Heya guys,Disappointed with FS2004 crashing and being generally unstable, I decided to look at some of the other flight simulators I have. I bought Wings of Prey some time ago because it looked promising. While initially I had to revamp most of the controls which was a rather lousy job, I got it all set up with TrackIR. Even after rimming down the visual settings, this is a beautiful sim. It really looks sooo good! Makes me wonder why FSX can't look like that :(I quickly encountered a problem though: I'm really bad at these combat flight sims, and I end up flying around trying to find the enemy. I usually get bored at this stage... And so, in the end, I really want FS2004 back. I want it to work properly, mainly. Problem is, I fear I'll have to do a complete reinstallation, which is something I'd rather not do.So, how do you guys feel about this subject? Any interest in combat sims?

Heya guys,Disappointed with FS2004 crashing and being generally unstable, I decided to look at some of the other flight simulators I have. I bought Wings of Prey some time ago because it looked promising. While initially I had to revamp most of the controls which was a rather lousy job, I got it all set up with TrackIR. Even after rimming down the visual settings, this is a beautiful sim. It really looks sooo good! Makes me wonder why FSX can't look like that :(I quickly encountered a problem though: I'm really bad at these combat flight sims, and I end up flying around trying to find the enemy. I usually get bored at this stage... And so, in the end, I really want FS2004 back. I want it to work properly, mainly. Problem is, I fear I'll have to do a complete reinstallation, which is something I'd rather not do.So, how do you guys feel about this subject? Any interest in combat sims?

Hello BenjaminThe opening line should read as "Disappointed with my computer crashing and being generally unstable", FS9 is totally rock solid , the problem lies elsewhereFSX as you know is modeling the entire planet , wings of prey is modeling how many SQ kilometres?, And how are the complex systems in the aircraft, weather systems, airports ect.Reinstalls are good, everytime you do one you get to apply all the things you have learned about FS9 and not commit the same mistakes again.A clean install of whatever OS you prefer (not Overclocked),Followed by updated drivers (chipset ect),FS9 installed then ran once then install the 9.1 update, Image the disk as soon as all is running well. Dont bother installing any addons with this Image as a year from now when you reinstall again you will have other ideas/preferences as to what you like..The idea is to have a clean validated disk image to go back to, then all this just gets easierYou will be glad you did it, trust me

Heya guys,Disappointed with FS2004 crashing and being generally unstable, I decided to look at some of the other flight simulators I have. I bought Wings of Prey some time ago because it looked promising. While initially I had to revamp most of the controls which was a rather lousy job, I got it all set up with TrackIR. Even after rimming down the visual settings, this is a beautiful sim. It really looks sooo good! Makes me wonder why FSX can't look like that :(I quickly encountered a problem though: I'm really bad at these combat flight sims, and I end up flying around trying to find the enemy. I usually get bored at this stage... And so, in the end, I really want FS2004 back. I want it to work properly, mainly. Problem is, I fear I'll have to do a complete reinstallation, which is something I'd rather not do.So, how do you guys feel about this subject? Any interest in combat sims?

If you want to try some other combat sims you can give the IL-2 range a spin and/or if you want something more modern Lock-on and Falcon 5. I've tried a lot of combat flight sims since the 90s and each has its strong points. I think my favorite was FA-18 from Jane closely followed by Flanker 2.0 and earlier versions of Falcon. Nowadays I usually fly in IL-2 every once in a while when I feel the need for Air Combat. You can also try First Eagles if you're interested in WW1 - I like it.In my opinion all combat sims up to this point have the same problem- the VC is not fully interactive. For example I really want to fly a MIG-29 in the sim with all the buttons fully functional in the cockpit. I want to start the engines by looking around and clicking the buttons, flicking the switches...... monitoring the gauges, same with weapons, flight systems and radar. I do not want a keyboard shortcut for doing that. It is possible to do this in FS9 and FSX - you can follow proper procedures and flick the actual switches in the VC - why is this not available in the combat sims? How much better would it be if you could do this in IL-2 and Lock-On and the other combat simulators. For me a really good combat simulator should provide realistic Flight Dynamics and A/C performance, and all the aircraft systems modeled as realistically as possible; and then it needs to have good and realistic graphics and a fully interactive Virtual Cockpit, also not forgetting a variety of good enemy and friendly AI. No combat sim I've seen offers all of these (in a few combat sims they could really improve on the Flight Dynamics and systems modeling too). And it is a pity because it is possible to do this for PCs with today's technology - a combat sim does not need to model the whole world like FS9 and FSX, a reasonable combat theater area or areas is more than enough so it can afford to look graphically better. Also combat sims usually have 1 or up to 5 aircraft available to fly only, so more time can be spent making these aircraft and their systems as realistic as possible and providing detailed fully functional VCs. If a combat sim arrives offering all these things (for Mig-29 for example) I can guarantee that I will be spending a lot more time in it.At any rate I spend the majority of my FS time in FS9, trying to fly as realistically as possible. I don't really spend a lot of time in combat FS nowadays, although every once in a while I do go back to freshen up on my Air Combat. Combat FS is where I started sim flight after all, before moving on to Microsoft's FS range, and I was pretty proficient in it (have to maintain that otherwise the proficiency disappears really quickly).Good luck fixing your FS9, hope you manage to resolve your problems without having to re-install. It is possible one of your add-ons is causing the instabilities and FS9 crashes, something major you added recently?

