Real NZ Auckland City

[Guest cdightman]

Hello there...first let me say that I'm just your average simmer. I am in no way affiliated with Robin Corn or his Real NZ sceneries. I live in Olympia, WA actually...so why do I enjoy flying in New Zealand so much you ask?I visited New Zealand a few years ago and fell in love with the place. MSFS basically has forgotten about New Zealand each time they bring out new software. (I mean, the SkyTower in Auckland is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere...you'd think that a landmark like that would be in there, right?) Anyway, once I got back I started to discover that there were people down in the Land of the Silver Fern that were turning New Zealand into the perfect place for flight simming. Shayne Butler, Christian Stock, Ian Warren, Peter Lohr, Jon Murchison, Dean Baunton, Robin Corn (If I've mispelled or forgotten your name I apologize...this is all my brain could remember off the top of my head) and others have made a wonderful contribution to simming.You can fly from the North part of the North Island to the South part of the South Island and find incredible scenery by these folks. But not until recently was Auckland really as real as it could be. Robin Corn has really gotten it spot on with Real NZ Auckland City.First, let me say that I did not purchase this scenery because it does not contain NZAA. I was worried that it wouldn't work real well with Shayne Butler's scenery (in my mind still the best NZAA out there). A good friend of mine bought this for me for my birthday and I'm glad he did. A quick juggling of scenery files (taking Dean Bauton's airport BGL's and Textures and popping them into my folder where I kept Shayne's NZAA and layering that file on top of Real Auckland in the file library does the trick. Presto! Real NZ Auckland city does not conflict with Shayne's scenery, at least on my PC)The city itself is stunning. Take a Great Barrier Airlines flight from Auckland to Great Barrier Island and you'll fly right over it. But what really caught my eye was the ground textures. I had been unhappy with the way the ground and water was represented around Auckland but Robin's got it nailed. You take off from Runway 4 and you're actually out over Manukau Harbour (have to use the "u" when you're talking about Oceania scenery you know)...not some non-descript puddle. You can almost make out the two viewing parking lots underneath the approach to RWY 23. You have to see it to believe it really. At least I love it. It's one more addition to New Zealand that really makes the experience worthwhile.About 5 minutes of flying time and you're finally out of Robin's photoreal scenery area (for me that means right into NZ Topo, which is another buy that makes NZ pretty darn fun).As I said, I'm not affiliated with Robin in any way but, if you haven't flown around New Zealand and you're looking for a great place to fly; or...if you've been thinking about it but were worried about not having a great airport to fly into it's definitely worth the price of admission. There...I feel better now. I got this as a gift...but I hear Robin's working on Wellington next (plus NZWN). If that's up to quality with Auckland (and I have no doubt it will be because I also have his Wanaka and Tauranga sceneries) then I'll be first in line!Take a look...support some of these great scenery designers. I didn't buy any scenery, as a rule, until about a year ago. Since I've dipped my toes into the payware market it's enhanced my enjoyment of FS immensely.Thanks for listening and have a great day!Craig

[RobdeVries 28]

it's indeed great scenrey, just buoght the whole lot you mentioned ans I like it very much. Makes me wanna go visit place for real...Rob "Holland&Holland" de Vries http://fool.exler.ru/sm/fly2.gif"To go up, pull the stick back. To go down, pull the stick back harder"

[Guest allblack]

It's a great country guys!Every night when I watch the news and see all the crap going on in the world, I count my blessings. The fact the rest of the world neither knows about us, or cares, suits me right down the ground!Though don't look at Auckland, and think it represents NZ. Auckland may as well be in another hemisphere, for the similarity it has to the rest of the country...Oh, and we've got the worlds best rugby (union) team too!See yaTimNZWN

[toprob 105]

Wow, this is a great post to wake up to this morning, I'm always thrilled when people over the other side of the world 'discover' our country here, and I'm glad that you get as much out of it as we do.Yes, New Zealand flightsim scenery has come a long way recently, mainly with the release of the Red Baron 20 metre elevation mesh and Topo scenery, which is the perfect way to see our mountain ranges and volcanoes.As New Zealand's only full-time scenery designer, I as working furiously to build some 'real' airports to complement the mesh, so I appreciate the support not only of locals here in 'Godzone', but simmers world-wide.-Robin Corn, Godzone Virtual Flight, the home of 'Real New Zealand' scenerywww.windowlight.co.nz

[Guest Trans_601]

>Oh, and we've got the worlds best rugby (union) team too!>>See ya>>Tim>NZWNOooh - be careful! Avid Wallabies supporter here. You may have given us a hiding in NZ but if we play the same we did against the Springboks then you're in for a suprise!49-0 I believe!Anyway, just had to say it! :-)

[Guest allblack]

hahahahaha - gotta love that Aussie humour!IF you could, you might be right.But like your netball team, there's only ever one trick in the bag.Still, I like your spirit. Either way, it'll be a good game.Anyway, just had to say it! ;)

[Guest cdightman]

Yep...very much looking forward to the Wellington stuff.I didn't mean for this thread to turn into a "Tri Nations" discussion...but "Go All Blacks!" :) Actually, I'm heading down to NZ in about 3 1/2 weeks. Going to the Auckland NZ - Aussie match on the 19th and then plane spotting at Auckland for 2 weeks. (Well, got a bit more than that planned...but I'm sure plane spotting and meat pies will be at the forefront of any activity)