When the flight becomes, just...real...

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

1 hour ago, jcomm said:

Anyway Mitch,

I think that it can look as good as AEFS2, but not better, specially when AEFS2 starts to get proper autogen, and night lighting ...

Maybe for AEFS3 we can also get Seasonal Textures, but I would really like to see at least a better weather engine in AEFS2, and in XP11, because

the weather visuals also bring a lot of realism to the scenes... and presently none of the sims does it right.

 

True...but they will come, Jcomm.  Ortho has totally spoiled me.  I take a flight over Michigan, where I stomp and romp....and know every street, every building, every curve of the shoreline, that I ride my motorcycle past.  It's all there...visually all there. I just can't fly over synthetic texture-library and landclass files, if I have a choice to do, or not do so.  

For now, I use XP11 first, and then take a flight with AF2.  As soon as I can start generating my theaters of operation, then I will probably fly 50/50 XP11 and AF2.  

  

[N1G 88]

33 minutes ago, Sesquashtoo said:

Bob, my experience has been, if I run only my generated ortho, no overlays, I will pick up about 5-10 more FPS on average. (I run an FTW 1070 8GB as well...), than if I run with a full overlay on top of my ortho.  Having typed that, though...my ortho-world is a composite of different ortho generations, depending on where I am flying. Let me explain...

For areas that I fly over on a daily basis, or at least two times a month (that has been my set yard-stick...) I have generated those areas as zl17/19/2

For areas that connect between my most-flown areas, I have generated at zl16/19/2

For small foot-print landmass, such as islands of the Caribbean, I have generated at zl19

Some areas, of the PNW, (generated at zl17/19/2) are simply so beautiful, 'busy' and detailed in the sat capture, that I have no overlay generated at all.  I want to see the actual real-world 'cover' down to the nuts and bolts.  So, no overlay is needed. In fact, I think it takes away from even more 'real-world depth' to have autogen homes and buildings, placed over the actual photogenic capture within the sat shot.  Now this only goes down, if you generate at 17/18, or 19 zl.  It looks real...is real...and that's the plumb!

So Bob, for select areas...like the PNW, the Rockies...(with some tiles WITH overlay generated, like in the plains and valleys of the Sierra's...) I do a lot of mix 'n match of zl factors...overlay on, overlay off...back on...as I enter another tile's domain. 

I am really into this...and have sort of used Ortho4XP, as a paint pallet...with XP11, as my canvas. I am having the time of my flight simulating life with this...and I have never, never been as close to experiencing the real joy of flying from one point to another, as I have, since diving into ortho, fully committed.  

Bob, I simply can not fly any longer over fully synthetic looking library textures, landclass files, etc.  I fired up my FSX and P3D...and after a flight of a few minutes in the PNW...I shut down, and came whipping back to my ortho-generated area of the same, PNW.  It looks real...from rotate, to touch-down. FSX and P3D, simply no longer...

I am thinking of even deleting them from my system. I'm not flying them...even though I have into the thousand's of dollars invested.  They both, simply, don't look 'real' any more...not with comparing to my Ortho4XP generated scenery. I can't wait for that user-able ability to populate the world in high-def ortho, for AF2!!!!   Between XP11, and AF2....just look for me in that sky, mostly...lol.  I'll be there...waving my wings at ya...in salute! :)

Cheers,

Ortho-Mitch  

I am with you on the ortho for sure, but I must have some overlay. I hope one day that one can pick what categories of overlay one wishes to have. Maybe generate only roads and those buildings that are 40' or taller. I know that the building height thing is an overstretch, but who knows what the future may bring. I love it too and will continue. As I mentioned previously, I had gone back to P3D after playing with xp11, and I know you know what I thought about that. Keep on orthoing. 

Bob

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

18 minutes ago, N1G said:

I am with you on the ortho for sure, but I must have some overlay. I hope one day that one can pick what categories of overlay one wishes to have. Maybe generate only roads and those buildings that are 40' or taller. I know that the building height thing is an overstretch, but who knows what the future may bring. I love it too and will continue. As I mentioned previously, I had gone back to P3D after playing with xp11, and I know you know what I thought about that. Keep on orthoing. 

