So now it's time to explore the scenery of SLC and its surrounds. I really like the look and feel of this place. One of the things I enjoyed about a lot of the places I went to in the USA back in my instructing days was the feeling of open space. The UK is one of the most densely populated and built up countries, and we tend to have everything crammed up against everything else. Apart from a few wild places, you're never more than a mile or so from the next building or set of buildings even in the "open countryside", and most of the built-up areas are really chronically over built. Plus we have this obsession with our "green belt" (supposedly preserved areas around most of the towns and cities) where new building is not allowed, so you get this scenario where whenever a mid-sized older property comes on the market, a developer buys it, knocks it down and squeezes four or five properties on to the site. You have ghettoes of "executive homes" spring up everywhere that cost a fortune but you can shake hands with your neighbour across your bathroom windows.

I realise that not all of the US is wide open space, I've been to heavily built up areas too, but we really don't have places like SLC here, and combine that with the setting and the climate and you've got somewhere that can turn a Brit's head!

This first shot illustrates what I mean. Over here, you'd have two shopping malls and a couple of apartment blocks filling up all that space!

And this is definitely one of the better areas as regards the PG in the sim. You can get quite close before it starts to get ugly

Don't know how up to date and accurate the imagery is, but there seems to be lots of building work going on around the downtown area, and it is well handled by the whole Blackshark AI processing. Really adds to the sense of realism, I feel

That feeling of open spaces again. Plus, there are a few of those awful PG vegetation uglifacts, but nowhere near as many as you see in some places, and generally the greenery is magnificent

Lush is the word I'd use. And again, with the light in the scene and on my big monitor I can almost smell all the woods.

Nothing special about the buildings here, but it's another illustration of the sort of space and airiness you get in cities like this.

Heading back towards the airport now, and here's the big LDS Temple around which the town was established

And off to its right (north) is the state Capitol building

I took maybe 50 more shots than I'm showing here, but I won't push my luck, so back we go now

And down

I've said many a time that this is the attraction about MSFS for me. When you get an area as well done as this it really is approaching the "digital twin" concept. If 2024 improves on the PG aspect to bring the whole environment at least up to this level we'll be well on the way to that goal. Maybe by the time we get FS2028 it really will be a d*mn near perfect representation of the planet. The technology is out there, and I for one am looking forward to seeing it in here.

Really enjoyed the tour and nice to hear that enthusiasm!

These look really good.  I sued to go to SLC several times a month when I lived in Boise.

On 7/2/2023 at 4:54 PM, John F said:

Really enjoyed the tour and nice to hear that enthusiasm!

Cheers John, glad you liked it. And yep, I'm enjoying both sims a lot these days.

23 hours ago, Jack_Sawyer said:

These look really good.  I sued to go to SLC several times a month when I lived in Boise.

Thanks Jack, and I guess you must have quite liked the place as well (or were they working trips?)

2 minutes ago, andy1252 said:

Cheers John, glad you liked it. And yep, I'm enjoying both sims a lot these days.

Thanks Jack, and I guess you must have quite liked the place as well (or were they working trips?)

Pleasure.

2 minutes ago, Jack_Sawyer said:

Pleasure.

even better!

Great shots Andy! 😉 

Thanks for the interesting tour, Andy !!