airport details important?

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. I was just watching an advertisement for a new simulation airport. The ad took a camera around the roads and buildings then entered the main terminal and showed everything from waiting areas to restaurants. The hook line was that all the details of the complex were realistically depicted and could be visited. That got me to wondering how many Forum readers actually spend time nosing around airports rather than flying. I'm not judging anyone's sim habits here, I'm just not getting why a minutely detailed airport is important to a flight-sim enthusiast.

[Mickel]

I only check out what I can see while taxiing/taking off, plus whatever details I can check out in the trike when exploring.  That would probably be a closer inspection if I could fly a helicopter vaguely properly.  I think I've only once found my way into an avatar type thing and go for a wander.  I probably should do that more, but it's a flight simulator...

[VH-KDK]

G'day Rodger.

I suppose they are catering for all tastes. I lament the fact that I usually jump into a plane, press Ctrl+E and I am away to look at the countryside.

I did start working through the payware ORBX US airports in alphabetical order, to have a look at all of the finer details. Then came a reinstall and the idea fell by the wayside.

I don't believe in new years resolutions but maybe I should take time more often to have a closer look using Bob or the Dude!

We are all different in our sim use, some like to do everything by the book, some like military, some fly tube liners and so on.

So by making available all of this incredible detail they are going to another level of realism that is constantly being demanded. 

I am so happy at what we have now and remember back to the time all we had was FS2 on the Commodore 64!

 

ANyway a great question Rodger and it will be interesting to hear other simmers views.

Wishing you a Happy New Year for 2018 and I would also like to say I enjoy reading your posts here on a wide range of subjects so keep them coming.

[BradB]

For me it is not , what I enjoy doing is exploring the surrounding scenery of the airport . Don't get me wrong , I enjoy the visuals of landing and taking off from a Orbx payware product , but I don't spend much time around the terminal and the GA hanger's .

 

Cheers

 

John

[Ken Q]

I, for one, really love all the details. Walking around the airport and surrounding area with "Bob" is a lot of fun and ramps up the realism and sense of immersion. Try it at Orbx Catalina, for example.

Ken

[Triplane]

I've never paid any attention to that kind of stuff. I guess I'm just too old to appreciate the fact that a flight simulator is now seen by many as an eye-candy simulator. Whatever happened to the days of flight dynamics? Maybe I've just spent too much time in the air in real life to appreciate the carpet in the first-class lounge. Anyone who's spent a few hour in a Level-D knows that "realism" isn't what you see out the cockpit windows..........Doug

[petfy]

I drive a fire tender where ever I can get it to go, but internal airport details would just slow the rendering and I can do without them.

[Captain Lars]

What I normally do when I install an airport is placing myself in a reasonable simple to use aircraft on the runway to do an "aerial inspection". That means that I fly around over the airport and the adjacent countryside in different angles to see what I have purchased and to check whether the night lighting works. The next time I visit the airport is when I land there in a "real" flight, one that I plan and write into my logbook. I'd never notice the restaurant in the terminal, and even if I knew there was a restaurant inside, I doubt I would bother to have a look. For me that eyecandy is just a total waste of computing power.

[johnfromoz]

Basically, the airport is what I fly in and out of.  Since FS lets us use helicopters and boats, external detail counts even more. The regional scenery, and what's visible from where I'm parked is the base line. But - to be ultra-realistic - if we care to, we can walk from the car park and through the buildings, even into some terminals. 
I've done an avatar tour of many Orbx sceneries. The ability to do it, or even to want to do it, speaks highly of Orbx's detailed work. Strolling round Innsbruck was as much fun as flying into it or going low and slow in a helicopter, train-spotting. I've walked to several waterfronts through nicely modelled local towns, and even driven from airports to the local CBD, when I feel like something different. It's primarily a flight simulator, but I like to pick up what I can of the local scenery, and at last Orbx makes that possible. It's about enjoyment.

