Time to move to FSX! Seriously?

[Mike T 208]

Yep, I did the unthinkable and deleted FS9 and use FSX as my only sim, but who cares and why post this here? Well, here's why. I've been one of the staunchest opponents of FSX since the day it was released. FSX has been and is suboptimized bloated software in the same fashion that Vista was suboptimized bloated software and just like Windows 7 fixed Vista (which is now a dead end operating system), FS11 would have (could have?) fixed FSX. But there is no FS11.Fast forward... I've installed and uninstalled FSX and never even flown a complete flight since the day it was released almost throwing the software in the trash a dozen times, it sat in my amoire gathering dust for years. Then (and fittingly named if not prounced differently) ******* appeared with this manner from heaven in the form of performance enhancing tweaks. Now, we've seen them all over the last three or four years since FSX has been on the market and even the ones from the Aces team pretty much amounted to zip, zilch, nada. But it took a guy named ******* (pronounced Hey-Sus) to raise FSX from the dead!I reinstalled FSX (for the upteenth time) and applied *******' tweaks fully expecting them to be a pile of bull like most of ther other "holy grail" FSX tweaks. I defraged my HD, updated my ATI drivers, and I started up FSX with no tweaks...EWWWWW! I then applied the teachings of ******* to my FSX and the damned thing literally floated across the room at almost double the FPS (let me repeat...I got double the FPS at any given point in the FSX world - of course your mileage can and will vary.)I then reinstalled some of the FSX add-ons that I had bought over the years (LDS, GEX, REX and Dreamteam Scenery.) WOW! No, you won't get 60 FPS but you will get a more than acceptable 25-45 FPS as compared to FS9 with the same addons and in FSX somewhere around 15-20 FPS is the lowest you want to go before it starts looking like a slide show. I then cranked up the settings AND 100% AI for my custom global AI (far better than Flight1 AI or TrafficX) for FSX and 0% AI as a tradeoff in FSX is NOT ACCEPTABLE. At FS Dreamteam ORD, LDS 767 at 100% AI with REX clouds and ASA weather I was still getting FSX between the low 20's to the mid 40's - MORE than acceptable for a fluid experience.Okay fine. Slowly I started adding and buying more for FSX to get it back up to where I was in FS9 (the big downside to moving - I've already dropped about $900 and counting.) Since I only fly airliners into large airports: traffic, airport ambience and frame rates are vital. And then it was time for my first "serious" flight in FSX. UAL from KORD to KSFO (mind you I found a way to convert all of my FlyTampa scenery to work with FSX) and off I went...my first serious FSX flight.1. I was wrong. FL 350 in FSX is crisper and more beautiful than in FS9. FSX is NOT only for light and low flying2. The sim was like going from analog to HD TV because of the 4096 sized clouds and 1m terrain. Stunning and mouth dropping at altitude.3. Performance at FL 350 was between 50 and 70 FPS which is not for from what I was getting in FS9.The flight was spot on and uneventful. As Radar Contact for FSX talked me down into the KSFO area, the sun began to set and I can tell you becasue everything was so crisp I FELT more suspension of disbelief then I've ever had in Flight Simulator. A screenshot would not do it justice any more than taking a picture of the Grand Canyon can capture that whole experience. I made my final approach and landing at the modified FlyTampa SFO full of custom AI at 35FPS and shut down the airplane at gate 81 right on schedule. I miss my AES for this airport which would have been the cherry on an otherwise perfect flight, but AES was available for all my other native FSX airports so I'll be patient until SFO is officially redone for FSX.So yeah, a few more flights and a hop over to Dreamteam PHNL and I was sold. I held a moment of silence for FS9.5 that had served me faithfully and without complaint for over 7 years and I then unceremoniously hit the SHIFT-Delete keys and watched her slowy disappear file by file from my hard drive. Watching her slowly die reminded me of HAL and 2001 A Space Oddesey...Will FS9.5 dream? The last file permanenly erased, she was dead. Somehow, I could hear FSX snickering somewhere on my hard drive like the new girlfriend laughing at the misfortunes of the old ex girlfriend who just got kicked out.Now, let's be clear....moving to FSX simply because it is newer is absolutely no reason to move to FSX if you have to run it with less features than FS9...that's just plain silly. However, the tweaks and technology DOES exist to run FSX with no compromises if you take a few hours to tweak, do some research and take the time to LEARN what you are doing. Most importantly, you need horsepower and lots of it to run FSX with no compromises. I did not have to upgrade my QX9650 OC'd to 4.4Ghz system that I built three years ago. Neither did I have to upgrade my ATI 4870 also OC'd to 1.1Ghz to get the results I explained above but then this is still a beefy system even by i7 standards and beats all but the fastest i7 processors...and the CPU still sells for $1,000 US so I am not planning to upgrade to an i7 just yet, but I will upgrade to the fastest ATI card this weekend which will simply give me MORE FPS. You need a heavy system period. But as for me, with the time I've spent tweaking, I'm now done tweaking and am currently at FL 390 PHNL to KSFO. Flying not tweaking FSX? Who would of thunk it?I am running with all sliders right except for water because I simply don't need to waste FPS on cloud reflections that do very little for me at FL390. I am also not using aircraft ground shadows which also robs large amounts of FPS at crowded airports. It also should be noted that one of the HUGE advantages of FSX for the heavy pilot is the ability to fly in the VC (I am a VC only type of guy) with totally fluid gauges which makes IFR flights a precision process...no more jerky gauges in the VC which was one of FS9's biggest drawback for me. I am also using the "Bloom" tweak which does rob abour 5 FPS but the difference in lighting is higly realistic and just adds that extra oomph.So that's it folks, thanks for listening. I'm off to put up my tent on the FSX forums now. By reading this you would think that FSX was just released but for me it has just been released. Released from being a fat, ugly, wallowing pig to being a galloping thoroughbread of immense beauty. I never thought I'd be writing this message as I always said that you can have my FS9 when you can pry it from my cold dead hands....guess I was wrong about that too!!! All I can say is THANK YOU *******....AMEN! AMEN! AND A-MEN!

