Posts Tagged ‘Plum Island’

We have received many requests to deliver our products on CD as well as on download. So finally I have started a modest ‘CD service’ for some of them. We’ll start with a ’special’ which ONLY available on CD: the Plum Island + Piper Cub Combo.

If you don’t have these wonderful products yet, then here’s a chance to get them BOTH at a REDUCED price, on CD!

We do not offer this combination for download and it is aimed specifically at those customers who find it a problem buying download products and for those who just prefer to have their software burnt on a CD.

We’re working on Vancouver for FSX next, and IYP will also be available on CD soon !

Bill Womack has published a small update to his recently released Plum Island title. This update addresses two problems with Plum Island. Users of FSX SP1 were experiencing a building crash when taking off from runway 10 or landing on runway 28 and the airport grounds at 2B2 changed to winter textures on Nov. 1, a month before the surrounding terrain.

  This update removes the crash box around the boat and trailer at the end of the runway, which resolves the SP1 building crashes. It also modifies the 2B2 airport grounds so that snow textures start on Dec. 1, as they do in the surrounding landscape.

The patch can be found on Bills site, and Plum Island is still available from FSAddon.com (now also on CD !) or simMarket.com.

Are your products DX10 compatible ?

No, most of them are NOT!
Although DX10 seems to be working nicely in some areas for the ‘happy few’ who can afford a super duper PC AND WIndows Vista AND a new graphics card, it is a ‘Preview Mode’, a demo, and not considered needed, or even desirable so far.

DX10 has some extra features that can ONLY be used when building brand new models from the ground up for FSX, running Vista (developer and user) and having DX10 compatible graphic cards.
So far only FEW users have that and even fewer add-on developers can afford the equipment and software needed. What’s more important, the market simply isn’t there yet.

So HERE’s THE DEAL:
Our products in general are NOT guaranteed to work in any other environment than SPECIFICALLY LISTED.
That means when we say it is ‘for FS9′ then that’s it, and it will not work in FSX. You may ‘assume’ most products have no problem with Windows Vista, but knowing this operating system, WE cannot guarantee it! We test it as much as we can, on as many systems and configurations as we can.. there is no guarantee.
If we state it will ‘run’ under FSX SP2 or Acceleration, then that’s what it will do. Nothing more, nothing less.
If we tell you it has been developed specifically as ‘native FSX software’, then it will not run in FS9. But it will still not necessarily have DX10 support….. we’ll TELL you when it has.

That hopefully were my last words on this cranky subject, until FS11 !
 

Plum Island does not show up in my FSX

We have seen this with a few beta testers and ONE customer so far.
For some reason it is caused by an incorrect entry for FSX in your registry. For some reason that happens with some people, we don’t know why of course and we doubt MS themselves know.
With some installation the required backslash at the end of the path in the registry is missing !

First of all, have you checked within FSX inside the Library to see if the entry for Plum Island is there? I bet it isn’t !

If it isn’t, then please first make sure Olum Island IS installed on your hard disk. You should find it within your FSX folder, something like:
  C:…..\Microsoft Simulator X\FSAddon\Plum Island\ .. etc.
Maybe on another disk, or in another folder, that depends on where you have installed FSX.

When you DO find it (and you should), then start FSX again and just add the entry manually through your Settings and Library  (click on Add new, browse to the folder where Plum resides, select it, and presto !).

Alternatively you can also run the installer again (!), and when it shows you the path of FSX where it plans to install Plum Island MAKE SURE it has a backslash at the end !!!! If it hasn’t, just add one yourself.

 

Is the Super Cub really FSX ?

That depends on what you mean with that.
In essence it is an FS9 aircraft model adapted to run in FSX.
So, NO, it is not an FSX model in that sense.
Will it run without trouble in FSX? Yup, unless you are one of the chosen few who elected to use DX10 demo mode.

That means that if you are an FSX user you can install the aircraft and it will run just fine (and provide a nice and slow platform for your VFR sightseeing tours). It is NOT a model made for native FSX with all the new bells and whistles attached that FSX-ONLY aircraft may have. And you can’t run it in DX10 Preview Mode. But since perhaps only 1% of all FSX users does currently anyway, we don’t feel that’s a major issue.
It also doesn’t COST as much as those aircraft typically do ;-)

And what about the twin Bobcat?

Now here’s a different story. Since Simon built his first commercial aircraft, the SuperCub, he learned a lot and put that to good use.
So the Bobcat T-50 is designed and built solely for FSX, runs under SP2 and Accell and works with DX10 demo mode as well.

 

 

In good PR fashion we can now announce that ‘we are happy, no, proud to announce’ … yadayadaya…

 

Seriously though, we ARE happy !!! After much hard work we can now finally put our feet up on the desk and bring you a new add-on for Flight Simulator X called Plum Island. It is the first of a new series of very highly detailed small sceneries designed by Bill Womack. The series is called ‘100 Dollar Burger’, with a wink to an existing real-life chain of small airfield reports.

