Hi all,I am thinking about buying Rex4 enhanced edition with soft clouds,and Aerosofts Sea hawk,Jay hawk package since there both on sale at the flightsim store,and,I just wanted some opinions on these two items,also wondering if HIFI active sky is better,than Rex4 on a lower end computer system?Thanks
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Please see the most recent updates in the "Where did the .com name go?" thread. Posts number 16 and 17.
Thinking about buying some fsx stuff.
- Thread starter PhantomP
- Start date
tgycgijoes
Members +
P3d v4
I have seen P3D V4 photos and agree, but I for one even though I have a new Windows7 64Bit, it isn't powerful enough to run P3D V4 as I imagine a lot of others do too. I have REX4 with Soft Clouds with my FSX/A and think that it makes a lot of difference in my installation if you want an eval of that software. I found it worth all I paid for it. Don't have the Aerosoft 'Hawk.
I have seen P3D V4 photos and agree, but I for one even though I have a new Windows7 64Bit, it isn't powerful enough to run P3D V4 as I imagine a lot of others do too. I have REX4 with Soft Clouds with my FSX/A and think that it makes a lot of difference in my installation if you want an eval of that software. I found it worth all I paid for it. Don't have the Aerosoft 'Hawk.
having both rex and active sky textures are nice and are as good as each other however if you have a low end PC theres plenty of freeware textures
those textures packages are great if you can run a higher res ie 2048 and above, if you think you cant set the res at that, i would look at freeware options
I prefer rex for textures and the AS for the weather engine, as for the water textures I prefer flight1(see blow)
as for the aerosoft s70, its dated but its one package that no one else has really tackled, there is no plans to update it to p3d so if you want max life it depends on how long you want to hold onto fsx
if i could i would give you my copy of the s70, as its totally useless for me in p3dv4
flight1 also do a texture package that has sky and clouds and water, that might be a 3rd option, flight1 do refunds so if you find your system cant handle it, its a easy return unlike FSS which dont really do refunds
if you want to get a great addon, i would consider orbx global and use the freeware addon textures for clouds and sky
those textures packages are great if you can run a higher res ie 2048 and above, if you think you cant set the res at that, i would look at freeware options
I prefer rex for textures and the AS for the weather engine, as for the water textures I prefer flight1(see blow)
as for the aerosoft s70, its dated but its one package that no one else has really tackled, there is no plans to update it to p3d so if you want max life it depends on how long you want to hold onto fsx
if i could i would give you my copy of the s70, as its totally useless for me in p3dv4
flight1 also do a texture package that has sky and clouds and water, that might be a 3rd option, flight1 do refunds so if you find your system cant handle it, its a easy return unlike FSS which dont really do refunds
if you want to get a great addon, i would consider orbx global and use the freeware addon textures for clouds and sky
fsafranek
SOH-CM-2024
I picked up the Rex Texture Direct with Soft Clouds on sale this week from their inhouse store. Bring some extra money because on the way through checkout they make additional offers not available anywhere but that moment. I didn't take the offer and after looking later to see what they were I wish I had. Next time. Don't have any experience with HiFI products so can't offer any comparison. Check youtube sometimes for that sort of thing.
Sure, get P3D v4 but it will greatly benefit from the Rex Studio products.
I'm waiting for the next Carenado sale myself.
Sure, get P3D v4 but it will greatly benefit from the Rex Studio products.
I'm waiting for the next Carenado sale myself.
Mach3DS
Charter Member
I would apply your funds to getting P3D version 4 64 bit. A total game changer.
+1
P3Dv4 is the new benchmark. Hands down superior to all other flavors. And it's setting the stage for some big changes in future iterations. And when you do migrate, go with HiFi ASN 2016v4
Bruce66
Members +
I am also on a lower end computer which won't handle P3D.
I have REX textures and use the Active Sky weather engine. No high resolutions to keep up the performance and only 3 levels of cloud but it is totally convincing.
