FTX Global, Whats Your Take?

[DaleRFU]

Hi all,

Me again. I am contemplating getting FTX Global but I wanted to know what you guys think of it and is it compatible with photo real scenery such as MegaEarthScenery and Horizon X?

Regards
Dale

 

[TheGrunt]

FTX Global Base, which I think you are after, is just a replacement texture set for the originals. It also adds new building textures and 3D lighting. As it is, you enable photosceneries normally in the scenery library and there are no problems. I have several MegaSceneryEarths and MegasceneryXs and enable them once in a while.

It is pretty much the same with other addon sceneries. Global Base is basically just new texture set.

 

[strykerpsg]

As someone interested in this too, I read some reviews about how it made the shorelines, rivers and many roads much better than default or UTX, in addition to what was mentioned. I see this as almost a must for a more immersive experience.

Now, if only to find it on sale......

 

[TheGrunt]

Global Base doesn't correct shorelines. For that you need the Vector. It is nonetheless a huge improvement over the original textures both FSX and P3D. Like with every scenery, you'll get the best results by combining quality mesh, landclass, textures and vector data. In that sense the Base pack is only part of the story, but offers very visible improvement.

 

[trucker17]

I have Global Base installed, and have noticed a major difference in how FSX looks.....Their was absolutely no hits to my FPS.....The 3d is awesome, new building textures, roadway textures, and even traffic lights that are lite up, I also have many photoreal sceneries that have not interfered with it at all.....

For me cost was a big factor when i first heard about it......I put a little extra money away while i researched the addon, and when i was satisfied with what i found out, and figured it was a good deal, i had the cash set aside for it, and bought it.....
Then discovered that ORBX has also added many freeware airports for Global Base on their website.....
I have had no regrets on the purchase.......

 

[Anthin]

I have Global,Vectur,Pilots Mesh.
Global is a real game changer.
Go for it.
Anthin.

 

[Spikehughes]

FTX Global works for me....works within photo scenery depending upon your layering it correctly ... but it really changes those huge blank areas of FSX and gives the world some life... I say go for it .

 

[MCDesigns]

Just for the record, I am probably one of the few that does not have it, or have any interest in it. From a design aspect I don't want to rely on a commercial product when it comes to compatibility of any addon. Also I don't want to have to do different versions of a product to match something other than default. From a users perspective, I really don't want my whole sim world being ORBX/FTX land, that and I am a huge fan of photoreal. I have enough clutter on my PC with the ORBX regions and airports I have, which I rarely use anymore due to the FPS hit, to add anymore to it. I have seen all the images and videos and frankly, not to impressed, then again I am not the biggest fan of vector scenery. I learned early on that what ORBX shows me with their promos, rarely looks or performs the same on my system.

I was wanting to get PNG, but then found it relied on FTXGlobal to work, so that was disturbing and I am hoping it's not the trend.

Give me HD photoreal, with FSGlobal ultimate mesh and custom autogen and I am happy!
.

 

[Snurdley]

Now that I have it, I couldn't use the sim without it. It totally transforms the world. Granted, I've never been a fan of photoreal, so if you are it may not be for you. These shots are taken in France using their Open LC Europe in addition to FTX Global.

 

[strykerpsg]

I gave in and bought Global and Vector. Looking forward to see the difference. Now just need to figure out REX and it's morphed persona

 

[OleBoy]

If the product depicted a climate based texture package that's relative to the areas they've covered, maybe.

 

[nschley]

... take into account compatibility to 3rd party addon products - I read that there are problems e.g. using VFR France and ORBX

regards
Norbert

 

[Crusader]

Global Base doesn't correct shorelines. For that you need the Vector. It is nonetheless a huge improvement over the original textures both FSX and P3D. Like with every scenery, you'll get the best results by combining quality mesh, landclass, textures and vector data. In that sense the Base pack is only part of the story, but offers very visible improvement.

As TheGrunt has explained very well in his statement , I agree 100% . Also mentioned by others there are currently 19 North American Freeware scenery packs on the ORBX site along with 6 European , each containing several airports and fields . I believe by the end of the year ORBX will be coming out with their North American Landclass . Europe LC is currently available . Really looking forward to NA Landclass . In my humble opinion , FTX Global Base started and transformed my flightsim experience . I do fly P3D v2.4 now but that's a entirely different topic . You won't go wrong with FTX Global . An added bonus is that if something goes astray you'll have excellent support at ORBX , here at SOH and a few other sites .

Rich

 

[UnknownGuest12]

Asked for and a fellow simmer from Greece just published some screens from Global and Vector from Lisbon área...they are just completely wrong and awfull...not going to buy it....

 

[OleBoy]

I must admit, this presentation is impressive how everything is pulled together. It definitely changes the appearance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCNtM6YxgEk

 

[UnknownGuest12]

I must admit, this presentation is impressive how everything is pulled together. It definitely changes the appearance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCNtM6YxgEk

Very enlightining, very good video, very well made. Can´t tell if terrain is right but changes for the better have to admit, impressive. Thanks for posting.

However, Lisbon and Lisbon surrounds are a mess. As I recall, land masses into the river, buildings where should be plains and green zones in Lisbon. This is the airport I use most, so this is no good for me. Heard and seen errors in some other parts of the world (fóruns), can understand perfectly that it will beimpossibleto be 100 % correct, but Lisbon area is really very bad

 

[ejoiner]

FTX is working on some new and very, very extensive new landclasses for Europe. I have a number of FTX products and am generally well satisfied. Considering the scope of the project, I expect there to be a few glitches. Generally the Orbx guys have been very proactive with patches. In fact, so often on their various products, that I check their support site weekly looking for updates.

They also routinely produce a LOT of updated freeware airports that are excellent. if you want to fly off the beaten path, especially in the pacific northwestern USA and Canada, its awesome. Australia is also awesome considering thats where come from.

 

[OleBoy]

If the developers of the scenery would focus more on region specifics for textures rather than a generic approach, their product would be a lot more pleasing. They have access to the images. Anyone does if they pay the price to get them.

Prepar3D is the lime light in the future of flight simulation. Which I use. Since LM has taken the reins from Microsoft, along with many other developers, Prepar3D is flourishing, what with all the capabilities. The aircraft (the ones I've purchased) have a "touch it" feel as if almost real. So model developers are right on LM's heels thriving on the abilities they can incorporate in their work. Where I'm going with all I'm talking about, is virtual flight simulation is essentially real surroundings. I feel the scenery could also be the same for Prepar3D and FSX alike. That's what I want from my experience. More awe factor from virtual reality.

 

[JimmyRFR]

FTX Global is quite excellent I find, but of course it's a 'generic' add-on, meant to spruce up textures over the whole world, and of course it doesn't provide vector data for coastlines, roads, rivers, lakes, or what have you. It also doesn't provide landclass improvements: if an area in your sim was wrongly depicted as desert or what have you before, it'll still be the same after FTX Global is installed. It's also not without it's faults; I live in western Canada, and I can assure you that FTX Global doesn't do a good job of replicating yellow wheat fields...

Regardless, for an overall improvement, it's quite good.

Once you add in a vector product (FTX Vector) and a landclass product (OpenLC), the overall change is huge.

 

[Snurdley]

If the developers of the scenery would focus more on region specifics for textures rather than a generic approach, their product would be a lot more pleasing. They have access to the images. Anyone does if they pay the price to get them.

FTX Global is a replacement for just the default terrain textures. Their Open Landclass products provide region specific textures and landclass that you refer to...gigs of them. All the info is on their website.