OrbX FTX Global

[Montie]

Set for release in 2013, its a heavy price tag, but a promising project. Merely texture to begin with, landclass, airport enhancements etc. to follow later. There some screenshots and more information available here:

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/52594-what-is-your-dream-orbx-area/page__st__60#entry465715

[Kiwikat]

That is awesome! I hope they include at least some basic vector data (roads and streams) as the default is just plain bad.

[PRB]

Clicked on the linky provided above. Web site says I don't have permission to view this forum. Well!

- Paul

[Montie]

Clicked on the linky provided above. Web site says I don't have permission to view this forum. Well!

- Paul

Sorry you will probably have to register at OrbX. Here are the quoted announcement from the Orbx CEO:


In 2013 we will be releasing a FTX product that covers the entire world with FTX textures combined from the twelve different regions we have developed since 2008 including England and Wales. It won't be a perfect solution because it is textures only (no landclass, airports, POIs, or geodata), but it will cover the whole globe with Orbx so you never have to experience FSX default again.

It will include custom autogen, 3D lights and some custom trees as well, which will need an installer that manages some global files, but you will be able to uninstall it and revert to default FSX again if you wish.

I am testing an alpha build at the moment and I can promise you most of the places mentioned in this thread look beautiful covered in Orbx textures. I did a dusk flight over the south of France last week and to see all the 3D lights twinkling over villages and towns was magical

The price of this product (less than $200) will include free perpetual upgrades including a constant flow of upgraded airports at key locations around the world, for example Helsinki in Finland or Manila in the Phillipines. We are building a dedicated team of people who will do nothing but work on continual improvements, POIs and airports around the world. Additionally, as Orbx releases the much more detailed and sophisticated regions around the world, we will dip into the expanding texture pool to finesse the global product, all at no charge.

Stay tuned for the formal announcement in January along with many screenshots and some video footage.

If you can imagine your whole world covered in Orbx, you won't have to wait too much longer http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png

[PRB]

Ah, thanks Montie. Actually I am a registered member there. Just didn't logon before I clicked the link. I should read the small print, or in this case, maybe the big print! Looks like an amzing package that I will have to get!

- Paul

[Roger]

I suggested a reduced price tag to encourage more than FTX addicts to purchase, but truthfully if it makes most of the world ORBX style then it's probably worth it.
I belive it's unlikely that any more Flight simulators like FsX/P3D or XPlane will happen as on the whole the youngsters don't want it, as we saw with the early demise of M$ Flight, so FsX or XPlane is it.

[Lionheart]

Sure looks good. If it 'runs' good, it would be very nice. If it crashes computers after 10 min's of flying from V-RAM overload, then it would be a little grim.. 10 min flights.

[pilottj]

I think it is worth the price. If you think about it, this orbx 'lite' will cover the entire globe, so any succesive region such as SRM, SCA..etc won't require as much development time since ground textures will already be in place, they would just need do all the custom airports/objects. As a result each successive region should be cheaper. That way you pay a big chunk now for scenery, then you can pick and choose what cheaper detailed areas to get afterwards. As it is now you spend 30-40 bucks a pop for any region or enhanced airport, so you would probably blow through 200bucks on their scenery sooner or later. It will be really great to fly to places like Japan, Ireland, Desert Southwest, Appalachia...etc instead of having to wait for them to develop entire regions seperately.

[anthony31]

"In 2013 we will be releasing a FTX product that covers the entire world with FTX textures combined from the twelve different regions we have developed since 2008 including England and Wales. It won't be a perfect solution because it is textures only (no landclass, airports, POIs, or geodata), but it will cover the whole globe with Orbx so you never have to experience FSX default again."

Was interested until I read this bit. If all they are doing is recycling existing FTX textures and using them to overwrite the default landclass textures then I could do that myself without having to pay $200. I notice no mention of any new textures that we haven't seen before.

