John Venema Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Back in 2005 I began work on a personal scenery project for FS2004 which became Vista Australis or VOZ, and it spawned a life and community of its own. I remember working on our little website and forum with Jay Kae and the excitement of the VOZ 0.99 release day. From the team who had worked with me on VOZ we formed a fledgling company called Orbx. Here is the promo trailer for VOZ 0.99 I made ahead of the release just before Christmas 2005, exactly 10 years ago this week! So how far have we come in 10 years? Compare this image from VOZ 1.1 .. ..to one from FILOU posted recently of FTX Global with openLC EU: I can't imagine what we'll be able to show you in December 2025 Thanks to everyone, especially those here from the VOZ days, for coming along for the ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voyager Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 That's it, mister! Your course was right! Thanks! Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Abernathy Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Thanks JV! Great promo vid for sure. I started with VOZ in '05 and have enjoyed the ride ever since. Great quality, great company, unequaled service, top notch all around. And thanks for allowing me to be involved as a tester, it's a labor of love for sure. Best to you and your new bride for this Christmas and the coming New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Venema Posted December 23, 2015 Author Share Posted December 23, 2015 New bride? That was two years ago Rob, lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominique Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Giving good and clean entertainment to people the world over is quite an accomplishment ! Happy anniversary then John. for these 10 years, from the South of France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Abernathy Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 7 minutes ago, John Venema said: New bride? That was two years ago Rob, lol! Ha Ha Well, since I remarried 5 yrs ago (after a great 33 yr first marriage) and still consider my wife a new bride, then you are just a pup laddy! Still on your honeymoon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Seriously? 10 years ago and it still looks great. Professionals at work back then, professionals at work right now. Imagine the quality 10 years from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Wish I was here from the beginning of this whole awesome thing you've created here but I'm still glad I found ORBX when I did. I couldn't imagine simming without FTX scenery. Merry Christmas JV and all ORBX contributors, you've really made a lot of people very happy over the years, that is truly something to be very proud of I would say Very cool fs2004 video btw, how did I miss this great scenery with fs9, my head must have been in the sand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awreaper Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 My first order was in 2010, Stark's Twin Oaks. It is amazing how much you guys have grown and the amount of quality products you produce. Your future is bright indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadtom65 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Fantastic John I remember it well, though all I remember was buying the AU series, gold blue red and green, not sure if that was for FS 2004 or FSX. I expect other people will put me right on it. Here's to the future and long may Orbx reign. Derek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripcord Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I will raise my glass to ten more good years! cheers!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Hamilton Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I used to use Vista Australis, it's still cutting edge technology as far as FS9 is concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neucoas Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Nice new avatar John, i almost did not recognize you ! Congrats for these 10 years, and for many more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penzoil3 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 LOL, I still have Voz on my FS9 install ! It was great back then, and for FS9, it's still cuttinge edge! It's been quite a ride! Who would have thought, that we would come this far ... (BTW, like the new picture John, nice beard. ) Happy Holidays, and Happy Anniversary! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Kane Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I think I jumped on board back on 2010 so what an amazing ride this has been, I do look forward to another 10 years Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 This was great for the time!!! No HD trees!!! ha ha ha Now I went to Youtube directly to see it and saw that you already got 2 dislike.... ha ha ha, I gave you a like! And a critic if I may, I like your older avatar better Now go see in the video section... be proud of what just came out, it's my first of a few.... Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Venema Posted December 23, 2015 Author Share Posted December 23, 2015 It's my winter Santa avatar, I always grow a beard for xmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Hamilton Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 No red suit, JV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike62 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Merry Christmas and happy new year and hears looking at another 10 years and more. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Emms Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Well then chaps I had just started to use FSX back in 2008 and was looking for something better than the scenery that came with it and then I came across Orbx by chance and I thought these blokes look like they know how to knock out a scenery and started to buy various scenery and airports. And I have never looked back in fact im sure if I had not come across Orbx then I would have packed up with flightsimming for good. ive been here now seven years and seen how the great products have grown into fantastic products raising the bar with every new release, im very privileged to play a very small part of the Team here and will do for as long as JV will let me. I for one cant wait to see what 2016 will bring but I know it will be a fantastic year for us all to savour by this very talented Team here at Orbx, cheers Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddler Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Your scenery has turned me into an addict for flight simulation, and I have no regrets nor offer any apology for my addiction. Many hours of learning and satisfaction have been my reward. Your dream of offering the best possible scenery means a constant creative flow fed by the talents of great developers. a "Dream Team" by any definition. Happy Birthday and sincere thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anfield ace Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Hi JV, Thanks for the interesting look-back, here's to the next 10 years...well done, and Merry Christmas to you, and all at Orbx... Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Petford Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Back then, I read an interview with JV about VOZ and, as someone who flies predominantly down under it was an instant must have. I distinctly remember on first run after installing my jaw dropped at how good it was. It's still an outstanding achievement and no FS9 install is complete without it, in my opinion. A decade on, JV and many of the same developers still lead the way. We are lucky to have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacKuen Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Congratulations to you John, Jay Kae, and the team. You have made a signal contribution to our community – one deeply appreciated by all of us. Best wishes to all of you and your families this Holiday Season. --Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Kae Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Seems like it was yesterday I met you at BEV my old friend, your vision at the time and the quality of your textures made me believe in the concept of VOZ. I remember how hard it was to deliver that "huge" piece of software at the time, the cost of bandwidth was astronomic at the time but we did it, you did it. I've always been happy to just be the guy behind the scenes and be a part of something very special and be awed by the scenery that was put out first for FS9 and then for FSX. On the late Alpha of FSX then beta where the things you were saying to the MS team were not taken well, only later to be proven 100% right. I could go on for hours but in the end of the day, VOZ and Orbx would not be were it not for all the loyal members of the community we have cherished since day one. Thank you my friend for letting me be a part of it, Merry Christmas to you and yours and to everyone here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 The colours of the great south land. Ahh. Those were the exciting times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seby.h Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I remember being blown away by Vista OZ, I got on board and have not stopped. I remember dreaming that maybe one day I would be able to fly across Australia without having to restart the sim with the new textures applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VH-KDK Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Well, I cannot remember Vista OZ. I suppose I was not really into FS then. What I can remember is reading about ORBX Australian scenery and being amazed by its realism. It was for FSX but I only had FS9, DAMN IT! A few days later we were at Natfly09 ( a big annual fly in for mostly homebuilt and RAA aircraft) at Narromine. My wife went "shopping" while I was taking photos and she came back with amongst other things a copy of FSX Deluxe. She never knew I that I was considering getting FSX, it just happened. A few more days later 27 April 2009, I brought my first ORBX product, a DVD of Australia Avalon Air show edition. That was it, my association with ORBX and FSS as a customer had began. I was hooked. Yesterday I placed my 150th order with FSS bearing in mind many of the orders are for multiple items. I have all the ORBX sceneries except for 2, many Asian airports, several utilities and scores of aircraft. I am totally immersed and have moved on to P3D. I fly to look at the amazingly realistic scenery the ORBX team have given us. Now I am in trouble as I am trying to get things ready for Christmas and once again I have been side tracked by things FS. Thanks to the ORBX and FSS teams for their massive contribution to the FS world. Hope I, and everybody else is around in 2025 to see what is on offer then. Happy Christmas and New Year to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migar Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Congratulations John and Jay Kae. A truly magnificent effort. I remember the BEV textures and Koorbygen. I thought they were great but the modern Orbx textures are so close to reality it's hard to see how they can be bettered. Regards Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLA1836 Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 It took dogged determination combined with incredible talent to get the whole project off the ground ( pun intended ). But you two guys did it and then went on to attract a talented team and give us the World according to ORBX. Keep 'em coming. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerribleT Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Ah the joy of VOZ which I joined at its beginning - so far ahead of anything else for FS9 and freeware to boot! The feeling in the VOZ forum was amazing - I was so chuffed when I reached "Bloody Legend" status A LAME mate of mine still uses my old FS 9 VOZ PC and refuses to go to FSX - reckons it can't be better! JV, Jay and The Team deserve everything they have achieved after such a tremendous start with VOZ - simming was never the same after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerdoo Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 6 hours ago, John Venema said: It's my winter Santa avatar, I always grow a beard for xmas And get your sled out as well to ride the winds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodduck Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I remember it well JV, I can't believe 10 years have passed. I still clearly remember no ADSL only dial up and trying to find ways to get that download. Thanks to the generosity of Adrian at The Flight Sim Store who was supplying the Scenery on disc to those people having difficulty downloading. I still have that disc today. Congratulations JV, and a Merry Christmas to you and all the Orbx staff. Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtrack Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Ah, yes, I remember it well. (With apologies to Maurice Chevalier, Gigi 1953) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limjack Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I remember going to the Seattle fsx exhibition and seeing the advertising for FTX scenery. My Jaw dropped and I couldn't wait to have this product. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Robinson Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I remember when some dude that went by Koorby wrote a tutorial on how to use LWMViewer2 to make a "VOZplug". Well, I made an "IDAplug" and turned half my home state into something recognizable, lol. Felt like I'd been totally set free armed with that knowledge! Progressed a small amount since then but that's basically what started it all for me. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Kae Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Remember this John ? Screenshot taken on December 28th, 2015 The last version ever released was 1.8 and is still available from here: http://aussiex.org/forum/index.php?/files/file/502-voz-18-complete/ My memory got triggered too, AVSIM was going to host our files and when their servers were slammed Tom Cantrememberhisname kicked our files off the server and we fell back on our own back up plan, all this happened the night of release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Kae Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernd1151 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I remember some of these videos, JayKay. I'm on board since 2006 and VOZ was my entry ticket into the wonderful world of FS9 in those days. Everything else at that time was well...low quality compared to VOZ. And VOZ was totally FREEE!! Thank you all at ORBX for what you have and will give to this wonderful community, where we can gather from all over the world and share our experience and appreciation. Keep up the great work and merry Christmas to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Kae Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 and here was the introduction of 1.1 !! ...life in VOZ of course and ... A postcard from Australia ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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