Bill is well known for other commercial sceneries such as Freight Dogs, Dillingham on Hawaii and major parts of Tongass Fjords, and also for some excellent freeware sceneries such as Bear Gulch and RAF West Malling for RealAir and Reading Airfield in Pennsylvania made for the MAAM-Sim DC-3 title.

Plum Island’s small airfield (2B2) is situated near Newburyport, some 27 miles north of Boston along the Atlantic coast. The FSX version of it conveys the atmosphere of a small local field, often slumbering in the summer heat or laying deserted in the wintery cold. According to the Airnav pages aircraft operations average some 54 per week, so clearly not a busy airport, but instead the ideal companion for your VFR-loving GA aircraft!

FSAddon’s version for it is a ‘native FSX’ title and tested under Windows XP and Vista, and with FSX SP1, SP2 and Acceleration. It includes the airfield itself with abundant detail up to and including the field’s instructions hanging next to the entrance of the main building.

It also includes a wide area around the field including the town of Newburyport, the tidal flats from the river to the Atlantic, the beaches and the many holiday homes along the coast. This entire area is made using high-res aerial photos and painstakingly placed customized autogen houses and other objects.

Also included is a dedicated AI traffic file, a nice little manual in pdf format and last but not least a dedicated support forum on FSAddon’s web site.

The second best part of all this, next to the incredible detail and immersion the package brings you, is the price. Plum Island can be had for only $ 15, as an introductory price to the new series.

 

We have put it up for sale IN DOLLARS on our own site (click HERE), using the Flight1 wrapper software. We are also working on a CD version, for those of you who don’t like 280 Mb downloads, or just like to have some plastic in your hands!

The CD is estimated to cost $ 22, and that’s including shipping anywhere in the world.

If you rather buy from simMarket, that too is possible, then go here.

 

 

 

Title		Plum Island
Series		100 Dollar Burger
System		FSX only
Location		27 North of Boston, MA
Author		Bill Womack
Design		Native FSX
Tested on		XP, Vista (32 and 64), FSX SP, FSX SP2, FSX Accel. and DX10
PRICE		US$ 15

 

Plum Island is Bill Womack’s latest title for Flight Simulator, specifically made for FSX. This time Bill has made extensive use of aerial photos to add a true-to-life atmosphere to the landscape. On it he has meticulously placed autogen objects, so that this ‘photo-title’ is NOT one of the ’standard’ boring flat-looking wallpapers that so often result from using photos.

Plum Island’s small airfield (2B2) is situated near Newburyport, some 27 miles north of Boston along the Atlantic coast. The FSX version of it conveys the atmosphere of a small local field, often slumbering in the summer heat or laying deserted in the wintery cold. According to the Airnav pages aircraft operations average some 54 per week, so clearly not a busy airport, but instead the ideal companion for your VFR-loving GA aircraft!

He has also made not only the Summer textures, as again is usual for products like these, but rather has provided Winter textures as well, and night textures.
The BEST part of it all however is how he has been able to BLEND the phototexture with the default MS textures. You will have a hard time figuring our where Plum Island ends and default FS textures begin !

But that’s not all… Bill has added the very small airfield 2B2, aka Plum Island, in stunning detail, rendering it truly ‘as real as it gets’. Finding the field from the air is not easy, but once you do and land there, you can taxi up to the small FBO or fuel station, and fill your plane up.

You can ‘fill yourself up’ on one of the picknick tables in the shade of some trees, and chat with the airfield manager or one of the ‘resident’ pilots.

 

Here’s a quote from an e-mail to Bill Womack from one of our beta testers and residents of the area :

"……. Bill, the FBO at Plum Island, Steve Noyes, said not to make things look so real. After all, you didn’t have to show the rust on his tractors. The Director Don said you showed too much cracks in the runway. I told him they were real. He said, "I know, but…". You won over 3 converts to Flight Simulator. George Kelly, the Manager at 2B2, who bummed a computer from me. Mike Donahue a pilot from Plum Island airport and I think Victor Tine, the reporter that called you. He took to FSX like a baby after candy.
As far as I’m concerned, you’ve outdone Emma Field in realism. Thank you buddy. The next time you’re in Newburyport, I owe you a lobster dinner at Michael’s Harborside….".

 

 [polaroid=1]

 

 

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

 

 Below some more screenshots, many of them made by our friend and ‘resident screenshooter’ Nick Churchill.

 

 

And here some COMPARISON SHOTS…. default MS versus Bill Womack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you arrive late in the day and the sun starts to drop behind the horizon, the atmosphere is even more life-like than during day time….. notice the late sun rays glistening on the myriad of little waterways snaking through the marshes and wetlands in the estuary….

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise surprise !! You may find some ’stuff’ on the runway that you could do without…. like a FENCE !!!

