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Scenery Upgrade to XP11 : LOWS-Salzburg XP11 by JustSim


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Scenery Upgrade to XP11 : LOWS-Salzburg XP11 by JustSim/Digital Design

 

Here is an upgrade to Justsim's LOWS Salzburg to X-Plane11 status. The original LOWS was released just over a year ago in late June 2016 and it did bring to and introduce some great new features in to X-Plane. There is no doubt that LOWS is a dramatic airport, as much for Salzburg's position at the foot of the central northern alps as much as the scenery itself.

 

As old X-Plane hands know that LOWS was the original X-Plane9 default airport (now KSEA-Seattle). This was because of the dramatic element to introduce users to the simulator, and that drama was created by any arrival or departure with the areas outstanding scenery.

The JustSim/Digital Design scenery is outstanding, but the scenery is just as notable for using great placement of objects to create a complete visual experience around the airport as much as the airport scenery itself, you can see this and all the rest of the original scenery in the X-PlaneReviews release review here: Scenery Review : LOWS W. A. Mozart - Salzburg Airport by Digital Design

 

Again notably in this area X-Plane11 changes the game to another level with better regional autogen and is used significantly throughout most European JustSim sceneries.

 

LOWS- Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart XP11

A large percentage of the changes in the LOWS XP11 version is in the textures. Basically the overall actual airport and facilities are not really changed from the older release version.

 

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So any first view of the LOWS XP11 may give you the impression that it is not really any different, but it actually is.

 

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All the textures have been given shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on the terminals and other airport buildings to X-Plane11 standards and it is certainly more highly noticeable in the quality and sharpness.

 

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Even if your computer is set at a lower resolution and anti-alias you know these textures are far better, they have been totally redone for performance as well.

 

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These changes can be highlighted by the ramp concrete textures...

 

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You notice and even feel the concrete slab effect on the ramp, and in the right lighting you can see the excellent grooving and shine on the material and in the right weather and rain conditions he wetness shine on all the surfaces.

 

Reflection textures which use the X-Plane11 metalness feature have also been done to great effect.

 

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Reflective glass surfaces are excellent as highlighted by the secondary terminal building, at night there are extremely realistic. And brings more to life the "Hangar 7" which is the sponsored museum by "Red Bull" drinks. And the space age designs of the two half hangars that are positioned on the eastern boundary of the airport.

 

LOWSXP11_Salzburg_shine textures 6.jpgLOWSXP11_Salzburg_shine textures 5.jpg

 

More X-Plane11 features are used by using the X-Plane default ground traffic and equipment...

 

LOWSXP11_Salzburg_objects 1.jpgLOWSXP11_Salzburg_objects 2.jpg

 

...     so there is a lot of action and movement and with more placed static elements to make up the scenery.

 

The LOWS approach and departure visual aspect with loads of objects was one of the big features with the release version. Again at first glance it feels and looks the same but it isn't. The objects have been replaced by the Germanic default autogen which looks fine in Austria and with that change you get a framerate lift as well.

 

LOWSXP11_Salzburg_autogen 1.jpgLOWSXP11_Salzburg_autogen 2.jpg

 

And the original version had a great placement of local buildings and factories to help in the correct local flavour. More of these specially created items have been added including... a nice football stadium (Red Bull Arena), Kaindl plant (flooring), IKEA and many more.

 

LOWSXP11_Salzburg_3d objects 1.jpgLOWSXP11_Salzburg_3d objects 2.jpg

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The Salzburg "Old Town" (Altstadt) city centre area with the Hohensalzburg Castle is still in there as well with still many of the famous baroque churches also reproduced.

 

Departure from W.A. Mozart, Salzburg via RWY15 (south) highlights the scenery in the actual airport and then later in the surrounding environs.

 

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Taxiway and runway textures are first rate, and note the excellent 3d grass.

 

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All included details are fully photorealistic, it is very impressive.

 

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Departure like arrival is spectacular at LOWS, more so if you are going north as you need to do a very hard 180º in the valley to clear the alps.

 

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Extended visuals are excellent, and the clever autogen works for you until the very good ground textures seemlessly then take over.

 

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You work for your money leaving Salzburg, but you love it really...

 

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Summary

This LOWS-Salzburg XP11 does exactly what it advertises on the packet...   updates to X-Plane11. The update however does also take full advantage of every great feature X-Plane11 has to offer in better autogen (Germanic), better high-texture quality, metalness reflections, concrete runway/taxiway textures, default animations traffic and static objects.

 

All the textures in someway have been enhanced or processed to take advantage of the new version of the X-Plane simulator. Also added is more placement of 3d local items in stadiums, factories and buildings.

 

Negatives, a few including still a strange tower view, it has been moved but the view is still not in the right place but now below the tower and to the side? and a little bit of texture thrashing. Nightlighting is good but not brilliant and unchanged from the original release ...  and that is it.

 

This is an upgrade and not an update and so any previous X-Plane10 owners of LOWS Salzburg can buy this new XP11 version for only $5 and to do so then check your original LOWS invoice at the store for the discount code that will be listed there for the offer. And this XP11 version obviously can only be used in X-Plane11.

 

I do admire the way JustSim do totally take every advantage of X-Plane and certainly X-Plane11's features to enhance their sceneries and they do all this at a brilliant price. Always I am impressed by their work and their sceneries are the best to use in X-Plane and certainly in X-Plane11 if the scenery has been upgraded.

 

Either way if you are upgrading or buying the JustSim LOWS scenery for the first time then you get a lot of scenery for your money, great value as well, and an even better dramatic place to fly too, so you can't overall ask for more than that...  can you?

 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

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Yes! LOWS W. A. Mozart - Salzburg Airport XP11 by Digital Design (JustSim) is NOW available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

 

LOWS- Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart XP11

 

Price is US$19.50

Note: Previous owners of  LOWS Salzburg can buy this new XP11 version for only $5: Check your original  LOWS  invoice at the store. the discount code will be listed there

 

Features Include:

 

  • New X-Plane 11 version, designed for X-Plane 11    
  • Shading and occlusion (texture baking) effects on terminal and other airport buildings
  • High resolution photo scenery near airport and city
  • All autogen objects are manually placed
  • New High resolution ground textures / Custom runway textures
  • New Runway and taxiways reflection effect
  • Custom apron, taxiway and runways lights
  • High resolution building textures
  • PBR materials on airport buildings
  • World Traffic compatible
  • X-Life traffic compatible
  • Optimized for excellent performance

 

Requirements:
X-Plane 11+
Windows, Mac, Linux
1Gb HD Space Available
2Gb VRAM Video Card Minimum. 4Gb+ VRAM Recommended

Current Version : 1.0 (last Updated July 27th 2017)

 

Installation and documents:

Download for LOWS - Salzburg is 478.10meg and the scenery is deposited in the "Custom Scenery" X-Plane folder at 1.05gb.

Just deposit LOWS-Salzburg_Digital_Design_XPL11_v1.0 into your X-Plane Custom Scenery Folder

A basic manual (3 pages) is provided.

There are no charts, but a good LOWS download charts package is available here: VACC LOWS_Package_Complete Package

 

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Review by Stephen Dutton
2nd August 2017
Copyright©2016: X-PlaneReviews
 
(Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copy of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions)
 

Review System Specifications:

Computer System: Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 8 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software:   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 11.02

Addons: Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: JARDesign Ground Handling Deluxe plugin - US$14.95 : Environment Engine by xEnviro US$69.90 : WorldTraffic 2.0 Plugin - US$29.95 : XPRealistic Pro v1.0.9  effects US$19.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- B737-800 X-Plane Default - Free

 

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