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When looking around for scenery upgrades for Flight Simulator, I often get caught up with the airport expansion packages and forget that there is so much more out there in the way of other enhancements, most notably terrain or mesh upgrades like the one featured in my latest review. After my recent review of the Carenado Piper PA28RT 201 Arrow, I have been more and more tempted to re-kindle my past enjoyment of VFR flying within Flight Simulator. In saying that, what better way to explore my homeland than to upgrade the entire UK default terrain with the FS Dreamscapes version and take a flight?
The specifics of the product are that it is a new high-quality 4.75m terrain mesh product for Microsoft Flight Simulator X, aimed at providing the best quality mesh to Flight Simulation enthusiasts. The NEXTMap ProMesh terrain series is based on high-resolution NEXTMap 3D elevation data for the United States and Europe produced by Intermap Technologies. This terrain is sixteen times the resolution and 256 times more detailed than the default FSX terrain mesh for Europe. Ultimately meaning that if you choose to take a flight through a valley or a canyon you can get a much more true-to-life experience of the geological formations that 4.75m can provide, rather than the default 76m set up in FSX.
The producers have clearly taken a great deal of time over transferring the data into FSX, evident from some of the images shown. There are very few products that enable the pictures to do most of the talking but very little more can be said about the way the product is presented in Flight Simulator. Installation is in the form of a substantial download (1110 MB) followed by an easy to use executable file, on a broadband connection the download shouldn't take too much time at all, if you are using a slower connection, the CD ROM service from FlightSim.Com Pilot Shop may be a better way of obtaining the product.
Looking at the implications on performance with the addition of the ProMesh, I noticed only a very small hit on frame rates which, even though my computer is fairly new, I was expecting a more substantial drop. Incidentally, the test system for the review is an Intel Core2 Quad 2.5 GHz 6GB RAM, NVIDIA 9800 with Windows 7. My findings in this instance were based on the use of default FSX aircraft. When swapping that for the more frame rate heavy aircraft such as the PMDG 747, I found that frame rates do dip when comparing the installation of the ProMesh to the standard FSX scenery but only slightly, around 3 to 4 frames per second on my test system.
While I've already mentioned by recent re-kindling of VFR flying is FSX, I also found that using the scenery made the 'feeling' of reality more substantial when flying jets at higher altitude. The ProMesh scenery adds a much more realistic shape to the landscape which, when you're flying an approach anywhere in Scotland is a welcomed addition! From an IFR perspective, if you are looking for a more realistic landscape to enhance your experience, but don't feel that the more expensive UK VFR scenery is worth investing in, the ProMesh packages are certainly worth the money. The more hardcore VFR flyers among us may still prefer the texture enhancement of the VFR scenery as well as the terrain upgrades that comes in those packages.
Due to some of the limitations of Flight Simulator such as the lack of sloping or gradient runways does cause a few problems for the terrain. You could almost argue that the ProMesh scenery is too good for the simulator in this respect. I found that various airports around the UK where surrounded by cliffs or placed on plateaus due to the airport scenery being completely flat and not blending with the ProMesh scenery like we would like it to. This is more pronounced in areas where the terrain is naturally more formed, the area around Prestwick for example leaves large, noticeable cliff faces just a short distance from the airfield. There are a few issues with road placements but you'd have to be really looking for them to notice and they detract very little from the overall experience. However, in other parts of the UK where the terrain is much flatter, the addition of rolling hills and shallow valleys looks fantastic in FSX and offer users a new dimension in how the simulator 'feels' when you fly.
My only criticism is that the product is based on standard textures in Flight Simulator whereas other, albeit more expensive packages, incorporate both. In summary, the package is a substantial improvement over the standard terrain right across the UK. Looking at the 'bigger picture', the occasional glitches in the scenery as already mentioned are excusable for the general vast improvements. It's not frame rate intensive and is visually pleasing from all altitudes.
Adam Nardone
adam.nardone@hotmail.co.uk
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