ORBX XP11: What are your predictions?

[garrett_frank 150]

Being short by 32 bits is the least of P3D's problems.

[Guest]

Well...they should offer a position immediately to Mr. X, and a couple of others that have created XP airports that match, or even surpass the 3rdP content standards that Orbx has made their distinctive mark.

 

The first thing (IMHO) they need to make, is what they did for FSX and P3D...world-wide graphics (their Global product), then world-wide, or continent-wide LandClass.

 

After that...specific regions and airports

 

I can only imagine what XP11 could be converted to. One thing they don't need to re-invent...is night lights. That engine is quite alive and well.

I absolutely don't hope they will bring their generic scenery to XP. I am done with ground textures with baked in houses that get run through by roads and are cut of near water. None of that in XP, please. Some of their airports, with photoreal, may look good in XP although some XP freeware really is at the same level already. After getting used to it the softer colors of XP look more real than the full colors of Orbx, as nice as they are on their own. I wonder if I would buy any of the current addons for XP. I think the ONLY scenery addons that may sell well for XP, apart from airports, would be photor al regions with accurately and realistically placed buildings on it. Anything less than that and you are better off creating it yourself for free.

 

And btw for those who are still guessing... the project names speak for themselves already. Not much guessing left to do.

[Jimm 437]

It'd depend on just how much they can improve upon the default scenery without breaking what's so good about it. The coloring and textures that make up scenery could use an upgrade if it's possible and it would be nice to see better defined land-class within the 3D plausible world. More regionalized (and simply more variety everywhere) autogen and seasons are also needed.  

 

I recognize that XP does things differently, so what's possible and what's not is a bit fuzzy to me. But for those of us who fly in the US where OSM (building) data isn't that great, a way to improve the plausible world generation would be welcomed. 

If someone were to get down to the exact science of how these textures could be replicated to emulate real life, it would take some serious analysis and data.  For example, on a bright, sunny day during the summer, you can get some very deep and rich coloring from the ground, deep greens of the grass to deep blues of the sky, but then you switch to a dreary overcast day, everything can look muted.  All of that is based on air quality, temperature, humidity.  If that can be calculated automatically, say within a weather program, then perhaps the rosetta stone is found, but changing the colors of base textures would only suit a certain condition of a given day during a given season.  That's a lot of data to crunch if we were to get scenery and weather to play nice together and adjust themselves accordingly.

 

For me personally, I'm just happy with how the core XP sim operates with no OOMs or any other anomaly that ruins a good flight.

[Humpty 751]

flightgear 64 bit

[CrownCityMisfits 58]

Dayum. I heard they stopped supporting PayPal as an option. I don't think I'll buy anything if they don't allow us to use PayPal.

 

Don't believe everything you hear.

[garrett_frank 150]

I absolutely don't hope they will bring their generic scenery to XP. I am done with ground textures with baked in houses that get run through by roads and are cut of near water.

 

Definitely bothersome. That's why I stop looking at the ground. Funny thing, though, I keep stalling all of the aircraft that I fly...

 

If someone were to get down to the exact science of how these textures could be replicated to emulate real life, it would take some serious analysis and data.  For example, on a bright, sunny day during the summer, you can get some very deep and rich coloring from the ground, deep greens of the grass to deep blues of the sky, but then you switch to a dreary overcast day, everything can look muted.  All of that is based on air quality, temperature, humidity.  If that can be calculated automatically, say within a weather program, then perhaps the rosetta stone is found, but changing the colors of base textures would only suit a certain condition of a given day during a given season.

 

Very good point, Jim. I think you're onto what the nextgen of sims should look like (figuratively and literally).

[torium 207]

I'd like to remember the immortal prophecy by John Veneema himself that "X-Plane has no future".

 

You have to read his statements in a context, quote:

 

"In the interview, John repeats his commitment that they won’t develop for xplane, due to its small user base and expense of gearing up the team for a different sim. He does voice admiration for xplane and its small team of developers though, a nice touch." April 27, 2014.

