answered FSimStudios CYVR availability, previous P3D buyers questions?

[Dylanear]

I bought the P3D version of FSimStudios' CYVR last year that included the free MSFS version once available. I don't want to be annoying and I'm sure these matters will eventually be self explanatory, depending on time zones in UK/AU, but I've been salivating for this airport for months and it looks like it's now available directly from the developer. 

So, at the risk of sounding impatient, can anyone say when this will be available on Orbx? 
And what's the process regarding previous P3D buyers getting the MSFS version? Will it just appear in "Your Products" once it's available?? 

Thanks! (So excited!!!)

[Ed Correia]

Its available now and customers with the P3D version in their accounts prior to release will see the MSFS version at 100% discount.

[carlosqr]

Wow amazing news and it contains two extras

 

Three airports included: CYVR Vancouver International, CAM9 Vancouver Seaplane Terminal, CYHC Vancouver Harbour.

 

I remember the city was improved in P3D, or so I read. Has this also been the case for MS?

 

Thanks

 

Carlos

 

 

[Dylanear]

1 hour ago, Ed Correia said:

Its available now and customers with the P3D version in their accounts prior to release will see the MSFS version at 100% discount.

Wonderful news to get when just getting home from work!!

I am however having a problem with Central at the moment. Maybe I need to reboot, this computer's been up a while, but when I start Central it looks like I'm on the "My Products" while P3D is selected but there's nothing up top to change to the other Central pages or change which sim I'm looking at? Well, I'll shout out again if I can't get that working!  Generally Central is entirely trouble free!

Thanks for the info!

[Dylanear]

56 minutes ago, carlosqr said:

Wow amazing news and it contains two extras

 

Three airports included: CYVR Vancouver International, CAM9 Vancouver Seaplane Terminal, CYHC Vancouver Harbour.

 

I remember the city was improved in P3D, or so I read. Has this also been the case for MS?

 

Thanks

 

Carlos

 

 

The two Seaplane terminals is a major reason I've been DESPERATE for this release since buying the P3D version! Sadly the FSDT CYVR has never added those, not even the seaplane infrastructure by the airport (CAM9). I live a 10 minute walk from CYHC and often take a break from my exercising on the seawall to watch the seaplanes come and go!

No, it's mentioned on the FSimStudios release announcement that unlike the P3D version there is no included buildings downtown as Bing data has the city generally well covered and looks better than the P3D downtown even with their improvements. The exception I believe, looking at the images on their announcement, is Canada Place looks a lot better than the Bing data. This is wonderful because the view from the seaplane terminal area at or near water level looks pretty bad on the Bing data, while that looks pretty good from above. Given Canada Place is the location of the Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome, and a major feature of the northern waterfront, this is a welcome addition.

In a brief discussion, on their Facebook page as I recall, someone else was saying they would still love to see improvements to some of the areas in Vancouver that Bing is less than ideal with and they'd be willing to buy that as a separate product. Considering the added seaplane terminals, the quality of CYVR and the very low price I think that's very fair. I chimed in to say that while the Bing Vancouver mostly looks fantastic, the waterfronts do fall apart up close and low down, like taxiing on the water, landing and takeoffs. From Stanley Park to the Port the water front isn't great by default. The bridges are also quite poorly represented, though there is a wonderful free Vancouver bridges package I highly recommend if you fly around Vancouver much. So I concurred and agreed I'd be very happy to pay for detailed improvements to Vancouver, particularly the waterfronts, seawalls, the Port and the bridges. Someone at FSimStudios replied they'd be happy to work on such a product IF there was enough demand. So if you'd buy that contact FsimStudios and (politely) demand it! :)

[Dylanear]

Strange, I repeatedly started/exited Central and it still did the same thing. I then opened it another time, killed it with the task manager, then started it. This time I was presented with a login, not the same stuck page I was getting before. It then operated normally. CYVR is now downloading!! So excited!!!

[Dylanear]

Here's the chat about the Vancouver Downtown. Under the "Vancouver International Airport for MSFS - Imminent Release within the next 24 hours!" post.

