Inspired by the recent release of Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/) I wonder if it would be possible to have this kind of scenery available in the flight simulator.Imagine:[ul][le]A scenery, that is automatically loaded from the net while you fly[/le][le]The scenery should be cached on HD, so only newer or not yet downloaded data should be transmitted[/le][le]A scenery that may be changed, expanded and improved at any time on the server, so you allways get the latest version[/le][le]Scenery should not only consist of satellite images, and elevation data but also of 3d objects like buildings[/le][le]Simmer pilots could subscribe for this service for a fee that pays for the servers and needed bandwith. I think of a montly fee like 5 or 10$[/le][le]Contributors, which create/improve scenery could upload it and be awarded with free time or be even paid for their work[/le][/ul]So what do you think? Would this be possible? More ideas?Anyone startet this project already? Why not? ;-)Greg

Do you know that what Google earth display is sometimes outdated for 2 years ?It's not tomorow when you'll be able to have almost-real-time-say-within-last-3-month up to date satellite evelation data or display like google earth.If you really like accurate stuff try FSGlobal2005. The SRTM datas are the most accurate elevation datas I believe we can get, as end-users.-Jerome

Hi JeromeIt's not the actuality of the data, that matters. The main idea is to improve the 'standard' scenery with 'addon' scenery that is automatically downloaded and installed while you fly, so that you do not have to download and install it manually.Greg

As Jerome says, Google Earth is not yet up to the standard of what is available and created for Flight Simulator today. There is already a program available to let you use Google Earth as a moving map while flying in flightsim, however, with a moving aircraft on the map. Can't remember the file name offhand.I have done several tests/comparisons of particular areas using FS, with FSGenesis mesh, and comparing it with the same 3D terrain views in Google Earth. Basically, it makes me all the more impressed with what Justin Tyme and others (including MS, of course) have managed to achieve with flight simulator! They are very close ...Give it time, though. I do not think it will be very long before the FS topography database is taken straight from something like Google Earth (or the MS version) with a live feed. But to get worldwide accuracy of photoreal representation, you're talking many years yet. Google Earth is poor in many areas of the world that have yet to be adequately covered. FS does not have this problem.MarkMark "Dark Moment" BeaumontVP Fleet, DC-3 AirwaysTeam Member, MAAM-SIM[a href=http://www.swiremariners.com/cathayhk.html" target="_blank]http://www.paxship.com/maamlogo2.jpg[/a]

:-lol Try coming to Puerto Rico on Google Earth, or going to Caracas, Venezuela, or Mexico City. For those of us that don't live in the US or Europe, it would be like going back to the Stone Age.Daniel P.http://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/747400.jpgMember of SJU Photography. [A HREF=http://www.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=9004]Click Here[/A] to view my aircraft photos at JetPhotos.Net!The official psychotic AA painter. :)

Reading the last posts, it looks like I was not clear enough about my idea, so I will try again ;-)I wish to have a central server, where I dynamically can get scenery data from, while in flight. This would eliminate the need to search for, download and install a better than default scenery.The data itself can come from different sources, like freeware or payware designers, that upload it to the server.By mentioning Google Earth, I meant the mechanism, which dynamically downloads detailed data, as you zoom in into one place. The data itself for 'my' server does NOT have to come from Google Earth at all.Hope it's clearer now... otherwise I give up... :-dohGreg

The idea is clear enough. What is lacking is practicality. Even for those who're blessed with highspeed connections, moving terrabytes of data continuously simply isn't economically feasable.For those on dialup connections it would be unusable...

Actually I kinda like this idea... perhaps a FS MMORPG type set-up... along the lines of vatsim, but with a centrally controlled scenery/aircraft databases that can be updated by MS and 3rd party developers alike. The user pays a monthly fee and MS sets up a profit sharing scheme so that developers are paid a certain portion of the monthly fees based on how popular their contributions are.If things like WoW can attract millions of players with high speed connections.. I think we're getting to a point where broadband has penetrated enough of the market that for the people who haven't moved over to a high speed connection, this might be enough incentive for them.

I also think this is a great idea. I was originally thinking along the lines of having recent satellite and aerial images downloaded, but recognized that this, while a worthy goal, is far in the future.Automatically downloading the currently best available scenery for a subscription is something that should be practical now.It is also not necessary to download vast data volumes, because most flights cover a relatively small area. They tend to cover a small area fairly thoroughly or are long and thin.One can submit a flight plan to the server and have it automatically provide the best available scenery that is not already cached on your computer. It would actually reduce the storage requirements on your local computer, because only recently flown territory would be cached and the rest downwloaded on demand. If you regularly fly in only a few areas, then the downloads are also small.regards,Alan.

Anyway, on another note -- I find Google Earth to be ideal to research an area before I go flying -- gives me a good feel for what the terrain is like. It is really an excellent educational tool. After Hurricane Katrina , I had a good look at the New Orleans area to allow myself to understand what the city layout is like and the topography. I was fascinated by the area around the lower reaches and mouth of the Mississippi.Barry

The bandwidth required will become affordable in a few years...but it's already here. Remote networks that are as fast as your motherboard, was the way it was described to me by a friend who works in this field. Imagine how that will change things. Like Wayne Greztky says, "A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." I imagine a 3rd party developer would do this before MS. On a small scale...not the whole globe. And only sending updates..not the entire scenery :) Just as an aside... Anyone that works in software development is probably familiar with Perforce (or similar applications). Basically, this tool does the dirty work of what we're talking about. It manages a data base on your hard-drive. It compares your local data base with a depot data base on a network. If your files are out of date it will tell you...and you can sync to the new changes. On the other hand, with permission, you can check out a file, change it, and submit.. to update the database depot.DannyCYVR

Barry, I can't stand to look at the google earth shots before going flying in FS, I get to dissapointed that the sim doesn't even come close to the way it looks in real life.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/mcdcvabanner.jpgCalVirAir International

>What is lacking is practicality. >Even for those who're blessed with highspeed connections,>moving terrabytes of data continuously simply isn't>economically feasable.Well, it works like a charm in Google Earth. The whole point is that the scenery of your present location is downloaded on demand, and to a certain limit chached on disk for later use. Satelite images for whole cities are downloaded quicker than it takes to load a flight in fs9. Dial up-ers need not apply though.Regarding the quality, google's elevation mesh leaves something to be desired, as do the satelite scenery outside of "interesting" areas, but images of major cities often have a quality far beyond anything I've seen in expensive photo sceneries in flightsim. Even at low altitude objects on the ground look sharp.The idea is a good one, I even thought myself when I tried out Google Earth that this is what the future of flightsimming should look like.-

Very roughly paraphrased from Time, September 5 issue. "on the fronteir of Search, page 54.Sattelite- Google has launched Google Earth... A9.com, Amozon's search subsidiary sent trucks around 22 cities taking pics of buildings.. 35 million pics to be combined on maps. Microsoft is combining the aproaches from the air, flying planes to photograph cities in a project called Virtual Earth. They want views in all directions so users can circle buildings onscreen. Erik Jorgensen, GM of MSN Local Search and map point, "This is going to be a fully immersive virtual reality experience." Promises far from worldwide coverage anytime soon, but seems like some serious potential here for FS scenery.Best Regards, Donny

Google Earth has nothing on detailed photos like MSN VIRTUAL EARTH. Type in a bay area airport like KOAK and zoom onto the airfield in both and see what I am talking about..Only problem is the lack of coverage in many areas.[h4]Randy J. Smith[/h4]