Bob

Bob...a challenge of sorts, lol....you won't have to keep the tile, or just re-cut down to a lower storage foramat...but,

I'd like you to generate a tile at zl19...simple as that...the following:  Generate the tile that captures Orcas Island (KORS) and perhaps surround that tile with more zl19's only. Now go and fly...take her up to 2000/2500 feet, and fly...circle the islands...check out the view...and you'll discover why I don't need an overlay on the coast of Washington State.  Simply...it is killer...you 'see' 3D' in your mind, at zl17,18, and espeically...at zl19.  The shadows thrown by the buildings and homes that were captured in the sat pic...gives you depth and height.  You see 3D cues...and the brain does the projection. :)  I have overlays over a lot of territory, but for the PNW, with how beautiful it is...not so much.  Just high-definition zl tiles...

[Murmur 3,941]

1 hour ago, jcomm said:

I think that it can look as good as AEFS2, but not better, specially when AEFS2 starts to get proper autogen, and night lighting ...

As they say, "if my grandma had wheels, she was a motorcycle".

Who knows what XP will have when AEFS2 gets better autogen and night lighting?

I think each XP11 and AEFS2 do better different things. AEFS2 has the big advantage of high FPS, X-Plane on the other hand has reflective water, night lighting, car traffic, the possibility of more worldwide coverage (at the moment), and other things. And the roadmap LR laid out at FlightSimCon is exciting!

That being said, IPACS is doing a great work as well and probably, among the 4 big flight sims today, they are the ones moving fastest behind the scenes.

I hope XP and AEFS, the most "next gen" sims, will become the two major competitors in the flight sim arena in the future. Although some P3D enthusiasts may laugh at that now, I think it's a possible scenario.

 

[jcomm 5,925]

Indeed Murmur, in terms of already simulated features, in all aspects, X-Plane 11 is ahead of AEFS2, only, not "as polished" as a friend usually puts it...

Austin's announcements are always enthusiastic, but with the years, I've learned about grandma sometimes saying she already has the wheels, when indeed there is just the screech.... 

[Murmur 3,941]

2 hours ago, jcomm said:

Austin's announcements are always enthusiastic, but with the years, I've learned about grandma sometimes saying she already has the wheels, when indeed there is just the screech.... 

True... Infact I don't care a lot what Austin says. But I care a lot what Ben says, and he said many good things.

[Pascal_LSGC 298]

17 minutes ago, Murmur said:

True... Infact I don't care a lot what Austin says. But I care a lot what Ben says, and he said many good things.

Couldn't say it better Murmur !

 

[Humpty 751]

12 hours ago, Sesquashtoo said:

I don't follow, Humpty?  That I was getting 41 FPS in the Baron?

huh

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

1 minute ago, HumptyDumpty said:

huh

You posted, 

"...what the heck?!?!?".   I did not understand the reference...to what? :)

[Humpty 751]

Just now, Sesquashtoo said:

You posted, 

"...what the heck?!?!?".   I did not understand the reference...to what? :)

hehehe I meant you have taken out the servers 

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

3 hours ago, HumptyDumpty said:

hehehe I meant you have taken out the servers 

Oh...lol...I thought it was because my glass cockpit came in, on some intense scenery below, at around 21-23 FPS...and the Baron popped 42..lol.   I thought you were wondering what was going on, with the Panthera, LOL!

I'm truly having a blast with this, Humpty.  As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post to you...I am going to generate some zl18/19/2 tiles between San Diego, and L.A., all along the coast...and see how they look, for definition of detail.  Fortunately, I have the storage room for that large a tile...and am curious to see that combo, for end-result, visuals... :)

Cheers,!