"Congrats on getting there, it's been quite a challenge I'm sure! One comment, I'd happily buy a hand-crafted downtown Vancouver as a separate addon if you were to do that. I'm not a fan of the photogrammetry."

https://www.facebook.com/FSimStudios-1995764354083070
 

[Dylanear]

The free bridges! They are really well done for a free product. I'd tip the creator, but I don't see a way to? Give it a "Like".

https://flightsim.to/file/5314/vancouver-bridges-vancouver-bc-canada

[Dylanear]

AND, I just found a Vancouver Harbours add on to supposedly improve the waterfronts. But it's of questionable quality, is found on an competitor to Orbx, by a developer that I do not think works with Orbx, so I won't mention it specifically or link to it. Sadly, while I want a product like this badly, I do not think this is worth the money they want. it would be questionable if it was free to be honest.  But each to their own. I figured I'd mention it. Sad it's not better.

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

your problem with Orbx Central is probably that it is set to minimise to the taskbar when closed and

start with Windows.

Those settings mean that restarting it has no effect, because it does not close.

There are two boxes to untick and then it will indeed close and can be restarted.

 

[carlosqr]

Hello Dylaner

Thank you so much for such detailed comments.

 

I hope Holger wants to recreate some Vancouver landmarks in time.

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos

[paulk]

On 3/11/2021 at 5:06 AM, Dylanear said:

The two Seaplane terminals is a major reason I've been DESPERATE for this release since buying the P3D version! Sadly the FSDT CYVR has never added those, not even the seaplane infrastructure by the airport (CAM9). I live a 10 minute walk from CYHC and often take a break from my exercising on the seawall to watch the seaplanes come and go!

No, it's mentioned on the FSimStudios release announcement that unlike the P3D version there is no included buildings downtown as Bing data has the city generally well covered and looks better than the P3D downtown even with their improvements. The exception I believe, looking at the images on their announcement, is Canada Place looks a lot better than the Bing data. This is wonderful because the view from the seaplane terminal area at or near water level looks pretty bad on the Bing data, while that looks pretty good from above. Given Canada Place is the location of the Vancouver Harbour Water Aerodrome, and a major feature of the northern waterfront, this is a welcome addition.

In a brief discussion, on their Facebook page as I recall, someone else was saying they would still love to see improvements to some of the areas in Vancouver that Bing is less than ideal with and they'd be willing to buy that as a separate product. Considering the added seaplane terminals, the quality of CYVR and the very low price I think that's very fair. I chimed in to say that while the Bing Vancouver mostly looks fantastic, the waterfronts do fall apart up close and low down, like taxiing on the water, landing and takeoffs. From Stanley Park to the Port the water front isn't great by default. The bridges are also quite poorly represented, though there is a wonderful free Vancouver bridges package I highly recommend if you fly around Vancouver much. So I concurred and agreed I'd be very happy to pay for detailed improvements to Vancouver, particularly the waterfronts, seawalls, the Port and the bridges. Someone at FSimStudios replied they'd be happy to work on such a product IF there was enough demand. So if you'd buy that contact FsimStudios and (politely) demand it!

Hi

 

Vancouver is my favourite place to fly from. Although, from the UK I've spent much time in Vancouver and taken many a floatplane trip (in real life and virtual) from Coal Harbour. I would be happy to pay for additional add-ons to the waterfront area (who do I need to contact please? as I don't use facebook). I have contacted FSimStudio via their help page to ask if the Chevron Gas Station in the waterfront harbour can be reinstated (as they removed it).

[paulk]

On 3/11/2021 at 5:25 AM, Dylanear said:

The free bridges! They are really well done for a free product. I'd tip the creator, but I don't see a way to? Give it a "Like".

https://flightsim.to/file/5314/vancouver-bridges-vancouver-bc-canada

The free bridges are great, I recommend.

[paulk]

On 3/11/2021 at 5:38 AM, Dylanear said:

AND, I just found a Vancouver Harbours add on to supposedly improve the waterfronts. But it's of questionable quality, is found on an competitor to Orbx, by a developer that I do not think works with Orbx, so I won't mention it specifically or link to it. Sadly, while I want a product like this badly, I do not think this is worth the money they want. it would be questionable if it was free to be honest.  But each to their own. I figured I'd mention it. Sad it's not better.

The product you refer to I purchased a while back (during a sale at sim market). Personally I like it.

[paulk]

On 3/11/2021 at 1:49 PM, carlosqr said:

Hello Dylaner

Thank you so much for such detailed comments.

 

I hope Holger wants to recreate some Vancouver landmarks in time.

 

Best regards,

 

Carlos

I second that, happy to pay for them as well.

[Dylanear]

4 hours ago, paulk said:

would be happy to pay for additional add-ons to the waterfront area (who do I need to contact please? as I don't use facebook). I have contacted FSimStudio via their help page to ask if the Chevron Gas Station in the waterfront harbour can be reinstated (as they removed it).