 

 

And here are a bunch of Nick’s shots !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Hampered’ by family issues these past weeks and months productivity has lapsed of course. So now I am stuck all of a sudden with quite a number of projects, all vying for my attention. We have the Lysander of course, chugging away and making progress, but still quite a while from being finished. And then there is Plum Island, almost ready and we’re aiming to get it out the door this weekend !

Then there is a small mission pack I have still laying around, made by Ron Jeffers. Working on the installer as we speak. It is called Sandspit Missions. Further I am working with my friend Ruud Faber and another gentleman on a brand new series of missions. I’ll elaborate more on that when we’re a little further down the line and going beta.

And we have Garry J. Smith with a large set of wonderful liveries for 5 jet fighters. Working on the installer, screenies and product pages for that too!

What else? Ah yes, the template for the VA Web Sites is almost ready, so we’ll launch that upon return from France….. because Nina and I will make a second attempt to have a short holiday, after our regular vacation was so rudely interrupted a month ago.

Meanwhile, DO have a look at another set of great Plum Island  screenshots from our Screenshot Artist Nick Churchill, here on his web site.

We’re inching closer to the release of Bill Womack’s latest title; Plum Island. And to celebrate I have been flying around and shooting pictures….. check them out on our PREVIEW PAGE!
 

Plum Island is Bill’s latest title for Flight Simulator, specifically made for FSX. This time Bill has made extensive use of aerial photos to add a true-to-life atmosphere to the landscape. On it he has meticulously placed autogen objects, so that this ‘photo-title’ is NOT one of the ’standard’ boring flat-looking wallpapers that so often result from using photos.

He has also made not only the Summer textures, as again is usual for products like these, but rather has provided ALL SEASONS, and night textures.
The BEST part of it all however is how he has been able to BLEND the phototexture in with the default MS textures. You will have a hard time figuring our where Plum Island ends and default FS textures begin !

But that’s not all… Bill has added the very small airfield 2B2, aka Plum Island, in stunning detail, rendering it truly ‘as real as it gets’. Finding the field from the air is not easy, but once you do and land there, you can taxi up to the small FBO or fuel station, and fill your plane up.

You can ‘fill yourself up’ on one of the picknick tables in the shade of some trees, and chat with the airfield manager or one of the ‘resident’ pilots.

For those of you familiar with Emma Field and its thriving community…… this is Emma Field Material folks !!!

 

Plum Island is Bill Womack’s latest title for Flight Simulator, specifically made for FSX. This time Bill has made extensive use of aerial photos to add a true-to-life atmosphere to the landscape. On it he has meticulously placed autogen objects, so that this ‘photo-title’ is NOT one of the ’standard’ boring flat-looking wallpapers that so often result from using photos.

He has also made not only the Summer textures, as again is usual for products like these, but rather has provided ALL SEASONS, and night textures.
The BEST part of it all however is how he has been able to BLEND the phototexture in with the default MS textures. You will have a hard time figuring our where Plum Island ends and default FS textures begin !

But that’s not all… Bill has added the very small airfield 2B2, aka Plum Island, in stunning detail, rendering it truly ‘as real as it gets’. Finding the field from the air is not easy, but once you do and land there, you can taxi up to the small FBO or fuel station, and fill your plane up.

You can ‘fill yourself up’ on one of the picknick tables in the shade of some trees, and chat with the airfield manager or one of the ‘resident’ pilots.

 

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

 

 Below are a bunch of screenshots from our Beta Product…. the final product may differ some.

 

First of all the NAME of the new SERIES !

 

And here some COMPARISON SHOTS…. default MS versus Bill Womack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you arrive late in the day and the sun starts to drop behind the horizon, the atmosphere is even more life-like than during day time….. notice the late sun rays glistening on the myriad of little waterways snaking through the marshes and wetlands in the estuary….

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise surprise !! You may find some ’stuff’ on the runway that you could do without…. like a FENCE !!!

 

 

 

And to close this session off.. here are some shots at day time ……..

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you liked this little tour of the sleepy airfield, somewhere in New England. We’ll have more information for you soon.

Lets fly out of here in our own Super Cub…….. see you next time !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yup, good news at last! Bill Womack has been working hard (see his blog) and Plum Island is now ready for Beta testing. The Beta Team has been formed, the beta forum opened and we’re now all eagerly awaiting the first beta version to be uploaded! We expect this NOT to be a very lengthy process…… and we’re aiming at getting this product published during the Summer months still ! That’s especially for all of those poor souls who for one reason or other could NOT go on summer vacation this year!

Bill Womack is hard at work on his first airfield in a series of ‘reasonably priced’ small fields. It will be a series of fields all situated in New England. Although small and cheap you will see that the quality is extremely high….. You can feast your eyes on more screenshots below, but also follow the development ‘live’ on Bill’s blog !