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FScene2004 World Pack - Summer
By Bob LeBras (4 April 2005)
Before I go any further, I need to fill you in on some particulars about my system:
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Before I go any further, I need to fill you in on some particulars about my system:
With that said, of major concern to me is the fact that the stock MSFS ground textures just do not look that good. Flying at low altitude is both enjoyable and serene, but not when you are faced with bizarre ground patterns. Searching for high quality replacement textures, I came across FScene2004 (www.fscene.com).
Carefully inspecting the screen captures, I chose to test drive the free North America demo which includes ground textures for all four seasons in and around the town of Wagoner City, Oklahoma just outside of Tulsa. First, flying a Cessna 172 for some controlled low speed sight seeing, I was dazzled by the immediate difference in quality, detail and color the FScene textures offer over the default. Slewing to the demo boundary, zigzagging back and forth in real time over the edges afforded an excellent visual comparison going from spectacular (FScene) to mediocre (MFSF default) and back again.
After evaluating the demo in all seasons and variable weather conditions flying different aircraft, it was apparent that a texture upgrade was absolutely vital. Because, as everyone knows, summertime is the best time of year, I selected the FScene2004 WorldPack Summer edition to begin my transition from drab to fab.
To convince you to, at least, give the demo a try, I'm going to take you on a world tour where the pictures really tell the FScene2004 story. This story begins in the Big Apple, New York City, and ends at the bottom of the world. For your information, the Flight Simulator data display was activated during the flights. For your interest and pleasure, different aircraft were selected for each leg.
United States - New York City, New York
New York is a great city and flying out of Newark on the New Jersey side you can clearly see the excellent level of suburban ground detail included with FScene2004. The city skyline recedes behind our US Airways Beechcraft 1900D as we travel to our first layover in my hometown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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United States - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
With its three rivers and rolling topography, Pittsburgh really demonstrates the dramatic improvement of FScene2004 ground textures over the default. I doubt that Arnold Palmer could have designed a finer green around KPIT as we soar above in a US Air decorated Beechcraft 1900D.
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United States - Phoenix-Tucson-Sedona, Arizona
Having resided in Phoenix, Arizona for a year, let me tell you, it's hot. However, the Valley of the Sun is also one of the most interesting and beautiful places on earth. If you are into airplanes, the mothball facility at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson is paradise. Piloting a classic United 727 out of Luke AFB, we cruise out over the expansive Sky Harbor towards the vast southern desert. After landing in Tucson, we board another Beechcraft 1900D for a quick side trip to Sedona; a must-see layover in anyone's travel book.
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United States - Juneau, Alaska
Our next stop in Juneau, Alaska is an extreme departure from the ordinary. FScene2004 ground textures beneath the Cessna Caravan make you wish you had that beaver coat.
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United States - Seattle, Washington
Back to Seattle and back in the venerable Boeing 727 on home turf in house colors. A good go around between urban and mountain terrains really showcases the quality of the FScene2004 WorldPack ground textures.
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United States - San Francisco, California
The City by the Bay is a perfect venue to lumber around in the Hughes Spruce Goose. The ground textures on Alcatraz firmly let you know why they called this place The Rock.
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United States - Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu in another classic skyliner, the Douglas DC-8 decked out in Pan Am livery. Juan Tripp would be proud to see his bird contrasted so nicely against FScene2004 ground textures.
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Australia - Sydney
John Travolta's Quantas Boeing 707 provides the tour around Sydney Harbor. Urban ground detail is particularly signficant down under.
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Japan - Tokyo
Gracefully gliding over Tokyo in a Boeing B-52D, we take the opportunity to get some great closeups followed by a beauty shot at Mt. Fuji.
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China - Hong Kong
One of the trickiest approaches in the world was right here at the old Hong Kong International. I know. I splattered this Continental Advanced SST all over the FScene2004 ground textures after a botched landing.
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Nepal - Kathmandu
Trekking out of Kathmandu to visit Sir Edmund Hilary at the top of the world, I like to fly something with a little more thrust than weight. This North American XB-70 Valkyrie fills the bill getting us in and out of steep mountain passes with ease and extreme speed. Just be sure to slow down long enough to take in that gorgeous scenery.
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Iraq - Baghdad
At ground level, Baghdad is a contentious, dangerous place. Soaring above the fray in a beautifully decorated Chilean Air Force Lockheed T-33A, one really sees the dramatic diversity of ground textures around the Tigris River.
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France - Paris
No world tour would be complete without a stop to another former home of mine, Paris. Banking the remarkably agile Airbus A380 toward Gustave Eiffel's tower, FScene2004 ground details fill in the spaces seamlessly and quite appropos.
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The Netherlands - Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a logical stop before our next leg to the Caribbean. The Low Country really shines beneath this Fokker F27.
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Netherlands Antilles - St. Maarten
Although I have yet to soak up the sun on St. Maarten, Princess Juliana airport is one of my favorite sim destinations. The approach is just as spectacular as the FScene2004 ground textures and the crystal turquoise water. Takeoff from the solitary runway is no problem for our American Airlines Convair 990.
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Brazil - Rio de Janeiro
The only things missing as we pilot an Eastern Lockheed L188 Electra over Rio are pretty girls on the beach and revelers at Carnivale. Otherwise, the scenery is breathtaking, to say the least.
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South Pole - McMurdo Station
Finally, we complete our world tour on the permafrost at McMurdo in a shaky old Douglas C-133B Cargomaster. Here, even snow, ice and rocks can be impressive, particularly for the FScene2004 WorldPack owner.
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Conclusion
Fscene2004 ground textures represent a tremendous value. Combining all of the detailed and colorful continental textures into conveniently downloadable seasons, creator and artist, Ruud Faber, offers his FScene2004 WorldPack series for the affordable price of 69 EUR (approx. $89 USD) per season. If you're still on the fence, Ruud has a Europe demo including locales in Great Britain and Germany.
So, visit Fscene (www.fscene.com), take a spin with the free demos, and experience your sim world like you've never seen before.
Bob LeBras
thelynxpa@hotmail.com
