Scenery: How To Decide?

Hi everyone.

I am looking through the hundreds of various freeware addons for weather, texture..all sorts of stuff. Now how can I best decide what to download and what to bypass? Is there some rule of thumb as to what will work with what? By that I mean how to know what will work with something else rather than one negating the other.

There's just so much of it and I want to try to get the best of what I can from the freeware.

Thanks.

Which "sorts of stuff" specifically? Can you name a few examples? It would help a lot if we knew what you are after, what you want to change in the sim with those addons. With that information the freeware specialists here can jump in and suggest "the best" (weather engine, cloud replacement, whatever)

 

"Rule of thumb" there isn't. Only knowledge about the sims workings and common sense will help (and an adventurous spirit - lots of trial&error involved). If you are unsure about something, better ask here in the forum before you install.

 

Btw. for trying out freeware you should establish a safe installation procedure. Never throw things directly at the sim, try to determine beforehand what they will do (for example by installing to a temporary folder first). Keep a copy of your original FSX installation so you can revert 100% (just make a copy of the FSX folder before you try something new).

Agreed with the copy of the FSX folder for emergency use. Once you find something that interests you, run it by the forum here for any other comments about compatabilty. That may save a lot of greif in the long run.

I see so much available that I don't know where to start. I generally want better than default ground texture, mountains, snow, clouds. An overhaul from the default I think. Reading posts here does help to some degree, it gives me an idea, but then I might read that something is compatible with something else and I think 'how do you know that?' Maybe I'm not considering trial and error and the years of experience many of you have.

 

As for download procedure, I have FSX on my laptop that I use purely to download things first to make sure it is virus free and check the install process before committing my PC to it.

Hi Lucy,

 

If I recall you bought a GA plane - so maybe you want to start with GA style airports - pick a favored part of the world to narrow your search - then look at the download counts for a given files - while not always the case the number of downloads is usually indicative of a good project as word gets around...

 

I'm not so familiar with the global upgrades to ground textures and environment as most people seem to use Payware solutions for these...

 

Regards,

Scott

Yes, I did buy the plane, and a good option it was too.

Download counts sound a good idea, and probably a common-sense idea when you stop to think about it, thanks for that Scott.

I think I am wrong to be looking at global cover, maybe it doesn't work best that way and is why I am becoming a little confused.

I will start with my local area in NW England, stick with that as a project and see how it shapes up. Thanks a lot.

 

Sorry to be such a cadet :)

I think the first item every newcomer to FSX should get is Photoscenery because it replaces FSX's semi-fictitious default stuff and you'll be able to pick out your own house as you fly over it.

Secondly get an airport near where you live which will have all the proper buildings and runways accurately placed.

Some freeware stuff might look very good, but the best is often payware.

Yes, my focus will be Manchester airport which is only five minutes away so I'm pretty familiar with everything around it.

So far as payware goes I have been looking at UK2000. I was on the point of getting it but distracted myself down the freeware route. Maybe I should buy their EGCC and build from there - I would have thought by now we'd be able to paste FSX into Google-earth, wouldn't that save a whole lot of headaches?

There's at least one freeware Manchester International airport here which you could try, plus other stuff around Manchester like the smaller Barton airfield-

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=42543628

 

PS- I can't find any freeware photoscenery for Northern England, so you might have to buy it, it's pretty steep at £28.50 (about 45 US dollars) but hey it's only money..;)

From here-

http://shop.pilotwarehouse.co.uk/product18230023.html

I will take a look, thanks

Then there's terrain mesh to add contours and suchlike.....tons of it

Yes, my focus will be Manchester airport which is only five minutes away so I'm pretty familiar with everything around it.

So far as payware goes I have been looking at UK2000. I was on the point of getting it but distracted myself down the freeware route. Maybe I should buy their EGCC and build from there - I would have thought by now we'd be able to paste FSX into Google-earth, wouldn't that save a whole lot of headaches?

 

Google Earth has a built-in Flightsim too... but other than that, it is not cut out for simming at all.

 

re: photoreal - there are a few shortcomings to this, like no more little houses or trees (except if you buy yet another addon on top of it). This can be an issue if one flies low and slow. And no seasonal changes. Always summer in photoreal land. I have that Horizon scenery with the Revolution X trees, but I only use it whan flying high-ish.

 

There is an alternative in scenery depiction world which is pretty good - ORBX FTX terrain regions.

 

- Orbx FTX England makes your home country look really nice in the sim (and it is on sale right now too)

- FTX Global Base would replace the default ground textures with nicer ones around the globe

- FTX Vector would see to it that roads, streams, lakes and coastlines are corrected globally

 

AFAIK you can get by with buying only FTX England, Global and Vector are not required (I think). Wales, Scotland and Ireland are on sale too.

 

After all, you bought one of the best airplanes there are - why skimp on scenery? :o)

After all, you bought one of the best airplanes there are - why skimp on scenery? :o)

 

Exactly so, Must say though, at the moment Carrie Anne's been with a mechanic more than with me so far, but we have a thing developing slowly :)

I hadn't thought about no seasonal change in photoreal, but I guess you are flying across a photograph, so guess it's obvious. I have read a lot of praise for Orbx, so I think that will be my first stop.

I tried the Google-earth flight thing, I wasn't that impressed but I don't think it is intended to be a star attraction.

This last few days I have been following flights on Flightradar and trying to mimic the ascent, etc on my flight sim, it's quite a good lesson in sensible realism.

I have just been looking at Youtube representations of Orbx FTX England, and we have a review on this forum, I see. I think this is what I need as it covered all of the country, and for the heights I take the Cessna to, and the fact I fly her principally in the UK. I think it seems sensible to go for this.

One thing though, if I use this can I also use UK2000 airports, or need it be one or the other?

 

***BREAKING NEWS***

I found a thread that answers the Orbx/UK2000 question. Thanks for your help. I sha;; get the scenery.

 

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php?257219-ORBX-ENGLAND-SCENERY-right-or-wrong

Here we go again. Are you're flying and want to see your pub & house in a perfect relationship to each other on the ground? Then you might consider Photoreal.

 

However if you're flying and you object to your house and every other building looking 3' tall, regardless of how many stories they have, you really don't want Photoreal! You want FTX.

 

Check out two postings I put on the MSFS Screen Shot Forum. London today @about 16:30 or London Naked (no menu bar) Both of these are screenshots I made with FTX ORBX scenery. Especially on the "London today" post you can see the buildings actually are of various heights, just like they really are. If you're flying low, in and out of airports I'd suggest you want some height in your buildings without buying additional software to make them and trees look more natural.

I have bought quite a few airports from both UK2000 and Aerosoft and have AES in them all so they get the full service and refuelling etc.