Already herehttp://www.flightsimstore.com/product_info...roducts_id=1046I'm now waiting for thre 1cm/pixel stuff, LOL.While I love FSX, I'm with Jimmy on wanting to see what ACES could have done with new more modern code.

Interesting with the hopes of a "modern" code which I am sure it would have occured that Lockheed Martin just announced using Esp as well as several serious training sims I saw at Oshkosh this summer.

Interesting with the hopes of a "modern" code which I am sure it would have occured that Lockheed Martin just announced using Esp as well as several serious training sims I saw at Oshkosh this summer.

Unfortunately, the Lockheed Marting licensing agreement of ESP specifically excludes any "entertainment" application.But we can only hope that there will be a trickle back effect for Microsoft to seep into THEIR "entertainment" application?

To support Andre's assertation...A recent quote from an FS9 user.If Sesquashtoo's 'high' is anything to go by, then in just two years FSX is already "there"...and Sesquashtoo still has Orbx's FTX scenery to look forward to. That scenery is sure to put a further 'wow' into his current 'wow'. Sort of like eyes rolling backwards and falling backwards of your chair while still firmly holding the joystick...Think you can handle it Sesquashtoo ? :( :) ------------------------------------------------Terry, took up your challenge...and downloaded the Demo Au Blue region. Two words....HOLY ....! Quite fabulous to say the least! Definitely, scenery to populate stock FSX's Australia with... :)Terry

I fully agree :( Sesquashtoo, you haven't seen anything yet until you've tried the free FTX AU Blue Tasmania demo.You are in for a treat :(

Hello, Jean-Paul,Just downloaded the demo, am flying right now. Just came here to post that it is most impressive...and looks like a clearance to spend more dinaros....lol. My wallet is getting that light-headed Christmas Glow workout. Doesn't seem to weigh as much...these last few days...lol!Mitch

Hello, Jean-Paul,Just downloaded the demo, am flying right now. Just came here to post that it is most impressive...and looks like a clearance to spend more dinaros....lol. My wallet is getting that light-headed Christmas Glow workout. Doesn't seem to weigh as much...these last few days...lol!Mitch

If Australia is a little far for you, then the FTX forum suggests FTX Pacific North West is due out soon. It goes up as far as Chilko Lake North. Oh and don't worry about your wallet feeling a little light. Mine defies gravity all the time :( Merry Christmas MitchTerry

I know all of this, and it saddens me. It saddens me because I know my computer can't handle it well enough. I hope that when I buy a new computer (in two years) I will have the performance people here talk about. Until that time, I will have to stay with FS9. Not because I think it's so great, but because it's there I can fly a Boeing 747 into EHAM without FPS dropping to 4...

If Australia is a little far for you, then the FTX forum suggests FTX Pacific North West is due out soon. It goes up as far as Chilko Lake North. Oh and don't worry about your wallet feeling a little light. Mine defies gravity all the time :( Merry Christmas MitchTerry

----------------------------------------------------------------------Thank you, Terry. Merry Christmas to you and yours! I looked at all the offerings, and did decide to buy the PNW as soon as it is released. I like very much flying around the Vancouver area...and can see this as a true must purchase. BTW, keeping my scenery sliders at what I always fly anywhere else in North America...in flying the Au Blue demo...gave my i7 quite a workout! I was hitting some 15-17's! I have everything cranked, except for Mesh set to 10M and NO BLOOM. Au Blue was pretty life-like at those peg marks. I do recommend the Water Configurator Editor as you can dial in very life-like renderings. I feel that this is an FSX should-have!Mitch

I know all of this, and it saddens me. It saddens me because I know my computer can't handle it well enough. I hope that when I buy a new computer (in two years) I will have the performance people here talk about. Until that time, I will have to stay with FS9. Not because I think it's so great, but because it's there I can fly a Boeing 747 into EHAM without FPS dropping to 4...

