FS2004 vs FS2002: I dunno.....it's close for me

[JSACKS 0]

I now have FS2004 running nearly perfectly at 24fps 95% of the time, like FS2002. It looks stunning, I must admit, like real life. But it's been a tougher haul getting here and I am still antsy about the inability to undock items in full screen mode (without going through contortions that have been kindly posted on the forum). And there are still some glitchy things switching screens and menus in FS2004.I am just climbing out of SeaTac in Fs2002 in the default Cessna, with 6/8 cumulus and all effects on, and y'know what? I ask myself, why have I been struggling so much with Fs2004 when I have a beautiful sim like this already? I have my PSS fleet, the Milton Shuper Dash 7, the YS-11 by AFG, the DC-10 by FFG. Great a/c, great panels, great stereo sounds, all in FS2002....I mean, what is really better about FS2004 apart from the clouds (not a small item, I grant; OK, a big improvement over 2002!). I was going to add a second video card and a 3rd monitor to FS2002 before FS2004 came out, but I held off. But now, I can run Fs2004 on only one monitor if I am in full screen mode. It's crazy. I feel like I'm flying a higher end version of Fs98 with one monitor.We also have to cut and paste aircraft and panels and lots of stuff that probably will not transfer totally and fully correctly from FS2002 to Fs2004.I am wondering if Fs2004 really is worth keeping at this rate. If MS doesn't issue a patch to make it work with dual or triple monitors in full screen, I dunno if it will be a keeper.We do all this work for every generation of FS and then we work like madmen to adjust to a new version that takes weeks or months to settle in. I don't know, am I alone or in the minority in thinking that in my FS world, "enough is enough already"?JS

[John F 2,403]

I know what you mean. I've been bouncing back and forth between the two sims, comparing. At first, after I transferred FS2004's ground textures over to FS2002, I thought I had the solution. But there's something about the haze modeling and the quality of the sunshine in FS2004 that just seems much more "real life" to me. Just came back from an A/B comparison at Buenos Aires' downtown airport, Jorge Newberry, with 30 miles visibility and I'm thinking that may be the last time I need to crank up FS2002.John

[JSACKS 0]

John:I hear ya, I do ! I guess the wx and effects have been vastly improved in FS2004. The vis is very realistic in Fs2004 as well. But I do wish I could easily use dual or triple monitors with it too.The trouble is that FS is an addiction, not just a hobby. So I guess we just push on and on and....on !JS