Really Basic Q About Mesh

[Mac6737]

I have never understood "mesh."  I note that Orbx OpenLC Products seem not to include mesh, since the Orbx product entitled "Open LC Mesh South America" plainly does.  I can't say that my experience flying in South America is palpably different than flying in other Orbx land class regions.

 

I just found some freeware scenery (for Utah) on "Fly Away" that recommends it be used with mesh, and links to freeware mesh for North America..  Leaving aside for the moment any issue of compatibility with Orbx Land Class NA --

 

Is mesh (free or otherwise) that covers Orbx land class regions a good idea?  Is it necessary?

 

Thanks all,

 

Mac6737   

[Smudger]

2 hours ago, Mac6737 said:

that covers Orbx land class regions a good idea?

Hello Mac

Orbx scenery has been created with Pilots FSGX2010 as their basis and was recommended by them to be installed.

Times have moved on and many regions and TE products now include their own mesh, but personally I have always had Pilots FSGX2010 installed and have no complaints

[wolfko]

14 hours ago, Mac6737 said:

I have never understood "mesh."  

 

Do you mean, you don't know at all what mesh is and what its function is in a sim?

 

 

[Nick Cooper]

15 hours ago, Mac6737 said:

I have never understood "mesh."

 

 

Virtual scenery is built in virtual layers.

The bottom layer is called "mesh" and it is the part of the simulator that determines the elevation at any given point.

The quality and definition of the mesh determines the quality and definition of the relief as seen in the simulator.

[Mac6737]

6 hours ago, Nick Cooper said:

 

Virtual scenery is built in virtual layers.

The bottom layer is called "mesh" and it is the part of the simulator that determines the elevation at any given point.

The quality and definition of the mesh determines the quality and definition of the relief as seen in the simulator.

OK, but my question was: "Is mesh (free or otherwise) that covers Orbx land class regions a good idea?"

 

On a theoretical level: I admit I never knew that the "bottom layer" is the mesh.  Your info suggests that I am running P3d with no "bottom layer," which seems odd.  I am a big Orbx enthusiast.  So, I have Global Base, Vector and all the OpenLC continents, certain regions on top of that, and, finally, a handful of airports.  And, of course, Orbx doesn't run without an underlying sim, like FSX or P3d, in my case.  That makes six "layers," I think, so you seem to be telling me that there is still something missing (except, I guess, in the case of Orbx's "Open LC Mesh South America."  Is that right?

 

If it is right, are you saying I will be even more fulfilled and happy if I now add mesh to the currently meshless areas of the globe?

 

Mac6737 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

each simulator has mesh included, otherwise it could not work.

When there is talk of adding mesh, it is always based on adding a better mesh,

not that there is none and it needs to be added.

 

An addon mesh will usually add better definition to the topography and so more

accurately portray mountains, in particular.

The default mesh is of better quality in the USA but in other parts of the virtual world,

the difference can be striking, transforming rolling hills into the mountains that are

actually there in the real world.

 

You can find this in the open LC user guides:

 

 

You do not need to add any mesh to any of the Orbx regions, they all have enhanced mesh included,

except the two Ireland products, where the available mesh was little different to the default.

 

Outside the Orbx regions it may well be worth your while.

 

 

 

 

[Mac6737]

13 hours ago, wolfko said:

 

Do you mean, you don't know at all what mesh is and what its function is in a sim?

 

 

Not really, I just never knew when you need to add it.  Nick's second post seems to have answered this Q for me.

[Mac6737]

4 hours ago, Nick Cooper said:

 

each simulator has mesh included, otherwise it could not work.

When there is talk of adding mesh, it is always based on adding a better mesh,

not that there is none and it needs to be added.

You do not need to add any mesh to any of the Orbx regions, they all have enhanced mesh included,

except the two Ireland products, where the available mesh was little different to the default.

 

Thank you.  That clears it up.

 

So all the Orbx "regions" have enhanced mesh, except as you noted.

But the Open LC areas do not -- except for South America.

I think I got it.

 

That said, I recently installed Open LC Africa, which is not a "region," and must therefore lack enhanced mesh (unlike "Open LC Mesh South America").  To my eye, it looks just as good as any of the regions I have installed.

 

I recall having seen that illustration from the LC guides before, but was never clear whence comes the mesh at any particular place.  So now I know: There's always at least some mesh, and Orbx enhances it in the "regions," but not in most of the LC areas (from the guides to which the foregoing illustration comes!).  Love it.

 

[Stewart Hobson]

I believe you'll find that a mesh which is better than default will render objects in Africa such as Mt. Kilimanjaro much better.  The same goes for most of Canada and those areas of Alaska outside of FTX SAK.

[Mac6737]

On ‎4‎/‎28‎/‎2020 at 11:15 PM, Stewart Hobson said:

I believe you'll find that a mesh which is better than default will render objects in Africa such as Mt. Kilimanjaro much better.

Thanks, Stew,

With the Covid-19 lockdown in place, this is a good time to waste time -- like on mesh, say.

Funny you mention Kilimanjaro, which I thought looked terrific with the default P3D v. 4 mesh and Orbx LC Africa.  But I'm willing to try it.  Smudger, supra, recommends "Pilots FSG2010."  Does that mesh cover the whole world?  Can you install mesh just where it might be needed, and leave the well enough alone in other places, like Orbx Regions or places (like East US) where the default mesh is said to be good enough?

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Mac6737

[Stewart Hobson]

Hello, Mac.  I can't speak to FSGlobal2010 because I'm still using FSGlobal Ultimate, which was a precursor and probably no longer available.  But FSGlobal Ultimate has mesh for different regions of the world (Europe, Africa, North America, etc.) and each can be installed at the user's discretion.  I would think FSG2010 would offer the same options.  Of course, those areas which Orbx has done, GEN or GES or Norway, for example, if those areas use a higher resolution mesh than my FSGlobal Ultimate, than the higher resolution mesh is used.  When I fly in Europe, I keep my mesh for Europe ticked in the scenery library, regardless if I'm flying in Germany or in Greece.  The sim will use the mesh with the best resolution.

 

Stew

[Doc_Z]

I use FSGlobal 2010 in all v4 versions of P3d.  What about v5? Has default mesh improved enough to dispense with a third party in non-Orbx areas? 

[Sniper31]

Mac,

 

I can add to what Stew had to say. I had FSGlobal 2010 mesh and it worked exactly as Stew described. Then, somewhere back when P3D 4 came out, I upgraded to FSGlobal 2018  P3D v4 compatible Mesh, and it worked the same way as the 2010 mesh did. Granted, there were some updates to it, can't say that I noticed any big difference between the 2010 and 2018 versions, but bottom line is both versions allow you to install and activate only certain parts of the globe. The Orbx regions like Norway, Germany North and South, etc. all have quality mesh built in, so I don't have my FS Global mesh active for those regions. But, for areas of the globe that do not have Orbx regions, such as Open LC Africa, I do use it. That said, Orbx has been putting out more mesh for even other areas besides the regions, such as the mesh for Open LC South America. Also, there is Orbx mesh for the PNG area too, I believe. I bring that up as I am starting to think that buying global mesh is no longer worth it, at least for my situation. Granted, your situation could be different. I just wanted to give you another perspective on the mesh use  

 

The best part is, you have options  

 

Cheers!

Landon

[Stewart Hobson]

There are areas of Europe, southern Europe, which, unless there is something better in P3D, I would still want to use my FSGlobal Ultimate mesh.  As I said before, the sim will always use the one with the best resolution, so I keep my Europe mesh enabled even when I fly in Norway or Germany.  France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia, Hungary, etc., make use of the Europe mesh.