Horizon VFR Photo Scenery for FSX

[Trev Clark]

Interesting Dave, perhaps it will run better than the Horizon stuff, as I intend to stay in FS9 as long as possible, I do not think it will trouble my credit card (for a few months), anyway!

[DaveB]

THAT.. is the real question isn't it. To go or to stay. Good as this new stuff is.. I still don't see enough to make me consider moving either ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[basys]

Hi Folks

Might I suggest having a trawl through the FSX forums
over at Visualflight, http://www.visualflight.co.uk/forums/default.asp
(producer of the original FS2002/2004 photo & terrain sceneries).

Both products have issues ATM,
but personally, I find Justflight's is too washed out,
Horizon also have a 5M mesh, (c/f 10M for J/F).

PS
Both products use entirely different photo sources.
Horizon - Getmapping
Justflight - BlueSky (may have parent company name).

HTH
ATB
Paul

[TSR2]

Additional info is that Microsofts local.live is primarily getmaping.

[DaveB]

Would that explain why the Getmapping software runs like pony then Ben!

Personally.. I'm not in the market for either. I already have the Horizon version (which doesn't run on this system) and I can't imagine (even as soft as I am) that I'd buy another set for a Queens Ransom with the risk of similar happening. Safe bet.. stay put with FS9 ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[ChrisHunt]

Wise move Dave - it seems to me that JF's looks like cr*p whilst Horizon's runs like cr*p (after a very dodgy curry anyway). I've had a few tense moments over on Horizon's forums trying to convince them that perhaps more than the "very small number" have problems with the software. The problem is that whilst they believe that only a "tiny minority" of users cannot use the software they will do nothing to fix it (it was ever thus).

As you can see I'm not a very gruntled user (slight diversion - if we have "disgruntled" why do we not have gruntled in common usage - if it is a word of course!).

Oh well, onwards and onwards (not flying at the mo ;-) !

Regards,
Chris

[TangoEcho]

Chris, as you have probably read elsewhere, set your sliders to the capability of your system and you'll find Genx works, I get fewer FPS in the default scenery, by a long way. Some of the stuttering depends on the interaction between the hardware in use, which does not necessary mean getting the so called 'best' by the many pundits out there.

My two pence worth

[DaveB]

I think it's down to finding the right overall balance Tom. The default scenery by it's nature looks pretty much the same whether you're in Birmingham or Berlin so what we do (or I think what we all do) is tweak the level of detail up until we're happy with what we're seeing and this setting will be ok for just about all situations. OK.. flying over London and into LHR (or over any other major city into it's airport) things will slow a bit but that's to be expected.
The beauty of VFRPhoto for FS9 (ok.. FS8 then FS9) was that it killed autogen and even though the textures were of a higher definition, there was little or no trade off. For most users (me included) flying over the UK saw an increase in frames due in the most part to a lack of autogen. True.. VFRPhoto wasn't without it's problems, especially losing textures when flying low and fast but this was never permanent. The system would catch up and all would spring into life eventually or a reduction in speed and/or increase in alt would see it back to normal again. The stuttering issue with GenX doesn't go away.. it gets worse if anything. I've tried loading it with the lowest textures and still it persists. Given that it sits on top of any autogen.. I'm trying to fathom how turning any settings down would or could improve the situation. I never turned mine up to the required levels as instructed anyway!

It could just be that my system is suited more to FS9 than FSX and I wouldn't argue that point as this is most definately true but all things considered.. I'd still expect GenX to run better than default due to it totally surpressing autogen but on my system at least, it doesn't. I'm glad that I only installed area 1 and didn't go the whole hog and put the other two on!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[ChrisHunt]

Tom, I have tweeked and freeked and tried just about everything possible to get Gen-X to talk properly Many many (un)happy hours in all.

Thing is - and this is quite an interesting thing - FSX runs very well without Gen-x, even with autogen! I've been to San Fran in a heavy storm with wet runways, spray and all, and whilst there is a FPS hit the simulation is reasonably smooth, certainly flyable anyway. However, with Gen-X performance varies considerably (and rapidly) from very good (in excess of native FSX) to absolutely appalling (3 FPS or less) in the same area, with no autogen, buildings, AI etc etc - in other words completely unflyable.

Ah well, it's Friday so who cares eh!

Cheers,
Chris

[TSR2]

TBH I've had no problems with the GenX stuff, but to be fair their seems to be a 50 / 50 split between those that have issues abnd those that have not.

I have a pretty decent system, and AI is still the biggest frame rate killer for me, largely because I use no AI specific aircraft for AI.

Normal flying seems to be fine (i.e. not wizzing throught the valeys at 400+ ktns.