[Jethro VH-JET]

Hi Rodger,

 

From the perspective of someone, who for a short while beta tested Orbx scenery, (and learnt a heck of a lot) and where I began my FSX Orbx journey. I was captured by a certain feel or design philosophy that the Orbx developers were able to implement into a scenery area or airport. There are too many talented guys to mention by name but they are all class, (just a handful are mentioned further on), from the earliest to the most recent, some working on the overall project and some on specific projects, but all working to one end (That certain look and feel of an Orbx Product, and hopefully implementing a never before seen new feature or pushing the SDK and sim to its technology limits).
What I was always looking for was that certain something, that said to me, this software has captured and re-kindled the same feeling which made me appreciate the Orbx design philosophy so much and sim flying in general, from one the very first products for AU_Blue (YSTW Tamworth), an early port over which was revamped with FSX/SDK & Orbx tech, extraordinary detail for that era).
As a former tester, along with reporting back to the developers, areas that may have needed further remedial work before being market ready. Testing scenery is all about climbing all over the scenery from all angles getting up close testing facilities and special features, one cannot avoid checking the entire project or area allocated for massive projects, appreciating the effort and detail hopefully achieving what was intended by the developer.
While flying for pure enjoyment came a close second when there were lulls in the testing cycle, I am a low and slow flier and enjoy flying helicopters. Needless to say all the little details, and big ones were routinely and closely inspected during testing. Checking that the visuals played nicely with required base/Region and other nearby airfields and version updates and the scenery/airport itself, are what testing is all about. Testing the limits for current PC technology and simulators the software will be used was also extremely important as it still is to this day.
Eye candy items are ultimately up to the developer, some things are extremely important for the feel of an area or airfield, where at other times an airfield or scenery can benefit from the less is more design spec (real feel) Neil Hill is a master of this dev style, some things stay in while others are rejected well before the beta stage depending on workability, polly count, or sim load, and memory limitations. (Probably not such a restriction now that 64bit has arrived). At beta stage where most if not all the scenery/airport is fully functional and only minor tweaking is still to be tested and implemented. The final product will then shout loud and clear that it is unmistakeably Orbx Quality, because the dev has aspired to the Orbx design philosophy, and hopefully been able to show off their specific talents and design ideas.
 
Who can forget the first time Alex Goff implemented "Snowflow" at 2W3 Swanson, or Heiko Glatthorn's pool party and Indy car circuit at W16, the moving train,  new lighting tech, new Global textures, new HD Trees, the many thousands of enhanced airfields for regions done by Neil Hill or the magnificent and highly detailed expansive offerings from Jarrad Marshall, Bill Womack, Tim Harris, Ken Hall and the extensive work done by Holger Sandmann, and many many others past and present, not to forget the guys who create new objects and textures for Orbx Libs, the freeware guys or even the very first time we saw the massive Pacific Northwest (PNW) project in all its glory.
Devs have come and gone throughout the years, many are still here producing winner after winner, sadly we lost a champion in Vlad Maly. There are many new guys also proving their talents time after time but the Orbx feel still remains. 
Don't forget to spend a little time probing around your scenery purchases, it is a high compliment to the developer when you find some of those special features that they have spent countless hours designing for your sim enjoyment.
Don't forget that many areas have seasonal treats, and depending on the time of day and season & weather, will take on a character and beauty in their own rite.
Sure we have a flight Simulator and we all love to fly the virtual skies in and out of our Orbx scenery, but don't be in too much of a rush to the taxiway and runway threshold without scoffing down all the candy there can be found, because there's also much more to see from low and slow once airborne.
(Heck, learn to love helicopters, which so many sim fliers find difficult to manage, there quicker than walking and more mobile than a fixed wing). 
Its not unreasonable to pushback a B737 / B747 / B777 / A320 / A350 / A380 away from the gate and head directly for the runway, flying a big tube high over the scenery if your into commercial transport routes and cockpit realism from a pilot POV.  Savour the experience every now and then, its a great big world, get out and stretch your legs, wander around run your fingers over the grass once in a while, check behind the sheds, nosy around a little, you never know what has been placed here and there.

 

Sorry I'm waffling on, but you get where I'm coming from hopefully!!

Rodger all the very best to you, happy 2018.
 

Keep up the great work Orbx

[alcliff]

13 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

That got me to wondering how many Forum readers actually spend time nosing around airports rather than flying.

What I do not understand is the use of resources to model the inside of terminal buildings, etc. Use at least all the time and resources for details outdoors. 

