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New U.K Scenery, Coming Soon

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IanHenry

IanHenry

Charter Member
Hi
Just a heads up, Darren and Vikki over at Earth Simulations are working on producing the best flight simulation scenery available for any region (that's their stated intention) with their new United Kingdom product. The screen shots certainly look like their achieving it:
http://earthsimulations.com/shop/sh...allery/a1b5e2db80ca2e746d5dfb142244a1b2/579/0

Also, they have produced new freeware replacement Autogen files to provide compatibility for all the following scenery manufacturers, whether you have any Earth Simulations products or not:

1 : Earth Simulations Ltd Sceneries2: Orbx Sceneries
3: VFR Germany
4: France VFR - FSX Sceneries
5: Justflight RevX Scenery
6: Flylogic Scenery
7: French Free Unified Scenery
8: Occitania Scenery (revision 7.0+)
9: Fly Tampa - FSX Scenery
10: 29Palms - MykonosX/SkiathosX
11: Sim720 - FSX scenery
12: 3D Automation - FSX Scenery
13: Simulation Data - FSX Scenery
14: AutogenFactory - FSX Scenery

I think this will be a big help for a lot of people, get the files here:
https://earthsims.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/235619-i-need-the-autogen-compatibility-files-

Regards,
Ian.
 
now that does look nice! :applause: will it be the whole of the UK in one package or will it be split up into sections??
 
stiz said:
now that does look nice! :applause: will it be the whole of the UK in one package or will it be split up into sections??
Click to expand...

I think it's going to be sections because of the size of it, from what I can gather, for example, the North of England will be 3 sub regions to correspond with the Horizon/Playsims regions, so it's a bit like pick and mix.


Ian.
 
IanHenry said:
Also, they have produced new freeware replacement Autogen files to provide compatibility for all the following scenery manufacturers, whether you have any Earth Simulations products or not:
Click to expand...

From what I read on the French forums, it seems this replacement autogen file could be problematic...
EDIT: very problematic in fact, from what I could read on the FranceVFR forums. Looks like it's pure piracy.
http://www.vfrnetwork.com/forums/index.php?/topic/11811-installeur-de-définitions-autogen/page-7
 
Does look stunning but the look for it they're placing every autogen tree and building over photoscenery coupled with an incredible mesh...

I'd imagine it'd be rather on the expensive side to cover the whole UK in one hit...

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Tapatalk
 
So here is a small summary, from what I could read and what I understood:

- FranceVFR( EDIT: some members of FranceVFR and other members of forums) have been working for a while on some unified autogen description files. This project was called AGX, Autogen Global X. The purpose of the project was to condense all the existing autogen technologies into one global set, so that all possible sceneries from all existing editors (payware and freeware) would work at once.
- all editors have been contacted to request the authorization to include their autogen definition in the product.
- Earth Simulation and OrbX were the only ones to refuse to participate

And now, Earth Simulation has produced this "new" autogen, in which they included the FranceVFR AGX definition without permission. They even copied the texts, from what they said.
And it look like OrbX participated to this too ? (EDIT: not sure if I understood this correctly)

Guys, that sounds quite bad.

Here is the original AGX page: http://www.francevfr.com/agx.htm
 
Daube said:
From what I read on the French forums, it seems this replacement autogen file could be problematic...
EDIT: very problematic in fact, from what I could read on the FranceVFR forums. Looks like it's pure piracy.
http://www.vfrnetwork.com/forums/index.php?/topic/11811-installeur-de-définitions-autogen/page-7
Click to expand...

I find this claim a little surprising, because Earth Simulations have a history of producing compatible autogen files, although I think previous ones have been concentrated around just Orbx and VFR France scenery's. I suppose we wil have to wait and see.


Ian.
 
Well, they did refuse to collaborate to the AGX project from the French guys, and then they took their work without authorizations and included it (not even correctly) into their own product.
 
Dear all

It's not just surprising, it's a completely absurd suggestion that ES and Orbx would steal someone else's intellectual property rights. It's libelous at best. But I'll try to bear in mind that google translate can give some strange results, so what I just read might have other interpretations in the French speaking world. There are so many things wrong with the postings on France VFR that it's hard to know where to begin. I'll address the main points I picked out so we can keep this short and put an end to it soonest.

1: ES ( or orbx) DO NOT and would not steal another companies property.
2: The autogen files MUST be shared by ALL developers that make adaptations to autogen. The Files themselves are copyrighted by Microsoft. ( perhaps they should be on trial too :mixed-smiley-010: )

Specifically these files are:
  • Default.xml
  • AutogenDescriptions.spb
  • Extrusions.spb
  • Materials.spb
  • RoofDescriptions.spb
  • TerrainAutogenClassDescriptions.spb

Issues of incompatibility is the leading cause of distress to our customers, and is the most time consuming aspect of the support we have to provide.

3: ES have been providing compatibility files for a long time, we have always had them discretely placed on our helpdesk for the benefit of ES customers who run into difficulties after their ES scenery is broken following the installation of another add-on. Ironically, and for all it's misgivings, Our ESI installer is the ONLY installation program that integrates the required changes into the autogen files, whereas all the others will replace them. So if all developers installers were doing things the same way as ours does, there actually wouldn't be any need for the compatibility files at all. :rolleyes: . This can be demonstrated easily enough. Install a France VFR scenery & then install an ES scenery. Result = Everything co-exists. On the other hand, if you install an ES scenery first, followed by a France VFR scenery. Result = Your ES scenery is broken...And who is it that picks up all the support for this eventuality? ..yep ..We do.

