xGraphics - WOW

Pro Member First Officer
Tom (cthiggin) First Officer

Hellow Fellow Simmers,
My last post asked for your reviews on several add-on programs -
Many of you folks responded - but most were the "raves" for xGraphics, even RadarMan -
WELL
I downloaded this evening - at IT"S SUPERB - My gosh, the graphics are phenomenal, especially at the airports - Can't believe the difference it has made - AND I'm only using the "xGraphics DEFAULTS -

Here's the kicker - I was afraid it would "sledgehammer" the FPS -
Fellows, no lie here, my FPS's have increased 3 - 5 fps at airports.
(No, I don't work for xGraphics - I'm just elated with one of the best 30+dollars I've spent in a long time)
Hope this may help with anyone contemplating xGraphics purchase.

Safe simming,
cthiggin 🙂

Answers 42 Answers

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Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Go slowly through the settings, you'll get some choices you've never seen before.
The runway textures are worth the money.

And I guess I have to do it also.

I do not get anything free or discounted from any companies.

Radar

Pro Member First Officer
Tom (cthiggin) First Officer

RadarMan -
Thanks for your advice on my previous post about add-on's.
Yes, the runway textures are great - I find also that the terminals, service vehicles are so much better too - I'm almost "fearful" of changing the defaults though - I'm sure I will though.

Question - any "photo-scenery" packages that are as good as XGraphics, and if so, would they "conflict" with each other?

FYI - just ordered a quad-core mb and chip today to get my unit as good as I can - from single core Anthlon - already have 8800GTS - also added 4 gig ram - I'm sure I can get better quality with higher fps.

PS - Absolutely no insinuation about you or any other simmers "promoting any product here" - My post sounded almost too good to be true about xGraphics that I felt I "must" be working for the company - go figure - Appreciate ALL of your and the other simmers help - it has been invaluable for me as a 7 month FSX user and newby.
Thanks again.

cthiggin

Guest

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

Pro Member First Officer
JLangevin First Officer

Cant I get a link to xGraphics please?

Guest

JLangevin wrote:

Cant I get a link to xGraphics please?

Sure link from RadarMan's post

http://www.hifisim.com/xgraphics.html

Pro Member First Officer
GoodisonBlue First Officer

Just bought it myself, along with their weather program

Waiting for download now ( very slow)

Pro Member First Officer
GoodisonBlue First Officer

Well the cloud effects are fantastic

Clouds no longer seem static, but float past the windows and look far more realistic

Need to test some of the other effects now 🙂

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Anonymous wrote:

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

yes.no.no.yes.yes.yes.yes

Radar

Guest

problem with active sky x is theres no true overcast sky. Id be taking off on a rainy day, climb to 1000 feet then it turns out to be clear skies....very unrealistic. Hopefully they fix this bug.

Pro Member First Officer
oldsamer First Officer

This morin I WAS ganna order a CH flightstick and D/L FSX_GA_Traffic. But purchased xGraphics instead. I'll wait another month for the stick, I can fly the cub OK with my MS wheel mouse. xGraphic is cheaper then a CH.

Download took 2 1/2 hours on my cable which typicly runs 400 kb/s. Best xGraphic servers would average was 121 kb/s, and the westcoast mirror timed out once. XGraphics is 449mb zipped. I copied the zipped file onto data CD with Xp CD writing wiz, then coped that to a new folder and installed from there. So, no problem backing off to CD disk.

Be sure to print or copy the product key at purchase before down loading, you need it to install.

Installed ok, gonna be a curve learning how to use this texture replacer. Tryed dirty old assfault and saw a difference in FSX. I guess it's worth buying, at least for those who are never satisfied.

Pro Member First Officer
anonymouse91 First Officer

oldsamer wrote:

Installed ok, gonna be a curve learning how to use this texture replacer.

Its quite easy to use though. Just select the type of each you want and click Install.

Guest

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

yes.no.no.yes.yes.yes.yes

Radar

Thanks RadarMan I'm off to buy it and thanks for all that did get it and give there opinion.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Anonymous wrote:

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

yes.no.no.yes.yes.yes.yes

Radar

Thanks RadarMan I'm off to buy it and thanks for all that did get it and give there opinion.

