VOZ scenery, installer & "Switcher"

[defaid]

Hi.

 

I've just downloaded VOZ v1.8 from the library, with a view to installing it for a potential upcoming challenge.

 

It has one of those things I dislike: an installer. Worse, something called the VOZ Switcher. So, before I mess up my FS9 installation and give this thing access to my registry and permission to move & change files...

 

... can I install to a dummy folder, dismiss the Switcher and then just manually choose the files I need for the area of Australia I'll be visiting?

 

D

[JSMR]

 I always rename my scenery/world/scenery-texture folder along with the main texture folder. And sometimes effects etc as I dont always know what goes where. I then use the original folders for those areas and then install. MAybe even copy the scenery/texture folders to another location also in case. 

I'm guessing you could install like you said to a complete dummer folder. Never tried but it should work. 

[jgf]

The VOZ install is quite safe.  It can make a backup of the folders it edits, the loader allows you to select which of the four terrains you want to use or to restore the backup (note that these textures are global, thus the need to restore when not flying in Australia, though the forest textures are quite nice;  the desert terrain is the red texture of Australian deserts, not suitable for the SW US or the Sahara).  Only two caveats - it must install to the Add-On Scenery folder for the loader to work (I normally have all my scenery on a completely different drive) and on some systems the click spots on the loader do not exactly match the text/spots (just move the cursor slightly til it changes to the "press" cursor;  this seems to have something to do with resolution and font size).

 

I have quite a number of add-ons for the VOZ scenery, once available at the VOZ site (long gone).  They mostly work well with default scenery but are optimized for VOZ.  If they're not available anywhere I'll dig them out and upload (if allowed).

[defaid]

Well, it wasn't the best experience. This is why I mistrust automated installers.

 

I installed to a dummy folder on a different hard drive and still found that the VOZ installer screwed things up, replacing High Def Environment textures and doing something very odd to haze & visibility.

 

Even the splashscreen...

 

This is just arrogant.

 

Clearly some of what's done, either by their installer, or possibly by the switcher, very definitely does follow the FS9 registry path, meaning that dummy folder installation will not keep you out of the kaka. Making a full backup prior to installation will; I'm glad I took that precaution. After reinstating the backup, I just have to choose what to copy over manually from the dummy folder. Probably only LC & LWM, airports & photoreal though if I can summon the patience for the trial & error, I may make a set of duplicate texture folders specifically for VOZ.

 

VOZ. Green North Atlantic sea I could tolerate even around New Guinea but what's with the hilltop haze?

 

HDE v.2 How I prefer it, though the water does look a bit artificial.

 

 

[JSMR]

Oooh. Its been awhile since i used it. As long as you made backups, you should be good to put all your fav textures back in. 
Sadly i think they're CAN be conflicts with the scenery, landclass etc. But for the most part, it makes a huge difference to flying in OZ. 

[Skywatcher12]

You should've left it to the installer. It works well. The splash screen is for when you have that region selected. If installed correctly, it'll only show when you select the SW Region through the switcher. It allows you to immediately see if you have VOZ active upon FS launch.

As I said, if you leave it to the installer and switcher everything works. I didn't like the water textures VOZ uses but you can fix that as well.
There is also a guide in the manual for a full uninstall.

[A300-600]

I think yes..I like because so I view all objects installed,excuse me bad english

Andrea

[defaid]

13 hours ago, Skywatcher12 said:

You should've left it to the installer. It works well. The splash screen is for when you have that region selected. If installed correctly, it'll only show when you select the SW Region through the switcher. It allows you to immediately see if you have VOZ active upon FS launch.

As I said, if you leave it to the installer and switcher everything works. I didn't like the water textures VOZ uses but you can fix that as well.
There is also a guide in the manual for a full uninstall.

 

If it works for you then I trust it.

 

Still not going to use it though because even now after all this time I have a Win 98 mindset: down at least to some level it's only getting done if I do it. Anything not explicitly requested is not happening.

 

[jgf]

No one dislikes, nor distrusts, auto-installers more than I.  I also have a dummy FS2004 just for such things.  One reason I do not use W10 or W11 is that so much control has been removed from the end user. 

