Orbx EU Wales Part 2 : Review

FSX/P3D. Second Orbx European scenery volume already. A much smaller size than EU England. So, tha's probably why Orbx has decided to include Cardiff airport too. So, is this one even better than England ?

 

 

ORBX FTX EU WALES - REVIEW

 



 

 





Version tested : FSX V1.0

File size : 2,38 MB.

Installation : Rather long, depending on our computer, but really easy.
FTX Central must be set to Europe before starting the installation process.

Manual : Yes. 24 pages in english.

Price : 40,95 AU.$ / 41 US $ / 31,5 €
Utilities : Yes. EGFF control panel.

Framerate : Friendly.

More than 25/30 FPS on general aviation aircrafts.

Around 15-18 FPS on high end commercial liners (tested at Cardiff with all options). 

Processor : I7 / 3,4 GHZ / 6 MB / ATI HD6570 / Windows Seven 64 Bits /

FSX / all sliders 100 % except weather and traffic animations.

 

 

The bad :

 

* The scenery could include more 3D objects.
 

* Black Mountains gliding club not included.

* No AI traffic.

 

The good :

* Wonderful landscapes here; valleys, hills, lakes...

* Cardiff EGFF airport, designed with 29Palms.de team. Very high quality airport with Orbx Peopleflow and ground services. Since our estimated value is around 23 euros / 29 US $, ad 9 euros / 11 dollars for the Wales large scenery...

* Airfields add-ons are already planned. Swansea in on the list amon 2 or 3 others.

 

 

 

 

Cardiff EGFF control panel will let you set up everything you like. You can get rid of Peopleflow if you want some extra FPS. And there are 3 options for static aircrafts.

 

I am really impressed by the work on this airport. Could this be a real airport addon, you would pay 25 euros / 30 dollars at least. You want to tell you if this Cardiff is better than UK 2000's one ? Yes 100 %. Otherwise, we would not understand why they dare develop this airport. Besides, it's good for competition and i am shure that UK 2000 can do an even better work here for his Xtrem V.4 generation airports.

Here, note that the runway is really wet under rain !

 

 

 

 

No problems with FS Dreamteam GSX here, during my test with an Airbus Xtended Aigle Azur. The framerate was comfortable (well, 17 FPS is fine to me...on my machine).

 

 

 

 

29Palms German quality touch and Orbx PeopleFlow technology. People are even waiting here to hop aboard this Thomson Fly. Theoritically, you could also prepare your aircraft with GSX, next to this one, but there is another static aircraft... :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is something i dont like in Wales. Some (real) lakes have a small dam and they have not been designed here. I don't get it. I mean, if Orbx has some 3D models of these dams...

 

 

Ramsey

 

 

If you check the Google Earth view below, you see that Orbx is really not far from the real Ramsey island. Really nice result for a landclass technology.

 

 

 

Now, as you can see, Orbx Wales doesn't include these smalls waterfalls.

 

 

 

 

One remark on the autogen : frankly, i did not see any difference with EU England package. Trees and houses are pretty much the same ones.

 

 

 

Thorn island

 

 

Ah ! This is the kind of details i am looking for when i fly VFR. This is Thorn island fort, built in the past to defend the city of Milford Haven against the french navy.

 

 

Milford Haven Port

 

Here we are, Milford Haven, in the 21st century...

 

 

 

 

Another 3D object for VFR fly !

 

 

 

 

 

Welshpool airfield

 

 

 

 

 

Just a short comparison here, over Welshpool. To the left side, Orbx typical landclass. To the right, Google aerial or satellite view.

 

  

 

 

 

 

Some ground textures are really darn good like here.

 

 

 

 

Typical autumn colors.

 

 

 

I have probably flown a total of 2 hours for my test and i just falled one time on this odd display. But it was before setting the proper mesh resolution to 10 meters.

 

 

 

Cambrians mountains 

 

EU Wales mesh resolution is 10 meters. If you have previously installed KORS, 2WA1, 3W5 and 1S2, you can use 5 meters resolution, according to the manual. 

 

 

 

 

Flintshire 

 

 

Hawarden airport. Hundreds of cars have been added here but the scenery is not as dense as the real airport with all its large hangars. It really desserves to be a full airport scenery add-on.

 

 

A large industrial park near Flint.

 

 

Caernarfon airfield

 

 

 Most of the airports/airfields are including Peopleflow. Swansea for instance has 12 - 15 Peopleflow in different locations of the airport. A lot of airports have static aircrafts and chopers.

 

 

 

 

Isle of Anglesey, near Rhos-y-bol (i think)

 

 

Holyhead Mount (Isle of Anglesey)

 

 

Holyhead harbor

 

 

 

 

RAF VAlley Squadron (Isle of Anglesey)

 

If you take a closer look at this fire station, you will see that some doors are open and you can even see inside the building. With the static

 

 

Holyhead Mount

 

Many shores are enhanced with a slight watermask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

I think it's human, but now that we have seen and flown over EU England, the fresh new Wales part is not a big surprise anymore. And i must admit that i was rather waiting for EU Scotland...  

 

Cardiff airport is a stunning, though. I don't really know how Orbx and 29Palms.de have shared their time and tasks but the airport is a must. With 2 or 3 new Orbx typical airfields, Wales will become one of the most charming place to fly VFR. I did not know this region but it's a great place for flying ! Imagine circling around these hills, discovering new villages or small industrial parks... The only real weakness of Wales, on my point of view, is the lack of 3D objects. You will see plenty of wind parks and a few castles but Orbx could have included a lot more.. bridges, dams, even the Black mountains glider club is missing... Here are my wishes for some Wales custom airfields projects :

Shawbury, Welshpool, Caernarfon etc.. With these additions, Wales will be much better !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading !

Dom


Airdailyx, March 2013
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