FS2004 - Wait before you buy...LOTS of problems!

[Guest rmce]

Gotta say its working like a dream with me. Had to tweak linear sliders a wee bit, but then perfect.I am old enough to remember Fs2 and the posts that decended on Compuserve about sound cards. Every version has some problems with some systems. This time I must say, its installed (all be it a long long installation) and is working just fine. HP 2.4Gforce 5121MB onboard.RonMacGlasgow

[Guest BC_KBOS]

Right on Paul!If everyone is willing to accept "a few bugs", well, we are hosed. I mentioned in another post about the need to run the sim in a different res in full screen mode than the desktop default in order to get the menus to display properly. If that ain't a program bug, I don't know what is.People are willing to accept that as the price of progress. I think that's bovine effluvia!If you bought a brand new car and the radio only worked when you pressed the cigarette lighter, would you live with it, or would you get it fixed? At the dealers expense.Bottom line: The rule of thumb was/is that if FS2002 runs on your system, FS2004 should run as well. Not exactly the case, is it? It ain't the video drivers. FS2004 was built *before* the latest video drivers were out, Radeon/NVidia. So somebody slipped a stitch somewhere.Yes, there are workarounds and we are fortunate enough to have this forum in which to figure out the problems and get it working. But what about those that do NOT have access to these forums to figure it out? They'll try the program, it may or may not work, and then, well, if it works, great, if not, we lose another potential aviator.Maybe that last was "out there", but you have to admit, there is a point.BC

[Guest PaulL01]

>I agree that the positive posts have far outweighed the>negative.>Far?Funny how most of the defenders here are/were members of the beta team. :-eekMy point was, that the sky being the most focused of the improvements (and indeed it is) but yet it it cant render itself corectly in any hardware config, and you would stand by this work? This is MicroSoft Flight simulator here, not the X-plane one man show for cryin out loud!>The focus on this sim was improvements in all areas and>listening to users for improvements(not just clouds-although>the improvement here was logrithmic).Funny how they didn't seem to want to listen to the scenery designer beta users though :-wink> I think Microsoft did>listen to users and improve quite a bit-check the thread on>small improvements.>>If it doesn't meet your expectations or what you wanted I am>truly sorry.You only have to be sorry if you saw some of this stuff and didn't jump up and down in behalf of the rest of us! :)>It sounds like you would be happy if no company made a sim>anymore-keep it up and that might be the case...I think if CaptainSim and all the other little startups can take it, then I am sure MS can. They should, they just got $55 of my dollars that I cant load (untill I was sent a link to the CD-crack) on a machine that has all common-premium grade new parts running MS's own OS and DX. :)

[bob.bernstein 0]

check out Kingston, jamaica with real weather...fly over to the other side of the island and back.some serious simming to be had! Lot more fun than putting it down!Bob Bernstein

[Guest PaulL01]

>check out Kingston, jamaica with real weather...fly over to>the other side of the island and back.>>some serious simming to be had! Lot more fun than putting it>down!>>Bob BernsteinShhhhh!!!(yeah, I know! its great! But I really would like to see some of these issues get fixed. Shhhhh)Ahem, No it isn't, I cant enjoy the dang sim if the clouds keep cutting in and out in the distance, and besides, I checked that scenery that I made in SEE4 and it doesn't work in FS2k4! $$$^^###!Thanks Bob. :)

[Geofa 108]

Beta team-smeata team.I have been in flight simming for 20 years and have called straight shots since the beginning of time. I think many others can verify.Please-I think your implications...well...I don't really want to go down a level...I am truly sad that you are so unhappy. Take the sim back, burn it, do whatever you must to feel good. If I had the problems you seem to have I would probably do so also.But just because for whatever reason you have troubles-don't assume everyone else does....I really could be as insulting as you are-but I am resisting...http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/Geofdog2.jpg

[Guest PaulL01]

>Beta team-smeata team.>I have been in flight simming for 20 years and have called>straight shots since the beginning of time. I think many>others can verify.>>Please-I think your implications...well...I don't really want>to go down a level...>>I am truly sad that you are so unhappy. Take the sim back,>burn it, do whatever you must to feel good. If I had the>problems you seem to have I would probably do so also.Yeah, thats funny! You do have the same cloud problems (display) and scenery problems and are just letting it go??? How much did you pay for your copy? You are being objective?Calling it straight?>But just because for whatever reason you have troubles-don't>assume everyone else does....>>I really could be as insulting as you are-but I am>resisting...>Sorry Geof. Perhaps I was out of line.http://www.frontiernet.net/~pleatzaw/images/spank.gif But I cant understand how in the life of me you respond back with the glarring issues that I have mentioned and pretend that they dont exist by not responding to them???And tell me that "if I am not satisfied" etc...So then for you too. these things are OK for everyone to have to live with? LOL!!!

