Full Terrain eXperience (FTX) released tonight!

[Guest DreamFleet]

>>>I agree with almost everything you said. I do see your finger>slipped off the multiplier key on the calculator when you>input the 20 bucks... its multiplied by the number of FTX>sectors to cover the world in order to truly support #1 in the>list.>>>As for the assessment at the end, to me $10,000 is not>expensive its a weekend in Vegas. Expensive is a relative>term.>My good man, you have NO idea (though I think you do) how right you are!John Venema and team are looking beyond just the "enthusiast" FS market, or the "entertainment" FS market, and as the cost of real flying increases more and more real pilots flock to FS, and for these folks these prices are a "drop in the bucket". Real pilots do not need to have the whole world simulated like this. For many of them just one or two areas will sufficeFrankly, I think FTX is a bargain, and for someone above who commented that they should have done Europe or the USA, or whatever first because that is where most flight simmers are...Do not sell Australia short, or do not sell short the fact that there are those, regardless of where they live who just want a great environment to fly in regardless of where it is.Besides, the company is based in Australia, so it sort of makes sense that they first do what they know best. :) Regards,http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/gfx/images/F...R_FORUM_LOU.jpg

[Guest Nick_N]

I think your getting the wrong idea... I bought it. I like Australia. I'm not down on FTX. Never was.I was simply responding to a comment from someone who was trying to make a point with what appeared to be incorrect or omitted information.:)

[siggy 154]

I agree that looks quite nice, but can anyone tell me why a scenery product needs .NET 3.0 installed ?Siggy

[Guest sillyeagle]

Probably has to do with data access but I would be curious to know more.

[Guest pwheeler]

>what ever happened to cloud shadows in FTX? i have looked at>the screenshots, and have yet to see a cloud shadow. was this>dropped?>The cloud shadows were mentioned when OrbX were still working with AeroSimulations - the people behind FEX. That partnership is now no more, so the cloud shadows in FTX are no more.However, the FEX guys have said they are developing their own ground texture package and they have hinted that it will include cloud shadows. Where it happens or not I guess we'll have to wait and see.There was a post about it in the FEX forums but it was removed pretty quick - I assume by Flight 1.Paul

[Guest]

Could someone tell me if you really actually notice a difference while flying? I mean, do you CLEARLY notice a difference without comparing screenshots? My problem with GEX was that I didn't really see a difference while flying: I had to compare screenshots in order to say 'Er... yes, that's er... different'. Will FTX make say 'That's not different.... that's simply better!' without having to resort to comparing screenshots? I have never ever flown in Australia, so that makes it even more questionable if I will notice a clear difference. I've said before that UTX Europe really changed FSX for me: the difference is mighty clear! Does FTX give me that same instant 'Wow'-feeling? Or is the difference more subtle...? I know this region on its own is quite cheap, but I usually never fly there: if however it is REALLY revolutionary, I might give it a try... (though I'd rather have FTX Europe of course... ;) ) And what exactly will make me go WOW: the textures? The non-tiling (which I read here)? The autogen? I understand everyone loves FTX, but I can't put my finger on what EXACTLY... I am afraid I will have to make flights with and without FTX to see a difference, and if that's the case, it's not worth it for me... I want to see a REAL instant difference.

[Guest pwheeler]

You will notice the difference straight away simply because the textures are so different to the originals. In default Australia is very poor so the difference is that much more obvious. Whether the difference will be so pronounced in Europe or the US, I guess we'll have to wait and see. Remember that the default landclass and textures are at ther best in the US and Europe. Having said that I'm sure the US and Europe FTX will be just as much of a revelation as the Austrailain FTX.Paul

[Guest]

Hm, that's what I mean: there is a DIFFERENCE... but I wonder if that will make me go WOW because I have never flown in that area, so I don't know how it looked before. So what will have to make me go WOW is... the autogen or sharper textures or... Know what I mean? Will it be as if I have a brand new version of FSX or will I be just as surprised as I would be when flying above a default FSX region for the very first time?When I look at the two last screenshos in this topic (above the golfing area):http://orbxsystems.com/forums/index.php?topic=1254.0I think 'Yes, it is DIFFERENT, but is it better...? To me it's mainly different. It's as if I see FSX default in two different area's. The FTX shot doesn't make me go WOW, this is a new sim!The 'problem' (which isn't really a problem but just how it is...) with the texture loading nearby is obvioulsy still there (you can clearly see the lowres textures). Main difference is the houses seem to be smaller which is good, because with FSX default everything is too big, but well... But maybe I like the default golfiing course even more... I still wonder if I'd think 'This looks like a new sim!' or not. The comparison shots I've seen sofar didn't make me think that.

[Guest]

>1) Provide you with an essentially new sim.In what regard?>2) Provide a revolutionary means of generating ground textures which look incredible and eliminate blurriesI still see textures loading late... (which isn't really blurries, but still...)>3) Essentially remove tilingMeaning...?

[Guest fireflyfx]

J van E- I understand your concerns- I felt the same with the original GEX. Things were different but not necessarily better than default. However GEX enhanced really improved the scenery so that it was clearly better than default (in my eyes anyway).FTX is on a different level altogether however. No-one could fail to notice the improvement. The textures are sublime, pin-sharp at low altitudes, and blurry free. Also the landclass has been painstakingly placed by hand- hence no tiling at all.Is it essentially a new sim? No, just the best the flight sim has ever looked.

[Guest fsxmissionguy]

James,I appreciate your enthusiasm and don't want to rain on the parade, but this product does not provide you with a "new sim" if you are flying anywhere outside the one-quarter of southern Austrailia where the product displays its textures.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/186052.jpgIt's a great product. It's also a hugely expensive product. It does not "remove tiling."http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/186051.jpgAgain, I'm not dumping on the product. There are aspects of it that are looking great. But we should discuss it in the proper context. It's a great improvement to a limited portion of the smallest continent.If these same textures were applied more globally (which could occur fairly easily it seems to me), then I think there would be more general interest outside of the OZ community. I'm curious why the developers haven't thought of this approach ... apply these same textures globally, and then slowly replace them with region-specific textures locally and charge extra for that!Then, I think the "revolution" comments might be appropriate.

[Guest fireflyfx]

I understood tiling to be the "flying over a patchwork quilt" effect you often get with the default textures. Apologies- my bad.However i disagree about applying the same textures globally. we need to get away from this one size fits all approach. What would be the point of releasing textures which you know you have to replace later, cos they're not correct for the region?

[Guest]

...well, what about... WOW!It's looking mighty fine down under! Great autogen (the industrial areas are awesome). All is very sharp! Textures seem to load better than the default ones: or at least I have to say the popping up of it is a lot less noticable. I have autogen at Very dense and all runs pretty fine. Above Melbourne it does go down to 15 or so but it still feels quite smooth. The variation/diversity is immense! The size of everything looks good: it's all in proportion! Things look a lot better in the distance tooL shaper it seems. And a LOT of detail! And all this without comparing screenshots by simply flying in the Ultralight.I'll be flying down under for quite some time now...!!! Bring on the next area, please!

[virtualstuff 757]

>And all this without comparing screenshots by simply flying in>the Ultralight.>>I'll be flying down under for quite some time now...!!! Bring>on the next area, please!That is what we are telling everybody :-lolhttp://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/awf1/sign.jpg