Is the Normandy map currently worth it?

I've been thinking of picking up the Normandy map for quite some time for a change of scenery. however i keep seeing people saying that it's incomplete and the performance is not great.

Is this still the case? i'm well aware that it's incomplete but i'm wanting to know what kind of performance hit to expect (which seems to be because of the trees). currently without v-sync on, im able to achieve around 90-100fps in Caucasus with my settings., sometimes dropping under 60 momentarily when rapidly looking around in forested areas

System specs that matter

i5 7600k @ 4.5Ghz (OC)

16Gb ram

GTX 1060 6Gb

installed on SSD

Is it worth it to pick up? i don't intend to fly it in MP so servers dont matter, or should i wait for an update?

I have it, and if I hadn’t read anything I wouldn’t know it was “unfinished” or had problems. Yes, there are few scenarios for it, but that’s not the maps’ fault.

Yes, imho it’s worth it.

The channel areas of the map are, of courser, fine.

On the land-side, the section of the map that is "complete" in southern england is very narrow. A number of towns and cities are missing, and the map dessolves down to repeating/ generic textures within a few miles of the coast in many areas.

The airfields are not historically laid out, and a number of major fields are missing entirely.

In France, the map is a bit of a mish-mash of different features from different dates. More of the map is complete in france, but in some locations there is a lot of "generic repeating land textures" which are well inside the map boundary.

The location and layout of the Advance Landing Grounds in particular, is anachronistic almost any way you look at it.

There remain some rather odd looking transitions (i.e.very brupt) between land-use types. Some features appear to have been laid over the top of base-map objects wirthout the base-map objects being realigned to acocmodate them naturally: i.e. a grid-pattern of fence lines/ hedges will just come to an arupt end at an odd angle as though the farmers living there had been farmign to hundreds of years without realising they were abutting a river. In other places though,this has been done extremely well though (i.e. the radial pattern of fields around Caen).

Some specific features (some forests) appear to have just been copy-and-pasted over multiple parts of the map, so you get to see the same bow-shaped forest again and again, sometimes in odd alignment with the surrounding landscape.

The absence of topography (which is realistic) exaggerate view/ draw distance unfortunately and you get a lot of distance shimmering and texture-tiling which you dont see on the Caucasus map. due to the mountains. At altitudes above about 4,000ft it can be quite distracting.

High-altitude clouds will just "pop" in sometimes after 5 or 10 minutes of flying. They don't seeem to load when you spawn on the map.. but suddenly render in over a clear blue sky after some time.

If you plan to spend your time flying below 1,000ft and keep to the normandy coast (say +/-20km from the channel coastline) then you'll not notice most of the above issues. You notice this stuff when you climb up, or when you decide to see more of the map beyond.

^ What philstyle said.

The only thing I'd add is that there are only a few concrete runways and they are not particularly long. As a result, some "long takeoff/landing" jets might struggle a bit. But it is certainly fine for the helicopters and the propeller aircraft.

Have to agree. Normandy is great for Helicopters and that is what I find myself using it for these days. Huey Missions.

^ What philstyle said.

 

 

 

The only thing I'd add is that there are only a few concrete runways and they are not particularly long. As a result, some "long takeoff/landing" jets might struggle a bit. But it is certainly fine for the helicopters and the propeller aircraft.

"The absence of topography (which is realistic) exaggerate view/ draw distance unfortunately and you get a lot of distance shimmering and texture-tiling which you dont see on the Caucasus map. due to the mountains. At altitudes above about 4,000ft it can be quite distracting.

"High-altitude clouds will just "pop" in sometimes after 5 or 10 minutes of flying. They don't seeem to load when you spawn on the map.. but suddenly render in over a clear blue sky after some time.

If you plan to spend your time flying below 1,000ft and keep to the normandy coast (say +/-20km from the channel coastline) then you'll not notice most of the above issues. You notice this stuff when you climb up, or when you decide to see more of the map beyond."

I wholeheartedly agree with all of this. Stay low, and it's pretty good. But up high, it's a bit like FSX. I always make sure I have clouds over head, too. Too bright green for my tastes, without them. The clouds give it a darker, more atmospheric look that I like.

Yes, the Caucasus map is more realistic. But I still do enjoy the Normandy area. And I'm having fun with Spitfire campaign.

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Yeah, it's currently worth it IMO. They must've done something since it actually runs great in the latest OB...