Heh, well it was obvious this would turn to a "FS9 is perfectly stable if tended to correctly" type of thread, but I guess that's also what lies at the bottom of it all. For as far as I know, I haven't added anything major since yesterday. It just happens, the CTDs... One moment I fly happily in my PMDG 747, then here is a black screen and everything is gone. Then I restart the sim at a save point (good god I'm a savefile addict!), and I manage to fly on without a problem. The CTDs seem completely and utterly random to me. It happens with multiple planes, and it happens at more than one time, at more than one place. The error report doesn't really help either, but I noticed the error reporting thing wants to send the scenery.cfg together with the report, so I think the problem is somewhere in that file. Problem is, I don't see what could be the problem...Reinstalling? I wish I had the time! I need my laptop every day, and I'm starting with a subject at university where I actually really do need it all the time. I can't really start messing about with the computer right now. However:mad dog: the image thing sounds like a very good idea. How do I make such an image, and where do I store? And you say FS9 is also on the image? Should FS9 be on the internal hard disk? If yes, then there's a problem: mine's not on there, I'm afraid (internal HD is too small for it to fit in).

Heya guys,"Disappointed with FS2004 crashing and being generally unstable, -----------------"

Benjamin- FS9 is decidedly stable on my 'puter- an AMD 1.8 Ghz with triple monitors. I'm still running on the original FS9 install from 6 years ago, and I can't recall ever seeing a CTD. I'd have to think you've got a computer problem- that's why I stay with my old reliable!Alex Reid

My time is split between il2 1946 and fs9. il2 (online only) is really as good as it gets for air combat. Flight dynamics 'feel' absolutely realistic and if you're in the right server, you get a good challenge. I'm not too worried about not being able to click on things (although I'm pretty sure there is a mod available for that), as the main focus is flying and tactics.

Falcon 5.

There never was a Falcon 5, it got canceled. There is a FreeFalcon 5 though, but it's a mod based off of Falcon 4.0.As for me, most of the time, if I fly a combat flight sim, it's usually something more modern like DCS or Falcon. F/A-18 was epic back in the day, but it seems to be screwed up on newer systems, so I can't really play it without issues. IL-2 1946 is the best out there for WW2, and Rise of Flight for WW1. For other combat, I'd say your best bets are Steel Beasts Pro PE for tanks, Silent Hunter for subs, Dangerous Waters for general naval, ArmA 2 (with ACE 2 mod) for infantry, and for Space Combat, it's debatable, however the current kings are X3 and Evochron Legends (if you exclude EVE), at least until Infinity: The Quest for Earth comes out.As for FS9, I know people here are going to hate me for this, but I never did get a copy of FS9, so I couldn't tell you what to do.momtchil: The closest I've seen to that is DCS: Black Shark, you may want to look in to it if you haven't already, but be warned, it still has some major flaws (no collideable trees for one), and the graphics aren't the best.

If you have a 2 to 3 year old laptop with an nVidia graphics chip in it, you may have one of the ones that is prone to overheating causing issues with the glue holding the graphics chip together. I had a laptop just outright die, my daughter's slowly died over a couple of months. FS will generally cause most laptops to run warmer than normal usage would :->Tim

DCS BlacksharkOpen Falcon

Yesterday evening I was able to do an almost flawless flight from EHAM to ESSA. One CTS after takeoff, nothing afterwards. It's a pity there was a rogue AFCAD somewhere, otherwise the flight would have been perfectly successful (at least in my book...). Still, No CTD should occur. I think I will reinstall Windows all over again. Get rid of all the current crap that's installed on the computer right now. Have a new FS9 install too. FSX is not going back on here though, probably... No use for it anyway since my computer just can't handle it. Problem is, I'm not sure when to do it. I'm thinking of tonight actually. I know I said earlier I can't do it now, but Windows' unstability is starting to be truly irritating...I've at least heard of all the combat sims mentioned. I agree IL-2 is best, but its tutorial is also worst, which is the reason I never really understood how to fly the missions.