[Gollum]

I enjoy looking around ORBX airports in Bob but I end up falling down hole or running into an invisible wall, I wish the boundaries of where Bob can go were clearly defined .

 

Regards  

[andy1252]

For me, this whole thing is primarily a world sim - flying is just the best way to move around in it over any great distance. What I mean is that although I am a wing-nut (and have the hangar to prove it), my main pleasure is moving around in this simulated world gawping at the surroundings. And sometimes that means being amazed at the light and atmosphere as the sun comes up over some distant mountain range, or across the desert, or above the treetops in the forest, and at others it means "walking" or "driving" around at ground level being amazed by the realism and detail at KSFO, KMSP, ESSA, KPSP etc. I absolutely hate airports in the real world, but when I can beam in and out in my cosy little den it's a different matter!

[Jethro VH-JET]

Hi Gollum,

 

BOB can go anywhere flat or gentle incline, he does not like water, BOB floats but can't swim and (steep inclines, mountain slopes or rough terrain are a challenge, where he tips over backwards or runs out of power to continue climbing steep slopes) sometimes he needs a little run up but can be difficult to stop when he's out of control.  Running into walls is no problem if you turn off Crash detection. See Bobs limitations on Pge3 of the  BOB User Guide.pdf in FTXCentral. Think of BOB like a drunk in charge of a Segway scooter, then you've got his capabilities nailed.

 

Super BOB with a real body, never eventuated because P3D now has Mr Avatar which seems to perform the general walk around stuff with a human body.

[Benny]

It's an ORBX stuff, I mean all the detail. I like to see them because I'm use to them.

One of my hobby is to do movie and showing all those detail. But for that BOB didn't cut it, I need EXDOK or Chaseplane to do so.

 

But sometime when I look at all the crazy detail I wonder who will see them in a plane flying.

 

When I did the one on KPSP I was stunned by it and all Jarrad detail. But no way you can see thos detail up close even with an heli.

 

Ben

 

 

[Larry_R]

Hi guys, 

This topic is very pertinent to me and something I think about  as I work. Thanks for all the different perspectives .  So far I've not done the insides of buildings but I do all sorts of other crazy stuff that I'm sure no one will notice.  Mostly I do it because I enjoy doing it and because seaplane bases cater to low and slow anyway.  But there is another issue two;  frame of mind when working on an Orbx project. I don't  omit stuff because no one will notice. I do everything to my ability at the time I do it. There is an intangible; the Orbx feel and I can only begin to approach it by having a mental picture and then including as much as possible in that picture.

[Rob Abernathy]

Larry, Jeff, and Andy have captured the essence of all that is Orbx to me.  The finely tuned details, both inside and out are what sets Orbx apart.  Often, while testing, I'm left with my jaw dropping as to the details you would miss by only taxing to a parking space and ending the flight.  That interior shot at KPSP is a perfect example of the "unnecessary" but awesome detail added by developers.  To each his own of course.   Keep it up devs, love it!

[Captain Lars]

Having read again my statement in this thread, I should rectify my opinion about eyecandy: Of course, eyecandy is not a total waste of computing power, quite the contrary... it's just a waste of computing power when you can't behold it from the point of view of your aircraft.

[Scott Harmes]

I have always liked more detail in airport scenery.  I suppose I have interest in airports themselves as well as aircraft, just as I have interest in weather, geography, aircraft engines, avionics, etc, which are all different fields related to aviation.  In real life I can spent a great deal of time wandering or hanging around airports large or small, and the same goes for flight sims.  The first thing I usually do with a detailed payware airport is fly around in a helicopter to check the scenery out close up.  You can also get even lower and slower with the avatar or Bob. 

 

I was a bit sceptical when it came to devs modelling interiors in sim airports, but as it usually has minimal or no effect on performance, and adds to the realism of the scenery from the cockpit or from the ground, I am now a fan of it when it is done well.

 

I still spend 95% of my simming time flying, or preparing an aircraft (tubeliners), but I do like exploring the world, including airports, through landscape, cityscape, and airport sceneries.

