Ultimate FSX add ons

[Guest Hawk78]

Hi everyone. I have to admit it: I'm greedy! I want a seriously realistic FSX setup. I've got the hardware sorted (new computer, 42'' plasma + separate screen, track IR, HOTAS cougar, pedals, AudioFX headset, buttkicker). Now for add-ons...Assume money's not an issue. Installation/ease of use is a factor however. After reading around on the forums for various products, these are the products I feel would suit me best:Airplanes:- SF260 Marchetti...and 767 level D in the future!Mesh:- FSGenesis- Ultimate Terrain X USALandclass:- XClass (whole globe)- Scenery Tech: Europe - might add this as well if it would make any difference?)Textures:- Ground Environment X whenever it's released. ...possibly VFR Scenery for Britain)Weather++:- Flight Environment X...any point with ASX and XGraphics then???ATC/Traffic:- My Traffix X (read about different options, think this would suit me)- Vox ATCOther:- FSUIPC (seems like a must although don't really understand the details)- FSCommander...haven't really understood what Tileproxy is, but assume it's not a must after all the other scenery add ons?I'm obviously not going to get everything at once, but I would like to have a plan. I would like some comments on this. Also, please let me know if I'm missing any major add-ons, or if there's any compatibility issues. Look forward to the feedback!Aleks

[jackcnd 0]

For most areas, I like FSX just as is, its so much better than FS9 as far as mesh, and landclass. If you add 3rd party mesh you may start getting issues with some airports, rivers etc. The only addon I have is Vancouver+, as its an area I like to fly close to home, and improved on the rivers and landclass greatly that was lacking in the mountains. I like Holgers releases as he takes the time to do a area correctly.

[Paul J 349]

Hi Aleks: nice system: my only comment concerns VoxATC: - you can only get the 16-bit AT&T voices on DVD: this is because of the licensing agreement with AT&T. If you want them via download you need to go to AT&T themselves ($35) - and it is definitely worth it. It is as close to r/w as one can get.

[Guest jshyluk]

Ultimate Terrain USA derives its mesh from FSGenesis. The former is a repackaging of the latter, and covers North America only.Live Traffic X also covers North America only, basically. If you restrict your flying to North America, then you don't need products that cover the world, like with your ground textures.If you are running an Nvidia card, you can get 3D stereoscopic images, and score yourself some red-green anaglyph glasses from Eyecessories.com. I wouldn't necessarily put the glasses in the same league as a TrackIR, but it is fun to fly in 3D from time to time.If you really want to help the Flight Sim economy, you can also check out the developers of realistic cockpit equipment, and get some very lifelike guages, flight chairs, and such to build your own cockpit at home. The AVSIM FANCON is a tremendous opportunity to try this type of equipment out. You have to see this stuff to believe it! Finally, if your greed for new flight sim accessories exceeds the capacity of your wallet (or even if it doesn't, in which case Unca Jeff needs some new pedals) and you think you can put some words together, you should consider trying out as an Avsim Product Reviewer. This invitation is open for anyone who is at all interested, by the way. Reviewers get to see so much product, we need our fearless Editor to help us keep track of it all. Jeff ShylukSenior Staff Reviewer, Avsim

[McCrash 3]

Hawk78 what do you think of the Cougar?I have a new set and the antenna pot died. lol Got new parts for free anyway. Once I got used to the original Thrustmaster HOTAS I could never use any other HOTAS. My original set with the Elite rudders are in perfect working order and I still have some more parts for them too.I miss Falcon4.

[Guest MattNW]

Note: If you have astigmatism the red-green anaglyph glasses will not work. They assume both eyes are equal. All you will get is a double image one image green the other red.

[meshman 109]

>After reading around on the forums for various products, these>are the products I feel would suit me best:>>Mesh:>- FSGenesis>- Ultimate Terrain X USA>To clarify, UT/X does not contain mesh or enhance the mesh characteristics of the sim. It will work nicely with addon mesh, such as that available from FSGenesis. UT/X brings accurate land, water, road and other features into FSX. It can be used with default textures or addon textures, it's up to the user's discretion.

[Guest jshyluk]

There's two ways to go at this:A) Dang it, you caught my mistake! I was mixing up Extreme Landscapes USA with Ultimate Terrain USA - two totally different products. -or-:( Hooray, you caught my little "misinformation"! Last month, I've made precisely seventeen errors in my reviews and Internet posts. The first person who successfully finds the other sixteen will win Lunch With Tom Allensworth! (Subject to Tom agreeing to this in the fisrt place. Contest winner is solely responsible for all costs incurred, especially Tom's lunch.)As for astigmatism ruining the anaglyph glasses experience, I have quite a high degree of astigmatism in both eyes, with the right loaded more than the left, and I can tell you with authority that the Eyecessories glasses work like a charm. I have the Nvdia stereoscopic slider set to 50%, which is fairly intense 3D. If you are having trouble seeing anaglyph stereo, try a lower setting. While it's not true that all astigmatism cancels out the 3D effect, it is true that a small percentage of people won't percieve the effect. That's something to discuss with your optometrist, for sure. Jeff ShylukSenior Staff Reviewer, Avsim

[Guest Hawk78]

Thanks guys, great to get some feedback! This is all very exciting for me, feel like a little kid in the worlds biggest candy store...Re the voices - so I first buy the VOX ATC DVD, then upgrade with voices from AT&T, correct?Jeff, you mentioned Live Traffic X. Did you mean My Traffic X? If this is only for North America, what traffic product would work for the whole globe?Oh, I actually forgot to mentioned I've already ordered 3d glasses. I went for eDimensional E-D Wireless 3d glasses though. Hope they work ok. They use shutter rather than green/red, so any astigmatism shouldn't be a problem! Got 20-20 anyway ;-)McCrash, I LOVE the cougar. It's the type of hardware that make you feel a little bit warm inside every time you touch it. My wife's jealous but won't admit it. I still play Falcon 4.0 AF actually, I'm a massive F16 fan. Got a backseat ride while in the norwegian airforce - lifetime memory. Finally two quick questions, SceneryTech Europe: Any point to add this on top of Xclass? And this tileproxy thing, can I skip it?Again thanks for the feedback, this forum is great!Aleks

[brucek 38]

Hi Jeff,How do you "try out" as a reviewer?Thanks, Bruce.

[Guest jshyluk]

The product I am thinking of is FSNav Live Traffic X. Here is the review I wrote about it:http://www.avsim.com/pages/0607/TrafficX/TrafficX.htmI am writing a review right now about Ultimate Traffic X. I don't believe I have used My Traffic X, although I know about it. Both cover the globe. I am looking forward to the traffic expansion that's "Bob's Program What Moves The Bitty Little Airplanes Around". I don't really care so much if it looks good or works smoothly, only that it has a name that does not use either "Traffic" or "X" in it. Jeff ShylukSenior Staff Reviewer, Avsim