There never was a Falcon 5, it got canceled. There is a FreeFalcon 5 though, but it's a mod based off of Falcon 4.0.

Thanks Peter, I forgot to put the 'Free' in FreeFalcon 5 and I was also thinking of the last CD incarnation of Microprose's Falcon 4.0 - Falcon 4.0 Allied Force. FreeFalcon may be a mod for Falcon 4.0, but it is pretty good and its free. Anybody interested in downloading can check here - http://www.freefalcon.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14530 . Keep in Mind that you will first need to Install Falcon 4.0 from the original CD, before you can play with the mod.

momtchil: The closest I've seen to that is DCS: Black Shark, you may want to look in to it if you haven't already, but be warned, it still has some major flaws (no collideable trees for one), and the graphics aren't the best.

I am staying away from 'DCS: Black Shark' because of the DRM and online activation. Also I think it has a limited number of times you can activate the software, was it around 10?EDIT:

F/A-18 was epic back in the day, but it seems to be screwed up on newer systems, so I can't really play it without issues.

Jane's F/A-18 won't run at all on Windows XP or higher. A pity really. I still fly it in my old Windows 2000 system from time to time.

Yesterday evening I was able to do an almost flawless flight from EHAM to ESSA. One CTS after takeoff, nothing afterwards. It's a pity there was a rogue AFCAD somewhere, otherwise the flight would have been perfectly successful (at least in my book...). Still, No CTD should occur. I think I will reinstall Windows all over again. Get rid of all the current crap that's installed on the computer right now. Have a new FS9 install too. FSX is not going back on here though, probably... No use for it anyway since my computer just can't handle it. Problem is, I'm not sure when to do it. I'm thinking of tonight actually. I know I said earlier I can't do it now, but Windows' unstability is starting to be truly irritating...I've at least heard of all the combat sims mentioned. I agree IL-2 is best, but its tutorial is also worst, which is the reason I never really understood how to fly the missions.

Could be a corrupt scenery seasonal texture in FS9. You're probably flying in Winter textures right now. Try flying in Spring, Summer, Autumn and also at night, see if you get CTDs there as well. In each of those situations you'd be using different textures, its a good way to test if the problem is with some of the seasonal textures or the day/night textures.Yup, IL-2 doesn't have the best tutorials. The dogfights are great though and flying in formation is also a blast. Look at your heading indicator, it will tell you where to go and you can check the map from time to time and follow the flight plan. Also have the keyboard controls card handy when you're starting with the sim, it will help you get familiar with all the controls - it won't take long, there are no complex systems here.

momtchil: well okay, I'll look at IL-2 again ;-)Most of the combat simulators mentioned here are sims I either heard of or been playing myself. Most of those are good. I used to have Falcon 4 for the Mac, but it's ancient and won't run on my current computer. It's a pity, because it was a great game and a real eye-popper for its time. I never played Jane's F/A-18, but I did play F/A-18 Hornet. is it comparable?Anyway, I'm now working from a clean and fresh XP install. Most necessary stuff is installed by now, fortunately. How do I go about making an image now, mad dog?

momtchil: well okay, I'll look at IL-2 again ;-)Most of the combat simulators mentioned here are sims I either heard of or been playing myself. Most of those are good. I used to have Falcon 4 for the Mac, but it's ancient and won't run on my current computer. It's a pity, because it was a great game and a real eye-popper for its time. I never played Jane's F/A-18, but I did play F/A-18 Hornet. is it comparable?Anyway, I'm now working from a clean and fresh XP install. Most necessary stuff is installed by now, fortunately. How do I go about making an image now, mad dog?

Hello BenjaminYou will need a disk imaging program here are a few to choose fromOnce you have an image of the system you can have a shiny clean OS + FS9 installed in a few clicks of the mouseshould you ever mess up again (and who doesn't :( )Freewarehttp://www.macrium.com/ReflectFree.asphttp://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/http://www.todo-backup.com/http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htmPaywarehttp://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/oodiskimage/

I've at least heard of all the combat sims mentioned. I agree IL-2 is best, but its tutorial is also worst, which is the reason I never really understood how to fly the missions.

I think Il-2 offline is a waste of time. Buggy AI and broken missions. There are some decent ones through add-ons..but have you ever tried flying online? That's where the game shines.