CFS3 and DX8.2

[Guest]

Rumors are that CFS3 will automatically install some sort of DirectX update that's being referred to as DX8.2. Can anyone who has installed CFS3 confirm this? I'm asking because, if it's true that DirectX is updated, and since the DX update probably can't be uninstalled, I'm not sure I want to load CFS3 until I know for sure what's going on.Trip

[Steve Cannell 4]

Hi TripI guess the rumers are true as my version is now:DirectX 8.2(4.08.02.0134)What bothers me though is I'm having all kinds of problems.Spot views look horrible, planes look like pasties and lots of ground shimmering. The mouse curser is locking up and even with a second install the sim has stutters and is freezing up.I'll re-install vid drivers and hope things get better. :-(Oh well, I've only had it a couple hours so I'll give it a couple more days before I come to any final conclusions. :-)SteveCYYZ

[Bob Familton 14]

CFS3 SUCKS! Yes it does install 8.2. I can't even get it to load with my GeForce3Ti500 card. It says my drivers are not supported even though they are WHQL accepted. What drivers are the other GEForce3Ti500 users using? If I can't get it to work it's going back for a full refund!

[Guest jase439]

Don't tell David Lee that. Sounds like he's had a bad enough day as it is ;-)

[ejoiner 21]

CFS3 does install Directx 8.2. I found it speeded up frame rates nicely on FS2002. Was an improvement for me. I now have SP1 and DX8.2 and both work well now along with Nvidias latest drivers.Im a beta tester for CFS3 and the gold disk showed up in my mailbox just 3 days ago. I was going to post about this a couple of weeks ago, but didnt because I thought it might violate my NDA. Now that its gold and this thread appeared, think its prolly alright to confirm this 8.2 dx is good news for FS2002!Eric

[Steve Cannell 4]

Hi BobI have now tried several drivers and none make any differance. :-(Soon after I get into any combat it freezes requiring reboot.Engine sounds are crackling and the ground texture shimmering is just pathetic.Of coarse others may find it works for them but I would recommend to those that want to give it a try, atlest buy it somewhere you can exchange it.I don't think I need a couple days to evaluate this mess.I give up and am taking mine back tomorrow.SteveCYYZ

[Guest jase439]

Just the same, I think I'll be steering clear until the product is patched. Too many opening-day horror stories for me!

[Guest Tim13]

Well, no horror story here. I have a lower end system AMD 1gig, 256ram, GF2Pro64mb and get OK performance. I have to turn down some detail sliders, but overall I'm very happy with the game. The clouds/atmosphere is second to none. Screen shots do not do the clouds justice.Right now I'm just feeling the game out, but unless something really ugly crops up, it was 39 bucks well spent.The only thing that I don't like so far is that the spot view has the FLY/FLY2 "fish eye lens" feel to it. Other than that, no complaints so far after about 4 hours with it.Tim13

[Guest]

Thanks, I hadn't noticed the coupon, so yes only 39!No freeze ups or flashing ground here, very reliable.All sliders max, shadows ON, reflections ON.1024 x 768 x 16f.p.s 15 - 25Albatron brand GeForce4 TI 4200 128 MB.P3 1000 MHz.512 MB PC 133 RAMWin 98SE Nvidia 40.72 drivers.SB Live! 5.1Using a 511 MB minimum but no maximum swapfile. Why not 512 min/512 max? Because Norton's "optimize performance" wizard told me to :)CFS3 has its own dedicated HDD partition.--------------------Below entrance level junk computers run CFS3 swell!High Priced up to date systems crash it!== WHK ==

[Bob Familton 14]

When it aborts I ran the CFSConfig program in the CFS3 folder. It says I have a Nvidia GeForce3 Ti500, 69420-442-6660152-00254, 4.10.0.1998. I looked at the configdata file and searched for Nvidia. I found that if the driver was less than 4.13.1.2883 it would give the message that the driver was unsupported.I edited the line to read 4.10.0.1998. Then it ran OK but locked up after I tried to set 1024x768x32. This abortion SUCKS!!!!! I have no idea how it identifies my driver as 4.10.0.1998. I searched the registry for this and did not find it. DXDiag says it is 4.13.1.2183 which is WHQL certified. Unless I can fix it fast it's going back to Slick Willie Gates very fast. I also don't like the idea that the CD has to be in the drive to run the darn thing. The CD will get worn out or scratched very quickly. Just putting it in and out of the cheap cardboard holder they put them in will scratch them if you are not careful. If we ever get the problems fixed I hope some smart programmer will develop a No-Cd patch. I paid $49.95 for it.

[Guest]

Hi Bob,Sorry to say, but stuff like you describe just drives me nuts. Does the documentation say anything about WHQL certification or that it matters to the game? No, of course not. What they say is get the latest drivers - which are usually WHQL certified too.*Many* drivers are WHQL certified - that doesn't mean they have the latest support for the latest games or are the *best* in any way. It simply means when they were released MS certified them to run properly - AT THAT TIME. In your case, the 21.83's are older than stone: in Nvidia driver age. Later drivers are released for a reason, Bob... To add in support for the latest games, fix bugs for older games, tweak for performance, etc. That they may be slower or faster (by usually un-noticeable margins at that) is really irrelevant: fixes for game compatibility across a wide variety of systems and software is the major reason.Your solution to your "problem" in this case is simple, of course. Download the latest WHQL certified driver from Nvidia as the documentation asks you to do (v30.82 at the time of this writing) and the "problem" you are having goes away. If you don't want to do that for what ever personal reason you have fine: simply return the game. But in this instance, blaming a game company for a problem because *you* want to keep using older drivers for whatever reason is crazy.Sorry to rant, but as I said, user created problems like this simply drive me nuts.Good luck,Elrond"A musician without the RIAA, is like a fish without a bicycle."

[Guest]

Man, the gall of Microsoft at times (many times) is simply unbelievable.Can you imagine the firestorm that would be created if any other game publisher in the world silently patched DirectX behind your back to make their own game compatible? I mean really: its a new version, with untested compatibility on an extremely wide variety of systems. Microsoft would go through the roof if any other company did this to their Windows files, and end users too. Very rightly so.Sadly, its just another example of monopoly power and arrogance at work. Regardless of any game's greatness or problems, this singular practice alone should be wholly unacceptable.Take care,Elrond"A musician without the RIAA, is like a fish without a bicycle."

[Guest]

Thanks to all who responded. I was afraid that such was the case with the undocumented DirectX update. Your input combined with, as Elrond has said, the arrogance of MS has led me to leave CFS3 on the shelf at my local EB. Sigh...Trip

[Guest Matt Johnson]

As far as I can see, it is only the DirectPlay elements which are "DX8.2". My Direct3D components are still DX8.1b vintage.--M

[Guest Lobaeux4]

Where can you get directx 8.2? Only on the CFS3 disk? I went to Microsoft's webpage, can't seem to find it there.Thanks,Lobaeux