textures, they need just more details.

 

So, FTX Global vs GEP3D...there is no clear winner

I hope they listen to the critique and improve GEP3D.

[pscharff 56]

Nice review, Toby! I agree with you nearly 100%, too.

 

Patric

[toby23 136]

I have spoken with the developer of GEP3D and they told me that tessellation should work fine, so I guess it's something that I did wrong, and they also told me that they are working on an update for the European textures, which is great news.

[ceno 0]

I have spoken with the developer of GEP3D and they told me that tessellation should work fine, so I guess it's something that I did wrong, and they also told me that they are working on an update for the European textures, which is great news.

 

this is awesome, thanks for contacting them!

[pscharff 56]

... and they also told me that they are working on an update for the European textures, which is great news.

 

Thanks for the info. Sounds great!

 

Patric

[Anthony Vos 0]

I have spoken with the developer of GEP3D and they told me that tessellation should work fine, so I guess it's something that I did wrong, and they also told me that they are working on an update for the European textures, which is great news.

As for the EU update we are making the fields bigger and a better variety in green, dirt and other color types, as well as a few rapeseed fields, reflecting current EU 2015 conditions. I am doing some thorough research, but of course we are limited to 3rd party landclasses. We will keep our progress updated on the simforums. Yes we are listening to your inputs!

[ceno 0]

As for the EU update we are making the fields bigger and a better variety in green, dirt and other color types, as well as a few rapeseed fields, reflecting current EU 2015 conditions. I am doing some thorough research, but of course we are limited to 3rd party landclasses. We will keep our progress updated on the simforums. Yes we are listening to your inputs!

 

Any news regarding the EU update?

[Anthony Vos 0]

Any news regarding the EU update?

We are working on it and I will post some progress screenshots very soon!

[ceno 0]

Thanks Anthony!

[alexzar14 5]

Great review, 1/2 years later I am trying to decide...

 

problem with both is that one is too green all over the world, and the other is too brown. The USA textures described are suitable for west coast, Nevada Utah and that's it, Eastern USA should not look brown.

I guess the best solution is to keep OpenLC EU and wait for OpenLC USA, with UTX.

[Anxu00 176]

 

 

one is too green all over the world

You mean ORBX? Yes they have green thumbs   it definitely on the greener side.