Scenery for Europe

[Wendy]

I was surfing around to find a better general scenery for Europe then the default FSX scenery and found the following titles from Flight 1 Europe:
-FSGlobal 2008
-Ultimate Terrain Europe.

Has anyone tried one of these software packages on FSX or what is the best general scenery that is available for Europe. I would be most pleased if it has Belgium included.

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Wendy,

Actually I am in the middle of migrating from FS9 to FSX.

I was looking at those packages, and they do look incredible. Flight one has some amazing titles..

If nobody else posts here, please let us know what you thought about the titles if you do get them.

We are trying to expand our database and this is just the ticket.

Trev

[Michael Carter]

If UT Europe for FSX is anything like the FS9 version, it's a must-have.

There is also some pretty good mesh available for FSX.

Hmmm. I thought FSX was supposed to have enough eye candy without resorting to add-ons. I guess they were wrong.

[Joe Lavery]

Hi Wendy,

I reviewed UT Europe for PC Pilot s couple of issues ago and it's well worth a look. It's not quite as good as photographic scenery but doesn't have the frame rate imact that photo scenery does either. So it could be a better option if your machine is a bit long in the tooth, particularly if you're flying FSX which requires some hefty silicon to get it moving smoothly.

If you want more localised scenery Aerosoft have a very comprehesive range of airports covering most of Europe.
I recently reviewed their Madeira which is simply stunning.

Regards

Joe.

[Trevor Hale]

Mike, the thing about RAW fsx is it is better then RAW Fs9 but if you take an addon for FS9 and put it against RAW FSX your getting about the same quality and detail, as soon as you add an addon designed for FSX utilizing the shaders and higher quality of FSX it blows anything you have ever seen out of the water. "IF YOU HAVE A COMPUTER THAT CAN RUN IT TO THE MAX"

Just my $.02

Trev

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Wendy,

I reviewed UT Europe for PC Pilot s couple of issues ago and it's well worth a look. It's not quite as good as photographic scenery but doesn't have the frame rate imact that photo scenery does either.

Joe.

Hey Joe,

would you be able to post your review here? I would love to see it.. Not the link, but could you post your pictures and your review right here in a new thread in the FSX Scenery section?

Trev

[Michael Carter]

That won't be happening anytime soon. ;) I just got FS9 running the way it's supposed to. Well, on the server computer anyway.

[Joe Lavery]

Trev,

I'll mention it to the editor, unfortunatley once the review is submitted it becomes the copyright of Key Publishing and they don't normally allow redistribution.
I also write for other publications and this is common practice.

But I will certainly ask.

Regards

Joe.

[Wendy]

Thank you all for the information.
Everywhere you fly in FSX, for me it looks all the same.

Mike,
you are saying that there is pretty good mesh for FSX for Europe, can you point me to the right software ?

Joe,
I'm very lucky to have a heavy Dell XPS system to run FSX, so maybe photo scenery could be an option. Have you a title or link to such a program ?


Thank you, Wendy

[Peter Dowson]

... maybe photo scenery could be an option. Have you a title or link to such a program ?
Currently there are photo-scenery packages for the UK (well, just England and Wales at present), Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and much of France. If you visit SimMarket, Aerosoft and Flight1 websites you will find them all quite easily. Getting them all would be quite expensive and would take up a LOT of disk space.

If you are into low level VFR flying in a small GA aircraft then the photoscenery is well worthwhile. I have two cockpits set up, one for my 737NG flying and another for VFR with the UK VFR scenery from Horizon, hardware setup as a Piper Arrow, and it is really enjoyable -- even my house is readily found. However, be warned, it takes many minutes for FSX to load and be ready to fly -- the photoscenery is quite well performing once loaded, but it takes a long time to be 'ready'.

If you are more into airliner flying then the photoscenery is really a waste of time as once you are at altitude you don't notice the difference between that and reasonably textured scenery. Then you really want add-ons like Ultimate Terrain Europe (which is superb), and probably Ground Environment (GEX) for Europe when it finally appears (!). I'd also recommend a good Europe mesh set, like the one from Genesis.

What really makes my airliner flying, though, are good cloud textures, as most of the time (especially in Europe) that is what you see! For that I use Flight Environment Extreme (FEX) with the super HD cloud graphics -- and weather supplied by Active Sky (ASA), of course.

But, first and foremost, for both VFR and IFR flying, I think the best investment is in the airports -- add-on airports with ultra-realistic details are so good with FSX. The Aerosoft ones are all superb, as are those from UK2000. After all, you will ptrobably spend almost as much time in the airports as you will actually flying! Especially if you get a good AI Traffic add-on like MyTraffic X! ;-)

Good flying!

Pete

[Wendy]

Wow Peter, a lot of usefull information, thanks.

Most of my flying is indeed at high altitude, so I think I'm going to try some of your tips and start with Ultimate Terrain Europe and the Genesis mesh.

Clouds will be for the next purchase. We have a lot of clouds in Belgium so lets try to enjoy the sun for now.

I'll all let you know how it works out.



Thanks Wendy

[No Longer Active]

Shame you got FSX because im going to sell all my UK scenery and airport add-ons as im going down the FSX route now!

[Wendy]

I'm sure somebody else will be interested but I'm quite happy with FSX except for the default scenery.


Regards, Wendy

[No Longer Active]

Yeah....agree with you there totaly, FSX is so cool!

Good luck!

[Joe Lavery]

Hi Wendy,

I think Mr Dowson has covered your question to me admirably, and I agree the Horizon VFR scenery is the best available for the UK.
I don't believe there is a commercial verion for Belgium. but starting with UT Europe is a good plan, best of luck with your flying.