 

But the VOZ scenery has been trouble free on my system(s) for a dozen years.  That popup is a reminder you have installed the SouthWest VOZ textures, run VOZ again and revert to default textures, and when you next start FS that popup should be gone.  VOZ has five texture folders, one for each VOZ terrain and one for whatever was in your "default" texture folder;  the installer merely copies whichever you have selected into the FS default folder.

[Skywatcher12]

6 hours ago, jgf said:

No one dislikes, nor distrusts, auto-installers more than I.  I also have a dummy FS2004 just for such things.  One reason I do not use W10 or W11 is that so much control has been removed from the end user. 

 

But the VOZ scenery has been trouble free on my system(s) for a dozen years.  That popup is a reminder you have installed the SouthWest VOZ textures, run VOZ again and revert to default textures, and when you next start FS that popup should be gone.  VOZ has five texture folders, one for each VOZ terrain and one for whatever was in your "default" texture folder;  the installer merely copies whichever you have selected into the FS default folder.

I'm the same, never leave it to the installer but the VOZ system works well.
It's good to have VOZ because you can also easily select a VOZ region for a different FS look for other areas of the world.

[ScottishMike]

VOZ installer can be trusted.

This is what it sets up in your Scenery.CFG (ONLY the entries starting with VOZ)  :

 

 

You will then have a shortcut on the desktop:

 

When you click on the shortcut it will launch the selector screen where you choose the area you wnat to fly in. VOZ will then back up any existing texture and load it's textures for that area:

 

Ayres Rock without the VOZ textures :

 

Ayres Rock with the VOZ textures:

 

The only down side is you must have your FS9 properly installed (recorded in the registry).

Well worth installing! One of the several bits of software that makes one wonder at the capability and technical excellence of enthusiastic freeware developers. Well done VOZ group!

[Airbasil_1]

9 hours ago, ScottishMike said:

VOZ installer can be trusted.

This is what it sets up in your Scenery.CFG (ONLY the entries starting with VOZ)  :

 

 

You will then have a shortcut on the desktop:

 

When you click on the shortcut it will launch the selector screen where you choose the area you wnat to fly in. VOZ will then back up any existing texture and load it's textures for that area:

 

Ayres Rock without the VOZ textures :

 

Ayres Rock with the VOZ textures:

 

The only down side is you must have your FS9 properly installed (recorded in the registry).

Well worth installing! One of the several bits of software that makes one wonder at the capability and technical excellence of enthusiastic freeware developers. Well done VOZ group!

The only thing missing now would be a conversion of the ULURU Airport Scenery by Aerosoft... then it would be perfect... hopefully someone has that conversion...
Love how Uluru looks with those redish ground textures... 

[jgf]

These are the VOZ additions I have, from the old VOZ site.

 

[defaid]

If you can go back and reread my second post (2nd December), I have VOZ manually installed pretty much as I want it and have found (and discarded) the horrible sky textures. The last correction I need to make is to remove the ugly green sea but I can't remember what FS9's sea/water textures are called.

 

Could one of you refresh my memory please?

 

Cheers,

D

 

My 'default'. Saharan FScene landclass txx and HDEv2 water txx:

 

Full-on VOZ. Green-grey water that I dislike.

 

How I'd like it: VOZ but with my original water textures (before you ask, this one's a photoshop job):

 

 

 

 

[ScottishMike]

Glad you got it tweeked as you like.

[defaid]

13 minutes ago, ScottishMike said:

Glad you got it tweeked as you like.

 

I haven't.

[jgf]

5 hours ago, defaid said:

can't remember what FS9's sea/water textures are called.

 

Lazy way is to download a water texture mod and note its filenames.  There are separate files for open ocean, tropical waters, inland water, rivers, etc.

[defaid]

7 hours ago, jgf said:

 

Lazy way is to download a water texture mod and note its filenames.  There are separate files for open ocean, tropical waters, inland water, rivers, etc.

 

Genius!

 

I'd never have though of doing that.

 

Thank you.