4: We have not, would not, and could not stop France VFR from using our autogen definitions. It's my understanding from having just read their forum is that they have chosen not to include our definitions, or those of Orbx because "they are too complex."

5: You'll note that we have only sent out information of the existence of the ES compatibility files to ES customers via a subscribed newsletter. Because our responsibility is to them. We have not been advertising their existence on the FS news websites and forums ( like France VFR seems to be doing at the moment about their AGX autogen file swaper program )

6: ES once paid for, and freely distributed a program called "MergES". The way it worked was to append your existing autogen files with any new information. Not simply swap the files around, but was a complete solution. Unfortunately a windows update rendered it broken so we reverted back to compatibility files. We're freely handing over the source code for MergES to Arno at FSdeveloper.com so he can see if he can get it working again.

7: Contrary to what's been said at France VFR. The compatibility files linked on our helpdesk do work.

8: If you own ES or Orbx, or any of the other developers scenery that's not included in the France VFR AGX thingy. You have the option to use those we provide... or not. It's not compulsory you know :).

this is kinda funny...
Click to expand...

As long as nobody is actually duped into believing Earth Simulations and Orbx are pirates :pirate: . Then yes... it's a whole comedy.

I don't want to spend precious development time looking for and responding to further ludicrous accusations over this, so will be grateful if people see it posted elsewhere if you'd point them to my reply here. Thanks

Kind regards
Darren & Vikki

Earth Simulations
 
Many thanks for the clarification Darren & Vikki, I thought the suggestion that both yourselves and Orbx would steal France VFR's files little far fetched.

Regards,
Ian.
 
Interesting.
I didn't know that it was mandatory to share the autogen descriptions. Is it written somewhere in the FSX policy ?
I thought the autogen definitions created by FranceVFR and the other participants to French projects were part of their intellectual property, and that one needed their autorization prior to include them in a global autogen file.
Looks like this is not the case, but it sounds strange nevertheless...
 
To clarify

Microsoft made FSX so that it can have only one set of Autogen files active at a given time, both FSX and also currently P3Dv2 also are sadly completely inflexible about this problem.

Definitions simply contain an objects reference GUID ( a unique identification code for a particular object) , and have no other function. So if you don't have the actual scenery, and the object bgl file which contains the 3D models those definitions are referring to, then their inclusion in the compatibility files serves no purpose at all. But if the autogen files & definitions get replaced by installing a new scenery which does not contain X,Y or Z definitions, all your existing sceneries are broken.
 
Daube said:
Interesting.
I didn't know that it was mandatory to share the autogen descriptions. Is it written somewhere in the FSX policy ?
I thought the autogen definitions created by FranceVFR and the other participants to French projects were part of their intellectual property, and that one needed their autorization prior to include them in a global autogen file.
Looks like this is not the case, but it sounds strange nevertheless...
Click to expand...

Nice apology.

This looks interesting, but not sure I'm ready to jump off the Orbx bandwagon quite yet. Didn't care for the looks of the FranceVFR stuff, but will be watching this.
 
Daube said:
Interesting.
I didn't know that it was mandatory to share the autogen descriptions. Is it written somewhere in the FSX policy ?
I thought the autogen definitions created by FranceVFR and the other participants to French projects were part of their intellectual property, and that one needed their autorization prior to include them in a global autogen file.
Looks like this is not the case, but it sounds strange nevertheless...
Click to expand...

So no apology for accusing Earth Simulations of piracy then?
 
Accusing ? I'm just reporting what can be read on the other forums. No personnal opinion here, yet.
 
Whilst I started this thread to highlight the superb, forthcoming work from Earth Simulations, it has now become rather tainted with unsubstantiated reports or accusations (read as you will) of wrongdoings by Earth Simulations, who in all my dealings with them have never been anything other than reputable, helpful and provided fine products and service.

I am now in a position where I regret having started the thread, because it seems that, rather than highlighting their fine work this thread has caused Darren& Vikki grief, and for that I apologise unreservedly, and hope they can carry on with their work to improve the world of flight simulation. I for one am ollking forward to their new projects.


Regards,
Ian.
 
IanHenry said:
...I am now in a position where I regret having started the thread, because it seems that, rather than highlighting their fine work this thread has caused Darren& Vikki grief, and for that I apologise unreservedly, and hope they can carry on with their work to improve the world of flight simulation...
Click to expand...

There's no need to regret anything. I'm very grateful that you gave the HU about the ES files. By excluding Orbx autogen definitions the "AGX" files a pretty useless for a lot of people.

Also, I'm grateful to Darren putting some light on the autogen issue. Personally I do agree that the contents in a unique *system file* of FSX are not intellectual property of anybody else than the *system maker* himself, i.e. MS (remember what MS did when Sony put a "rights protection" root kit into Windows system files? :biggrin-new: ).

When I wrote "kinda funny" I meant that literally: while the makers of FTX England and VFR France shy away from including each other's GUIDs the maker of the Channel Islands in between beat both to it - good EU comedy :encouragement: I hope that Darren didn't misunderstand my words.
 
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