Yeah I know how you feel Benjamin. My PC is a piece of crapola compared to Mitch's but hey you gotto work with what you have. If it's any consolation, FSX may be the last we see of this simulator in its current form so no new sim is going to come out in those two years before you replace. With all the 3rd party add-ons to the FSX world in the next two years and your purchase of an up spec comp at that time...you will be in for a real treat! Even Mitch will be envious. :(

I know what you mean when sometimes FSX looks so real that you can not imagine it possible to get much better, especially in Beautiful British Columbia. They don't call it SuperNatural for nothing! I had the same sensation flying in Australia with FTX this week and took some screenshots. As you can see I grew some sea legs along with my wings :)FSX Screenshots Early Morning Arrival at Coffs Harbourhttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259796193.jpgWhere's Valet Parking?http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259868759.jpg Special Visitor at Coffs Harbour Jettyhttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259802016.jpg Bird and Ship Watching at Muttonbird Island Nature Reservehttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259847589.jpg ANZUS Task Force in Line Astern led by HMAS Sydney http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259853366.jpgUSCGC Chase and HMAS Sydney during maneuvers off Coffs Harbour http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259855491.jpgAfternoon Aerobatic Show - Tail Standhttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259803484.jpg Dizzy! I'm so Dizzy My Head is Spinning, like a Whirlpool it Never Ends...http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259828032.jpgNegative G'shttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259809152.jpgIn the Loop http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259799551.jpg Final Approachhttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259863910.jpg Taking Off on Evening Joyridehttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259872354.jpgAirport Rush Hour as Pilots get Ready to Head for Home http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259780563.jpg Looks like They are Playing Tonighthttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259798268.jpg Staying Late?http://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259862015.jpgAustralian Sunset from 12,000 Feethttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259814862.jpg The Perfect End to a Perfect Day in Coffs Harbourhttp://www.fsfiles.org/imagehost/uploads/1259841593.jpg Let's not stop here but make FSX even better and better!Stephen

Fantastic shots Stephen. Really liked the early morning arrival shot. Tell me, is the white water on the crest of the waves an FSX setting or is it FTX artistry for that area?Terry

Fantastic shots Stephen. Really liked the early morning arrival shot. Tell me, is the white water on the crest of the waves an FSX setting or is it FTX artistry for that area?Terry

Hi Terry,Thanks for liking the sreenshots! Actually the water colouring near the airport, just below the wing of the 767 is part of the FTX Coffs Harbour scenery but the white water wave crest is the sparkling effect wave animation by REX. If you look at the shots of the two ships in formation and the L-39 on final, you will see the same thing. Altogether, FSX, REX and FTX make a convincing alternate reality that almost competes with the real thing, although none have found a way of putting white sand between your toes on those gorgeous beaches. :( I understand that a number of people are lobbying ORBX to do New Zealand next, after they release Canada's and America's Pacific Northwest which is due any day now. I can only imagine what they could do with the incredible beauty that many of us saw for the first time in the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. In any case, as the original poster of this thread so enthusiastically pointed out, with the right add-on software, FSX has come of age, light years ahead of where it started from. The long cherished dream of having butter smooth performance in a realistic environment has finally become a reality. Stephen

....but the white water wave crest is the sparkling effect wave animation by REX.

Wow, I gotto get me some of that! :( Of course I 've seen you over at the FTX forums Stephen so you are probably already aware of this, but for those who are not; John Vehema of FTX has just announced his region developments for 2010 and NZ is now declared one of them. (great things come in small packages :( ). It looks like either Alaska or maybe another Canada/US combo region will also get the nod for 2010. Going back to the original post..this just gets better!Terry

I'm presently in a flight over the Trans-Canada Highway, eastbound, and two hours out from Vancouver, flying at 2,500 just off of the highway below me. I would welcome FS 11 with open arms (or someone who would step up to the plate with their own betterment...) when it comes, BUT...I could also stay with FSX if that was the final version. With a computer platform that delivers fast and clear graphics, FSX is stunning! As I come around each bend of the highway below me...the mountains frame me into the valleys as they reveal themselves...with SUCH BELIEVABILTY. Such believability! I know that this is a computer program designed to SIMULATE the real world...but there are times as I fly over a mountain swell, and once more spot my visual navigational reference (the highway below with traffic)...that I find myself holding my breath...or letting it out slowly...just RELISHING the absolutely BEAUTIFUL graphics FSX is capable of. With GEXnhanced, combined with UTX USA/CANADA, and GEX Europe with its UTX Europe compliment....there are years upon years of scenery...well..the world to fly over at VFR and just so enjoy the beauty of it. Not repeated graphics over and over, tiled in that truly makes a feel of a computer GAME...no...but software that tries as best (and with success!) as able to simulate real-world terrain at any x/y coordinate of the living world. FSX delivers that, that FS9 and earlier renditions can't even begin to come along side of.... FS9 is for FPS performance. FSX is for immersing simulation of the world as you fly above it!What a wonderful thing...and I am so grateful that we now have this sim...being powered by technology that can bring this wonderment out. We will always welcome greater fps, greater technological performance....but with a high-end i7 based system, that world and performance is at a level that can be seen by constant, average 30 fps and beyond. Wonderful...simply, simply wonderful!Back to that mountain valley...and the sheer pleasure of this hobby as it stands on Dec 1/2009!Cheers,Mitch'er

