I think I might buy FS2004 in 2 years time

[barryward12345 0]

Well, I am still using FS2002 -- but I recently built an AMD 2400 machine, 512 meg RAM , Geforce4TI4200 , WindowsXP machine specifically to update to FS2004. My trouble now is that it has improved my experience with FS2002 so much (after using a P3/1000 for the past ) that it is almost a new Sim for me. I have read people say that the Fsim series is basically programmed for use by hardware which is absolutely top of the line at the time of release and this experience is proving that to me. I am now thinking that I will purchase FS2004 in 2 years time when I upgrade my hardware again!! :) Barry

[Joseph29 225]

Im almost in the same boat as you, except I did buy FS2004 cause I thought it would run ok on what I have now (P4 1.9 GHz, 512RAM, GeForce2 MX 400 card) but I had to un-install FS2004 cause it kept crashing (I was told cause I don't have enough memory) I did plan on upgrading my computer like 2 weeks ago, but something came up and I had to use the money I saved for something. So until I can upgrade my computer I will still be flying FS2002.

[Bray 1]

>Im almost in the same boat as you, except I did buy FS2004>cause I thought it would run ok on what I have now (P4 1.9>GHz, 512RAM, GeForce2 MX 400 card) but I had to un-install>FS2004 cause it kept crashing (I was told cause I don't have>enough memory) >>I did plan on upgrading my computer like 2 weeks ago, but>something came up and I had to use the money I saved for>something. So until I can upgrade my computer I will still be>flying FS2002.Sounds like you have the same PC as I do. Mine is a Gateway with exactly what you have. I today bumped up my RAM to 1GB and honestly have not seen a difference in 2004 yet. I will upgrade the video card in a month or so if and when all the bugs with drivers etc are sorted out, and prices drop a bit. Other than that not much more to do. I am going to try the 2002 again see if the memory upgrade made a difference. I had 2002 running smooth as silk, not a stutter in sight.Your crashing problem can only be memory related if you have a ton of stuff running at the same time. 512 worked ok for me with no problems.Bill

[Joseph29 225]

I never ran any programs when I would fly FS2002 or FS2004, so maybe they were mistaken about the not enough memory. But FS2004 still crashed, I already un-installed it and I'm not going to install it agian until I get the computer upgraded. When I do get it upgraded Im going to get a new graphic card, more RAM, a new mother board, and a faster P4, and WinXP.

[Bray 1]

sounds like a good plan

[TonyB 1]

Hey guys, remember that for every complaint on performance we get just as many satisfied users.For me FS2004 has run very well. AMD1.4 512MB Ram 64MB TI500 Widows ME. I would argue it runs smoother than FS2004 for me in many situations.Tony

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Barry, I think you may be needlessly concerned.. If my experience is a guide, FS2004 runs better on my machine than FS2002.. and looks much better! I still have FS2002 installed.. but not much longer, because I simply like what MS has done with FS9.. the airports look better, the cities look better, the mesh is better.. and my payware aircraft fly just great (except for the Meridian, where I am waiting for an FS9 patch..)The weather is a whole new experience... and some of the new aircraft, like the Piper Cub are very well done.. the GPS is better.. etc..I'd say, keep FS2002 installed as long as you like.. but do not cheat yourself out of FS2004.. it is worth it!My system: similar to yours, P4-2.4, 512 Meg, Ti4200, WinXP

[Guest ucanfly]

I agree with your initial thread. I will not buy FS2004 for myself anytime soon because:1) I have Celeron 1.4GHZ and will not buy anymore hardware in near term and am running FS2002 marginally well.2) I have too many addons in FS2002 that work fine and may not work fine in FS2004.3) There is not enough difference for me between FS2002 and FS2004 to justify with my hardware.4) I already bought a copy (FS2004) as a gift, so MS already has my money. :)

[JimmiG 244]

FS2004 actually runs better than FS2002 with the same visuals and only slightly slower with highest quality visuals...at least it does on my rig.

