Customer Reviews

USA Extreme Landscapes for FS2004 & FS2002

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this product before I knew about "World Extreme Landscapes." Given a choice, I wish I would have gotten "World Extreme Landscapes" instead because it covers most of the globe for about the same price as "USA Extreme Landscapes" and therefore is a better value. "USA Extreme Lanscapes" is still a good value when you consider that it also includes a very nice 'payware' airplane (a $17 USD download at Carenado's site) and some preplanned 'adventure flights' to exotic locations. The terrain mesh is produced by Justin Tyme and FSGenesis so I believe it is the same mesh that is offered at FSGenesis' website (except without a membership to get updates).

The "USA Extreme Landscapes" CDs installed without a problem to my computer and run well in FS2004. There is a small performance hit from adding the higher resolution mesh, but it is very slight and can be easily compensated for by turning down options like autogen density if necessary. I sent in the registration card to get the bonus Hawaii and Alaska meshes but I never received a reply from Abacus.

The new mesh improves FS2004's topography and makes VFR flying possible. I feel the most dramatic change comes to areas with rolling hills and ridges; I am able to explore my home region of Northwestern Pennsylvania and navigate by ridgelines and river valleys. Unfortunately, the default FS2004 placement of rivers, lakes, towns, highways, etc. is somewhat generalized and improved terrain meshes like "USA Extreme Landscapes" tend to highlight the base product's inaccuracies. Also, "USA Extreme Landscapes" is not a landclass makeover and it does not alter the existing terrain textures or add new/improved ones. Coastlines, etc., are not made more accurate. To understand what this product will do for FS2004, simply look at the terrain you currently have and then imagine more contours in the landscape.

One effect that I had not anticipated is that some of the airfields and airports now sit on tables, cliffs or mesas instead of being flush with the outlying terrain. In some instances this anamoly might actually be more realistic than what is portrayed by the default mesh -- I'm thinking specifically of the international airports at Great Falls and Billings, Montana, that are located on ridges overlooking their respective cities.

Overall, there are other products that will give you more territorial coverage or offer landclass improvements for equivalent money, but "USA Extreme Landscapes" is a good addon package for the casual FS enthusiast who wants ease of installation and a few 'extras' like the Piper Dakota.

I have both Microsoft FS 2002 and FS 2004 installed on my computer. I first installed without trouble this Extreme landscapes to my FS 2004 and it works well, giving much improved detail for USA landscapes. However, I was not able to install the program to my FS 2002 program, which as mentioned above, is on the same computer. I emailed the program vendor (USA Extreme Landscapes) for support, but received no reply. Bottom line: a good program, with the caveat mentioned.

I got this and put it on... hard to really tell that much of a difference, but perhaps I am just not flying in the right areas... It does seem like the mountains are a bit more realistic/true... but still a middle type item that I am glad I bought 'used' at a cheaper price.

I was under the impression this was and improvement or upgrade to the basic program, but it is not. It is a stand-alone program that uses some of the programing from the basic game. Certainly not worth the money.

This doesn't work with any flight sim I have. It is not as good as Google Earth is to fly.

Game didn't add too much to flight sim 2004 but seller was very fast and reliable.