[falcon409]

Sorry, but the days of buying high priced add-ons is long gone in my world. I stopped buying their $40+ airport addons so I sure won't be spending $200 for new grass, lol.:salute:

[CG_1976]

"Was interested until I read this bit. If all they are doing is recycling existing FTX textures and using them to overwrite the default landclass textures then I could do that myself without having to pay $200. I notice no mention of any new textures that we haven't seen before."

You've got a point Ant. I have done this as a personal experiment and learning Land-class and it's tools with the Canadian Arctic with Prepar3d.

[YoYo]

Looks like too same idea like GEX. Im right?

[bushpilot]

Looks like too same idea like GEX. Im right?


Yep, plus custom autogen. So if they recycle the textures from existing FTX packs, are they doing some color correction to match the colors of new regions? The shots on the ORBX forum look different than the default, but one can argue if they look that much more realistic or better. And IMO the shot of Austria looks worse than the current GEX EU version of Austria. I wonder how they are gonna mix and match the recycled textures, if they are gonna make regions like Africa look legit.

I think when they release this, it will be the end of GEX series.

[Crusader]

This would be one area that I would be very curious if it were included . This area has really been neglected or possibly avoided due a lack of source date , I don't know . It sounds interesting for sure . Could you imagine what it look like if we had Xavier's " Vietnam War Project " on a ORBX terrain setting ? It would be " Back to the bush " for Rich for sure . I'll have to pose this question over at their forum(If SEA would be included)


Happy New Year everyone ! :icon29::guinness:

Rich

[wombat666]

No point in speculating on the product, we'll see when it is released
As for the projected price???
If it is as good as most of their releases it will be worth the price, break it down into the probable effort required to produce and the limited market of today and it's fair enough.
Consider the average FSX single aircraft release, around the $35:00+ price point and then the bloody things are duplicated because it appears that linear thinking rules, and for the price of half a dozen, ORBX are turning out what should be a first class value for money product.

"The price of this product (less than $200) will include free perpetual upgrades including a constant flow of upgraded airports at key locations around the world, for example Helsinki in Finland or Manila in the Phillipines. We are building a dedicated team of people who will do nothing but work on continual improvements, POIs and airports around the world. Additionally, as Orbx releases the much more detailed and sophisticated regions around the world, we will dip into the expanding texture pool to finesse the global product, all at no charge."

If the above is carried through then a mere A$200.00 is acceptable.
Just as long as it is P3D compatible I'll be in it.

:icon29:

[Crusader]

I think the price is very reasonable considering the scope and potential size of the product with updates . I feel like a kid in a candy store .:icon_lol: With Mark's upcoming new Solomon Islands and now ORBX FTX Global , I'm chewing at the bits now . Really looking forward to the upcoming products and freeware projects in production . It looks like a great simming year ahead !:applause:

Rich

[Dain Arns]

With what screenshots they posted yesterday I made up my mind, I'll be sticking with GEX. :salute:
I already have the entire planet covered in GEX textures, so don't see the need to replace them.

[Crusader]

I just saw this posted over at the ORBX forum and it looks like it's recently posted .
Interesting to say the least . Looking forward to this .

http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/52819-orbx-announces-ftx-global-to-be-released-in-2013/page__pid__466378#entry466378

This certainly answered my earlier question on Southeast Asia .

Rich

[ryanbatc]

That is awesome! I hope they include at least some basic vector data (roads and streams) as the default is just plain bad.

This is exactly one of the things NOT included...

[wombat666]

This is exactly one of the things NOT included...

Yet!
"The price of this product (less than $200) will include free perpetual upgrades including a constant flow of upgraded airports at key locations around the world, for example Helsinki in Finland or Manila in the Phillipines. We are building a dedicated team of people who will do nothing but work on continual improvements, POIs and airports around the world. Additionally, as Orbx releases the much more detailed and sophisticated regions around the world, we will dip into the expanding texture pool to finesse the global product, all at no charge."
To repeat myself, thus far all is speculation, and indeed, if it is not to any one individual's taste then said person is not obligated to purchase the product.
:173go1::173go1::173go1::173go1:

[ananda]

It is hugely expensive compared with the price for FSX which contains the simulation and graphics engine as well as the default scenery.

