Well it looks like Black Marble lights now beat Xplane 11 lights. Click on pics for larger image.

Here is Munich in P3Dv4 with Black Marble.

And here is Munich in Xplane 11.

 

Actually, I don't think there IS a clear winner...I like them BOTH!  They are a different 'feel' to the night...and I would fly both of their lighting effects.  IMHO, no single 'winner'...both are winners, side-by-side. :)

I like this post comparison, in that I see that there are truly 3 different approaches now, to night lighting...and FSW is again, that much different to these two.  So..in my opinion, the flight simmer has three wonderful night op variables...and only has to own the sim, with the night lighting built in, or to have to purchase the add-on Black Marble.

Great choices...these days!

Mitch

@Sesquashtoo
Mitch you realize you just used Black Marble in the same sentence you compared XP without thinking twice about it?!

Thank you

1 hour ago, Sesquashtoo said:

Actually, I don't think there IS a clear winner...I like them BOTH!  They are a different 'feel' to the night...and I would fly both of their lighting effects.  IMHO, no single 'winner'...both are winners, side-by-side. :)

I like this post comparison, in that I see that there are truly 3 different approaches now, to night lighting...and FSW is again, that much different to these two.  So..in my opinion, the flight simmer has three wonderful night op variables...and only has to own the sim, with the night lighting built in, or to have to purchase the add-on Black Marble.

Great choices...these days!

Mitch

Wow, you can't see the difference? Click on the pics to see a super large image and you will notice BM has a lot more roads and lights than X11.

1 hour ago, Chris Bell said:

@Sesquashtoo
Mitch you realize you just used Black Marble in the same sentence you compared XP without thinking twice about it?!

Thank you

Oh yes...I think Black Marble rocks in these pic, Chris.

Great job!

Yet again,  each version of the night...yours, and the default XP11, (being that both look fabulous!) has a different feel to the night. Yours is hot and stark...those lights blaze, with XP11's being more subtle and muted.  Both are what I would fly over, for sure,depending on my mood over the flight.  

Chris, I truly call it as I see it.  If it is awesome..I can't help myself but to espouse that. If, (in my view and personal opinion)  something is underwhelming ...I'd rather just not comment, for it might not suck to the next viewer...but sometimes, I do let one 'I'm most underwhelmed' rip...

I get what you saying,,everyone looks at things differently. I know I do,, while my buddy likes his Ford I would rather drive my Chrysler :)

Both cars look great but, well I do like my Chrysler.

@Sesquashtoo
v4 can further be adjusted with allot more ambiance to give XP a decent fight there,
and so can Black Marble with practically endless variation and options,

i think Paul was mainly looking at vector data comparison there,

the point in my statement wasn't to put XP down in anyway, i said it as a compliment!
to our achievement and to them for setting the standards to at least match

27 minutes ago, warbirds said:

Wow, you can't see the difference? Click on the pics to see a super large image and you will notice BM has a lot more roads and lights than X11.

It could, with more of this 'n that. But what my comment was in its strength, is that BOTH of your two samples, look great for what they do, to portray night ops.  Like I said, I'd have both on my system, just for what mood I am in, FOR those expectations of night ops.

For example, the minute I flew FSW, built-in night op visuals...it made me feel more attentive, more on point,...and aware that I was truly flying through the metrics. It was fabulous and part of how I was trying to explain that flying that sim, gave me emotional connection...weird to put into print..but it has er...'feel/soul'.  So, three choices of night op...XP11/FSX/P3D-Black Marble/FSW...and each one of them..a winner for what they portray. My take...

13 minutes ago, warbirds said:

I get what you saying,,everyone looks at things differently. I know I do,, while my buddy likes his Ford I would rather drive my Chrysler :)

Both cars look great but, well I do like my Chrysler.

Of course...and that is why there are color choices to the same model :)  

I think the more choices we have Paul,...like Chris's Marble series...is just much more reinforcement for this hobby.  Who is crazy to say, they want less choices to how they part with their cash?!?!?  :))))))

7 minutes ago, Chris Bell said:

@Sesquashtoo
v4 can further be adjusted with allot more ambiance to give XP a decent fight there,
and so can Black Marble with practically endless variation and options,

i think Paul was mainly looking at vector data comparison there,

the point in my statement wasn't to put XP down in anyway, it is a compliment!
to our achievement and to them setting the standards to match

Totally taken that way.  I think actually Chis, it is a good  position to push the envelope. If someone references one product when describing another...I find it helpful...and I might agree, or not.  It spurs dialog. :)

And if Paul was looking to compare if the depictions, was more metric-busy over the other,...than noted! :)  Good stuff.

Cheers,

Mitch

To be brutally honest with those two comparison screenshots, if someone told me that XP shot was a photograph, I might believe it, whereas the other screenshot would not convince me of that for even a microsecond.

13 minutes ago, Chris Bell said:

@Sesquashtoo
v4 can further be adjusted with allot more ambiance to give XP a decent fight there,
and so can Black Marble with practically endless variation and options,

i think Paul was mainly looking at vector data comparison there,

the point in my statement wasn't to put XP down in anyway, i said it as a compliment!
to our achievement and to them for setting the standards to at least match

Noted, thanks Chris. :)

8 minutes ago, Chock said:

To be brutally honest with those two comparison screenshots, if someone told me that XP shot was a photograph, I might believe it, whereas the other screenshot would not convince me of that for even a microsecond.

Alan, in that your statement of real-world looks, I agree with you...but, I also like the Black Marble again, for another type of 'mood flying'.  I think that the XP shot over Munich has vapor and more humidity, which adds to the realism. I don't know if P3D or FSX can visualize that, without it looking like a cloud bank you're flying through.  FSW also has that 'vapor' and high humidity effect. I love it in both XP11 and FSW...and now can say that is is not XP11 proprietary. An ESP-based engine'ed sim can also produce the effect. Why P3D v3 and v4 does not, beats me to scrambled eggs!

To be honest as well from the photos I have seen of real cities overhead at night there is much more light and roadways than X11 portrays.

This real life photo of Kazan at night looks more like Black Marble.

7 minutes ago, warbirds said:

To be honest as well from the photos I have seen of real cities overhead at night there is much more light and roadways than X11 portrays.

This real life photo of Kazan at night looks more like Black Marble.

I've seen something as stark as this when coming into Phoenix...but there was still (even in the desert clime) a slight humid refraction to the air, that can be had in XP11 and FSW.  But hey...splitting hairs...for I would fly all of that pictured!

Cheers,

Mitch