[bob.bernstein 0]

lol, your secret is safe with me!B

[Geofa 108]

Very simple-I have two very different machines that I have tried fs2004 on and had no issues on either. I personally have 10 friends who so far have bought and have installed fs2004 with no issues with a wide variety of machines.That is my experience-and that is all I can report on.Again-I sorry you have issues.I am sure that there will be a percentage that will. But don't imply that because you have had difficulties thateveryone has issues-and those who don't have issues are somehow slanted or cronies of ms. Don't imply that because in my experience no one has had issues that it is because I am a beta tester.If you look at the positive reports vs. the negative reports on most boards I think you will see an overwhelming positve vs. negative. Check out the screen shots forum in case you have doubts.Perhaps Tom will do a survey so the results can be in no doubt.I don't have a problem with person reporting problems-I had countless with fs2002...But to imply because you have-that the majority have-and that ms has put out a flawed product... just strikes me as wrong and a little dishonest.If a survey shows the majority of users have problems-then I will be the first to agree that ms put out a flawed product-but I have to say I find this highly unlikely.http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/Geofdog2.jpg

[Guest odog]

http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/27270.gif...mmust ggett tooo forummms...http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/27270.gif...mmust lie to them all...http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/27270.gif...microsoft is god...http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/27270.gif...everything is fine...COME ON PAUL!!! :-rollmaybe you should have bought a AMD athlon 2100+ and the 5200fx :-lolcuz it works PERFECT at 22fps and my clouds are beautiful....yess beautiful...http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/27270.gifjoe

[Guest PaulL01]

>Very simple->I have two very different machines that I have tried fs2004 on>and had no issues on either. I personally have 10 friends who>far who have bought and have installed fs2004 with no issues>with a wide variety of machines.The Cloud layer issue is in the sims drawing engine not >Hardware< so how you can post such a thing tells me somthing. you and your frinds like flying around the incomplete areas like Long Island or many of the areas that used to have bridges that no longer have?You are able to use the various AA settings and access the different menues all at the same time like ANY other game?>That is my experience-and that is all I can report on.>>Again-I sorry you have issues.I am sure that there will be a>percentage that will. But don't imply that because you have>had difficulties thateveryone has issues-and those who don't>have issues are somehow slanted or cronies of ms. >>Don't imply that because in my experience no one has had>issues that it is because I am a beta tester.>>If you look at the positive reports vs. the negative reports>on most boards I think you will see an overwhelming positve>vs. negative. Complete crap Geof, I am on different Forums at all the major sites and there are tons Of "I cant install" "problem with 9500pro" "what drivers for NV cards" "pushed back to desk top".I happen to build systems Geof, and many of them are just for the purpose of folks who want to run FS, I kind of know when there is an isolated hardware problem and there isn't one here.Check out the screen shots forum in case you>have doubts.>>Perhaps Tom will do a survey so the results can be in no>doubt.>>I don't have a problem with person reporting problems-I had>countless with fs2002...>>But to imply because you have-that the majority have-and that>ms has put out a flawed product... just strikes me as wrong>and a little dishonest.You still dont get it, most of the bugs I have posted >are< in the game and have nothing to do with anyones hardware.I don't think you really read them.

[Geofa 108]

So I am supposed to believe that your issues are valid-but me not having any of them are not?!I have posted many times about the bridge issue-read it and understand it.As for AA-same problems in fs2002-a driver issue as I have had it in other games also-a big surprise?Glad you build systems-I don't do it for a living-but have built many myself-so what.Sorry sir-you are out of line.I am finished responding.But please-take the sim back and get your money back.Admit defeat.Sorry-but I find your whole posturing ridiculous.Rant on...http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/Geofdog2.jpg

[Guest PaulL01]

Rant on...Right, I paid for my copy! LOL!I expect it to perform across the board on hardware that has been out for at least a year let alone two, I point out some bugs that are coded some not and I Am disatisfied with the lack of driver support for most any new ATI/9500/9700/9800P card as well as FX cards and I am "posturing" ROTFLOL!When these issues finally get resolved...Never mind, I must be Posturing.Never expected that there wouldn't be some bugs, but how these all crept thru is simply amazing, but I can kind of understand why now.

[Guest PaulL01]

Geof,You know I can get out of hand real quick with issues regarding IMage quality and such, (my old DX8 vs DX9 is a perfect example)It is 2:30AM here and I stand behind the facts I stated but have to ask you to please excuse my poor demeanor with which I responded to you, this is simply a game and a very good too (albiet some small bugs) And I got completely out of hand with you on my position. And I really do not want to make that kind of impression with anyone here nor anywhere eles, life is too precious and short, this is just a game, and the folks on the MSFS team did a great job in upgrading FS to the next level, I am just frustrated at some things that seemed to have slipped into the final version as I am sure someone in QC is feeling the same right now.Geesh, cant even spell right!Sorry Geof, I have flaws too and am trying to work on them. :)

[Guest]

Systems... performance... issues...Strangely enough I have an old system (by todays standards :-hah), but the sim is doing wonderfully for me. Nice framerates, and I don't have to put every slider to the left. The weather renders beautifully... in fact, everything works fine.I guess some (but not all, mind you!) people have performance issues because they don't know how to MAINTAIN a system. They clutter it with programs, gadgets and other trash, and they expect no degredation in computer performance. Yeah...Before I install a piece of software that relies heavily on performance (like, er, FS2004 :-hah), I uninstall EVERYTHING I haven't used in the past few weeks/months. I backup rarely used files on CD. Sometimes, it saves me a few Gigs(!) and most of the times the system runs better already. Then Disk Doctor and Speeddisk and I have a 'nice and clean' system.I did that before I installed FS2004, and I have no performance issues whatsoever (okay, a bit more RAM and a better video card won't hurt, and I run WinMe -- yeah, that's buggy!).Seems to me that some (but not all, mind you!) 'bugs' are caused by the user himself. Maybe that's why some have bad performance on current systems.But it's true, some things can be fixed in FS2004. It seems it needs a patch more than FS2002. But still, it's a wonderful sim.And I took a vow... not to 'clutter' FS2004 with all kinds of wonderful, performance-degrading add-ons :-) It's pretty good 'out of the box' actually.[p]