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Scenery Review: LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island XP 12 by Cami De Bellis By Dominic Smith Introduction Lampedusa, the largest of the Italian Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean, stands as Italy's southernmost point, closer to Tunisia than mainland Italy. Spanning 20.2 km2, it is home to approximately 6,000 residents. Lampedusa Airport, situated merely a few hundred meters from the town centre, boasts a 5,889ft asphalt runway and experiences peak traffic during summer, catering to medium-sized aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. Cami De Bellis' rendition of Lampedusa Island and its airport, alongside Linosa Island, showcases her hallmark attention to detail. This scenery features highly accurate representations of Lampedusa Island, its associated airport, Linosa Island, over 160 custom objects, and custom terrain mesh by Maps2XPlane. The package offers high-resolution textures in both 2K and 4K, native 3D characters and vehicles, two heliports, and much more, providing an immersive experience for users. As some of you may be aware, I am a great admirer of Cami's work, as her sceneries are superbly detailed, embodying a unique personal touch that distinctly marks her creations as special. There's something about the way Cami infuses her projects with her own essence, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly what, that elevates them above the ordinary. Installation The scenery is purchasable from the Org store at $18.90 and is notably large, with a download size of 2.8GB and an extraction size of 4.7GB. This size is substantial in comparison to many other sceneries, due in part to the mesh and ortho coverage. Within the package, there are three folders that should be transferred to the Custom Scenery folder within X-Plane. The naming convention of these folders eliminates the need for adjustments to the scenery_packs.ini file, simplifying the setup. Furthermore, the absence of any requirement for keys or activation streamlines the installation process, making it exceptionally straightforward. Documentation The documentation is comprised of two PDF files: one dedicated to installation and the other, aptly named "Tips & Tricks," offers guidance on maximizing the scenery's potential and highlights specific features. Both documents are well-composed, with a clear layout, making them invaluable resources to review before launching X-Plane. Admittedly, like many, I was too eager to explore the scenery after being captivated by the screenshots on the store page and so bypassed the initial read-through, so it’s straight to hell for me! Aerial View The aerial view of the island evokes strong memories of a journey I once made to a remote Greek island, characterised by its semi-arid, garrigue landscape. The custom mesh expertly highlights the topographical diversity of the area. The western side features deep gorges, contrasting with the shallow valleys and sandy beaches of the eastern part. The entire northern coastline boasts cliffs, offering a mix of gently sloping cliffs on the east and stark, vertical cliffs on the west, catering to a variety of adventures. The custom orthoimagery of the island is outstanding, providing clear, crisp visuals free from common anomalies like cloud cover. This is a notable achievement, especially for anyone familiar with the challenges of creating ortho sceneries marred by 2D cloud textures. Upon descending, the imagery retains its clarity, a testament to the high resolution used. Additionally, the custom autogen, leveraging Cami’s CDB Library assets, effectively represents the island's buildings, enhancing the overall realism and immersion. Airport and Taxiways The main runway and taxiway textures for both asphalt and concrete surfaces are custom made and demonstrate a high level of detail. The exposure to the elements from the surrounding Mediterranean has been artfully captured with a significant degree of weathering visible through cracks and pits. Tire marks on these surfaces add to the realism, with the concrete showing particularly impressive evidence of aircraft manoeuvres. These details, though small, significantly enhance the authenticity of the experience. Signage and Foliage The careful placement of foliage around the runway and taxiway adds depth without being a burden on system resources, striking a balance that complements the detailed orthoimagery. While the airport's signage is limited due to its size, what is present is thoughtfully executed, with clear apron demarcations and weathering effects on the ground, enhancing the visual fidelity of the airport environment. Main Terminal and Buildings For users familiar with Cami De Bellis's previous works, the detail in the main airport terminal and its associated buildings in this scenery won't disappoint. The terminal, while lacking an interior, showcases remarkable modelling and texturing, including local artwork that adds a unique touch. A particular standout feature is the lively 3D characters, including a dog, and custom passenger vehicles that populate the airport. These are all nicely modelled and contribute to bringing the airport to life. Adjacent to the terminal, you'll find the control tower, hangar, additional passenger facilities, and fire station, all mirroring the high standard of modelling and texturing work we’ve come to expect from Cami. The area is bustling with ground clutter, such as bins, pallets, cones, and several airport vehicles, all contributing to the realism. The main car park at the airport entrance utilises a custom texture rather than a standard ortho, achieving a seamless integration with the surrounding scenery. This method avoids the common pitfalls of flat 2D cars and texture anomalies, creating a cohesive look. The car park's design, including the dividing walls and vegetation, and the non-default, atmospheric vehicles, add greatly to the atmosphere. On the airport's perimeter, a building, likely a motel or hotel for passengers, echoes the airport's architectural theme. It features numerous AC units and solar panels on its roof, again showing the attention to detail. Lampedusa Venturing beyond the airport leads to the town of Lampedusa, where Cami’s custom autogen, utilising her CDB Library assets, truly shines. While it doesn't encompass every structure, the selection present