[tonywob 4,769]

I'm still very skeptical it will be anything more than airports. I see a few problems:

 

• Their landclass tile approach won't work in X-Plane. I don't think X-Planers are going to accept roads running through houses and off cliffs and stretched mountain textures.
• They would be competing with freeware than can already place photoscenery and accurate buildings for most of Europe.
• A global mesh or vector product is a waste of time when we already have HD and UHD Mesh.
• JV hates X-Plane, but I would still like to see him eat his own shoes.
• They would be writing scenery to directly compete with their partners. With DTG's business model compared to LR, why would anyone bother buying DTG's sim when you can get ORBX scenery in X-Plane?

If they go down the scenery route then perhaps it will be adding new types of autogen or trying to regionalise the textures, but the objects would not line up like they do in X-Plane with out putting some real effort into it, basically you'd need to write your own scenery system.

 

I hope I'm wrong of course, I'd really love and have always wanted to see ORBX in X-Plane.

 

 

 

flightgear 64 bit

 

Think you are on to something there ;-)

[bonchie 2,305]

You guys are going to have to think outside the box a bit. Who said anything about them just porting over ground textures and roads running off cliffs? 

 

You realize half the stuff Orbx does in FSX/P3D people once said was impossible to do, right? JV may be a bit of a jerk, but he's innovative. Having someone like that developing for XP can only be a good thing. 

 

As for "competing," they already do that with P3D and FSX/DTG. P3D has no affiliation to DTG. 

 

Not everyone lives in Europe and wants to download terabytes of photo scenery. If Orbx is willing to attempt to improve the general plausible world, I'm happy about that. 

[tonywob 4,769]

 

 

Not everyone lives in Europe and wants to download terabytes of photo scenery. If Orbx is willing to attempt to improve the general plausible world, I'm happy about that. 

 

Well I live in Europe but would love to see someone give Asia, Australia and NZ some love. Looks like this won't happen any time soon though. I'm certainly happy for anyone to improve the X-Plane world though, and ORBX would be the one to do it

[carlito777 712]

Even though I'm also skeptical that the Orbx products known from FSX/P3D would create a significant demand in X-Plane because of all the great freeware which is already available, BUT I still think Orbx coming to X-Plane would be a great signal also for other third party devs. That could really be the kick-off needed to get other developers to X-Plane!

[GoranM 3,764]

Decided to look for John Venema's interview...you know the one in 2013 where he emphatically states that X-Plane has "no future".
So a quick google search came up with, first this...
http://www.avsim.com/topic/398491-orbx-remarks-about-x-plane/

And then clicking on the link in that thread (posted by Tony) shows a deleted topic.

Question marks are appearing.

[finkelstein 25]

Considering that the thread is 3 years old, I would not read too much into a link not being accessible anymore. And even if deliberately deleted: isn't that a good thing?

Edit: if you're still curious, the interview is available here: https://fsxpage.wordpress.com/interviews-2/john-venema-von-orbx/2/

[Jimmy RFR 406]

The reference earlier to 'small jewel box airports' is precisely what I think would be the strength of what Orbx could offer X-Plane. Considering how easy it would be to port a good majority of their airports, to me it's really a no-brainer.

 

Personally, I can think of more than a few that I would be immediately lining up for.

 

Not so interested in regions. I'm sure they would be gobbled up by some, but considering that I'm nearly 100% satisfied by what I already have, I doubt I would be a customer there. Some sort of texture replacement would be okay I guess, but I've stated before (perhaps more than once, even!) that I'm not that big of a fan of FTX textures. :smile:

[ziggy 47]

The "ORBX thrashers" on this forum are hilarious!! (Yes I'm an ORBX fan.....Lol)

 

I can't believe there is so much negative back and forth about what developer is better for whatever reason. Can we at least agree that everyone who helps make something for our cool little "make believe" simulator world whether it's Aerosoft, P3D, ORBX,PMDG, X-Plane, A2A, Aerofly,Dovetail,ect. Is doing us a favor by even attempting to keep our very small hobby alive by making products and giving us many to choose from.

Us simmers are lucky to even have so many different choices of what we want in our Sims.

 

So what if John Venema said X-Plane had "no future" Mabey he was wrong, Mabey he'll still be right, Mabey he'll eat his words and develope for them who knows and who cares just be happy that we will have a hobby and that many out there are doing great work to make it better for us.

 

Don't be a hammerhead and start talking like you know what's best for what company, they will do what they have to do, sometimes it will be awesome sometimes not, so be it

 

Cheers

Greg Z