After buying a replacement computer and now getting FSX installed, I realized how much work I have put into FS9 to make it how it was.Well time to educate myself on the ways of FSX!For as much as I can I would like to do this the freeware way.1. Weather is really important to me in the sim as it is a huge factor on where and how I choose to go. I use the sim as a dry run an hour before some of my real world flights so I would like my weather downloads to be as accurate as possible. What is the best weather program for FSX? I had Active Sky for FS9 and really liked it but I see there is also REX for FSX. How do the two differ and does one get free updates while the other you have to purchase updates (I couldn't find this on either website.)2. The ground textures are horrid. I forgot how bad they were when flying around the Northwest US. I didn't know I lived in the most arid desert in the world! :( What would be the best way to go about this? New landclass or textures? 3. Last but not least is the AI. I've been reading that this is different then FS9 by quite a bit. How about the airports are there still AFCAD type files you can use? What is the best way to add AI files to the system? I need all the advice I can get! Any links to previous post our tutorials would be great!

Well for weather I am still using AS6.5, works great in FSX. REX2 comes with a weather engine also, but haven't tried it yet. FEX is just textures.Actually IMO the ground textures are light years above FS9's default ones, but yes, you can either get a landclass file to switch out the desert or get GEX. Another option is Tileproxy which gives you photoreal scenery as you fly. You'll find that FSX can display a much higher resolution on textures than FS9 could.For AI (and scenery enhancments) you'll want ADE http://www.downloadcenter.scruffyduck.org.uk/ similar to AFCAD but much more powerful. if you have old FS9 style flightplans there is a tool that can convert them to FSX format, but I can't remember where I saw it.hope that helps and welcome to the club!!

ASA is the best weather tool around If you want nice airport and water textures , REx is the best, REX weather is either buggy or too confusing to understand how to use. But the textures are easy to use.I use ASA weather and REX textures. If you want traffic UT2 or TrafficX. UT2 has better looking AI models , but you get smoother ride with TrafficX.Let folks know spec of your new system so they can give proper advice.

Thanks for the adviceMy last computer died so I don't have any of my FS9 files :( So I don't know how to get active sky on the new computer with no keyThe new system:Processor Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550(2.83GHz)Memory 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 800Hard Drive 500GB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 7200RPM HDDOptical Drive 1 22X DVD

I think you won't be able to take FSX seriously without dropping some cash somewhere along the line.I recently did the same move up from FS9.Opinions will vary but I use REX2.0 now for weather. It just seems a bit more integrated and those "jerky" instant weather changes I got with ASX are now gone. Global ground textures are still in their infancy for FSX. At the moment you have available - FTX for Australia and then only I believe GEX for USA currently nothing else (?)If you're practicing for RW flights then maybe as someone suggested Tileproxy would be good for you as you can see all your VFR landmarks etc.Lastly AI. I have never believed in paying for AI that's out there for free like World-of-AI, which is hard to top in my opinion. Take that 50 bucks for UT2 and buy GEX.

Ok I'll have to get back into tileproxy and see how that works again.As for World of AI I heard that it is only for FS9.

I can only give an opinion on what I use and am happy with. REX for weather and textures together, UTX to put things (e.g. roads) in the right places, and GEX to make the tiles better. I use Traffic X for my AI.

There's a loop?!?!Why am I always last to find out?!?!?

Ok I'll have to get back into tileproxy and see how that works again.As for World of AI I heard that it is only for FS9.

No WOAI works fine in FSX, so long as you don't use DX10, which will cause other problems like texture flashing if you do. DX9 mode works fine!! Check out my youtube videos, which I use WOAI in.http://www.youtube.com/user/tf51d

As for World of AI I heard that it is only for FS9.

WOAI will work in FSX. There is a date issue on flightplans, FS9 v. FSX. What you can do is install the WOAI packages and traffic.bgl files, then use AIFP by Don Grovestine to batch convert the files to FSX format. Replace the traffic files and you've got a good freeware AI setup. Quick and easy tool to use.

Another thing I forgot to ask, is there an edit voicepack type of program available? I feel like everyone is in slo-mo on the radio.

Another thing I forgot to ask, is there an edit voicepack type of program available? I feel like everyone is in slo-mo on the radio.

Yes it's still in public beta, but you can get it on their wiki development page, just Google FS Edit voicepack! It's what I use!

Yes it's still in public beta, but you can get it on their wiki development page, just Google FS Edit voicepack! It's what I use!

Haha I should have known that.Well I am having trouble with the .net framework for WoAI. All the versions I have tried downloading say they are not compatible with a 64bit system :( And every time I try to use the installer I get an error code.

ASA for weather. REX and GEX for textures--will transform the sim!

Sorry for my continuous rambling.Did the manual extract for the WoAI and it works nicely :( Now on to update all the airport parking spaces!