beautifully captures the essence of this charming oasis. The beach scene was a personal highlight for me, featuring palm trees, deckchairs, and animated 3D characters enjoying their surroundings; a delightful scene that reminded me that I could do with a holiday! The bay area is dotted with small boats and a few jetties, predominantly for leisure, though a larger dock facilitates commercial operations. This blend of recreational and business elements adds a realistic layer to the portrayal of the town, further demonstrating Cami's careful attention to detail and her ability to create immersive environments. Further Afield Heading westward, the landscape transitions to a sparser housing distribution amidst more pronounced terrain, featuring numerous gorges. Yet, the attention to detail remains undiminished. Midway across the island, another beach scene greets you, alive with 3D characters revelling in the sunshine. The combined effect of custom objects with the enhanced mesh and custom ortho keeps the exploration engaging. At the island's far western extremity, where the cliffs become dramatically steep and the gorges deepen, we find the first of the additional helipads, just slightly before the radar station. It's here that Lampedusa's radar station emerges, its military essence underscored by the presence of soldiers and a vigilant guard dog. This setting, evocative of a scene straight out of a high-stakes drama, brings to mind the wise words of Walter White, aka Heisenberg, from "Breaking Bad": “tread lightly.” Linosa Island Located twenty-five miles north of Lampedusa Airport, Linosa Island spans 5.45 square kilometres and boasts a volcanic heritage. Its landscape is dominated by a series of craters, with Monte Vulcano standing as the tallest at 195 metres. The island's volcanic terrain is vividly brought to life with custom mesh and texturing, offering perhaps a more dramatic scenery of the already impressive Lampedusa. The harbours are thoughtfully modeled, although one appeared to lack vessels, a detail that, if added, could further enrich the scenery's authenticity in future updates. Just up from the tranquil harbour, the landscape reveals the second additional helipad, strategically positioned yet discreet, enhancing the island's accessibility without disrupting its peaceful charm. Cami's custom autogen, brings to life the sparse settlements, lending a serene depth to the island's allure, highlighting its status as a quietly detailed haven far removed from the hustle and bustle of more commercial destinations. Night Lighting As dusk turns to night, the airport comes alive with an elaborate light display. The runway, terminal, surrounding buildings, and car park are all bathed in a brilliant glow. Beyond the airport, the autogen lighting and the lighthouse at the island's northern tip, ensures that the night is alive with light, contributing to the immersive experience. Performance During testing, I experienced no performance issues, with frame rates remaining high and stable across all areas, despite my system being midrange. This speaks volumes about the optimization of the scenery, providing an exceptional experience without compromising on detail. Conclusion Exploring Cami De Bellis' Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island scenery was an absolute delight, evoking fond memories of my visit to Greece. The rich foundation laid by the detailed mesh and photographic textures, combined with Cami's superb 3D modeling and texturing work, brings this scenery to life in a way that is both captivating and deeply immersive. The addition of animated 3D people and custom autogen only adds to the charm of this lovely little scenery package. It's not just the visual detail that impresses; the stability of performance despite the complexity of textures and objects ensures a seamless simulation experience. The inclusion of Linosa Island, with its distinctive volcanic landscape and quaint settlements, further elevates the overall appeal of the package. This scenery package is a testament to Cami De Bellis' exceptional skill in creating immersive X-Plane environments that are rich in detail and offer an unparalleled exploration experience, all at an asking price that represents significant value. In conclusion, for those in search of a scenery that not only embodies the atmospheric and realistic charm of Italy's southern islands but also offers a compelling escape into their serene beauty, Cami’s latest work might just be the perfect addition to your X-Plane collection, serving as the perfect excuse for a wonderful getaway. ________________________ LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island by Cami De Bellis is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here: LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island Priced at $18.90 Features Highly accurate scenery for LICD- Lampedusa Airport and Linosa Island with all buildings modeled. Over 160 custom objects all with Ambient Occlusion Custom Terrain Mesh for the entire island of Lampedusa and Linosa by Maps2XPlane Custom Overlay/Autogen Scenery based on CDB assets by Maps2XPlane" Photo real textures on buildings, vehicles, trees… Photorealistic ground textures based on a satellite image 50 cm. Detailed airport objects and GSE vehicles Custom textured taxiways, runways, and apron Custom surrounding buildings Custom airport lights HD Custom Overlay High-resolution building textures – all in 2K and 4K Excellent night effects World Traffic 3 compatible Native characters and vehicles created specially Ground traffic The terrain mesh is complemented with custom overlays: dense vegetation and country-typical autogen, as well as custom road networks with dynamic traffic. Two heliports, for those fans of helicopters. One at the beautiful Linosa Island, and the other on the US Loran Station Base. Requirements X-Plane 12 (not for XP 11) Windows, Mac, or Linux 8 GB+ VRAM Recommended Download Size: 2.7 GB Current version 1.0 (January 11th, 2024) Review System Specifications Intel i5 10400 – 32GB RAM - Nvidia Asus RTX 3060 – Windows 10 Home 64 Bit __________________________________ Scenery Review by Dominic Smith 23rd February 2024 Copyright©2024: X-Plane Reviews (Disclaimer. All images and text in this review are the work and property of X-PlaneReviews, no sharing or copying of the content is allowed without consent from the author as per copyright conditions).