I set REX to the location I am going to fly before every flight and usually run real time weather as well (unless the weather is to crap to fly when I go historical).
ORBX is mentioned above and their products are great, try the free demos. I found the scenery was too much for my system though and then tried a GEX, UTX combination - much easier on performance.
I have REX textures and use the Active Sky weather engine. No high resolutions to keep up the performance and only 3 levels of cloud but it is totally convincing.
I set REX to the location I am going to fly before every flight and usually run real time weather as well (unless the weather is to crap to fly when I go historical).
ORBX is mentioned above and their products are great, try the free demos. I found the scenery was too much for my system though and then tried a GEX, UTX combination - much easier on performance.
Gregory Paul
Charter Member
Well don't tell my computer as I run Windows 7 64 bit with P3D V4 with no problems. In fact it runs better than FSX or FSXSE. Just saying. Good luck. If you do get P3D V4 don't tweak any settings like most do in FSX. Just run it with no tweaks first and see how you like it before you start with all the old FSX tweaks. I run it without adding any tweaks and have no problems and enjoy it as is no tweaks.
Victory103
SOH-CM-2026
As mentioned, the Aerosoft Hawks are updates of FS9 models and sadly done. If you need a H-60 and decide later to move to P3D, look at the Cera bird, also on sale.
Naismith
Charter Member
Yes, reluctantly I am shifting over more towards P3Dv4, it is superior, just miss some of my favored aircraft that won't follow...... I just wish the front end interface was more like FSX and that is about my only gripe, I find it ugly and clumsy....... maybe it's too much like myself. 
Just a comment - for those that worry their 64 bit PC "is not powerful enough" for PD3V4, do not make the assumption that because its the next new thing it necessarily means it will weigh down all but the fastest PC's. I think the whole point of Lockheed moving the sim onto 64 bit was that this would greatly REDUCE the burden of running the sim (vs FSX 32 bit) on 64 bit processors. If you visit PD3 forums here and elsewhere you will find others running it with no problems on their admittedly modest spec pc's.
Others more expert than I here may comment on minimum acceptable specs for P3Dv4.
Others more expert than I here may comment on minimum acceptable specs for P3Dv4.
ak416
Members +
I'm running FSX on 10 year old hardware and REX 4 with Soft Clouds runs just fine. REX includes a configuration menu that allows you to choose your texture resolution, as well as the compression used.
Here are my settings:
How it looks in FSX:
Could it look better? Sure, but don't let old hardware prevent you from enjoying these great addons. You just have to know your limits and optimize your configuration relative to your hardware.
warchild
Charter Member
I'm running FSX on 10 year old hardware and REX 4 with Soft Clouds runs just fine. REX includes a configuration menu that allows you to choose your texture resolution, as well as the compression used.
Here are my settings:
How it looks in FSX:
Could it look better? Sure, but don't let old hardware prevent you from enjoying these great addons. You just have to know your limits and optimize your configuration relative to your hardware.
I DO so envy your skill with lighting.. My worlds always look bland no matter what I do..
regarding hardware, My cpu may be six cores but its seven years old.. Yet! I run P3Dv4, FSX:SE, X-plane 10 and X-Plane 11 with perhaps not a million frames per second, but theres no stuttering or lag either, and yes, I have an obsession with pushing all the settings to absolute max, except with x-plane which could reduce a supercomputer to tears in a heartbeat. The thing is, these days. GPU's handle most of the work. you dont need the worlds fastest cpu any more. just make sure your gpu, is good and youll be fine no matter what you get
ak416
Members +
I highly recommend checking out "Shade", an addon that I don't hear much about, but is one that I wouldn't want to fly without. You can find it here, as well as some information on what it does http://secure.simmarket.com/mogwaisoft-shade.phtml
There is also a very handy comparison guide over on the Orbx forums that shows a few of the included presets, and just how different each preset can make your sim look. https://orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/36808-shade-a-comparison/