Ground Terrain Mods - Which is best?

[Heli Shed]

Hi all,

 

The amount of different Ground Texture Modifications (GTMs) out there currently for DCS World 1.5.5 Caucasus region is quite simply staggering. The amount of work gone into each one is extraordinary - congratulations to all.

 

That said, I wanted to compare what I perceived to be the most popular. Note, I said compare and not review - you are the reviewer - each to their own.

 

I decided upon, Starways 2.5, Mustangs 1.2 and Barthek's new v7.0.

 

I compared them all to a vanilla install, with no other mods - v1.5.5.

 

System settings are shown in the video - sound Db reduced - Jet noise gets a bit much after a while - if you want it, crank up the volume.

 

Go 1080, full screen - sit back and note the distinct and differing texture styles of each of the variations and make an informed choice of which one is for you. The date for all videos is 01st June. I think this is 'summer' (??)

 

Do, please, feel free to comment here or on the YouTube page - so....................which is your favourite?

 

Regards

 

'T'

 

3Dom3zBX0Y8

 

 

hVBI8wAYUos

Edited January 9, 2017 by Tyger

[flanker1]

great initiative!!! thank you for that. . . very interesting!

[grunf]

 

PS: Can someone remind me how to embed this video?

Put only 3Dom3zBX0Y8 in youtube tags. See below. You can quote the post to see how the code looks. :)

 

Nice video. :thumbup:

 

 

Edited January 7, 2017 by grunf

[Heli Shed]

Put only 3Dom3zBX0Y8 in youtube tags. See below. You can quote the post to see how the code looks. :)

 

Nice video. :thumbup:

 

 

 

Thanks man! it's been a while!

 

;-)

[uscstaylor]

Thanks very much for this. I think in my opinion that the best looking textures according to this video is Mustangs v.12, then Starway's 2.5, then Vanilla's and finally Barthek's GTM. Very nice vid man

[Heli Shed]

Thanks very much for this. I think in my opinion that the best looking textures according to this video is Mustangs v.12, then Starway's 2.5, then Vanilla's and finally Barthek's GTM. Very nice vid man

 

I'll try to pop something up here. A real time eater.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

'T'

Edited January 9, 2017 by Tyger

[Aviators]

Thanks ;)

[Torso]

Thanks. Some people have asked for comparison videos of the different seasons, but i really think that is not necessary. It is very clear which is the most realistic in my view - seasons are irrelevant - but again, my view only.

 

'T'

 

Hey just wanted to say thanks for doing this video. Really appreciated and very useful.

 

Torso

[Zarma]

The big question is, which one is the best for TGP use ?

[CHSubZero]

I prefer Barthek s GTM 6.5 because it looks best for planes and helicopters.

I also mixed in some files of Starway.and Mustang (Runways, trees, Buildings, borders) ;)

Edited January 8, 2017 by CHSubZero

[Mowgli]

Maybe just add a poll on this thread? the statistics can help everyone....

 

(Mustang's mod user on this end)

[Aviators]

i prefer starway :)

[unpilot]

Man I gotta say i like Vanilla the best.

 

I can appreciate the work that went into making these mods though!

[Chic]

I prefer Barthek s GTM 6.5 because it looks best for planes and helicopters.

I also mixed in some files of Starway.and Mustang (Runways, trees, Buildings, borders) ;)

 

I agree. B's 6.5 much better than 7.0.

SubZero's mix sounds perfect.

[CHSubZero]

I agree. B's 6.5 much better than 7.0.

SubZero's mix sounds perfect.

 

I can give you a link if you wanna try ;)

[Meiz]

I haven't tried Mustang's due to having to sign up to the 104th website to download it. I've tried the Starway and Barthek packs and feel like they both shine in different areas. To me Barthek's is much better down low, they just look sharper and a cleaner, Starway's look too blurred down low and at times just messy. Starways look much better up high, more detail, while Barthek's look a little plain up high. Obviously Starway's trees and buildings are also very nice.

 

To sum up, if I'm flying helicopters or in planes but down low i prefer Barthek's, if I'm flying high i prefer Starway's.

 

Edit: I used some words like messy and plain but I'm not trying to be insulting towards either of their work. Both are excellent mods, as i said they just shine in different ways.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Meiz

[Art-J]

You can download the latest version of Mustang's mod without signing up to 104th's, the recent links are at the end of this thread:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=133618&page=15

 

For comparison, I would add PicsKing's compilation v 2.2, which combines Barthek's GTM 6.5 (which I like better than 7.0) with objects/infrastructure from Starway and Mustang - sort of a "best of", which I've been using lately.

[Heli Shed]

You can download the latest version of Mustang's mod without signing up to 104th's, the recent links are at the end of this thread:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=133618&page=15

 

For comparison, I would add PicsKing's compilation v 2.2, which combines Barthek's GTM 6.5 (which I like better than 7.0) with objects/infrastructure from Starway and Mustang - sort of a "best of", which I've been using lately.

 

Picskings is a great mod but a Hybrid - trying to stay with a single 'modder' who owns the mod. That said, it is clear to me that some mods are much better in some areas than others. Perhaps a Hybrid is the way forward?

 

'T'

Edited January 9, 2017 by Tyger

[Heli Shed]

Initial post updated with Mountains video

[Goa]

Picskings is a great mod but a Hybrid - trying to stay with a single 'modder' who owns the mod. That said, it is clear to me that some mods are much better in some areas than others. Perhaps a Hybrid is the way forward?

 

'T'

 

hi where can I find pickskings mod?

[Chic]

I can give you a link if you wanna try ;)

 

Was hopin you would offer. Thanks loads man.

[Chic]

Picskings is a great mod but a Hybrid - trying to stay with a single 'modder' who owns the mod. That said, it is clear to me that some mods are much better in some areas than others. Perhaps a Hybrid is the way forward?

 

'T'

 

Last I checked, Picskings nice composite mod was broken by an update.

[CHSubZero]

Was hopin you would offer. Thanks loads man.

 

Try this: Map Caucasus SkinCompilation v2 by Domi

 

To remember:

• The link above is my personal mix of different Terrain Mods (Bartheks GTM 6.5, Starway, Mustang and my own work).
  
• Where possible I have re-saved the files from DXT3 to DXT 1 No Alpha format. This reduced the size of the files per 50% (e.g. noise_mount.bmp.dds from 80MB to 40MB).
  
• DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE THIS MOD
  

[ApoNOOB]

hi where can I find pickskings mod?

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=167780

 

Last I checked, Picskings nice composite mod was broken by an update.

 

How so? I have been using it in lates release update.

 

On topic: Great work and I also would like to see PMTC added to this! :)

[Kozmyk]

Good work on the comparison videos.

I'd say Starway's for low altitudes and buildings then a toss-up between Mustang's and Barthek's for mountains. Except that Mustang's mountains seem to be too snowy for June. Do Mustang's vary with the seasons ? Also the Mustang's vid seems blurrier than the others.

I'm currently using Picksking's.

The only part that was broken was the part that included Mustang's Tree Shadow mod.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Kozmyk