ORBx EGPH Edinburgh Airport P3Dv4

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Are there any users of the P3Dv4 version of ORBx EGPH Edinburgh around here? If so, I would be interested to know your thoughts regarding this airport package.

I have just purchased and installed it, and my first impression is one of disappointment. I run P3Dv4 at 1024x1024 texture resolution, but that does not stop my PC from rendering good quality textures at airports like FlyTampa Amsterdam Schiphol. However, some of the textures at this airport  look rather low resolution to me (parts of some buildings, stand number support structures, walkways etc). In fact, the covered walkways are being rendered as opaque (rather than transparent like they are in the UK2000 Xtreme version), which makes them look very dull and lifeless.

There are some numbers with arrows on the side of the terminal building facing the main apron, and these look very low resolution at 1024x1024. They look better at 2048x2048, but that is not the point. If other developers can render good quality textures at 1024x1024 resolution, then I see no reason why the developers of ORBx Edinburgh should not be able to do the same.

Then we come to the stand number support structures (the ones in front of the parked aircraft). At first, I was looking around trying to find the stand numbers.....and then I realised that they are actually on these poles.....but they are so faint (dull yellow) as to be almost invisible. There also seems to be no safedock system of any kind. They are just dull textures (even at 2048x2048 resolution), with no sign of animated guidance for parking.

Some of the grass texture edges next to concrete aprons also look a bit crude to me, with little sign of a smooth blending between the two.

The AFD file also looks a bit strange. Almost all of the parking spots on the southeast apron are designated with a single airline code (BEE). Is this correct? Most of the rest of them are designated as parking spots for lots of different airlines, and they all seem to be the same. I also note that (what I thought) were the new parking spots for heavies (15/16/17/18.....someone correct me if I am wrong here) only have a parking radius of 18 metres, and for airlines like Ryanair/Easyjet etc?? I was under the impression that the likes of the Emirates 777-300ER parked in this area....

There is also only a single configuration option. You can enable or disable static airliners.....and that's it. Nothing to adjust the number of cars, enable/disable 3D grass/clutter/3D people etc.

I keep thinking that something must be wrong, and that the product has not installed properly on my PC. I was expecting to see crisp, high resolution textures throughout (even at 1024x1024 resolution), but some of them are disappointing. Low resolution textures are just about the most annoying aspect of a flight simulator, particularly when they can be clearly seen from the cockpit when near the terminal buildings.

Can other users of this airport please respond here, because I am genuinely puzzled

 

On a side note, I am seeing floating safedock objects at the airport. These look like the ones used in the UK2000 Xtreme version of the airport, but I still see them after uninstalling that airport package......

Edited November 16, 2019 by Christopher Low

[Gabshall 43]

You are not alone. Some of the textures are pretty poor, e.g., the grass beside the taxiways is a 'mush' of undefined smearing even at 4096. This is 'hidden' by rows of flowers - even in November! Seasonal blending with surrounding areas is not present. The texturing at the terminal around the only 'heavy' gate (A4) is also very disappointing. I get a framerate hit going along the south-east apron, which disappears when I get onto the northern side of the airport by the main apron. The fact that the ILS for 06 doesn't work is the real killer. Obviously there are a number of posts on the OrbX forum pointing out these issues. What disappointed me the most was the response from an OrbX staff member that "I have been told that the developer is aware of these things but not what it is intended to do about them or when". So if OrbX staff don't know what's happening then it doesn't bode well. Even though I have hundreds of OrbX products, I will consider future purchases more carefully after this and will avoid the developer GayaSimulations.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Gabshall

[edpatino 1,964]

I've bought EGLC weeks ago and performance was horrible, to say the least, on a scenery that obviously is far from being optimized (by Turbulent Designs). Asked ORBX for a refund and got it. Probably for EGPH is also the way to go.

Cheers, Ed

Edited November 17, 2019 by edpatino

[Gabshall 43]

I had dismissed the possibility of a refund because of the wording on their web site "You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure", so it's reassuring to hear you were successful. Many thanks Ed!

Edited November 17, 2019 by Gabshall

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I am currently having a look at the AFD file, and I have just noticed that most of the taxiway links to the parking spots themselves are defined as "Echo", even though taxiway Echo is nowhere near most of them. Anyone contacting ATC at this airport as it stands will be hearing plenty of echoes!