[Orlaam 306]

Me too! FS9 works great and looks much better on my system. I'm still using 2002 for payware aircraft and such, but I'd rather have those planes on FS9. I'm running a P4 1.8, 1 Gig RDRAM, and a GeForce4 Ti 4600 128MB with excellent performance. I don't understand how some can work so well, while others simply crash or give horrible FPS? How many of these people don't have all the necessary updates for Windows and respective hardware? How many have too much running in the background, such as Norton (which eats computer resources), various IMs, Realplayer, and/or God knows what!I'm not saying you guys on this thread or anyone else specifically, but I know from my experience with friends, they will often have a myriad of junk software in the taskbar and HHD that really makes game play a nightmare. They never seem to understand, despite my telling them, that their computer is bogged down.Oh well, good luck to those with problems. I hope you're able to get them straightened out. :)

[Hornit 3]

Well, I hate to be the voice of doom, but 2004 most decidely does NOT run as well here on my machine as 2002 does. I have a p4 at 2.8ghz, 768mb ddr, GF4 4200 128mb and I can plow through ANYTHING 2002 has to offer with inumerable add-ons FS Skyworld, and a full AI suite and still run it nice and smooth. 2004 here has some definite hardware problems on my system, hopefully i can figure it out but nothing else is having problems at the moment so I have to believe its 2004 and my box. Just my two cents worth!Hornit

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Have you got water effects and ground shadows turned down a notch.. they are the biggest culprits on my system..

[cat 2]

test

[Guest]

That's about what I'm doing, I have lot's of FS2000 add-ons and just upgraded to FS2002 this week, still installing FS2002 as we speak.I have to get a new computer before upgrading to FS2004 the probem that I have is the library of software that I don't want to dump for FS2004This stuff costs money !Thanks Scott

[Guest JonP01]

>Well, I am still using FS2002 -- but I recently built an AMD>2400 machine, 512 meg RAM , Geforce4TI4200 , WindowsXP machine>specifically to update to FS2004. My trouble now is that it>has improved my experience with FS2002 so much (after using a>P3/1000 for the past ) that it is almost a new Sim for me. >>I have read people say that the Fsim series is basically>programmed for use by hardware which is absolutely top of the>line at the time of release and this experience is proving>that to me. >>I am now thinking that I will purchase FS2004 in 2 years time>when I upgrade my hardware again!! :) >>BarryG'day Bazza,As a fellow Aussie, I commend your caution about not going to FS2004, but I also believe you are making a grave error of judgement. My machine is identical in spec to your own, except that I still use Windows 98SE. When I bought the sim last Wednesday, I was walking away from the shop truly believing that I had just wasted $109, and that I'd get a couple of hours kicks (or frustration) out of it, before shelving it and going back to FS2002. There had been so many posts here about problem after problem that I simply did not think I had a chance of enjoying it.All I can say is that this is the best piece of leisure software I have ever bought. It does run far better than FS2002 at the same visual quality settings and feature settings and the weather modelling - including the wind and turbulence - are vastly improved. And as a bonus for us Aussies, for the first time we get decent terrain mesh and landclass over the entire Australian continent. It is so good, I'm even wondering whether I'll bother installing EZ Landmark, because I reckon I'll be able to identify the terrain without any extra aids other than my real world VT charts.Add to that the fantastic historics if, like me, you are into that sort of thing and this is the best FS version ever. Infact I personally think this version is at least as big a leap from FS2002 as FS2002 was over FS2000. When I think of the huge amount of number crunching this sim must have to perform, I'm truly amazed it runs at all, let alone better than FS2002.OK, it has it's minor faults - nothing is perfect. But it fixes far more things than it breaks. And I concede the graphics issues with some card / driver / driver setting combinations might be show-stoppers for some people - even causing people to return the game. As far as stability is concerned, though, I've found it to be 100% stable. It has not fallen over yet at all -no matter how much I've thrown at it, including one flight I left on for more than 12 hours. OK, it's only my humble opinion, but if you are an Aussie who enjoys VFR even a little bit, you'd have to be a few dollars short of an empty wallet in the head not to upgrade to FS2004. My copy of FS2002 goes up on eBay next week, and I'm buying my second copy of FS2004 this week as well to run on my second machine for development purposes.