[edetroit 933]

Good for you Mike!. :(

[out 769]

Mike!I am so happy about your happiness! :( What you wrote sounds very convincing and reminds my of my personal story.I have also given FSX a few chances (being with MSFS form the very beginning and not willing to skip ANY version). But so far my hardware (somewhat weak in today's standards) does not make sense of switching to FSX, especially that I am also a heavy flyer like you, enjoying megahubs, complex airliners, real weather and AI. Plus having the addons I have patiently collected for FS9 makes this sim comparable in my eyes to what its successor offers. And my current budget might not be called unlimited.But like you say: there will be no FS11. I already miss some addons having been, being or going to be (like LVL-D 757) released for FSX only.So maybe one day I will join you in your FSX heaven. Who knows?

THANK YOU *******....AMEN!

That was brilliant! :(

[Dillon 2,197]

Mike I'll be with you in the FSX skies once the i7's come down in price or the next generation CPU's hit the market. The i8 processors (or whatever they'll be called) will be my que to move over to FSX. I want no compromises and since the machines are now in existence to run FSX comparable to how FS9 runs on my current rig the time is at hand. I'm just glade the speculation of if the day would ever come to see FSX in all it's glory (the big advantage over FS9) has arrived. Can you post a link to where the '*******' tweaks are located so when I make the move I'll know where to start first in getting FSX up and running (after the two SP's of course)? Great writeup...

[PittsS2B 33]

Glad you've found peace with FSX, Mike....I may be joining you there in about three years or so, after I wring the value out of my present investment in FS9! :(

[Mike T 208]

Mike I'll be with you in the FSX skies once the i7's come down in price or the next generation CPU's hit the market. The i8 processors (or whatever they'll be called) will be my que to move over to FSX. I want no compromises and since the machines are now in existence to run FSX comparable to how FS9 runs on my current rig the time is at hand. I'm just glade the speculation of if the day would ever come to see FSX in all it's glory (the big advantage over FS9) has arrived. Can you post a link to where the '*******' tweaks are located so when I make the move I'll know where to start first in getting FSX up and running (after the two SP's of course)? Great writeup...

Hey Dillon:Start here:http://forums1.avsim.net/index.php?showtopic=283701 There is also a sticky at the top of the FSX forum with detailed write-ups. Also, search for ******* in the file library because he has given us a Shader 3.0 mod and configuration that adds to the optimization of FSX with real results especially if you have an ATI card - like me!There is a lot of material to cover but this is required reading at the academy!Regards,Mike T.