 

As far as requesting more Vancouver add on products, the contact info on their website, which it sounds like you've used should work? 

 

Funny you mention the Chevron station! In real life I consider it an eyesore and would love it moved somewhere less conspicuous, or redesigned to look attractive sitting out therr. But I haven't ever noticed it was missing??? But since it IS there in real life, it should be in the sim, it's iconic! If ugly.

[Dylanear]

4 hours ago, paulk said:

The product you refer to I purchased a while back (during a sale at sim market). Personally I like it.

I did think I'd mention it since it may be better i the marina area than the ghostly boats under the waters' surface in places by default. It just looked clumsy to me and at twice the price of the CYVR package??!! But it does reiterate the point that there are improvements to be made on the Vancouver waterfronts for sure. If it was $5 I'd consider trying it. But it's 24 Euro or something like that isn't?? I think getting google maps data for free and a weekends afternoon's work would look better. But I am happy you find it enjoyable..

[Dylanear]

I just have to add, I haven't spent much time in sim due to work this week, but first impressions are very good!!! Much more detailed than the FSDT CYVR!!! The seaplane bases are wonderful! Only complaint at this point is there were some places I could drift right through the docks, other places seemed to have proper collision behavior. And the ramp into the water at the airport also is missing any collisions, so you just go into it rather than up it if you try to use it to transition to land. And while I'm being picky, the textures on the tops of the docks at the airport could use higher resolution and details. But overall, this is a stunning airport!!! Incredible they priced it so low. I'd have been happy to pay twice the price!

[pmb]

On 3/11/2021 at 6:21 AM, Dylanear said:

Here's the chat about the Vancouver Downtown. Under the "Vancouver International Airport for MSFS - Imminent Release within the next 24 hours!" post.

"Congrats on getting there, it's been quite a challenge I'm sure! One comment, I'd happily buy a hand-crafted downtown Vancouver as a separate addon if you were to do that. I'm not a fan of the photogrammetry."

https://www.facebook.com/FSimStudios-1995764354083070
 

Agreed. I more and more tend to prefer well-done AI-background (which Asobo/Blackshark do pretty well) + hand-crafted landmarks over photogrammetry, at least, until MS/Asobo opt for a general overhaul of the Photogrammetry process.

 

Kind regards, Michael

[Dylanear]

The photogrammetry just varies widely. I am generally quite pleased with the photogrammetry of Vancouver. My apartment building looks spot on. Things look properly structured, not too blobby. Some areas better than others and from some angles and altitudes better than others. It's not until I'm low looking sideways that things fall apart. The giant cranes at the port look particularly bad, fine structures, mostly empty space being represented by large blobby blocks, not transparent. Bridges too are a place that world over the photogrammetry rarely does a good job of. Not being open underneath looks horrible. Makes me wonder if they could spend extra computing time and run special AI on those type structures and maybe use AI and photography as a hybrid on fine, structure with so much negative space? Or just hire a ton of people to just do custom work for bridges and ports across the globe. Marinas also generally look horrible. Seafront Simulations is very welcome on the scene, I hope they can quickly crank out marinas for coastal cities around the world! I'd buy their marinas for Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and the LA region right off the bat! Do Orange county and San Diego and sell a whole Pacific Coast combo pack! Also many smaller towns on the coasts I'd pay for by region! Get busy folks! Their products look great, I just don't fly the places their two current sets cover. Though I'm tempted to get their Anguilla, St Martin and St Barts and fly there just for that! More Caribbean please and that'll pair nicely with Florida, especially the Keys! But do a Pac Nor West city next! Coast lines and waterfront across the world are ripe ground for paid custom add ons!!?  I digress!

 

The hand crafted section of Canada place included with FSIMStudios CYVR does show hand crafted done well can't really be beat. As does the airport itself. Being able to see into the glassy open areas of the terminals is really stunning. AI works well for smaller simple structures. Larger AI does bug me. Especially of large uniquely shaped buildings. Los Angeles also shows AI can work great on large areas of small to mid sized buildings. But London shows how bad photography can be??! The larger poor quality PG buildings right next to high quality hand crafted one is especially jarring. Hoping the London City pack can address the worst of that. The UK update really highlights the glarring chasm between the best and least successful represtations. Manhattan looks amazing in PG, but man, it is a FPS killer! But I really do need a CPU upgrade!

 

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. LOL If anyone has read this screed this far!!