FSX & FS9 mesh - differences?

[martinlest]

Clearly as Justin has spent I don't know how many thousands of hours creating mesh for FSX, the files must be quite different from FS9 mesh files. But I wonder just how different they are. Presumably FSX mesh would not work at all in FS9? If not, is it possible to convert FSX mesh to files suitable for FS9, or does mesh for FSX have to be created quite independently from those for FS9?

I ask partly out of interest, but also because there are some very enticing mesh files available for FSX (e.g. Mt Everest) that I would have liked to try out. They are LOD13 though, and I suppose FS9 won't read anything like that detail?

I did have FSX on my FS PC, but found after a year that I much preferred FS9, with all my tweaks and addons, so since I hardly ever flew FSX I uninstalled it. (I am sure I can't be the only one!).

Thanks,

Martin

[JustinFSG]

Hi Martin

Yes, the file format is very different.  There is forward-compatibility (FS9 terrain can be used in FSX), but FSX terrain cannot be used in FS9.  FSX terrain is much more efficient, as it can contain multiple LODs in the same file, while FS9 terrain can only hold one LOD per file.

Theoretically, FSX and FS9 terrain made from the same source data should be nearly identical visually in the end result, though.  FSX doesn't have an upper resolution limit, though when you get up past 10m, the visual range becomes so short that any advantages (except on the ground maybe) becomes dubious.

I might be skeptical about an LOD 13 Himalayan mesh, as I'm not aware of any 5m source data for the Himalayans (that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, just that I'm not aware of it), and just because it may be compiled at LOD 13, if it isn't made with 5m source data there is no advantage or extra detail, just huge files.  And LOD13 terrain mesh wouldn't be visual more than a few kilometers from your aircraft, so from altitude you won't see much difference, and would see no difference from a distance.

[martinlest]

Thanks Justin.

This is the LOD13 mesh (other stuff there too, but I am not reinstalling FSX just to look at it!):

http://www.realearthx.it/download.html

Martin