This is a great program! Regardless of the limitations, it's allowing eveyone to fly free of charge and making flight, flight simulation, and high-tech geographical and even cultural and social knowledge accessible and interesting. This is a fun program as well as an incredible learning tool.Five-Stars. :-beerchug

Hi,The OP wanted to know if this was competition for FS and this is no more of a competition then X Plane or any of the other freeware offerings out there.Sorry all, no competition here.Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/banners/hifi-community-sigbanner.jpghttp://www.hifisim.com/

>Your shot illustrates perfectly the problem created by high>resolution textures with no autogen: the houses look as if>they have been flattened by a huge steamroller!>>Ironically this 'steamroller effect' makes autogen actually>more essential if you're flying, like me, low and slow.The idea of some type of auto-gen for ground level, then turning off at 1000' or so, has been discussed (as we probably all know). Using MegaScenery Hawaii for FSX was the point that I realized that auto-gen screwed up the "real" look effect, as soon as I had gained enough altitude to where the photo-real textures actually look 3D. The crisper high resolution textures of FSX really help here.In the meantime, I use high global scenery settings on the slider to get major three dimentional buildings, and scrub auto-gen altogether. I really prefer it that way; unless "all" scenery is like FS9's Flight Scenery Portland, which looks fantastic from just about any altitude and angle.Most of my sim flying is in the 1000-5000 agl range, at about 175 kias between destinations. Not all that slow, but low enough.Regardless, I used this "Google" flight sim in various areas last evening across the western USA. In some areas the effect is very good, and much better than landclass derived scenery. Perhaps in a few years, it will all be up to higher standards with crisp photo real textures across the globe. L.Adamson

I'll take reality and flatness (go up another 500 ft. where I should be and it isn't there as this altitude would get me a faa bust-how long does one fly on a typical flight below 500 agl?) over crude approximation of reality and 3d objects any day-but just like those that fly heavies only vs. ga only-we all use the sim for different reasons and in different ways. I can't wait till this type of scenery is the norm and vector scenery is gone-or at least we have the choice to choose which would make everyone happy:-)http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

It may be, but is it really competition to MSFS as the title of the thread implies?

It must be as I am spending more time with it than fsx right now.. :-lolhttp://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

Enjoy it then. Have you tried Tile Proxy? Same concept, but integrates directly into FSX. A more powerful computer is required though.All that said, as a platform that would appeal to the masses, I doubt many would share your view.

Yes-I am a fan of Tileproxy.Disagree though that many don't share my view.I use the sim for rw reasons-for situational awareness I'll be using google from now on-for procedures fsx.When Tileproxy/Google scenery integrates this well with fsx I'll be a happy camper. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

{shrugging shoulders}I'll stand by my earlier post.

Horey Google!!!...to those of us "lay peole" who use FSX but want actual satillite mesh....this is a start....In my humble opinion the folks at Microsoft should now concintrate on making this technology feel like the real world...with moving cars...people...ect...Like FSX but with satilite mesh.....Tile proxy is awsome...but slow.to load.... and sometines hard to figure out....PS....Has anyone figured out how to use the joystick and then use the MOUSE to look around...useing the keyboard to look around when flying in google... just takes the fun out of it....Jareth

Sorry, I'd say Xplane is much more competition than this.

>Sorry, I'd say Xplane is much more competition than this.>There are just different ways to look at this.I, as well as others have used flight sims including MSFS, X-Plane, and Pro-Pilot to technically "pre-visit" the airport and surrounding topography/cityscapes before actually flying there.With Google, we now have an additional & perhaps a more realistic option to check these airport areas out visually, if the "data" is good enough. But..........it's still going to be MSFS, X-Plane, and sims like Elite, that will have needed airport/ taxiway & navigational data-bases. Therefor, a combination of all, never hurts when it comes to realism, or using the various sims for useful real life purposes.L.Adamson

I'm sure this is on their radar, and has been. I'll bet it'll be an option 2 - 3 versions from now, when time of day and season are solved. Although I do believe about a year ago somebody was discussing an algorithm they had developed for adding seasons to satellite imagery. I assume time of day would be similar. Might be discussed in Pixelpoke's or tdragger's blogs.But they'll continue to need a method of representing terrain without an internet connection for years to come.Rather soon be on the lookout for discussion of a solution or partial solution for the autogen issue. Remember what a revolution Ultimate Terrain was?Thomas[a href=http://www.flyingscool.com] http://www.flyingscool.com/images/Signature.jpg [/a]I like using VC's :-)N15802 KASH '73 Piper Cherokee Challenger 180

I just posted these compares to a real flight I took a week ago. I'll be doing more but as I have over 1500 photos of the 6500 nm. flight it might take a while.I have to say though looking at the compares I also tend to shrug my shoulders..no contest imho :-beerchughttp://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...id=263034&page=http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpgForum Moderatorhttp://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

Yea...nice comparrisons actually.....actually FS does not do too bad does it?This from a flight I had this evening over Martha's/Cape Cod/Provincetown...http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/177610.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/177609.jpgNot bad to me ;)