I'm anxious to hear how you like it, tweak tweak tweak!

Radar

Pro Member Trainee
Andrew Graver (barkoman) Trainee

Anonymous wrote:

problem with active sky x is theres no true overcast sky. Id be taking off on a rainy day, climb to 1000 feet then it turns out to be clear skies....very unrealistic. Hopefully they fix this bug.

Aside from that glitch, I wonder why folks in small software companies can write software that greatly enhances Microsoft programs. Why aren't the folks at the Big M doing it on their own in the first place instead of a lot of second rate garbage that we have to improve upon. I'm still trying to figure out why I can land a float plane on the water in my neck of the woods when it's winter and temps are -25. Antifreeze in the lake? Great game but there's some really dumb things overlooked.

Guest

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

yes.no.no.yes.yes.yes.yes

Radar

Thanks RadarMan I'm off to buy it and thanks for all that did get it and give there opinion.

I'm anxious to hear how you like it, tweak tweak tweak!

Radar

Wow......... that was a long and slow download but once it was finished all was good. I decided to get the package deal which included X-Graphics and ASX. I installed just the X-Graphics first and used the default tweaks and I'm gob smacked. Lost no frame rate hit and increased every graphical feature way beyond what I expected. Looks and feels so much better and why can't Microsoft do this as default because it's a performance increase not only that but makes the game allot more realistic so FSX get your act together your default game is crap.

Thanks so much for pointing me to this program now to better understand it and fiddle with the settings but as default this thing is amazing.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Glad your enjoying it.
It is better than anyone thinks.
You paid $70 for FSX, you paid $55 for FS9.

If they developed and loaded it up with all the add-ons that we buy, would you pay $150 or $200 for it.
Load it with the essentials, an AI package Both X packages detailed airports etc.
No one would buy it.
They did add better roads than before that add on to FS9 cost $30.
They can just add so much to the version and keep the price low enough that everyone will buy it not just a few hard core simmers.

Radar

Guest

RadarMan wrote:

Glad your enjoying it.
It is better than anyone thinks.
You paid $70 for FSX, you paid $55 for FS9.

If they developed and loaded it up with all the add-ons that we buy, would you pay $150 or $200 for it.
Load it with the essentials, an AI package Both X packages detailed airports etc.
No one would buy it.
They did add better roads than before that add on to FS9 cost $30.
They can just add so much to the version and keep the price low enough that everyone will buy it not just a few hard core simmers.

Radar

I know I would buy and pay a high price for a game because I have spent $700 on VBS1 game and that is a First person Shooter.

With many of the pay ware add-ons much of them a just better tweaks and compressed files as far as I can see so why can't Microsoft do the same. It appears to me that those in the community can tweak games allot better than the developers.

I also understand that they must appeal to the vast group of gamers but many of the tweaks that I have used have been made buy gamers and placed up for free download which have given the game a big improvement to the eye along with performance increase.

Having said all the above I'm just glad I read about and took your advice to how good this program really is and what a difference it has made to the eye and improvements to the game.

Can't thank you enough.

poo-poo!!!!!!!!!! Guest

😳 I never could have believed it but, fsx and fs2004 scenery is exposing it'self to be nothing more than a "SKIN" over some previus scenery!
I wonder what? Much like the greenberets was Skinned over some other game!! Crying or Very sad

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

I can't believe my eyes at that price.

MS has to appeal to the masses with their pricing, how many can they (VBS)sell at that price.

It must be an amazing piece of software.

Radar

Guest

RadarMan wrote:

I can't believe my eyes at that price.

MS has to appeal to the masses with their pricing, how many can they (VBS)sell at that price.

It must be an amazing piece of software.

Radar

I guess if you want realism that is the price of a sim and I will be getting VBS2 as well. It's a pretty big community so there are those out there that do pay and want over the top games and I'm sure there would be just as many in the flight sim world who would pay a premium for realistic flight sim which includes all the fine detail added to one package.

The cost of gaming is nothing compared to the cost of some of my hardware so I look at it as a worth while purchase that satisfies the time I take to enjoy gaming when I do it. Remember games like VBS don't come out every your or two so when you add up some of the crap that leaves the developers doors that you blow your $$$ on becoming drink coasters it's not hard to rack up the $$$ so VBS I would say is value.