 

Cheers,

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. What a fascinating range of reactions!  For one thing, they give a sense of the depth present in the Forum community--so many interesting and intelligent points of view. For another thing, they kind of put the pressure on people like me to spend a little time exploring what doesn't currently ring our bell--maybe we're missing something.  So, here's my New Year's ORBX resolution--I have downloaded an airport bus, and I will take a drive around the airports I use most. I will make every effort to appreciate and enjoy the brilliant work of our developers, especially those details previously flown past by customers like me.   Now, here's a slight problem--the strip I'm currently using most is Attu in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. Gotta tell you, that bus trip is a bouncy mama, and it doesn't take you very far. But boy is there nicely detailed rock and snow. 

[jeanericblass]

whats the procedures i have to follow to travel in a private jet and how much charge of it per kilometer.

[Doc_Z]

If you have to ask, you probably canm't afford it! 

 

[teecee]

I am a low and slow, single engine flier..I get my kicks from the scenery, and spend as little time as possible on airports.. so for me fancy airports bear little relevance..Teecee.

[BrianU]

Recently I was flying around New Zealand I think but not sure Milford Sound area and came across a small airstrip in the woods. I set my cri-cri in,  and noticed a shack at the end of a taxiway off the runway so narrow I knew I wouldn't be able to turn around. So I taxi down and am treated to a detailed shack with an old man sitting in a chair. I get out in avatar mode and walk over to check things out and there's a garbage can near by and a fly is buzzing around over it. I love that level of detail that Orbx developers bring to the sim. Avatar mode in P3Dv4 is the best way to explore. These guys can run,swim,jump and walk, move their heads around to take in the scenery and wonderful detail that is mostly hidden from the air. I explored all of Block Island, walking down the roads, swim across the pond, walk out on the jetties and watch the ferries come in. I use an X-Box wireless controller and it gives you so much more control than using the keyboard or joystick. Just turn it on and it takes over. There are free avatars online, even one with a flashlight for night exploring. 

[paddler]

Great discussion so far. The detail is a core part of the "ORBX feel" that helps to set it apart from the competition and makes it a joy to have. I have yet to spend time exploring the detail grounds of any airport, let alone the interior of buildings but at some point in the future I know that I will. I enjoy the Easter Eggs found in the scenery when I find them and knowing that they exist keeps me alert as I fly low and slow! Animal flow makes it important that I just don't do a straight in approach at an airport but that I do over-fly appropriately to ensure runways are clear at the smaller and more remote strips. The birds, butterflies, sounds etc make it more immersive and I miss it all at those strips which do not exhibit such detail. To all of "our" developers here at ORBX World keep it up and keep developing more to catch us up with delightful surprises!

[Jarrad Marshall]

Hi guys, great discussion and apologies for being a little late to the party. This exact question is something every airport developer wrestles with for each project, and at the end of the day, it comes down to personal taste, balancing external factors (performance of surrounding area, what type of aircraft are likely to be flown in, etc), development schedule and quality of resources (airside photos, ground imagery etc). My preferences as a simmer strongly affect how I make scenery, and you guys tell me whether the decisions made are right or wrong. For me, the biggest priorities are: 

 

- Performance. Always performance. 

- The surrounds, as seen by the pilot: approaches, circuit, general vicinity of the airport. These need to be accurate and in balance with the airport scenery. 

- Airside needs to be bang-on: as high-fidelity as possible, within the performance parameters of the project.

- Level-of-detail transitions have to be subtle: having a super-detailed scenery component parked next to a low-fidelity component is as jarring as a bad colour blend. Concentrical levels of detail extending out as far as possible from the airport is important. Airside parking positions and runways have the highest level of detail, the outer border of the scenery has the lowest. 

- Airport atmosphere: any details (airport vehicles, clutter, people, statics etc) need to match what is expected for the type/size of the airfield. These also need to be placed naturally and in balance with both each other and the surrounding infrastructure. 

- Performance, again. Always, always, always, performance is a priority. 

 

Again, these are only my preferences. As you all are discussing, others have different priorities and part of an airport developer's job is to incorporate these into a project too. 

 

Cheers,

Jarrad

[paulb]

A great post Jarrad . I agree with everything that you say. I very much enjoy the detail. For me, that's what makes Orbx so special.

I am not really interested in the detail inside buildings, but I do like to be able to look through a window and see something!

