Next big things in XP12 world are CPU threading and default scenery updates. I'm looking forward to both, I can't hide that.

But that gets me thinking, what it will be like? Unless I somehow skipped some talk from LR about default scenery update, I can only wish.

We all know that LR certainly can't pull any ortho (satellite) imagery data, especially to stream it in real time. It's easy for Microsoft when they own Bing maps, Azure, etc etc. But LR must rely on old technology, like Open Street, land class data, etc.

Speaking of OpenLC data, my expectations and practically my wish is LR to pull something like ORBX did for Prepar3D - FTX Global (complete ground textures replacement) + OpenLC regions, with detailed land class data, where every single texture must be placed, and the exact area/shape that it will cover. X-Plane 12 shares the same tech, but man, textures are from like X-Plane 10, and land class data is so sparse, so bad, I even think that it's the same method used in FS2004.

So, to summarize, LR needs a complete texture re-write (I think MisterX is acquired by LR to do that part), and much newer and detailed land class data. I even think that default autogen buildings are ok, and look way better than buildings in MSFS2020, where they look like they emerged from some WWII movie.

And yes, LR needs to introduce Bezier smoothing for the terrain mesh, like FSX/P3D/MSFS has. It's a simple math, but it has it's drawback - LOD morphing. Still, LR can introduce the option for users to enable it, or stay with the old triangle system. 

Some FTX Global + OpenLC examples below. And yes, I would gladly use this over ANY streaming ortho solution due to few reasons (resolution, SimHeaven, internet dependancy, color differences between areas, etc etc).

LR take note what ORBX did few years ago. 🙂

FTX Global + OpenLC Europe:

 

FTX Global + OpenLC North America:

Edited October 17, 2025Oct 17 by Pe11e

You make me want to reload P3D, and yes, I own them all.

Will be interesting to see what they do.

22 minutes ago, Xflyboy said:

You make me want to reload P3D, and yes, I own them all.

Will be interesting to see what they do.

Honestly if they deliver anything below FTX Global + OpenLC quality, I will be (highly) disappointed. Let's be real, ORBX did a truly fantastic job 12 years ago (plus OpenLC releases in the next couple of years), so I simply can't see a reason why LR + MisterX can't deliver anything similar, or even better in 2025/2026. I truly hope they can surprise us.

Edited October 17, 2025Oct 17 by Pe11e

 

 

Any of that would be great, just the tech in XP12, then a full overhaul that makes use of it for a new major release.

 

 

I wont be disappointed no matter what they do, what ever improves the sim. seems A lot of you are ready to be disappointed.

My understanding is that to improve performance they will have ground represented by solid green, water by solid blue, and sparse white lines to represent roads or buildings.  This worked perfectly fine on my C64 and I think it will work here too!

In all seriousness though, they should lean in hard to the “living scenery” concept.  I was doing a VFR flight today and a balloon was passing below me.  I swear it looked real.  They already have great vehicles and trains.  Now let’s see moving waterways/waterfalls, birds, seasonal changes to fields, tractors, etc, etc. This is the advantage of not having to rely on photogrammetry.

Edited October 18, 2025Oct 18 by Gilandred

I just don’t see how landclass based scenery can surpass reality. I’ll probably just keep using XP Map Enhancement. 

25 minutes ago, Gilandred said:

 

In all seriousness though, they should lean in hard to the “living scenery” concept.  I was doing a VFR flight today and a balloon was passing below me.  I swear it looked real.  They already have great vehicles and trains.  Now let’s see moving waterways/waterfalls, birds, seasonal changes to fields, tractors, etc, etc. This is the advantage of not having to rely on photogrammetry.

Oh, that reminds me, this one too

 

 

Only thing close to realty is reality but even that has fake trees and grass these days

5 hours ago, GCBraun said:

I just don’t see how landclass based scenery can surpass reality.

I don´t think the goal is to surpass reality 😉

10 hours ago, Xflyboy said:

You make me want to reload P3D,

Me too! In fact I think I will load up maybe v4 and the Orbx stuff, to refresh my visual memory.