So I guess you can see why I made my comments about Microsoft if the product is polished and is quality with all the available add-ons that should come with the game as default people will spend the money.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

I won't say what I spent on a new top of the line gaming machine and a 24" widescreen monitor needless to say it was over the line.
All of it for FSX only.

To pay that much for a game without a demo and you have to pay for extras seems a bit much to me.
But I shouldn't knock it without trying it.

It has the be fantastic if it keeps selling new versions.

Radar

Guest

RadarMan wrote:

I won't say what I spent on a new top of the line gaming machine and a 24" widescreen monitor needless to say it was over the line.
All of it for FSX only.

To pay that much for a game without a demo and you have to pay for extras seems a bit much to me.
But I shouldn't knock it without trying it.

It has the be fantastic if it keeps selling new versions.

Radar

I totally agree about no Demo but it was done to stop theft along with it's just too big of a game to place into a demo to have it all working as it should. I guess that is why I asked so many questions about X-Graphics because I wasn't prepared to buy it until I tried it and there is no demo of that either and that is cheap compared to VBS1/2.

I much prefer to try before I buy but then if you can't you get people like me asking you a zillion questions but in this case it paid off with a great review and product. It was only because of you I brought it so thanks.

I would never recommend VBS because it's something that only the die hards and serious gamers would even look at and because of no demo it's hard to even explain the concept or show what it is capable off. Every now and then they have released a demo but it's hard to get the keys for it to share around but it has happened and that was how I got hooked through a special key that was released for testing/demo use.

I hear you on the cost of hardware and like you I built a Rig just for FSX and I have Rig just for FPS/Other games plus a server but it's something I also enjoy doing is fiddling with PC's/building them. None of my PC's for gaming have crap on them they are pure horsepower machines stripped down with even stripped down Windows on them using a program called nLite.

As the old gaming machines need upgrading they become my desktop PC for web work or normal day to day PC running.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

I see your point about piracy with a full version demo.
That's why MS didn't do it for so many years until now.

It's proven to be successful to them to have done the demo. Possibly a company that charges so much for the finished project can see there way some time to put a single shot demo out.
If someone wants to keep playing the same scene over and over, let them.
You don't want that type of buyer anyway...in fact they are a no buy player.

I downloaded the Far Cry demo to see what it was like and the demo became boring after the second time...to repetitive, that was the idea.

Radar

Pro Member Trainee
Unholymoondog Trainee

After the glowing recommendation here, I went to the HiFi site to buy X-Graphics and ended up buying the package deal with ASX 😎

All I can say is that these are amazing products, I cannot believe the difference, stunning, just stunning 😳 Well worth every penny, really impressive.

Anyone having doubts due to the lack of a demo, trust me you will just love x-graphics.

Pro Member Trainee
Andrew Graver (barkoman) Trainee

Well, I've heard enough about this. I guess I'm gonna buy the add-on too since it sounds so good. I also ordered a 27" monitor the other day so I can hardly wait. Radarman, you do have a point about price. I'll give you that. Perhaps the folks at the big M are just trying to keep it average for the other ones that aren't as serious.

Pro Member First Officer
Tom (cthiggin) First Officer

Hello fellow simmers -
GLAD I made the efforts to finally post something that has become worthwhile to a lot of you.
You folks along with RadarMan pointed me to the xGraphics as a "good" add-on...............
AND, after doing some "minor" tweaking for the past week, it just gets BETTER..........unbelievable really ----------AND the greatest of all, NO FPS hits..........................
Glad some of you are purchasing the program and having the same elating results that I have had.

Keep enjoying - tweak slowly - it just gets better.

cthiggin

Pro Member First Officer
jetman35 First Officer

Sounds pretty exciting! I wonder what philtaylor has to say about the product. And they say that the fps do not drop or even improve?

Jetman 😛

Pro Member Captain
Rodney Jacobs (GundamWZero) Captain

Its pretty decent....the runways are a definite improvement. I'll still do more tweaking later to see what it can really do.