[Holy Cheese]

I'm with Paul on this one. The details are what makes Orbx sceneries great and worth the money. If I was only interested in seeing a couple of buildings as I take off or land, then I guess I'd be happy to just stick with the default airports. But I love looking around and getting the atmosphere of the place. I think my biggest oooooh moment to date was walking Bob around  Jarrad's magnificent KPSP scenery and discovering the moving escalators leading up to the terminal building - it's this level of detail that really does it for me, and nobody does it better than Orbx.

 

Jack

[teecee]

I am all for detail, just not necessarily at airports.. Being a dedicated "low and Slow" simmer, I spend many hours "improving" the existing scenery (for own use only). For example, the various logging camps around BC have strange straight edges, some small towns have this anomaly too, so I add random trees or buildings to break up the edges, or if a water landing is missing I drop one in.. takes moments but add heaps to my simming pleasure. Teecee.

[Sid]

On 01/01/2018 at 2:10 PM, andy1252 said:

For me, this whole thing is primarily a world sim - flying is just the best way to move around in it over any great distance. What I mean is that although I am a wing-nut (and have the hangar to prove it), my main pleasure is moving around in this simulated world gawping at the surroundings. And sometimes that means being amazed at the light and atmosphere as the sun comes up over some distant mountain range, or across the desert, or above the treetops in the forest, and at others it means "walking" or "driving" around at ground level being amazed by the realism and detail at KSFO, KMSP, ESSA, KPSP etc. I absolutely hate airports in the real world, but when I can beam in and out in my cosy little den it's a different matter!

 

I couldn't have said it any better Andy! This is exactly how I love to see and use the simulator...as an Earth simulator and as P3D markets it, as a Land, Sea and Air simulator. And in that light, I love as much detail, animation everywhere as is technically possible. I hope that P3D can continue to advance these capabilities. In that light, if Orbx, or any other dev (or even LM) could give us at least one quality and immersive car (wheeled land vehicle) and one such boat (yacht etc) in addition to all our aircraft and 'Mr. Avatar', that would be a dream come true for me to explore and train in all manner of ways, means and perspectives, a more and more detailed Orbx Earth (composed of landclass and photoreal areas). Sheer bliss and the widest uses of the potential of this simulator for all sorts of end users, perhaps even new ones facilitating further expansion and customer base of the simulator and all add-on developers and their potential revenue as the future develops and potentially transforms. My only other wish, ai trains of at least famous journeys globally, just like the kind of ai ship traffic available. Oh and more herds of animal wildlife animated (as would be in less performance-heavy areas anyway). Orbx heaven on Orbx Earth if you ask me. Bring it all on, bring on any details, bring on any sense of animation and life into the General and global sim environment...a living world! I'd struggle to get out of it and all the various vehicles...lol! Now that's a 'second life'...lol. Fascinating discussion above.

[Rob Abernathy]

Hey Sid, try out Larry Robinson's little Angefish boat.  It's included in the CAG8 (Ganges) scenery and is freeware!  I love cruising around in it.

[Sid]

1 hour ago, Rob Abernathy said:

Hey Sid, try out Larry Robinson's little Angefish boat.  It's included in the CAG8 (Ganges) scenery and is freeware!  I love cruising around in it.

 

Oh wow! Are you serious Rob? There's actually a navigable boat included with Ganges? I had absolutely no idea. Do you mind me asking...How big is it and how can I use it? For instance, does it appear as a vehicle in P3D's vehicle selection screen?  Hopefully quite small. Thank you so much for filling me in! I'm going to be straight on it when I can get to the sim.

 

So can I really get in that boat, launch it anywhere in P3D V4.1 and explore any of the waterways within the Orbx world from that perspective! My imagination suddenly runs wild  With the amazing quality, accuracy and beauty of the latest and upcoming Orbx sceneries, I would simply love, for a nice change, to just get in that boat and e.g. cruise down the Danube of FTX GES/GEN, explore the fjords of FTX Norway and North America, take a look at Whangarei from the water and most of all my latest inspiration, with FTX Netherlands being so flat yet so very accurate and detailed, cruise along and explore that nation's beauty, history, marine engineering and architectural feats through its incredible and iconic canal system and waterways! And then, when FTX Asia South comes to life, perhaps a trip up the other Ganges might reveal some great sights, particualarly in its upper reaches close to the Himalayas and around its huge delta region e.g. the Sunderbans mangroves.