I agree with you completely Mitch'er. The i7 kicks with FSX and, for me it is very smooth also. I don't think you really need more than 30FPS to keep it smooth, but much of the time I'm getting 50 and over.With addon scenery, the FSX world is extremely beautiful and realistic. I believe REX has also been one of the greatest environment enhancers for me, but definately UTX and GEX too. Also all of the photo terrain like VFR Germany, Austria Pro and Switzerland Pro are all amazing and especially around the Alps, which is breathtaking. They take a lot of hd space, but they are worth it.Once it is setup just right, it is hard to see simming any better than FSX. It fills the need for now anyway. :( Bob

I agree with you completely Mitch'er. The i7 kicks with FSX and, for me it is very smooth also. I don't think you really need more than 30FPS to keep it smooth, but much of the time I'm getting 50 and over.With addon scenery, the FSX world is extremely beautiful and realistic. I believe REX has also been one of the greatest environment enhancers for me, but definately UTX and GEX too. Also all of the photo terrain like VFR Germany, Austria Pro and Switzerland Pro are all amazing and especially around the Alps, which is breathtaking. They take a lot of hd space, but they are worth it.Once it is setup just right, it is hard to see simming any better than FSX. It fills the need for now anyway. :( Bob

Yes Austria Pro is a very nice photoscenery package. Except it is not photoscenery at all but I do not think you would realize that being in this permarave state since you bought your I7 / GTX285 combo.May I once again enquire about your age?

And where would that leave us ...? Hardware is just catching up, and now we've got a new version and all of the frustration and tweaking that implies. I have said in the past that this model of releasing something two years "ahead of its time", and then releasing a new version in 2-3 years (also ahead of its time), is inherently broken. So, yeah, we can be glad we've got a bit of headroom now, but I really don't think the general philosophy was customer-friendly or logical. This was a problem with FSX even more than with other versions, which is why there is still such a large FS9 community.

I am also a big fan of TW2004, and wished to heck they would have created a very high end platform that 3rd party developers could add courses, players, 3D objects for years to come. Precisely because of the 3+year service life a robust 3rd party development community still lives for FSX--and even FS9. It takes time to develop quality add ons. If the paradigm had been to release software that ran full tilt on current hardware then the downfall would have been people upgrading hardware would have nothing to use it with, and those people would end up looking to buy the next version of FS asap to use their new capabilities on. Why buy an add-on for a base platform which is about to become obsolete? I think their model was spot on for both user and developer.And further more Jimmy -- frustration and tweaking is half the fun :(

(Jimmy Angel @ Dec 2 2009, 12:10 AM) ....I have said in the past that this model of releasing something two years "ahead of its time", and then releasing a new version in 2-3 years (also ahead of its time), is inherently broken...... Sadly, I also don't think that FSX will ever run nearly as well or look as good as we might have seen with a more modern engine behind FS11 or FS12. There was some definite rumblings from ACES about a fresh start and dumping backwards compatibility, which I applauded.... I wish that ACES had that shot at the fresh start. It could have been awesome.

......I think their model was spot on for both user and developer.And further more Jimmy -- frustration and tweaking is half the fun :(

I guess this is one of those chicken and egg situations but IMHO we had to accept the model was going to be broken somewhere no matter which way it was applied. The latest release software would either be great out of the box but unable to make the best use of technological improvements only a short ways down track, or it would be crippled to start but flower as the technology caught up with the software. In the final analysis it is the second approach which has worked in our favour with the apparent curtailment of the FS franchise. As to whether "it could have been awesome" if Aces had been able to get FS 11 released with a new engine...? We will never know. It might have been, but we also have to accept that it could have been an XP to Vista type fiasco, except that Aces wouldn't have been around to give it a "Windows 7" fix. All things considered I think the model has worked in favour generally in the past and certainly under the 'no more FS franchise' situation we find ourselves in now. We are left with a fairly mature product that has had a couple of service packs applied to it and the capability for third party developers to make best use of the available features over the next 3 years at least. For this period of time at least...it is only going to get better....IMHO :( Oh and by the way Noel, I think you should have said "frustration and tweaking halves the fun" :( Terry