Regards

Joe.

[Michael Carter]

Have to mention UT Europe again. You have to get this add-on. It improves the scenery so much at altitude you'd think you were actually flying the real thing.

My Michellin road maps of Europe coincide precisely with what UT Europe displays.

[andarlite]

Another must have to go along with UT Europe is the soon to be release GEX Europe:

http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=26352

There's 12 pages in the thread but worth looking at as there are screen shots scattered throughtout..... checkout the rock texture of the mountains on page 12 near the end....awesome.


Regards,
Henry

[Michael Carter]

I saw that thread. I nearly fell out of my chair.

[Wendy]

A very simple question and a world off information opens up. Great to have this forum with such wonderfull, helpfull members.


Regards, Wendy

[Balton]

Hi Wendy,

I'm using UT Europe on FSX - it really brings yor sim to life - but beware: if you run the full capacity (night time is sooo awesome) be sure to have enough power in your PC otherwise you might end up somewhere in the air from A to B telling you: There is not enough memory..." :oops:

Second Add is "A better World" mesh - can't see much improvement.......

I also use Austria Prof. X which enhances the landscape really nice and accurate - nothing like "home sweet home" ;) - only the towns don't have enough 3D objects to look "realistic"

Swiss X looks also nice but is toooo expensive for my taste.....

For the US I used some of the Megasceneries in FS9 - they also should work fine in FSX - as long as you fly in a certain hight (not to high and not to low...).

Over all the clue to a nice enviroment is more, more, more PC and Graphics power - which means more money for the PC leaving less money for Add Ons :cry::cry::cry:

As I'm curious how your decision will be - keep me/us informed :grin:

Regards, Balton

[Geremy Britton]

Henry, whens the add on coming out for UT?

[JBaymore]

Trev,

I'll mention it to the editor, unfortunatley once the review is submitted it becomes the copyright of Key Publishing and they don't normally allow redistribution.
I also write for other publications and this is common practice.

But I will certainly ask.

Regards

Joe.

Joe,

Unless the magazine specifically commissioned the piece to be written by you under a contractual agreement, the TYPICAL situation for magazine publications is that the magazine only gets "first serial publication rights" and nothing more.

YOU still retain all copyright and can do with it anything you want after it is first published.

If you are getting some other deal on "spec" work (over the transom submissions), then you likely should review the contract/agreement with them before submitting the article and negotiate better terms for yourself. Selling the full copyright to your work should involve a bunch more money than selling first serial rights.

best,

...............john

[andarlite]

Henry, whens the add on coming out for UT?

If you mean GEX Europe, there's a posting by Nick on page 11 where he said that it's going to be delay because of some texture problems Originally it was April 2009.... although now he doesn't give a date.

Here's another awesome new scenery being develop by a company called Earth Simulations. Their first release is the small island of Alderney (Channel Isles):

http://earthsimulations.com/information.html

Check it out.


Regards,
Henry

[Wendy]

I have installed Ultimate Terrain X Europe last weekend.

For now I don't see much difference, so maybe it is not working correctly, althought the configuration tool shows that it is active. I already uninstalled and installed several times, followed the manual... but the things I see are far away from the pictures I see on the internet, even with all sliders put to maximum.

So if anyone knows the trick to make it work, I'll be glad to hear from you.


Regards, Wendy

[Joe Lavery]

Hi John,

Thanks for your input, however the magazine always commissions the articles specifically, I don't ever submit ad hoc work. In which case of course the copyright would belong to me.
My contract does give them ongoing copyright but it isn't normally an issue, because most articles are to some degree time specific, so there would be little point in me retaining the copyight. And to be fair over the fifteen years I've been writing, this is the first time it's ever come up.

Unfortunately when dealing with large publishers it's normally they who dictate the terms and conditions. So you either agree or don't eat ;)

Best regards,

Joe.

[Selkan]

Hi Wendy, just read through these Posts, and thought I would add the following for you. There seemed to be no mention of FS Global 2008 by others. I use this, and think it is very good indeed. I also have Ultimate Terrain Europe, but find it to be a fairly big hit on Frame Rates, and have stopped using it. I think it all depends on your type of flying. I have built my own 737-800, so am normally flying around 35,000ft. From that height UTE doesn't really have any great benefit, as just like real life, you are too high to see such detail. It is only when on final approach you will greater detail of differen items, but as I say for me at a cost. So for me, FS G 2008 does have benefits, as say when flying over mountains at 35,000ft, you will clearly see the benefits of the increased detailed landscape.

Hope this is helpful,
Regards, Steven

[Wendy]

Thanks for sharing. On my system it runs fine without a problem.


Regards, Wendy

[mauriceb]

What really makes my airliner flying, though, are good cloud textures, as most of the time (especially in Europe) that is what you see! For that I use Flight Environment Extreme (FEX) with the super HD cloud graphics -- and weather supplied by Active Sky (ASA), of course.


I could not agree more with this. In fact, many if not most real airline pilots will say that the most enjoyable part of the flight is rising above the clouds and seeing the incredibly beautiful cloud formations. And FSX with FEX do provide many incredible views as well. To me, that certainly is one of the most enjoyable part of sim flying as you don't spend much time looking out during the takeoff or approach phases, except if you fly GA of course..

Maurice

[ddimm]

If you do decide to ever fly low and slow, you need to check out some incredible (and free) scenery of the Alps by Frank Dainese.
http://scenarialpinifsx.blogspot.com/
...and some mesh to go with it...http://c30s.alpes.gratisim.fr/