MAIN PICTURE SLIDER

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Orbx LongView : Hot test

FSX/P3D. Ken Hall and Greg Jones scenery for Central Rockies Mountain. The team also worked on Moorabbin (Australia) and Creswell (Oregon) airports.

ORBX LONGVIEW RANCH OG39 + 49OR LANDS INN
HOT TEST
Version tested : V1.0 for FSX.
File size : 500 MB
Installation : Very easy. Automatic. Just remember to install the latest library LIBS120825
in order to get newest improvements and CreatureFlow.
Manual :  Yes, 22 pages.
Utility : Yes : Orbx OG39 control panel.
Framerate : Very smooth.
FSX framerate slider can be reduced on some general aviation aircrafts.
  
We don't like :

* Apparently no animated aircrafts here.

* Maybe the lack of houses compared with the reality ?

We like
 
* Creature Flow, the new possibilities of interactions...
 
* Two airfields ! (and one long enough for bizjets).
* The location, not too far from other Orbx airfields in NA BLUE Pacific Northwest.
* * * * *
A lot of settings are available. You can even shut off the irrigation machinery or retrieve the static chopper. If you are tired of the cows, shut them off too !



The location of OG39 Longview is interesting. There are some small airports available around like John Day state airport. It's perfect for bush flying and - under Central Rockies Mountains - John Day area includes a few photoreal textures. OG39 and 49OR are approximately 130-170 nautical miles from other Orbx Washington and Oregon airfields ; there are many possible flights to Goheen, Creswell or Swanson for instance.  
A flight to Bowerman or Jackson Hole can be done too, even aboard a small liner but flight planners will not recognize OG39.. That's the only limitation.

C as Creature



Moving animals was a logical step, after PeopleFlow. It totally makes sense here. Bugs, butterflies, ducks, horse and cows. And all these "things" are moving on their own pattern. And some of thse cows have a mind of their own. Rambo and Daisy will try to cross the landing strip while you are preparing the final approach. It's almost as if developers have put a programming code line to detect your aircraft and as soon as you are on final... Rambo's coming !  My only regret ? I can't hear the cows mooing...




* * * * *

So, Welcome in Longview Ranch, a private property with its own runway. There is an old chopper here, a guy is washing it, another one takes care of some aircraft part. I tried to take-off and land a B-737-600 on the runway and it's working like a charm. Just lighten the fuel tanks to 6 or 7 tonnes.
Thee is also the water strip which will change itself to an ice strip in winter.








* * * * *


A vertical view of the bitumen strip, the water strip and the field sprayed by irrigation machinery (working).


A view of the blue Canyon and basin. I don't know, maybe the place would have desserved a 10/15 cm/pixel definition here.





The scenery includes many ranches. They are all designed with care (look at the roof on this one), and details (cars, trees etc.).



Another example of ranch too. The road traffic is not very jammed in this area. I had to put the slide to 100 % in order to get these cars here.








* * * * *



Don't expect too much lights at dusk or night except in Lands Inn. Houses and hangar are pretty well lighted. More than in Longview ranch. 

I think the scenery includes a mix of PeopleFlow 1st and 2nd generation. The latest one can do more complex operations, like washing a wall, repairing a piece of mechanic etc.





 * * * * *


 

From my tests, i have detected three distinctive seasons : winter, summer and  automn.



Here is the blue basin, barely visible, among the blanket of winter. With the arrival of winter, Lands Inn changes. The strip is snowed, less grass, PeopleFlow are gone. But the cows are still there... waiting for you. 





I really like the old Texaco hangar. Developers thought of everything. Here, in winter, some snow has crawled inside. A mechanic is repairing an aircraft and the walls are full of old aviation pictures.


* * * * *


A comparison between Google Earth view and OG39 Longview Ranch area. But it's difficult to evaluate the colors.




* * * *


This screenshot here is showing the northern limit of the scenery. It's not really the case here, but most of the scenery borders are pretty seamlessly integrated to CRM.



A good point of view, showing the scenery coverage.


Conclusion :
Many people were waiting for a new Central Rockies Mountain scenery. It's done. And this scenery is rather large (by the way, it takes approximately 6-8 minutes to fly from Longview to Lands Inn).

First interest ? You can almost do everything here. Bush flying, seaplane, light aircraft to enjoy the view...and even (small) large propellers or small liners. 

Second interest ? The successful launch of CreatureFlow. Orbx has definitely proved that you can model and simulate almost every living beeing. The rest is just a matter of adjustments, improvements.




More on this product :


More shots on this scenery :




Thanks !


Airdailyx, September 2012
Dom Mason




No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are now deactivated. Please visit our new website: AirDailyX.net

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.