Ok so I am starting to realize what mesh is and FSGenesis is the mesh addon. What about texture add-ons?? Is UT-USA considered one?? Can someone please list add-ons and categorize them. I am getting confused in the whole mesh/texture thing. I think there's a fine line between each. Thank you very much.

Mesh is the terrain elevation.Texture goes on top of the mesh, and is what you see.(The scenery tile less trees/building etc)Landclass (Very Important) tells what TEXTURE to go where.Example.Mesh can greatly increase the terrain details of a mountain. A great combination of textures of overlaid on this mesh makes it look like a mountain (visually). The landclass is what tells what textures are to be used.FSX needs work in this landclass area, (so did FS9) to make sure proper textures are applied. This is why some towns you may fly to do not have any "town/housing textures", and are only "grass". Its the landclass not identifing that this is a town.Be careful buying the above right now for FSX. Other than FSGenesis, I do not think most others have products ready for FSX. I am assuming (as this is the FSX forum) your looking for FSX stuff.Happy Flying,Garett

well that is a good explanation of what texture is. My new question is are there any specific texture add ons?? I see that texture resolution goes at best to 7cm/pixel which is awesome. Obviously FSX default isn't that. I would love to know a couple things. 1, what is FSX default and 2, are there any specific texture addons seeing that texture and mesh ARE 2 different things. So it's up to 3rd party developers to come up with 7cm/texture resolution (if they wanted to at best) what are some of the add ons for this?? Obviously like everyone here (or possibly not) I am looking for the best possible scenery. I want the best resolution I can get at both texture and mesh. I know this may take some time but it doesn't hurt to ask now. I know we will have to wait for Vista/DX10 and the patch to even start thinking about this extremely high resolution but it doesn't hurt to ask now. Sorry for the rambling post it's 2:16am and I am tired and now going to bed. Goodnight and thanks again for taking the time to read and answer my newbie questions.

Dave, I am one that has already installed the FSGenesis Mesh and it does make a difference. As was said the biggest thing right now that is needed in my opion is the "landclass". Lots of things missing. They have been discussing it much on FSGenesis and I am sure it will heat up today with the "sale date" here.Danny

Although the difference between mesh, texture and landclass are properly understood, I would like to see the ACES team take on how the different settings interract with each other, based on the FSX choices for combinations of settings when the generic sliders are used.152m mesh used with 2m textures wouldn't seem to be an efficient use of the resolution of the texture tile because the resolution detail might contain `information` (a visual impression) based on a slope, the same way that FS landclass generally automatically applies a `mountain` texture when a slope beyond 40% is detected. But with that level of mesh, there is no slope.It might be nice to have an insiders view on the successful combinations that are designed to generate the best response for that particular texture detail setting, or what level of resolution to set to best represent a 19m mesh. There must be a guide, as to how those generic sliders in the Scenery options trigger those combinations of settings.Also, does landclass now alter with texture detail? Like the suggestion I made about using high-res mesh to create buildings and 3d features on the landscape, using a scaleable landclass interface grid that applies more and more detail to each landclass grid as the resolution increases would be a `cheap` (in terms of resources and harddrive space) way of implementing `better` ground representation. Especially as landclass also triggers autogen. What is a blurry colour on the ground at 2m res, resolves into a clear representation of a field boundary at 60cm. Landclass picks up on this `new` feature and now places `two fields, divided` texture in place of `one field, united` under the lower res. The co-processing required to increase that level of detail would be well within the capabilities of todays computers, and could reward those who run at higher resolutions with a different visual experience, rather than the same one, just sharper?Allcott

Take a look at Horizonsimulation.com where each product has both terrain elevation (mesh) and Arial photographic scenery (texture).I would highly recommend the one that covers Sanfrancisco & Sacramento. I have had mine for over a year now, and I still love flying there. Last night I added it to FSX (just basically linked it to the existing folder) and it works. Take a look at the screenshots on the above site, which will give you some idea. (These screenshots do not do justice to the product though).Think of mesh as a giant rope fishing net that you throw over a landscaped garden that has lots of mounds and lumps and rocks etc. The net is made of squares. If the net had very large squares, say 10 feet by 10 feet, it would be regarded as a course mesh. Sample height readings would only be taken every 10 feet (at each point where all 4 ropes meet). Now replace this net with a much finer net, say 1 foot squares. Your height sample readings would then be every 1 foot, and you would get a much more detailed copy of the landscape, showing every lump and bump. (Same goes for 76metre mesh versus 38m mesh versus 19m mesh)Think of the texture as a giant painted cloth that is placed on top of the meshRegardsDavid

>Take a look at Horizonsimulation.com where each product has>both terrain elevation (mesh) and Arial photographic scenery>(texture).>>I would highly recommend the one that covers Sanfrancisco &>Sacramento. I have had mine for over a year now, and I still>love flying there. Last night I added it to FSX (just>basically linked it to the existing folder) and it works. Take>a look at the screenshots on the above site, which will give>you some idea. (These screenshots do not do justice to the>product though).>>Think of mesh as a giant rope fishing net that you throw over>a landscaped garden that has lots of mounds and lumps and>rocks etc. The net is made of squares. If the net had very>large squares, say 10 feet by 10 feet, it would be regarded as>a course mesh. Sample height readings would only be taken>every 10 feet (at each point where all 4 ropes meet). Now>replace this net with a much finer net, say 1 foot squares.>Your height sample readings would then be every 1 foot, and>you would get a much more detailed copy of the landscape,>showing every lump and bump. (Same goes for 76metre mesh>versus 38m mesh versus 19m mesh)>>Think of the texture as a giant painted cloth that is placed>on top of the mesh>>Regards>>David >thanx for the replies...didn't get real good amount of time to read because I have to be in work at 10 and it's 10:02. I just saw david here and I saw that you were praising the work of VFR San FRan/Sacremento and you posted pics in another thread. The pics were dead and I was very interested in seeing these pics. Can you re-post them please?? Thank you very much. Have a good one guys.

Ok now that I am not in a rush I can respond to the post. That is a very good way of looking at mesh and now I can fully understand it.