Landclass - Making Center and South American not Suck

[Kuragiman 227]

So I was doing a flight from KSAT to KPHX and the flight plan took me over El Paso in Texas.   And what I noticed with GEX World P3D and UTX 2.0 USA installed is just how absolutely dreadful Mexico looked as I was flying near the border.    There was absolutely NOTHING south of the border.   All the detailed Vector and Landclass data just ceased to be.    Now obviously I know that is going to happen since everything south of the border is just default P3D/FSX scenery and is not being handled by GEX or UTX other than GEX providing textures for the Landclass data.

 

My question is this.    As I own GEX World P3D (I own FTX Global also.  Not using currently) which does all the texture and night lighting for the world, I know the TEXTURES of Mexico, Baja California and South America as well as all the tropics should be taken care of.    What I want to know is are there any landclass products out there that can make central and south America come alive?    I saw Cloud9 has their XClass series but without ANY screen shots or any videos to make a judgement I am reluctant to even spend the 10 bucks to find out.    SceneryTech seems to be another Landclass solution but they handle Central America in their United States product and I am afraid this will damage all the awesome work UTX 2.0 USA does on their citytech engine and their own coastal and port city landclass as well as rivers, steams and lakes data.   Is there anything else out there that can make those regions not look like they were constructed for a 2006 flight simulator?   Now Flight1 has UTX Tropical America and Caribbean but I am afraid of it as does not list P3D specifically as being compatible.    It does appear in the GEX World P3D interface a plug-in module so maybe it works without problem?

 

Here's the break down:

Top Layer - UTX 2.0 USA - Vector Product covering USA.    If I want better Vector I need a Vector product for Central and South America.   Doesn't appear to be much out there.  UTX Tropical seems to cover Mexico, Central America and the Caribbeans now that I am looking.   This feels like the best solution as it should plug in with the Gex World Interface.

Middle Layer - ????? - Landclass Data.    UTX 2.0 USA seems to provided updated Landclass data for the US only, obviously.    We need a product for Central and South America here that can make cities appears where they belong, forests where they belong and make mountains look like mountains.  This is the goal of this post.   UTX Tropical America and Caribbean would take care of this problem?

Bottom Layer - GEX World P3D - Terrain Texture.    GEX World P3D is handling all texture processing like a good $130 program should.

[vgbaron 3,627]

Brian - IIRC the UTX Tropical and Caribbean will do what you wish but it is not currently available for P3D. I do know they are working on getting all their other areas P3D compat quickly though.

 

I used some cloud9 stuff back in FSX and was satisfied but I wasn't specifically looking at Central/South America.

 

Nothing comes to mind for P3D however.

 

 

Vic

[Kuragiman 227]

Brian - IIRC the UTX Tropical and Caribbean will do what you wish but it is not currently available for P3D. I do know they are working on getting all their other areas P3D compat quickly though.

 

I used some cloud9 stuff back in FSX and was satisfied but I wasn't specifically looking at Central/South America.

 

Nothing comes to mind for P3D however.

 

 

Vic

 

So even with the F1 Migration tool you don't think the UTX Tropics will install?   I mean the interface for GEX World P3D is already scanning for it to see if it's installed.   I wouldn't want to drop 26.99 and have a useless scrap heap of junk.  XD

[greggerm 312]

If you have a global landclass product (or a landclass product which covers Mexico and south), just layer it between the default P3D scenery and the start of any other products. This will give you landclass enhancements where only the poor default landclass exists, but allow more robust landclass entries (such as Orbx or Ultimate Terrain) to take priority in areas they cover.

 

I use the FS Genesis landclass for "global" coverage, but supplement that with the landclass defined by Ultimate Terrain in the United States. Suits my needs well and marries quite nicely with FTX Global texture coverage.

 

-Greg