Why is Simwings LHR so bad?

[benwbriscoe 7]

Bad textures, low frame rates, bad modelling...
Am I the only one who thinks that SimWings LHR is really bad?! Even with sliders pulled to the left it performs really badly and doesn't even look that great. It's probably the worst performing airport out there.
Why haven't any decent scenery developers tried to do it?

[KL Oo 699]

Whilst the scenery is dated (and word not allowed @virtuali I'd love to see a FSDT version) for me the biggest issue is caused by the large amounts of AI. I can get it to run alright with all sliders to the left if the AI is kept to around 70. Unfortunately it's probably the best version out there as UK2000 is even more dated.

 

 

[G-RFRY 1,710]

UK2000 will have a new one based the the v5 SDK with PBR.

[KL Oo 699]

2 hours ago, G-RFRY said:

UK2000 will have a new one based the the v5 SDK with PBR.

Hi Ray - Do you have a reference? I didn't see anything discussed on their forums? Wondering about a time line...

[OzWhitey 3,353]

I honestly had no idea what airport you were talking about until the UK2000 mention gave me enough of a hint to Google it. IATA codes? Is this a travel agent simulation forum?? 🙂

[IanHarrison 522]

8 hours ago, benwbriscoe said:

Bad textures, low frame rates, bad modelling...
Am I the only one who thinks that SimWings LHR is really bad?! Even with sliders pulled to the left it performs really badly and doesn't even look that great. It's probably the worst performing airport out there.
Why haven't any decent scenery developers tried to do it?

Disagree completely.

Quite satisfactory textures and modelling. All looks more or less how I remember Heathrow from 2 years ago. Frame rates are lower, yes but not a disaster. Even on my system with settings in the middle, with TE running and landing a PMDG 747, it is not a disaster. The only thing that really hammers it, and that is not unique to EGLL, is heavy clouds/rain.

Unless you work there, how would anyone know it was out of date?

To me, it looks on a par with all the other major airports I have (Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Sydney, Vancouver among others).

Don't really understand your problem.

 

[G-RFRY 1,710]

6 hours ago, KL Oo said:

Hi Ray - Do you have a reference? I didn't see anything discussed on their forums? Wondering about a time line...

I don`t know the time line but he would update the P3D airports, no 32bit FSX support and he as already started releasing his Luton Bristol and Glasgow HD airports.

[F737MAX 5,585]

11 hours ago, benwbriscoe said:

Bad textures, low frame rates, bad modelling...

The problem is that the product is quite dated when compared to most of the large airports available for P3D as it was in released in September 2017 (before PBR was a thing).

Despite being recompiled using the P3D4 SDK, I have the feeling that it is actually just the 32-bit Mega Airport Heathrow scenery from 2014 touched-up for 64-bit.

While there are better airport developers (FT, FB, FSDT) out there, Sim-Wings' version was / is good enough, meaning sales for others wouldn't be as high.
Combined with the complexity of the airport (lots of non-uniform models and textures), located near the notoriously poorly performing city of London, and proximity to 4 other London airports all dragging performance down, has probably scared the 3 high-end airport developers away.

I'm very glad that Sim-Wings' EGLL exists and have gotten enjoyment from it. However, nearly 3 years after its release for P3D, it could be time for one of the top developers to make an EGLL scenery for MSFS and port it to P3D v5.
 

Edited September 24, 2020 by F737NG

[Christopher Low 5,353]

I am fussy where graphics are concerned, but I do not see much of a problem with the SimWings Heathrow scenery package. The textures look OK to me (and low resolution textures are something that I hate), and the modelling is quite well detailed. The one aspect that I am not too keen on is the runway lighting. It looks rather crude and unrealistic compared to the equivalent lighting in the UK2000 version.

Edited September 24, 2020 by Christopher Low

[fluffyflops 1,858]

15 minutes ago, F737NG said:

The problem is that the product is quite dated when compared to most of the large airports available for P3D as it was in released in September 2017 (before PBR was a thing).

Despite being recompiled using the P3D4 SDK, I have the feeling that it is actually just the 32-bit Mega Airport Heathrow scenery from 2014 touched-up for 64-bit.

While there are better airport developers (FT, FB, FSDT) out there, Sim-Wings' version was / is good enough, meaning sales for others wouldn't be as high.
Combined with the complexity of the airport (lots of non-uniform models and textures), located near the notoriously poorly performing city of London, and proximity to 4 other London airports all dragging performance down, has probably scared the 3 high-end airport developers away.

I'm very glad that Sim-Wings' EGGL exists and have gotten enjoyment from it. However, nearly 3 years after its release for P3D, it could be time for one of the top developers to make an EGGL scenery for MSFS and port it to P3D v5.
 

Same as Frankfurt.  A down and dirty quick new installer and exclude file for v5.  Without optimising anything in order to get and bag a few scraps of sales. Standard procedure. 

For example the incorrect stands in EGLL are still there and the same old issues with Eddf. 

Best wishes!! 

[787flyer 633]

Its not that bad IMHO. The airport is still quite realistic and the textures are OK. OK, could they be improved in the next update for v5, the answer is probably yes.

The question is if an update were to come, how many would be prepared to pay for the possible extra charge Simwings would levy?

 

As for performance, its running OK. I am getting  high 30's FPS with Aerosoft Bus at EGLL in P3Dv5 with the proviso that my AI traffic is turned down to 35. I also have FTX England installed but not TE.