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Something new for the I Follow Roads crowd!

If anybody buys it, I would be curious to know the differences with the previously-freeware-now-payware powerlines addon that was available since a few years ?
 
When you install it, there is an application, accessible from the ORBX Central application, which you use to select & install which style of small and large power line poles (with and without wires) that you want to use. For those like me who use both MSFS 2020 and 2024, I like that you can install into both 2020 and 2024 from the one application.
 
Well, I got them and installed what I wanted in 2020 and 2024, but have yet to test in either as I have been in Belgium all morning watching the Tour of Flanders bike race, go Tadej. And now I have the women's race one!

Cazzie
 
Cazzie said:
Well, I got them and installed what I wanted in 2020 and 2024, but have yet to test in either as I have been in Belgium all morning watching the Tour of Flanders bike race, go Tadej. And now I have the women's race one!

Cazzie
Click to expand...
Go Lotte!! :)

Priller
 
One of the things to know about this addon is that it simply replaces the default small power line poles and large power line towers with new models, but does nothing else. Since there is no way to actually line-up and connect 3D power lines from one power line tower or pole to the next, the 3D models of the power lines only go so far in either direction and then taper away completely, so it only gives the impression that the power lines are running from one pole/tower to the next, but if you are to fly right over the middle point between the power line towers, you're likely not to see any power lines at all (and if the towers are too close to one another, the power lines from each with crisscross with one another). Still, from most angles/placements, it actually looks really good on the large power line towers, but for the small power line poles, usually positioned close to one another and not always aligned properly, I've found it's best to choose the power line pole models without wires - fortunately, you can choose just such an option. Here are some examples...

As can be seen for the large power line towers, they look great with wires, as they're typically spread apart far enough and aligned well enough that they give off the impression of having properly connected lines.





However, when it comes to the small power line poles, I've found it best to choose the option without power lines (just the detailed poles), as for the most part they just end-up looking like this (and even worse, when they're not all pointing in the same direction):

 
Thanks for the heads up. I bought it, installed, but am headed out of town for a few days so will enjoy it when I get back! NC
 
Ok, so the poles look a bit better than the mamudesign powerlines addon, but overall the mamudesign addon looks better because the electric lines are connected correctly between the poles ?
 
Looks OK, but I'm never low enough or slow enough over urban areas to notice anything like that. And most airport dev's will include power installations when they're relevant to their projects. I think I'll stick with stock and whatever is included with the freeware We Love VFR packages.
 
Tom Clayton said:
Looks OK, but I'm never low enough or slow enough over urban areas to notice anything like that. And most airport dev's will include power installations when they're relevant to their projects. I think I'll stick with stock and whatever is included with the freeware We Love VFR packages.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree with you more. The freeware stuff does it for me. And I do go low and slow, if only because I'm a lousy pilot...

Priller
 
Well, as far as 2024 goes, I'm with Priller, I removed the lot and will stick to default. They were not in any default locations, but random locations and so large they looked like wind fans from a distance. I have not tested them in 2020 yet. Busy day, rain, lots of rain. And of course, I have to be in Basque Country for the six-day Tour of the Basque Country. The worst thing I miss about my feeble old age is that I cannot ride my racing bike any longer. I didn't want to grow up!

Cazzie
 
I'm just happy to be in a world where our flight sims have come so far that we're looking to improve the appearance of the mundane power lines and energy infrastructure.. can I get a what what
 
When I saw the powerlines modelled nicely back in Xplane 11, it was always a frustration not to see them in the MS sims, especially during my low&slow flights or VFR approaches, and also during my helicopter flights. The freeware Mamu Design addon that appeared for MSFS finally filled that gap in the correct way. It's a bit sad that it became payware now, but it's well worth the price.

The payware addon described in this topic is a pure waste of money in my opinion. Not only it doesn't bring anything valuable to the overall scenery quality, it also literally ruins some places, and the lines are not connected between the poles which removes any interest from a flying perspective (obstacles). I fail to see why anybody would want to buy that, excepted by pure mistake.
The addon from Mamu Design is a much better product.
 
Mine look nothing like Bomber's, in 2024, they were far too large and conglomerated in places they should not be like Cape Canaveral. I deleted them. In 2020, they were worse, not only too large, but placed in the middle of expressway roads in Las Vegas, I deleted them from 2020 also, then uninstall the App through ORBX Central. Another $30.00 AUS wasted.

Cazzie
 
My purchase of this addon was purely by impulse, the moment I saw that ORBX was advertising its release on Facebook (even before the announcement here). Until seeing the posts by Daube in this thread, I had never been aware of the Mamudesign power lines addon (either freeware or payware), so I was under the impression that this ORBX offering was the first and only of its kind. My first impression was that the ORBX addon looked really good in the screenshots on their page and on their website, but I should have spent more time looking at them closer. I was quite disappointed when I discovered after purchasing and installing the addon that the wires don't actually connect from one tower/pole to the next, but the real nail in the coffin for me/what led me to uninstall the addon, was that there is a visual hierarchy issue (and likely lack of LODs as well) in that even when you're flying at very high altitude, such as 10,000 ft, over the tops of thick clouds, when you look down you can see all of the power line towers from the ORBX addon visible through the clouds.
 
FWIW these days my impulse upon seeing a product sold by ORBX is to check if it is available from alternative vendors. My impulse upon seeing a product developed under the ORBX name is to avoid it. It certainly didn't used to be that way (I previously bought into ORBX big time), but over the last few years of buying their own products I feel like the quality/execution vs price has declined (to the point it can be worse than freeware alternatives). I feel they still continue to survive/succeed by 1) basking in past glories; and 2) having a great marketing machine (which certainly still eclipses most others... to the point people aren't even aware of those others). Just my 2p/2c.
 
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