General Question Best Addons

[Rob]

Hi guys.

I want to visually upgrade the Orbiter Sim so that it looks as realistic as possible. I'm after good quality close ups of Earth when you zoom in plus good visual backdrops of the stars to view while in Space, plus any other visual enhancements that will increase the visuals of this already great sim.

Anyone help?

Cheers

Rob :thumbup:

 

[Spacethingy]

Hello Rob, welcome to Orbiter! :tiphat:

Personally, I love these level 10 moon textures - I didn't appreciate quite why Brighton Beach was called so before!
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4308"]http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4308[/ame]

These surface tiles for Brighton Beach add a level of quality too.
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2437"]http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2437[/ame]

The forum has a "recommended addon list" here: http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

 

[Rob]

Excellent. Thanks for those. Off to work now so will dive deeper into this tomorrow.

Quite excited about this. Been after a good Space Sim for ages.

 

[Tex]

There is already a celestal sphere background with Orbiter 2010-P1 and you can see lots of recommended addons here:

http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

 

[Izack]

First, take a look at this page:
http://downloadorbitersim.com/?page_id=42

This is a very good-looking celestial background by DagoO:
[ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4799"]Realistic background[/ame]

McWgogs has made many modifications to Orbiter's textures:
http://www.orbithangar.com/searchauth.php?search=mcwgogs
Be warned that many of these are now obsolete.

Personally I'd recommend the SSME and Shuttle RCS textures from this:
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=1096"]New Exhaust Textures 1.2[/ame]
But not exhaust.dds. Orbiter 2010's default exhaust looks very nice by itself.

[ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2379"]Orbiter Atmospheric Visual Enhancement V3[/ame] looks very good on Earth, but mucks up the atmospheres of other planets.

There are untold dozens of other scenery addons floating around. Try this:
http://orbithangar.com/search.php

Finally, there is a great list of recommended probe:-approved) addons here:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

 

[Rob]

I'm after Saturn 5 with full Stage separation plus does Orbiter have stage burn ups built in or is their an addon for it?

 

[Wishbone]

AMSO is currently your best bet.

 

[Xyon]

The two main contenders for Apollo simulations are AMSO and NASSP. Both are a different experience, but arguably for the better graphical experience, AMSO is your choice, while NASSP offers a more "realism-focussed", checklist-following switch-flipping mission. NASSP is currently in beta and they're only focussing on Apollo 7 for the moment, while AMSO will take you all the way to the moon and really requires you to do very little.

I would say AMSO is simpler, if Apollo missions could be considered simple, while I thoroughly enjoy flicking switches in the CM in NASSP. I have both, which is perhaps best because choosing between them wholly depends on what mood I'm in.

Both simulate fully a Saturn V rocket staging and AMSO will allow you to run a full mission including transposition, docking, and extraction of the LM - Last I tried, NASSP's LM was somewhat broken, but I think you can still separate it and pull it out (And following the checklist to allow you to do that is much fun ).

NASSP also has a QuickStart level of difficulty wherein the checklists can be followed automatically, but I don't use that so often as to be able to comment on it.

 

[Izack]

And [ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3389"]Velcro Saturns[/ame] if you want to use the vehicle for other purposes, too.

 

[Rob]

The two main contenders for Apollo simulations are AMSO and NASSP. Both are a different experience, but arguably for the better graphical experience, AMSO is your choice, while NASSP offers a more "realism-focussed", checklist-following switch-flipping mission. NASSP is currently in beta and they're only focussing on Apollo 7 for the moment, while AMSO will take you all the way to the moon and really requires you to do very little.

I would say AMSO is simpler, if Apollo missions could be considered simple, while I thoroughly enjoy flicking switches in the CM in NASSP. I have both, which is perhaps best because choosing between them wholly depends on what mood I'm in.

Both simulate fully a Saturn V rocket staging and AMSO will allow you to run a full mission including transposition, docking, and extraction of the LM - Last I tried, NASSP's LM was somewhat broken, but I think you can still separate it and pull it out (And following the checklist to allow you to do that is much fun ).

NASSP also has a QuickStart level of difficulty wherein the checklists can be followed automatically, but I don't use that so often as to be able to comment on it.

Thanks

Do you have a link for these addons or are they payware programs separate from Orbiter?

 

[Tex]

Thanks

Do you have a link for these addons or are they payware programs separate from Orbiter?

Once again - http://www.orbiter-forum.com/addons.php

NON-FICTIONAL SPACECRAFT

• AMSO Apollo Addon - by ACSoft
• NASSP Project Apollo - by estar

 

[Izack]

AMSO

NASSP

EDIT: :ninja:'d by Tex 3 minutes ago. >.>

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Thanks

Do you have a link for these addons or are they payware programs separate from Orbiter?

I don't think payware would be legal for Orbiter, being freeware and all.

Darren

 

[Spacethingy]

Ah, the great "who sold Orbiter?" scandal of '10...
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=15633&highlight=orbiter+sale&page=3

One more much-loved addon is CamShake. It makes Virtual Cockpits even cooler.
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4775"]http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4775[/ame]

 

[Urwumpe]

Tex: Are you sure Project Apollo is by estar? I think the NASSP team consists of more and different people...

 

[Frogisis]

Pretty much anything on this site: http://www.orbiterfrancophone.com/index.php?disp=addons
Especially the ESS station, Phoenix/Pegasus CTV-ATV setup, and Galactic Map 3D. I don't think Orbiter Francophone gets enough love.

 

[Tex]

Tex: Are you sure Project Apollo is by estar? I think the NASSP team consists of more and different people...

Is he not the head of the project? I realize lots of people worked on it though.

 

[DaveS]

Is he not the head of the project? I realize lots of people worked on it though.

No. Estar only did Mercury and Gemini. NASSP is primarily headed by movieman and Tschachim.

 

[Tex]

Ah, thanks Dave. My mistake, I'll fix that right now. :tiphat:


EDIT - And that's done. My apologies Tschachim & movieman!

 

[Ripley]

...One more much-loved addon is CamShake. It makes Virtual Cockpits even cooler...

Note that CamShake must be deactivated with AMSO, since its functionality is already included in it.
You can find it in the documentation.