Full Terrain eXperience (FTX) released tonight!

[MatthewS 761]

>>So long live FTX. You get matching landclass for every>released region. You get all your seasons, better aligned and>resized autogen. Heck even birds and livestock including>kangoroos :) And that's not all. As far as scenery is>concerned this is by far the best package in a long time.You also get accurate coastlines with beaches, lakes, rivers, roads, railways and street lights! Plus dozens of free airports blended to match the FTX textures in the freeware airport pack (which I believe is soon to be released).

[tf51d 284]

>>>>So long live FTX. You get matching landclass for every>>released region. You get all your seasons, better aligned>and>>resized autogen. Heck even birds and livestock including>>kangoroos :) And that's not all. As far as scenery is>>concerned this is by far the best package in a long time.>>You also get accurate coastlines with beaches, lakes, rivers,>roads, railways and street lights! Plus dozens of free>airports blended to match the FTX textures in the freeware>airport pack (which I believe is soon to be released). I get all that now with the GEX, UTUSA combination in the US and Canada (With the exception of the free airports, but the US already has many detailed airports default, and XGraphics adds some scenery to all the others to make them look more realistic.), so FTX is going to really have to knock my socks off to get me to switch, at this point in those areas, once it's released

[Guest pwheeler]

I have all three products - FTX, UTX and GEX.As has been said overall FTX blows everything out of the water. However, there are important points to remember... Firstly price. FTX covers a much smaller area than both UTX and GEX. There are four packages for Austrailia alone. Yes the textures are far superior to GEX, but GEX covers a much larger area and replaces the default textures whereas FTX has complete custom textures (more of them too, hense the greater variety in the landscape). To get FTX to cover the globe you'd probably have to spend several hundred pounds (sorry I'm English!)Secondly, I feel that UTX provides superior topography than FTX. The coastlines (esp. beaches) seem to be drawn at a much higher resolution in UTX and there are many more vector roads and water features (not to mention the custom water class too which no other products have).Thirdly, I think I prefer the UTX night lights to the FTX night lights - especially in the latest Europe release, in which the lights were rendered differently to the US release (personal taste though). Although you can probably run both side-by-side for lots of lights!Fourthly, FTX has custom autogen and many more features like animals grazing in fields which none of the other products have. This also helps with FPS because the models are better than the default.Fifth, the FTX website clearly states that FTX and UTX are completely compatible.Sixth, FTX coverage will take a while in coming. UTX US, Canada and Europe are out now. GEX US and Canada is out, Europe isn't far away. But OrbX have said that FTX will be supported well into FS11 and beyond.My conclusion - get UTX - Get as many FTX packages as you can afford, Get GEX to fill out the rest of the world and gradually get more and more FTX packages when you can afford them.I have to say I think that UTX combined with GEX in the US is not that far behind FTX, but the combination is necessary. On their own, they aren't even close to FTX.I will probably stay with UTX and GEX in USA, Canada and Europe and get FTX for other parts of the world that never get any other scenery products. That way I can get pretty decent scenery in the US and Canada while I slowly build up my FTX collection.Ideal situation - UTX topography - FTX textures (Orbx have said this combination is possible). Until FTX is available GEX will suit me fine!All three have their pluses and minuses. All three are great products.Sorry for the long post. Just trying to be balanced! ;-)Paul

[Virtualwombat 4]

Just went for a fly around the Latrobe Valley, in Victoria, where I grew up. It was dusk, and stone the crows! They have lights on the road traffic, with no frame rate hit that I could see! The sunset was the best I have EVER seen in any version of FS. It is just so realistic! The ground textures are #### near perfect. All I can say is OMG! Orbx have really delivered!Cheers,Noel.

[Rimshot 1,142]

--->"so FTX is going to really have to knock my socks off to get me to switch, at this point in those areas, once it's released"Trust me, it will. Without any doubt :)

[Geofa 108]

Just to mention-Default fsx has lights on the road traffic.http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/1b5baf...b9f427f694g.jpgMy blog:http://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

[tf51d 284]

>Just to mention-Default fsx has lights on the road traffic.>http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/1b5baf...b9f427f694g.jpg>>My blog:>http://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/I think he means 3D lights like UT has!!

[Geofa 108]

I think their 3d road lights are the best I have seen-night or day.http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/1b5baf...b9f427f694g.jpgMy blog:http://geofageofa.spaces.live.com/

[GHarrall 494]

Bert,Off topic, but if you were still seeing unrealistic areas of desert textures after installing GEXn, then something was not right. Even with the default FSX landclass.Glenn

[Guest j0nx]

Would have made more sense to start with the US or Europe since the vast majority of the simming community lives there...Can't wait to try it, but I will be waiting for the US version before that happens.

[Guest Nick_N]

He was using the original GEX, not GEXnGEXn completely reworked the textures so there is no "desert' showing everywhere. And the desert, looks like the desert.His assesment was based on owning and returning the original product and never had GEXn installed.GEXn took all the major landclass products available into account when it was reworked so it does not single anyone out and require additional purchases. Such purchases are by choice instead of mandatory to get desired results.

[virtualstuff 758]

>>I think he means 3D lights like UT has!!Tom / Geofa this quality is such a big step forward GEX or whatever textures in what for version can't compared to this different leagues...Never have seen this quality in Flightsim before and I have very high standards :-) just stunning stuff can't wait for this stuff to arrive for Europe :-) also the immersion factor is huge :-)No FPS impact with 3d lights too...The best 18 Euros I ever spent on textures / lc / lights in Flightsim :-lolhttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/awf1/sign.jpg

[Guest fsxmissionguy]

For the astonishing amount of money it would cost to provide the coverage one receives from GEX, you'd BETTER get something pretty special with FTX.Just judging from what has bene released, I'd say FTS is going to be, by far, the single most addon in Microsoft Flight Simulator's 25-year history. I think it remains to be seen whether there's a broad user market for such data at that price point.My guess is Orbx will have to market this to a more vertical market - the military, or governments, for example.

[Guest fsxmissionguy]

Also, sunsets.

[Guest]

And how are the blurries with FTX? Better? Worse? The same?