While flying in Infinite Flight, I noticed that northern Norway and especially the Svalbard region are completely missing snow coverage. In reality, this region remains covered in snow for most of the year, yet in the simulator, it appears as bare terrain. This significantly affects realism, and it is quite disappointing to see such a major oversight in an otherwise detailed flight simulator. We understand that Infinite Flight does not have dynamic seasonal changes. However, areas that are permanently covered in snow, or at least for the majority of the year, should be properly represented. Other locations in the simulator, such as Greenland and parts of Siberia, do have snow coverage. So why is Svalbard, a region that is almost always covered in snow, not properly modeled?
There could be a few reasons for this issue, but none of them justify this omission. If Infinite Flight relies on satellite imagery for its global map, perhaps incorrect or outdated data was used for this region. However, in services like Google Earth, Svalbard is always depicted as snow-covered. This should not be an excuse. Additionally, Infinite Flight frequently updates airports and 3D cities, but perhaps the global map itself is not being updated thoroughly. If updates are focused only on certain areas, then regions like Svalbard, which have lower traffic, may have been overlooked. Some might argue that snow-covered terrain may put extra load on the graphics engine. However, this does not seem like a valid explanation, as we can already see snow in various parts of the world. Svalbard is a remote area with very little impact on overall performance.
If this is an issue related to map updates, then developers should be aware of it and work on a fix. A flight simulator should not just focus on popular cities and routes but also provide an accurate experience for pilots who want to explore all corners of the world. I believe the Infinite Flight team should address this issue and take steps to correct it. If static snow can be added to Greenland, it should also be added to Svalbard, which is similarly covered in snow year-round. Is there any ongoing effort to fix this? Or has this region simply been ignored? I request that this issue be resolved and that more attention be given to global map accuracy in future updates. If other users also find this problematic, please support this issue and help bring it to the developers attention
At the moment, IF uses a global data source that only has 3D data between the 60 degree parallels. It is also rather outdated because it’s the same data that was used when global first came out. The reason they don’t switch at the moment is that it costs a lot to get a new data source, but you also then have to link it up with your running system to display it properly. Currently, the hope is that IF will be able to update more regularly using the METAL platform in the future. I know the devs have said several times that if a new source is available, they would definitely add it. Perhaps they can give a more concrete and precise answer to your specific problem about areas lacking snow, but I do know that we don’t have the most current satellite data for the reasons above.
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation! It really helped me understand how the current system works and the limitations regarding global terrain data. I understand that switching to a new data source is expensive and technically complex, and that integrating it with the existing system would take time. I truly appreciate that Infinite Flight is doing its best within these limitations. That said, I still hope that regions like Svalbard and northern Norway can be prioritized in future updates. These areas are covered in snow for most of the year in real life, and their current appearance in the simulator looks far from realistic compared to other snow-covered areas like Greenland. Even without dynamic seasonal changes, adding a static snow layer to high-latitude regions that are snow-covered year-round would significantly improve realism. For many users who enjoy flying to remote and less-traveled locations, this kind of detail would make a big difference in the overall experience. Thanks again, and I look forward to future updates with hope and excitement!
If i could wish for one thing in IF it would be to have 3D the Scenery above 60 degrees instead of it being completely flat. Would bring so much more realism for regions like Alaska, Canada, Norway, Russia and Greenland…
Agree so much, this should be a priority. The majority of Scandinavia lacks coverage which is disappointing as there are some amazing areas and approaches which are now just completely flat