[N1G 88]

14 hours ago, Sesquashtoo said:

Bob...a challenge of sorts, lol....you won't have to keep the tile, or just re-cut down to a lower storage foramat...but,

I'd like you to generate a tile at zl19...simple as that...the following:  Generate the tile that captures Orcas Island (KORS) and perhaps surround that tile with more zl19's only. Now go and fly...take her up to 2000/2500 feet, and fly...circle the islands...check out the view...and you'll discover why I don't need an overlay on the coast of Washington State.  Simply...it is killer...you 'see' 3D' in your mind, at zl17,18, and espeically...at zl19.  The shadows thrown by the buildings and homes that were captured in the sat pic...gives you depth and height.  You see 3D cues...and the brain does the projection. :)  I have overlays over a lot of territory, but for the PNW, with how beautiful it is...not so much.  Just high-definition zl tiles...

I agree with you as I have seen what the 19 does. For those buildings around cities and elsewhere that are tall, or those that have a landmark quality so to speak, I would like to see those. I agree that it is breathtaking with a 19, but again for me I must have some autogen, and of course the night lighting that is such a great base feature of xp11!  Lets just see where the ortho goes. There are some bright folks out there and who knows what could happen if all of us continue to support and praise the ortho what might happen!

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

34 minutes ago, N1G said:

I agree with you as I have seen what the 19 does. For those buildings around cities and elsewhere that are tall, or those that have a landmark quality so to speak, I would like to see those. I agree that it is breathtaking with a 19, but again for me I must have some autogen, and of course the night lighting that is such a great base feature of xp11!  Lets just see where the ortho goes. There are some bright folks out there and who knows what could happen if all of us continue to support and praise the ortho what might happen!

You know, you DO, get night lights, and all airport lights, without the use of an overlay?  I found that out...you get sporadic property lights, and all airport property, and approach lighting.  In my further exploration of visuals..I am right now in the background, batching four tiles surrounding Memphis, Tennessee at zl18/19/2.  Can't wait to see what that looks like...:) Those tiles will all have overlays.

If it blows me away, as by upping the ante over zl17, I might just start doing tiles with that configuration. I have 12 TB's, and have used 6 TB's to date, for my North America East and West Coast states.  The U.S. Plains don't much interest me, so will be leaving that at XP11 default.  Next target are all the resort towns on the Mexican Riviera. Then some captures in South America, and then on to Western Europe. That's the plan. If I really see a great difference in visual acuity, between z17 and z18, then most likely I will keep the z18/19/2 combo,  up from the z17, and still keep 'fill' at z16.

Bob, just zoning into my 'burnt in' ortho settings. :)

I do have my eyes on the 16TB My Book Raid 0, Duo....and what's great about it, is that each comes with a 2 USB 3.0 SuperSpeed hub...just keep daisy chaining 'em.  I have decided to invest in My Books for ortho, instead of the money that would have been spent, going to a GTX1080Ti.   The 1070, is doing a bang-up job...with 40's FPS with non-glass cockpits, and 22-infinity for the 550 and the Panthera., over high-def zl tiles. With XP default, I'm with glass, easily in the high 30's.

[Humpty 751]

1 hour ago, Sesquashtoo said:

Oh...lol...I thought it was because my glass cockpit came in, on some intense scenery below, at around 21-23 FPS...and the Baron popped 42..lol.   I thought you were wondering what was going on, with the Panthera, LOL!

I'm truly having a blast with this, Humpty.  As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post to you...I am going to generate some zl18/19/2 tiles between San Diego, and L.A., all along the coast...and see how they look, for definition of detail.  Fortunately, I have the storage room for that large a tile...and am curious to see that combo, for end-result, visuals... :)

Cheers,!

LOl I just did San Diego :) but only one tile KSAN area , well I was lucky that I got there before you at least I could get that tile 

Z18 / 19 is some serious detail and storage no wonder you are having a blast 

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

3 hours ago, HumptyDumpty said:

LOl I just did San Diego :) but only one tile KSAN area , well I was lucky that I got there before you at least I could get that tile 

Z18 / 19 is some serious detail and storage no wonder you are having a blast 

Yep...this is very...er..addictive...lol

I'm doing 4 tiles that surround Memphis at z18/19/2.  I'll say hello to Elvis, for ya!