Here are some quick shots of what Flight looks like with the settings I'm recommending in the far right column. You can see terrain reflecting in both of the mountain pass shots.

 

You should know that there is a reason why reflectionquality skips from low to max. One of the threads in the Beta forum says there is a bug with the High reflection setting that they haven't got around to fixing. I haven't noticed any problems with it set on high, but you should keep that in mind if you have any weird problems after changing the setting.

 

Also, about FXAA, you can turn both options on, in-game and FXAA from the control panel. I have in-game sharpness set at high instead of max and FXAA on. It seems to work pretty well, and FXAA has almost no performance penalty.

 

Another thing I noticed last night is that adaptive v-sync doesn't seem to work like it's supposed to. With the in-game v-sync on (and the control panel set to adaptive) the game still gets stuck at fps that work with your refresh rate (15, 20, 30, and 60fps). If you turn off the in-game setting it works like it should, activating v-sync at 60fps, and turning it off below that. I don't think it's supposed to work that way, the in-game setting shouldn't matter, but it does here.

Certainly not for me, my system still runs Flight very well still using the ingame graphics options I have been using.

I have everything at highest level cept the scenery density, which I have on high versus maximum.

 

And certainly not for me too. I am TOO HAPPY those days are over. Of course I would certainly edit those cfg's if my specs were a bit low... I have everything at the highest ingame setting apart from shadows (high: don't really see a difference with max) and scenery detail (also at high: max only adds a ring of autogen etc. in the distance which doesn't really add something that's worth the extra load time and the probable performance hit).

Well there goes the "I'm so happy I'm not spending hours tweaking." as far as Flight is concerned. Yup, the honeymoon is over and we are now facing the reality of tweaking once again. I just know I'll end up latter tonight sitting for a couple of hours playing with all the cfg file settings to eek out that very last frame of the highest quality. Sometimes I think I should give up games and just throw my lot in with those guys that spend endless hours and money to get the best scores on benchmark programs. For me with FSX/FS9 it was always about the tweaking and never about the flying. Tweak and short hop, tweak and short hop, tweak and short hop, tweak and short hop until I had one too many martinis and it all looked good no matter what the settings.

 

I'm done tweaking. Did it for years with other FS products. Getting good frame rates now, no problems, looks good, and my new motto is " I am not going to keep fixing it till it breaks"....... B)

LOL

 

I am not going to keep fixing it till it breaks

 

I'm with you, Bob..I'm reading this thread and breaking out in a sweat...

 

I'm actually having to resist opening that file...I Will not tweak; I will not tweak...By this time tomorrow I will be doing a complete re-install LOL

You should know that there is a reason why reflectionquality skips from low to max. One of the threads in the Beta forum says there is a bug with the High reflection setting that they haven't got around to fixing. I haven't noticed any problems with it set on high, but you should keep that in mind if you have any weird problems after changing the setting.

I'm aware of the reflection bug. Unfortunately Stone didn't expand on what the bug actually is. I'm presuming it's the occasional full screen flash, as well as the reflections momentarily blinking out of existence. The mountain reflections in the wide rivers in Alaska are too good looking to pass up though.

 

Also, about FXAA, you can turn both options on, in-game and FXAA from the control panel. I have in-game sharpness set at high instead of max and FXAA on. It seems to work pretty well, and FXAA has almost no performance penalty.

I've done this by accident a few times when I had FXAA on in the control panel. While it didn't cause any slow down, I didn't really see any benefit from it either. That said, I haven't tested it out with lower in game AA settings, so there might be something there.

 

Another thing I noticed last night is that adaptive v-sync doesn't seem to work like it's supposed to. With the in-game v-sync on (and the control panel set to adaptive) the game still gets stuck at fps that work with your refresh rate (15, 20, 30, and 60fps). If you turn off the in-game setting it works like it should, activating v-sync at 60fps, and turning it off below that. I don't think it's supposed to work that way, the in-game setting shouldn't matter, but it does here.

I noticed the same. I've left in-game V-sync off and am using Adaptive in the control panel. On the very rare occasion I dip below 60FPS, I'd rather have tearing than a fixed 30FPS.

Regarding VSync and tearing..Has anyone using the Gmap pseudo full-screen combo noticed that Vsync isn't applied (or properly, at least) D'you think there is a way to force it in "windowed" mode like there is in FSX? (by tweaking the cfg file arrgghhh)

...I Will not tweak; I will not tweak...

My new mantra. :drinks:

You can see terrain reflecting in both of the mountain pass shots.

 

Indeed I can....The first shot is an awfully nice shot btw. I actually really like Flight's evening time aesthetic. I think the only thing I'd personally tweak there would be the wave size on inland water, (as many have pointed out) and perhaps the color a bit. Maybe a little less saturation, little less turquoise. But that's off topic...

I'm looking forward to using your guide either completely, or just to get my reflections back!!

Regarding VSync and tearing..Has anyone using the Gmap pseudo full-screen combo noticed that Vsync isn't applied (or properly, at least) D'you think there is a way to force it in "windowed" mode like there is in FSX? (by tweaking the cfg file arrgghhh)

 

I see that occasionaly. Usually it looks alright but every now and then, mainly then, I see some tearing... Not enough to look for tweaks yet, though.

What he means is you should copy both folders to a safe location (might be another or folder or drive or USB stick). So not copy the text out of the cfg into a new document but copy everything.

 

SInce the folders are hidden by default, the easiest way to get to them is to copy this

 

%APPDATA%\Microsoft

 

into the search option of the taskbar (click on the Start button or whatever you call that to see the search option), hit Enter and the folder will open. Copy the entire Flight folder to another location.

 

Repeat with

 

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft

 

After that use the above lines to get to Flight.cfg inside the Flight folder. To directly open it, you could copy this in the search option

 

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Flight\Flight.cfg

 

You could also create a shortcut the Flight.cfg on your desktop if you plan on tweaking a lot.

 

I have not been able to save. I have tried this before, many times.Every time I enter in Search I always get "No items match your search" I can never seem to get into the flight files no matter what direction I come at it. What em I doing wrong? Drives me nuts.

I'm aware of the reflection bug. Unfortunately Stone didn't expand on what the bug actually is. I'm presuming it's the occasional full screen flash, as well as the reflections momentarily blinking out of existence. The mountain reflections in the wide rivers in Alaska are too good looking to pass up though.

 

 

Aha! So I'm not seeing random, very occasional flashes of sheet lightning in broad daylight? Sad. Here I was thinking the flight team had introduced another shot of reality.. LOL

 

Yes, turning your pov rapidly during a flight in early morning or late evening light with long cast shadows on the mountains gives me some interesting effect too. Shadows seem to jump around a bit (autogen?).

I have not been able to save. I have tried this before, many times.Every time I enter in Search I always get "No items match your search" I can never seem to get into the flight files no matter what direction I come at it. What em I doing wrong? Drives me nuts.

 

Are you using Windows 7? I suppose that on for instance XP the folders are elsewhere. You might want to go to those folders manually: you have to unhide hidden folders first to do so and then go to your Users folder, then Appdata and then browse a little until you see the MS folders.

I use Win7. Make sure you can see hidden files and folders first by opening Windows Explorer, then go to Tools>Folder Options and a box will pop up . Under the View tab you can change the option to Show Hidden Files, Folders and Drives. Click Apply>OK. Close the window and now you should be able access the Flight cfg. files.

 

Hope this helps.

Ok guys, thanks. Now I see the light.