Someone made the WTC Twin Towers for MSFS…
Dear readers, as I write these words, I’m still unsure how I feel about this… You see, someone dared to bring the World Trade Center Twin Towers back to the New York City landscape in Microsoft Flight Simulator. They are beautiful, impressively detailed outside and even inside, and majestic in their nostalgic and… tragic symbolism…
ROPROD Audiovisual brings us this payware rendition of the iconic Twins, hoping to resurface good spirits for simmers who have fond memories of the towers and loved what they represented. Inevitably, this will also bring plenty of sad memories to so many people…
It’s easy to understand why we can feel so convoluted about this new release. Some will undoubtedly dismiss this as a tasteless cash-grab… while others will appreciate the feeling of flying over a realistic 1999 NY skyline, seeing the imposing towers with their own eyes in the stunning rendition of the city in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
No matter how you feel about this new add-on, the developer did a fine job re-creating these towers. They are modeled to the standard they deserve in MSFS, with a realistic and well-textured 3D model and impressive interiors in an office room on the North Tower 106th floor.
The question is: how should we feel about a scenery customization with a psychological significance such as this? Is there a place in MSFS for this kind of product? Or is this subject too sensitive to make money out of it?
I honestly have no answers at this point, but the platform is a sandbox, and no one is being forced to install anything they don’t want.
If you can handle it, World Trade Center Twin Towers is now available for $9.99. Owners of SamScene3D’s New York City Times, beware because the two products don’t seem to be incompatible with each other.
UrgentSiesta
LOVE IT.
Spent many days/evenings right there and near by.
1st night of my honeymoon was in a hotel literally across the street – just a few months before the attack.
I prefer it THIS way.
(There’s also a freeware somewhere on flightsim.to)
Manuel Jarry
I think that there will always be people having bad taste about this. Back when the Twin Towers were released on flightsim.to, the comments had jokes about it but people seemed mostly respectful.
Lynx
I was on Top of the World on the South Tower on September 9, 2001. If you want this nice model as part of your New York skyline as a memorial, that’s your world. Every minute of my time at the Trade Center IRL continues to be a part of mine.
IvanTheNotSoBad1
I appreciate the sensitivity and reflection that were taken announcing this product. I have a personal history with 9/11 and I will find it very difficult to appreciate this scenery fully, but I’m excited the option is there (payware and freeware alike). Flight simming has a long history with the Twin Towers and flying between the towers was literally one of the first few things you did on a sim.
Archer374
I have no problem with the symbolic issues. Also the quality seems well enough.
But I still think it IS a cash grab. Basically you get a handful of buildings for the same price or slightly less than other reknowned developers – like Orbx and SamScene – offer you a whole cityscape. Also for that price the textures could have at least shown some weathering and damage. The buildings look much too knew and artificial and don’t blend in well in colour with the surrounding photogrammetry. So despite the little extra features I don’t think it’s worth 10 bucks.
r3m0v3b4fl1ght
It’s hard to ignore the symbolism of the WTC. It’s just an addon – and looks nice and all – but… man it’s weird seeing it so unexpectedly… I do like the fact that some will install it, because of nice memories.
RobM
I don’t get it-maybe its me but tune into any tv/movie that was produced in NY before 9/11 and well there ya go. The Towers were iconic symbols of the skyline. So every show or movie that was done before that devastating day now your going to avoid???? Got this bad boy when released. I’ll take the Twin’s over whats there now…..(tho an memorial park is what should’ve been built on that sacred ground IMO-not to get political…..).
R3M0V3B4FL1GHT
@ROBM – it’s not so much avoiding them. You’re right, of course, with what you say. It’s just, that it is to be expected, that an addon like this polarizes. For some more, for others less. I guess anyone alive and remembering that day has a personal stance towards that topic and how to approach it.
The User
I think things like this, as much as people can use them for tasteless purposes, are a nice thing to attempt to bring back your flight sim world to what some may consider a better time. I think historical “immersion” products like this certainly have their place, and I hope more products like this are released, backdating the world a bit, for those who would like to imagine flying in the recent past.
3CBC3
As mentioned many times before this is certainly very bad taste. Have a little respect ROPROD Audiovisual. Think before you jump.
Paul
I don’t see how anyone could be upset about this. Sure, if they were to add it in an update that would affect everyone’s game, I could definitely see a bunch of Karens boycotting it, but it’s not part of the game. It’s independent software that someone can incorporate with MSFS that doesn’t affect anybody else’s experience. If I put pornhub as my homepage, nobody is going to run to google complaining about it being of poor taste. Yer damn right it’s poor taste. Skeet skeet skeet in your eye.