With $150...

[Basilisk]

With a budget of around $150, which NZ upgrades would you buy?

I'm currently struggling to decide on which to buy first between the Red Baron upgrades and RealNZ, as they are both make such a difference over default.
I've done most of my flying VFR in light aircraft (VFR in a 747?) and using the real weather updates...which recently seems to mean pouring rain thus forcing me to keep low.
Seeing as I grew up in Rotorua I feel compelled to buy that one, and Malborough being my favourite part of the country also calls to me (My family own land in Anakiwa).
However with just the 75m freeware would I get the full value of the RealNZ sceneries?

Any advice would be appreciated ^^

[Alex]

Since Rotorua is nice 'n cheap, that would be a good one to buy. Which simulator are you using (9 or X)?

Alex

[Basilisk]

Oh sorry, fs9, I thought about fsx but decided I'd need a computer upgrade to run it well enough. So I thought about a computer upgrade but I think it's probably best to wait another year, then upgrade for fsx.

[Alex]

Oh cool, I personally would get the 20m mesh and topo, but the RealNZ sceneries will work mostly fine with the 75m mesh (but a few small bugs - e.g. in Rotorua the water 'runways' down by the lakefront are elevated above the lake).

If you are going for another RealNZ scenery, Wellington is really good. Maybe also something like Ground Environment from Flight1? (Although by then you'd just about be out of cash).

Mostly it depends where you fly most, whether you like photoreal or not, and if you'll notice the difference between 20m and 75m mesh etc.

Happy shopping.

Alex

[benwynn]

Marlborough and Wellington are the best in the package IMO

[Mattnz]

Marlborough and Wellington are the best in the package IMO

That's good to hear; I've just ordered both

[Charl]

Christian Stock laid the foundation for NZ VFR with his 20m mesh, topo, and landclass packages.
These are a must-have, especially if you later start adding Robin Corn's RealNZ sceneries.
Actually Robin has a nice intro over at Windowlight which also lists some freeware airports.
But the business at the moment is the Wellington+Marlborough pairing, along with some of the freeware AI planes and ships on offer.
What a playground!

[ardypilot]

Definitly get Redbaron's 20m mesh and combo package- it revolutionizes NZ simming.

See my The Long White Cloud Tour for screenshots and flight reports from all over the country using the scenery.

[Christian]

Hi Basilisk

I don't know exactly how much the RealNZ airports are, but with $150 you should be able to get my mesh + topo combo ($105, get it from www.geographx.co.nz) and 1 or 2 RealNZ airports. Does that make the choice easier?

Cheers,
Christian

[Basilisk]

Thank you everyone for your replies ^^

It looks like Mesh + Topo is the way to go, and I think I'll grab Malborough on top of it.
Seeing as it'll enhance the whole of New Zealand, a lot of which I haven't explored. It will also be useful for when I begin creating airports...(fingers crossed).