[DaveKDEN]

Certainly very expensive, but certainly looks to be a vast improvement over default FSX textures. One of my biggest disappointments with FSX has been that default textures in many areas are very poor. Don't know whether I'd buy it or not at this point (have to see what it's like when released), but knowing the quality of Orbx products, this appears to be a winner.

[MudMarine]

For that kind of money I'll skip.

[Sascha66]

It says in the announcement above that it uses the already published textures, so they are only renamed to replace the default textures?

As such it is extremely expensive, better to buy the individual regions which include landclass and buy GEX which is ok and much cheaper.

Those are my feelings on this.

Sascha

[Meshman]

...and buy GEX which is ok and much cheaper.

Just wondering if you have priced the GEX products? I took a look at the four listed on the Flight1 web site and that came to $150.00USD. There's yet another on the way. It's not going to be free, either.

[ColoKent]

...to Orbx--looks like a great product. The price is the price (based on R&D, production, and marketing costs). Or put another way: It's easy to forget its a business, and no profits = no new add-ons.

Kent

[Roger]

If you like it you'll buy it if you don't you won't...but you may eventually be persuaded by the many screenshots that will be forthcoming:engel016:.

[CG_1976]

If you like it you'll buy it if you don't you won't...but you may eventually be persuaded by the many screenshots that will be forthcoming:engel016:.

That is a excellent piece of advice. I'm only waiting to see some pics of the Canadian Arctic and Siberia. If there good im buying, im sick of global warming desert default in the Arctic Regions and the same for Cuba and South, Central and Carib America.

[Kiwikat]

This is exactly one of the things NOT included...

It sounds like we can use UTX on top of the orbx textures though, so I think it'll be OK. :mixedsmi:

[Francois]

In the meantime you can STILL buy Ruud Faber's FScene covering the entire world with localized, 4-season texture replacements....... and for a lot less these days : http://www.fscene.com/ :icon_lol: Just sayin' ...... ;-)

[bushpilot]

In the meantime you can STILL buy Ruud Faber's FScene covering the entire world with localized, 4-season texture replacements....... and for a lot less these days : http://www.fscene.com/ :icon_lol: Just sayin' ...... ;-)

FScene FSX is a straight portover from FScene FS9, which means blurry low res textures, with less variations. Makes FSX look like FS9 :isadizzy:



Good freeware alternative: https://sites.google.com/site/aimecreations/freeware-fsx

[wombat666]

For that kind of money I'll strip.

Jeez Mud, for that kind of money I'd rather you didn't!!
Maybe tap dance but not strip!
:icon_eek:

[Francois]

:icon_lol: :icon_lol: Trying not to visualize !

[MudMarine]

Jeez Mud, for that kind of money I'd rather you didn't!!
Maybe tap dance but not strip!
:icon_eek:

Ya know you'd love it! But why don't we just skip it, like I'm going to do with that scenery addon.

[Roger]

I'm wondering if Scenery Tech's landclass would improve the look of ORBX Global Lite? Anyone have their products?

[bushpilot]

I'm wondering if Scenery Tech's landclass would improve the look of ORBX Global Lite? Anyone have their products?


My bet is that it will. It especially improves rural and wilderness areas considerably, and is much better than the default landclass, and even better than the one that comes with UTX. I run Scenery Tech EU with GEX EU and love it.

[vora]

FScene FSX is a straight portover from FScene FS9, which means blurry low res textures, with less variations. Makes FSX look like FS9 :isadizzy:
That's true but Ruud's Asia textures are the only ones which recognize the mere exitstance of rice paddies in Southeast Asia, my favourite flying area outside FTX regions.
That being said I have a wait-and-see attitude towards FTX Global. The way SEA looks and feels will be the deciding factor for me.

[Montie]

I am most concerned about their desert textures if they are using their current texture database...

[bushpilot]

I am most concerned about their desert textures if they are using their current texture database...

I believe FTX AU Red has quite nice desert textures, they just need to be less red. That's why I asked if their current texture assets will be color corrected accordingly. Interesting to see how they solve these 'issues'.