 

Just the first few flashes of inspiration that come immediately into my head. I can just as well imagine loving seeing those same sceneries by their roads as these roads are now well defined for driving along on a road trip I'd imagine. Perhaps a little silly to some I'm sure but I'll definitely start with a good cruise around a gorgeous-looking original CAG8 Ganges with Larry's boat. I'm so grateful to you for enlightening me to it's existence Rob! Really appreciate it! Thank you very much! 

[Rodger Pettichord]

Thanks, Jarrad, for your thoughts as a developer of some of ORBX's best scenery. Very interesting to hear your reality-based opinion as opposed to the opinions of us folks who are not bounded by having to make a scenery package work and sell. Now, about that popcorn machine in the KPSP terminal--it does not seem to be popping. 

[Rob Abernathy]

1 hour ago, Sid said:

 

Oh wow! Are you serious Rob? There's actually a navigable boat included with Ganges? I had absolutely no idea. Do you mind me asking...How big is it and how can I use it? For instance, does it appear as a vehicle in P3D's vehicle selection screen?  Hopefully quite small. Thank you so much for filling me in! I'm going to be straight on it when I can get to the sim.

 

So can I really get in that boat, launch it anywhere in P3D V4.1 and explore any of the waterways within the Orbx world from that perspective! My imagination suddenly runs wild  With the amazing quality, accuracy and beauty of the latest and upcoming Orbx sceneries, I would simply love, for a nice change, to just get in that boat and e.g. cruise down the Danube of FTX GES/GEN, explore the fjords of FTX Norway and North America, take a look at Whangarei from the water and most of all my latest inspiration, with FTX Netherlands being so flat yet so very accurate and detailed, cruise along and explore that nation's beauty, history, marine engineering and architectural feats through its incredible and iconic canal system and waterways! And then, when FTX Asia South comes to life, perhaps a trip up the other Ganges might reveal some great sights, particualarly in its upper reaches close to the Himalayas and around its huge delta region e.g. the Sunderbans mangroves.

 

Just the first few flashes of inspiration that come immediately into my head. I can just as well imagine loving seeing those same sceneries by their roads as these roads are now well defined for driving along on a road trip I'd imagine. Perhaps a little silly to some I'm sure but I'll definitely start with a good cruise around a gorgeous-looking original CAG8 Ganges with Larry's boat. I'm so grateful to you for enlightening me to it's existence Rob! Really appreciate it! Thank you very much! 

 

Hi Sid,

  I have to correct myself!   Ganges is CAX6.  CAG8 is Pender Harbor (which also includes the Angelfish)  Larry's other free seaplane base scenery is CAC8 Nanaimo.  All in British Columbia with breathtaking natural beauty and well seen from the water.  The Angelfish can load all the navigation waypoints onto the GPS (see Larry's link in the Orbx freeware section) so you can navigate like a real sailor.  The waypoints can be added to a flight plan too.    Have fun!

  O, the Angelfish will be in a folder called "Extras" after you have installed either CAX6 or CAG8.

[johnfromoz]

On 1/1/2018 at 10:38 PM, alcliff said:

What I do not understand is the use of resources to model the inside of terminal buildings, etc. Use at least all the time and resources for details outdoors. 

I must say I'm enjoying the thoughts coming out in this discussion. There's a related viewpoint in this thread;

As for my opinion...

Easter Eggs!
Most people love finding unexpected goodies, and if some don't, they are still there for those who do. Some users, to my slight surprise, are there to fly aircraft.

Anything not modelling an aircraft, or our own house in the landscape, is a waste of resources. However, we all come to FS for different things and I thank designers who know this. I am impressed that somebody thought "let's surprise those nitpickers who look inside the buildings".
We never expected, two iterations of FS ago, to see what Orbx now regularly delivers. We didn't expect squirrels and butterflies in long waving grass, leaves falling, deer grazing, or snow-flow. One day someone will find FS (or P3D or whatever) can accommodate an enhanced version of Google 3D maps, and not only will we find our houses there, but we will be able to step inside them, fire up a digitally modelled computer, load a virtual FS and complain because our pixel puppydog isn't sitting in his usual spot. Go on, Orbx, I dare ya!