[G7USL 117]

It wasn't actually ******* Altuve that provided this file, it was Lefteris of FSlabs. ******* took all the credit though.There's an .exe file on Lefteris's site that does all the changes for you. It's known as 'Texture Fix'. Get the latest version 1.1 file. http://forums.flightsimlabs.com/index.php?...turefix-v11zip/

[ErnieAlston 33]

Glad you've found peace with FSX, Mike....I may be joining you there in about three years or so, after I wring the value out of my present investment in FS9! :(

I feel the same way, I got a lot invested in FS9, I'm in no rush yet to switch to FSX only. Theres a lot of life yet in my FS9setup with all the addons I have installed for it.One of these days when I have the horsepower, and the desire to buy more addons for FSX I'm sure I'll have that complete transition to FSX. But its gonna be a while. Regards.Ernie.

[Dillon 2,197]

I held a moment of silence for FS9.5 that had served me faithfully and without complaint for over 7 years and I then unceremoniously hit the SHIFT-Delete keys and watched her slowy disappear file by file from my hard drive. Watching her slowly die reminded me of HAL and 2001 A Space Oddesey...Will FS9.5 dream? The last file permanenly erased, she was dead. Somehow, I could hear FSX snickering somewhere on my hard drive like the new girlfriend laughing at the misfortunes of the old ex girlfriend who just got kicked out.

I'll never delete my whole FS9 install. I'll keep it as there will always be things it has that FSX doesn't. It's a waist of money to do something like this as both sims will always have their place until the day comes Flight Simulator is reborn via Micrososft or some upstart does a better sim all around (highly unlikely considering the cost of such a venture).

Now, let's be clear....moving to FSX simply because it is newer is absolutely no reason to move to FSX if you have to run it with less features than FS9...that's just plain silly.

The best quote of this whole post. If you can't run FSX at a level where it outdoes FS9 in every aspect don't bother...

[Staffan 12]

I second Ed......Good for you Mike ! :(But still,...I can not see why posting it here. :(

[Joseph29 225]

I feel the same way, I got a lot invested in FS9, I'm in no rush yet to switch to FSX only. Theres a lot of life yet in my FS9setup with all the addons I have installed for it.One of these days when I have the horsepower, and the desire to buy more addons for FSX I'm sure I'll have that complete transition to FSX. But its gonna be a while. Regards.Ernie.

Im the same way. My computer can run FSX now (framerates are a little lower tahn FS9), but I don't want to give up FS9 because of all the add ons I would loose. I spent a lot of money on FS9 add ons and I just can't bring myself to throwing all that money down the drain.

[Chock 17,769]

Whilst I certainly use FSX more than FS9, there are still a few advantages to FS9 beyond the hardware costs. It's kind of hard to locate an area on the planet that doesn't have good scenery for it with FS9, whereas that's still not true for FSX yet, and there are one or two truly excellent payware aircraft for FS9 I have that don't have an equivalent in FSX, most notably the Suprunov Yak-40.What can be problematic with FSX in comparison to FS9, is the fact that, whilst it is true that you can run FSX well these days, it can start to struggle when you add numerous supplementary things at the same time. I've found that when you have Radar Contact, MCE, FSFK, DBS radar and follow me, REX or ASE, Air Hauler and an online connection going too, that makes for rather a high system overhead at a time when FSX is already chewing up a lot of RAM.Nevertheless, I suspect the big shift for many is probably going to happen when PMDG get that new 737 NG out the door. It will be hard for people who like airliners to pass that one up.Al

[mwilk 1,106]

It wasn't actually ******* Altuve that provided this file, it was Lefteris of FSlabs. ******* took all the credit though.There's an .exe file on Lefteris's site that does all the changes for you. It's known as 'Texture Fix'. Get the latest version 1.1 file. http://forums.flightsimlabs.com/index.php?...turefix-v11zip/

Dave, I think the files that Mike refers to are different than the utilty that Lefteris created and uploaded. The Lefteris utility adds the HighMemFix and Stale Buffer tweaks to the FSX config file. In the read me for this utilty, Lefteris gives ******* credit for finding these tweaks, so I don't think he felt that ******* took undue credit.

[acmech 2]

Good for you ! :( How did you manage to convert your fly tampa scenery files over to FSX? :(Can you do the same for Flightzone scenery?

[Guest simmer9304]

:( Glad to hear that you're happy with FSX and that this thread hasn't turned a dispute over preferences. I can assure you that in a few years I'll be flying up at FL390 with you enjoying high resolution scenery and that long awaited curve of the earth I hear exists in FSX :( Best of luck with FSXAlex