Opinions on The Natural World by Howard?

[forkedtail 5]

There is a freeware add-on for terrain known as The Natural World, made for fs9.  It is distributed by individual license to the user, and is updated occasionally.  Hopefully someone here has some experience with this add-on that could be shared.  The screen shots that accompany the web page are impressive, but screen shots in ads always look spectacular, don't they?  I recently installed Ultimate Terrain after years of hearing about it, and found the results to be just so-so.

[Flyboy49 10]

I have tried it. It has possibilities but for me it just did'nt fit. Too much green, areas that i know had too many buildings or not enough. Also even though i backed up everything i still required a re-install of fs9 just to get rid of some remaining artifacts. I would not rule it out, just not for me.,

[Wobbie 938]

I'm very impressed with TNW 2017. Howard is doing a great job making our sim more realistic looking.

I really recommend it. I had no problems originally, when I was testing it, after making backups.

I is far better than some payware stuff, & Howard is extremely helpful should you have a problem

[Luis Hernandez 566]

I have installed it, but replaced all airport and tree textures with the ones from Zinertek (bought them last year in a bargain). I can recommend it too.

[PebbleBeach 120]

I agree with Chinook. First of all, It is nice and Howard is a very nice gentlemen to provide this free of charge. Great guy.

My issues with it is that he tends to favor the European look. I live in the states and it just doesnt look right. For example, Las Vegas is in the desert and when flying in it is all green with buildings and landscapes that look as though they were dropped from London.

In addition, he has textures that vary in sizes and many which are not even used in FS2004. If you scan some of his textures and then reference the FS2004 SDK you will see he should have not added these textures.

That said, I do not want to come off sounding like I'm bashing. Merely pointing out what I found as well as offering my own opinion which I believe is what the original poster requested.

Mitch

[Wobbie 938]

TNW2017 Update 3 has just been released.

[rogwen 3]

A comment about Ultimate Terrain if I may, as someone mentioned it. FS9 without UT is not a flight simulator, it is a game. With UT you can look out of the cockpit over Canada and identify where you are by comparing the bend in the river and the shape of the lake with the paper chart. Reality is what turns FS9 into a simulator.

[Wobbie 938]

Actually, this is all about TNW. 

If I may correct you, UT is not the ultimate.. 

We are using freeware Aeroworx South African scenery which, for us, Is our Ultimate. Rivers, coastlines, mountains, powerlines are perfectly placed. Ideal for VR flights, navigation etc. 

And it is free. That, together with TNW, is our ultimate. 

And, as said before, immersion Is what makes our sim. Not realism, as proved when 'real' pilots 'bump' themselves in their seats, anticipating touchdown when flying our sims. Yes, using FS2004, TNW & freeware scenery. 

 

[PebbleBeach 120]

On September 23, 2017 at 1:49 AM, Wobbie said:

Actually, this is all about TNW. 

If I may correct you, UT is not the ultimate.. 

We are using freeware Aeroworx South African scenery which, for us, Is our Ultimate. Rivers, coastlines, mountains, powerlines are perfectly placed. Ideal for VR flights, navigation etc. 

And it is free. That, together with TNW, is our ultimate. 

And, as said before, immersion Is what makes our sim. Not realism, as proved when 'real' pilots 'bump' themselves in their seats, anticipating touchdown when flying our sims. Yes, using FS2004, TNW & freeware scenery. 

 

Huh?

[gwillmot 31]

Definitely not in the top two .... or three terrain scenery available.

[Wobbie 938]

Which freeware alternative would you recommend then? 

 

[Wobbie 938]

anything?

[PebbleBeach 120]

If your flying in the states I would recommend Birdseyeview over  GEPro. I actually created my own for our simulator using various sources.

[Wobbie 938]

On ‎10‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:08 PM, Wobbie said:

Which freeware alternative would you recommend then? 

 

Birdseyeview & GEPro are both payware.

Any freeware alternative recommendations for TNW?

I'm not cheap, but I prefer supporting the freeware guys.

[gwillmot 31]

I'm the opposite ...... I like to support (with money) those who have invested much time to creating a product for all to enjoy.  They usually are more apt to provide a more "professional" product as well as be more inclined to listen to customer feedback (I'm particularly  talking about individual creators ... not the "mega" corporations).

I concur that BirdsEyeView was one of the best (and original) texture substitutions, but I came around to GEPro after a few years.  I think the continuing development of FS Evo even beats the attempt of TNW by Howie.