 

[Sid]

14 hours ago, Rob Abernathy said:

 

Hi Sid,

  I have to correct myself!   Ganges is CAX6.  CAG8 is Pender Harbor (which also includes the Angelfish)  Larry's other free seaplane base scenery is CAC8 Nanaimo.  All in British Columbia with breathtaking natural beauty and well seen from the water.  The Angelfish can load all the navigation waypoints onto the GPS (see Larry's link in the Orbx freeware section) so you can navigate like a real sailor.  The waypoints can be added to a flight plan too.    Have fun!

  O, the Angelfish will be in a folder called "Extras" after you have installed either CAX6 or CAG8.

 

Rob, I can't thank you enough!

 

Lol, I made the same mistake but easily done as CAG seemed a viable airport code for Ganges and so I overlooked the same thing.

 

Nevertheless, she's a perfect little vessel for taking in the breathtaking sceneries within the Orbx world...a real beauty and the ideal size I think. In fact, I'm so excited to read your post and instructions this morning that I'm going to have a coffee and then fire up the sim and get straight into trying to get those seaplane bases of Larry's and his Angelfish installed and jump on board for a first sailing. The only thing I need to decide is if I want to try her out with VR or monitors first time put...I'm thinking I'll start with the traditional monitor-method first.

 

I'm presuming I just download those great-looking freeware sceneries through FTX Central and then just have to find that 'Extras' folder and there'll be some kind of installation file for the Angelfish?!

 

Thank you for taking the time to firstly introduce me to a 'hidden gem' I had no idea about and then to even help me in getting started with how to find her so I can do a bit of virtual sailing in Orbx's sceneries for some 'light-hearted fun' as a nice change. Looking forward to being up and running with the Angelfish and seeing different vistas from another perspective.

 

Once I've done some taking-in of the outstanding natural beauty of British Columbia, my only hope that remains is that I can also start her up anywhere...and from your advice that she can be loaded into a flight plan, that sounds pretty plausible. Otherwise, it's gonna be one long voyage getting her over from BC to the waterways of the upcoming FTX Netherlands . I think I'll have to use the Northwest Passage...lol. Wonderful stuff! See you out on the water someday 

 

Cheers again Rob! All the best,

Sid

[Sid]

13 hours ago, johnfromoz said:

However, we all come to FS for different things and I thank designers who know this. 

 

I don't think a more important statement can be made John. Indeed, I've always felt that within those words lie many keys that can help the simulation marketplace grow even further by unlocking some of its future evolutionary steps and capabilities. And no one progresses their development with that insight and vision better than Orbx.

[Larry_R]

2 hours ago, Sid said:

I'm presuming I just download those great-looking freeware sceneries through FTX Central and then just have to find that 'Extras' folder and there'll be some kind of installation file for the Angelfish?!

Hello Sid,

Yes, you install CAG 8 Pender Harbour Seaplane Base in the same way you install payware. Go to Orbx Direct and look under freeware.  'Buy' the scenery; it will cost you all of zero $AUS.  https://orbxdirect.com/product/cag8

Then you install it with FTXC3 as usual.  This will not actually install the pilotable Angelfish  because I figured most users would not want it cluttering up their SimObjects\Aircraft folder.  But installation is very easy. Look in the Orbx\FTX_AA_CAG8\Extras folder and read the instructions.  It's possible that you may need to tweak the aircraft.cfg depending on the controller you use and how you have set the sensitivities. See the instructions. Adding this boat to CAG8 was more or less an afterthought but much to my surprise it seems to popular with a few so I have something equally quirky for my next project.

[BigCapitalist]

I go around in my games regularly and look at scenery, the lighting, geometry, textures etc. to just admire it all, whether it be the sim or a AAA game. Most of the time I spend flying but every now and then just looking at the scenery is enjoyable, especially if it is good. Although I will say that many times I look at scenery from a distance it looks OK, then going in closer you see that it still looks obsolete in terms of comparison to other games and sims of today...

[Rodger Pettichord]

Anybody else ever have the scenery look back at them? I was flying near an eagle the other day, and I swear that it made a special dip and wheel to peer into my cockpit.