I would be more than happy with an XP that gave me True Earth levels of visuals, and maybe the earlier Orbx level quality would be fine too. Total accuracy is not required for (in) my world, but credibility most definitely is. Streaming real imagery unnecessary for me. But more object animation (wind, water, animals etc) would also be great too.

Not expecting, or even wanting, pebble-level tech. My own perspective on that in MSFS is that it does look amazing when you're actually down there in it, but it actually muddies the view significantly when you're flying around 500 to 1000 feet up. There's obviously some distance at which the actual level of detail of the ground textures/models makes it look fuzzy before the replacement view kicks in.

PG not necessary either, but better visual quality autogen buildings. For me, current stuff is a bit too bland boxy. 

Good vegetation is a must. Trees are still an issue for me at the moment, but that may well be because I'm not set up properly yet.

But I'm certainly hopeful, and actually pretty confident, that some good stuff may well arrive soon (ish). In spite of my pretty substantial spend on MSFS addons, I wouldn't be upset if it became a second/fallback system for me in future.

Not expecting much at all - just fix or tidy up the land and coast outlines and the terrain mesh and the way roads are displayed - yes there are lots of dirt roads about the world and the one size fits all streetlamps in out of the way places that do not have at all (For example Johnson Atoll in the Pacific (PJON) is diabolical in the real world, it is a little coral island with a dirt runway of sorts and no body living there - you get in XP a tar covered strip and road with street lamps etc - pretty stupid same goes for Canton Island ( PCIS )- you would think your in Majorca  or somewhere like that with lights everywhere and traffic zooming about, when maybe 6 people live on Canton Island now) any other wise I am not expecting reality to be reproduced - default airports are brilliantly done now as is the way the sim works so maybe some landclass texturing to tidy up the look. Yeah they could do coral reef and tropical water areas a lot better after they managed that in FSX why not XP? Still apart from ignoring the Artic regions they have managed to find some islands in the Pacific that went missing from FSX and P3D. Not sure how they interpret the map data they use but Open Street map is itself in some places a very rough interpretation of what the real world is actually like - again I use the example of Canton Islands - yes it actually has a major concrete runway and ramp area a left over from the end of the use of the place as a Pacific stopover and refuel point before the Jets arrived (Pan Am and Qantas owned and operated it) now it is abandoned and derelict and yes lots of roads all dirt and a few rotting houses but tree cover is minimal and basically it is a dry dessicated pacific atoll. More importantly unless I get a payware addone I just do not see coral reefs and tropical water correctly shown at all!

Oh yes and ditch those stupid balloons they turn up everywhere no matter what the wind conditions - Ballooners floating about when in reality no Ballooner would even think of going flying in the wind condtions present! That is anything but light and variable or calm keeps Balloon folk on the ground!

Edited October 18, 2025Oct 18 by coastaldriver

I'm sure I read on the blog that they are dong away with the vector based way of roads and landclass and are moving to a raster approach to scenery. This is how the MSFS series does its scenery, much faster and incredibly accurate, so i hope they made good progress on this, I have no doubt they will come up with something much better for us.

I also have no doubt that the new raster approach used by LR will give us some very good next-gen scenery, in some aspects even better than the satellite-scenery approach (which has its drawbacks).

What I'd also like to see though is detail up close, in terms of 3d meshes and textures, for example when flying very close to a mountain. That's one area where MSFS2020 (last versions I tried) gave spectacular results, whereas XP was still lacking.

I wouldn’t want any changes that would compromise the great performance I’m getting or increase load times and please don’t go the scenery streaming route. For me XP is an “airplane flying” sim. Having said that I know the true glory of aviation is the sights and sounds of flying, otherwise things get kind of technical and dry. Maybe some more regional specific buildings and trees with villages in tropical countries where red tile rooftops are common and I don’t remember seeing spruce pines in Nicaragua😂 But for myself if they didn’t change a thing I would be fine. I can always pull up Google Earth if I want to sight see.