For anyone wondering which of these is better, here’s a brief comparison between Samscene’s Dallas (from USA Modern Cities 3) and iBlueYonder’s Dallas (included with their KDAL airport).
Before installing either I thought Samscene’s would win hands down but, perhaps surprisingly, that’s not the case.
Firstly, the images (Samscene top, iBlueYonder bottom):
Personally, I think the buildings look more natural in Samscene’s but iBlueYonder’s are better quality, with higher resolution textures (particularly the AA Center and one of the bridges). iBlueYonder’s buildings can look a bit ‘cartoonish’ under certain daytime light conditions, though. At night, iBlueYonder’s looks more impressive but I’ve a feeling Samscene’s again looks more realistic. For the sheer number of hand-crafted buildings and structures, Samscene wins by quite a margin, because it offers extensive coverage rather than just downtown (which is basically the only area iBlueYonder enhances). Samscene have also modelled elevated roadways throughout the city.
Overall, either will increase the immersion when landing on one of KDAL’s 31 runways as the airport is only a couple of miles from downtown — and you pass virtually right over the city centre (particularly for 31L).
iBlueYonder’s KDAL is a great value package at the current MP sale price. The airport is nothing to write home about (it’s probably below average by mid-2024’s standards) but the city certainly looks quite pretty, especially at night. Likewise, USA Modern Cities 3 is currently on sale and presents four hand-crafted cities (including Dallas, obviously), all of which are in close proximity to their respective airports.
If I had to pick an overall winner, I’d have to give it to Samscene.