I am stripping the AFD file down at the moment (adjusting the parking positions/parking spot radius, removing most of the airline codes so that I can start from scratch, converted Gates 16/17/18 to "Heavy", and added Gates 1A and 1B). This is just for fun, should the texture issues and other problems be corrected in an update. I agree with Gabshall's comment about the grass. The texures are very low resolution, and the few 3D strands sticking up from the ground are not very convincing. Certainly nowhere near the impressive stuff that has been done by other ORBx developers in the past.

The ORBx release rate has been very good over the past year.....but I am starting to think that it is too good. Good quality (and fine details) take time to implement and test, and I get the feeling that some products are being rushed out of the door. Whether that has anything to do with the imminent threat of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator on the horizon is anyone's guess.

One aspect that worries me about this "accelerated release rate" is the intention to release updated versions of Earth Simulations Isle of Man and Channel Islands scenery packages. Alderney has seemingly been in beta testing for a year, and yet there is still no sign of it. I get the feeling that these scenery packages may be on hold to get other stuff that can be developed quicker out of the door. I was really looking forward to updated versions of those islands (particularly Jersey, as we never got a version of that before Earth Simulations ceased trading). My concern now is that we may never see them....

Edited November 17, 2019 by Christopher Low

[Planeblogger 11]

I have the same feeling about the recent  ORBX releases and level of customer support. I voiced similar frustrations in this topic just yesterday :

https://orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/153535-central-trueearth-netherlands-issue-topics/page/4/

[Rocky_53 1,579]

6 hours ago, Gabshall said:

I had dismissed the possibility of a refund because of the wording on their web site "You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure", so it's reassuring to hear you were successful. Many thanks Ed!

.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Rockliffe

[Rocky_53 1,579]

5 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

One aspect that worries me about this "accelerated release rate" is the intention to release updated versions of Earth Simulations Isle of Man and Channel Islands scenery packages. Alderney has seemingly been in beta testing for a year, and yet there is still no sign of it. I get the feeling that these scenery packages may be on hold to get other stuff that can be developed quicker out of the door. I was really looking forward to updated versions of those islands (particularly Jersey, as we never got a version of that before Earth Simulations ceased trading). My concern now is that we may never see them....

I would think all devs would be working like crazy to complete unfinished sceneries as soon as possible before the release of MS2020 

[Christopher Low 5,353]

Unfortunately, that is a double edged sword, Howard! I want to see those scenery packages released, but not if they are missing certain elements, or include scruffy looking low resolution textures. I absolutely detest low resolution textures. They should have been banned years ago

[G-YMML1 582]

I have stopped buying ORBX stand alone airports after ESSA and LEBB. Tones of issues that had been resolving slowly, terrible customer support like "we don't have this issue on our end" etc. No more money into this mediocre production tube. 

[edpatino 1,964]

20 minutes ago, G-YMML1 said:

"we don't have this issue on our end"

Heard that a lot with ORBX stuff lately.

Cheers, Ed

[Reader 2,021]

1 hour ago, G-YMML1 said:

I have stopped buying ORBX stand alone airports after ESSA and LEBB. Tones of issues that had been resolving slowly, terrible customer support like "we don't have this issue on our end" etc. No more money into this mediocre production tube. 

Fortunately, anyone can search the Orbx forums and see for themselves that in fact

these two have been and still are being very well supported by their developer, Marcus Nyberg,

who does not fail to answer support requests for his airports.

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by Reader

[ChrisDa 41]

Rockliffe said above,

Quote

"You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure"

I would suggest that that statement is a breach of Australian Law, ORBX is an Australian company.

The ACCC deems software, in any form of delivery, as "goods", and thus the consumer has the full protection of Australia Law.

Steam (Valve) found out the hard way with a fine of $1.2 million AU, (as far as I can remember).

You can read about Australian Consumer Law at the ACCC website here, https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/repair-replace-refund

See the Steam / Valve case here, https://lawpath.com.au/blog/digital-games-can-i-get-a-refund

 

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I also noticed last night that the car park textures are incredibly grainy and indistinct @ 1024x1024 resolution. Really poor quality.

[kiki 89]

Maybe we should stay with the UK2000 EGPH? (And the new version will be released in 2020)

I like their products; easy to install, reliable, good performance, reasonable prices. What else do we need?

Edited November 18, 2019 by kiki