Rhumbafloppies LOD5 and LOD7 mesh at the SOH

[jhefner]

As I mentioned in another thread, Rhumbafloppy has created new LOD5 and LOD7 mesh that works in CFS2, FS2002, and FS2004. The files are huge, but if you take the time to download and install them, they can really tranform your simulator. (He also mentioned that it is better than the default mesh in FSx.)

I am continueing to play with rumbafloppies ground mesh in FS2004, FS2002, and CFS2. I already shared here how my son and I flew through the Grand Canyon to check out the mesh running on two different versions of Flight Simulator running on different computers; next, I decided to visit some famous landmarks, and see what they look like.

First of all, here is Mt. Fuji, at sunrise from across Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. FS2002;compare to an actual photograph at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FujiSunriseKawaguchiko2025WP.jpg



Next is Mt Helens in FS2004; first from a high altitude, showing the lava flow and surounding lakes and terrain.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_St._Helens_Aerial_2009.jpg



A closer up view of the crater; no steam plume in the Flight Simulator picture.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MSH82_st_helens_plume_from_harrys_ridge_05-19-82.jpg



And finally, an arial photograph of the area; the Flight Simulator image is 90 degrees counter clockwise from the NASA photograph.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St_Helens_and_nearby_area_from_space.jpg



Even the gently rolling terrain in the Dallas Ft. Worth area is modeled correctly. Here we see "The Dude" looking WNW from a hilltop near the Spur 408/I-20 interchange. MegaScenery DFW is also installed; Eagle Lake and the former North American/Vought plant is down on the lower right (FS2002.)



-James H.

(NOTE: My FS2004 installation is using stock textures, and is locked down to 11 FPS because I am using the built-in S-3 video in my Dell computer right now. Those with nicer setups will see even more eye-poping displays.)

[windrunner]

Is it availaible for download on other sites? I'd like to give this a try. Also, is it a world wide mesh or just some portions of the world?

[jhefner]

Mar 18, 2009 7:35:19 GMT -5 windrunner said:

Is it availaible for download on other sites? I'd like to give this a try. Also, is it a world wide mesh or just some portions of the world?

To the best of my knowledge; it is only available on the SOH:

www.sim-outhouse.com/index.php?lloc=downloads&loc=downloads&page=downloads&FileUploadName=rhumbaflappy&ammm=15&pap=4

It does indeed cover the entire world, and is usable in CFS2, FS2002, FS2004, GW3, and I believe FSx. It can replace STRM and a lot of other third party meshes.

Download the dem4km.zip file, and the four LOD5_xx.zip files, and install them in the scenery folder of each flight simulator you want to use it in. The location of the files you need to replace will vary depending on the version of FS; it should overwrite the existing files in each FS.

Next, set up a seperate folder, create a scenery folder inside of it, and download the 18 LOD7_xx.zip files into the new scenery folder. (It is this folder that ends up being nearly 1 GB; the five files above are nowhere near as large.) You then go into each of the FS instances you want to add it to, and add the folder you created and saved the LOD7 files into.

It should then be moved in priority to just above the default scenery in each simulator (think of it as the "foundation" on which the other scenery files are built.) It will not affect framerates; the FS2002 computer is only 1.2 GHz with an ATI card; the FS2004 computer is faster, but still still using it's built-in S3 video card. Neither took a hit in frame rates.

Rumbaflappy also created created some watermasks and LOD8 scenery, but it is for CFS2 only. Hope this helps; please let me know how it works out for you.

-James

[windrunner]

Oh well, I'll have to pass on this one. Looks really good, though.