Pro Member First Officer
mdaskalos First Officer

barkoman wrote:

Well, I've heard enough about this. I guess I'm gonna buy the add-on too since it sounds so good. I also ordered a 27" monitor the other day so I can hardly wait. Radarman, you do have a point about price. I'll give you that. Perhaps the folks at the big M are just trying to keep it average for the other ones that aren't as serious.

The point is a valid one. Saying something like to "X_graphics makes FSX perform like this, so Microsoft should-a done it in the first place," is akin to saying something like "Well, Calloway can put a honking-twin turbo on a Corvette and Roush or Saleen can really trick up your Mustang, so The General and Ford ought-a be making them like that"

It would just put good pony car fun out of the reach of more folks.

mdaskalos

Pro Member First Officer
JLangevin First Officer

Perhaps its just me, but after reading this thread, I went and purchased the add-on... Im impressed with the GUI, but did not find the new textures mind blowing... some of them I downright hated... I have been tweaking with it though... I feel like Im missing something here.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Keep tweaking, one after another. Fly in a heavy thunderstorm.
Fix your runway textures, roads, railroads. The amount and variety of configurations is endless.

Radar

Pro Member First Officer
JLangevin First Officer

I did notice that the overcast and raining effects/clouds did look better... Ill keep playing with it.

Pro Member Trainee
jono1978 Trainee

Does this product cover the UK? is it as good as VFR photograpic scenery?

Can it be used for practice visual nav?

Thanks

John

Pro Member First Officer
anonymouse91 First Officer

jono1978 wrote:

Does this product cover the UK? is it as good as VFR photograpic scenery?

Can it be used for practice visual nav?

Thanks

John

It doesn't cover particular locations, all it does is 'upgrade' the graphics FSX uses with its own better ones.

If you want VFR scenery for the UK, the VFR Generation X scenery looks good.



Last edited by anonymouse91 on Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:18 pm, edited 1 time in total
Pro Member First Officer
GoodisonBlue First Officer

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

RadarMan wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

cthiggin great report between you and RadarMan I think you have sold me a copy now but I do have one more question for RadarMan.

Does X-Graphics replace all these tweaks from this link you posted?

Bloom Enhancement v1
Forest Replacement textures
Forest V2
FS Water Fix v2
Spotlight Enhancement
Taxiway Enhancement v1
Water Fix Final

http://www.flightsimulationforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3148

yes.no.no.yes.yes.yes.yes

Radar

Thanks RadarMan I'm off to buy it and thanks for all that did get it and give there opinion.

I'm anxious to hear how you like it, tweak tweak tweak!

Radar

Is there any particular option that you reccomend above others in the X-Graphics menu

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Rain, thunder, runway textures, thay amaze me.

Radar

Pro Member First Officer
GoodisonBlue First Officer

RadarMan wrote:

Rain, thunder, runway textures, thay amaze me.

Radar

Yeah me too 🙂 but they are listed by theme aren't they. I don't have time to look through them all, was just wondering if there's any theme in particular you liked

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

GoodisonBlue wrote:

RadarMan wrote:

Rain, thunder, runway textures, thay amaze me.

Radar

Yeah me too 🙂 but they are listed by theme aren't they. I don't have time to look through them all, was just wondering if there's any theme in particular you liked

Custom, I didn't want anything stock.

Radar

Pro Member Captain
Doyley Captain

I have installed the program. It is pretty cool. I have done some tweaking and took approx 20 screenshots on a circuit of KLAX. They can be found at

I have not picked out any above the other, this is every one that I took. They are still uploading as we speak and are about 2.25MB each so dial-up beware!

Oh yeah, on the last one I forgot to deactivate the auto-throttle because I was taking the screenshots, that's what happens Wink

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Nice shots.
You can make them 90% smaller from a bmp to jpg with any graphics program.

Easier and faster to view.

Keep playing with the program, I extended the distance of the view, left column in settings weather.

Radar

Pro Member Captain
Doyley Captain

Ah thanks for the advice. I have taken a couple more at various location..

Though I couldn't find the view distance setting.

Pro Member Chief Captain
RadarMan Chief Captain

Doyley wrote:

Ah thanks for the advice. I have taken a couple more at various location..

Though I couldn't find the view distance setting.

I liked the last half the best.
Your doing a good job customizing it.
It's much faster loading now.

Radar

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