Converting to FTX Global and Vector

[Skycat]

Last night I said goodbye to my old friend GEX USA and installed FTX Global.

First impression: I'm not overwhelmed. All the drooling reviews are mostly hype; GEX USA was very good looking as well. I convinced myself the seamless transition between FTX NA regions instead of hard lines at the borders is reason enough to make the switch, and the worldwide coverage is a bonus.

I didn't really care for how UTX USA/Canada looks over FTX Global however so I uninstalled UTX and now I'm downloading FTX Vector. I also removed my SimTech landclass. 'Naked' global doesn't look too bad; the airports look a little cartoonish to my eyes however. Pretty much on par with the FTX NA regions.

[Skycat]

This is San Francisco with FTX Global textures; everything else is stock FSX:

[Skycat]

Vector now added. Installation took a long time, probably half an hour to run the v1.30 installer and another few minutes to add the v1.35 patch installer.


The coastline is reshaped.


Objects are floating in the ocean now. [Edit-They were floating before adding Vector; see earlier screenshots.]

Meanwhile, I learned about the 'Hybrid' feature in FTX Central that apparently activates FTX Global in regions other than you have activated in FTX Central. That seemed to make a difference when I revisited the London area.

[bladerunner900]

Just for information, I get the same floating buildings in P3D v3. For this shot I have FTX Central set to FTX Global and 'Hybrid mode' turned off. I also have FTX Global Vector and FS Global 2010 installed.

Click the image to see the original size.



Edit: I should have mentioned that I also have FTX trees and REX Essential Plus OD active in the above shot.

[AKar]

First impression: I'm not overwhelmed. All the drooling reviews are mostly hype; GEX USA was very good looking as well. I convinced myself the seamless transition between FTX NA regions instead of hard lines at the borders is reason enough to make the switch, and the worldwide coverage is a bonus.

It depends a bit on where you fly, and it takes all the Global + Vector and preferably a good mesh and Open LC where available, to make a significant difference in many areas. To be perfectly honest, I think the original Global is just a bit over-hyped, and it would be overpriced too, if there were not the Vector and Open LC projects bringing in improvements. That being said, the areas badly ignored by the original FSX world, such as Africa, are vastly improved by having a proper mesh, Global and Vector. And their sidekick technologies, such as their new trees and excellent, adjustable ground lights add quite a bit to the world.



Open LC Africa will be something that may actually make me a cargo hauler again. (Note that the screen above is taken at the current default light settings: their original ones were much better, but then ignorant folks complained about the (properly done) deep, monochromatic orange glow of the sodium-vapor street lamps - I've since adjusted the proper color back. )

The biggest bonus in Global stuff, in my opinion, is that it works with the regions. I do my GA flying just about solely within those, the Global family making the border areas and overflying the gaps endurable.

You mention the airfields - they are unaffected by the Global series, only the full regions alter those.

-Esa

[Skycat]

The airport I initially tested with was within USA but outside of the FTX smaller regions. I thought the autogen in Global was changing the look of the airport but on second pondering I had forgotten that REX Esssential alters ground textures at stock airports.

I need to do more exploring, tweaking, etc.

[BPL]

You mention the airfields - they are unaffected by the Global series, only the full regions alter those.

There are the excellent FTX Global Freeware Airport Packs, however, that vastly improve hundreds of airports in the Americas and Europe: https://fullterrain.com/freeware/global.

[allergiecheck]

I have combined FTX Global with the new version of UTX USA - works fine and you have many landmarks like power plants etc for VFR flying.
I have also installed the mesh from FSGenesis.

Cheers, Thomas

[bladerunner900]

Some further information. I just bought FTX North California in the sale and San Francisco now looks like this, with FTX Central set to Europe and Global set to "Hybrid mode".

[Bruce Hamilton]

...San Francisco now looks like this, with FTX Central set to Europe and Global set to "Hybrid mode".

You can't have Central set to both Europe and Global-Hybrid, you need to use one or the other.

[bladerunner900]

You can't have Central set to both Europe and Global-Hybrid, you need to use one or the other.

You are right. Not sure what I was thinking there. Unfortunately I can't put it right now as the water cooling just died on my computer. I'll have to continue on my trusty laptop for now.

[Lewis - A2A]

that doesnt sound too good, hope you get it fixed without too many issues

[bladerunner900]

that doesnt sound too good, hope you get it fixed without too many issues

It's with the man in the shop at the moment. I'm going to have to install on my laptop to continue. Just when I was hoping to do some beta testing on Elite Horizons.

Edit: Actually, thinking about it, I must have had Central set to North America. Otherwise those harbour complexes would probably not have shown up like they did.