"Microsoft didn't make it as '..real as it gets..' No, these did--->"

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Microsoft created the  FSX sandbox, and invited the following to come play in it:

 

ORBX/FTX:

 

1. FTX-Global world textures and Custom regions and landclass

2. The newly released FTX Global Lights Control program

3. All custom airports, to purchase, and as well, free-to-download

 

John's company and its most talented artists and programmers have absolutely hand's down, transformed the entire world into way beyond 'plausible belief'. The final, and missing part of customization was delivered with the FTX Global Lights Control program.  What prompted this entire post was a dusk to night transition flight with all lights set to SMALL, and light intensity set to Low. My personal light variations (to personal taste) completed the scenario...and my jaw dropped to the desktop, when I next flew a dusk flight...and climbed out to 3,500 ft. This tool removed the ONLY obstacle to true suspension of disbelief. Lights now fit in with the textures of FSXG. With BLOOM enabled, the orb of the lights, the color of the light radiation, and the burnt in light coverage on the ground below them...well...it's now real to my eye and mind.  Absolutely stunning, is the Real World effect upon the conciseness. This tool should be bundled with FSXG. It allows the user to make FSXG's light system...to how he/she sees the world, therefore makes it as real as possible for the each of us....and that is the most important element!

 

Steve's DX10 Scenery Fixer

 

​Has absolutely maximized and leveraged every ounce of graphic goodness to be found within the FSX coding.  Oceans that have wind-swept wave swells. Bloom that can be left permanently on to leverage light sources aka HDR lighting mimicry. FPS that stay mostly hovering around the 30 mark, and this with BLOOM enabled!

 

HiFi Technologies:

 

Active Sky Next Weather Generator:  This is the finest weather generator I have ever had the pleasure to use. As others have stated, not only does it depict weather as close to real as one can see within the virtual world to date, but atmospherics really for the first time matters with FSX.  You are now flying through real air...and this program lets other programs that compliment it, totally shine. You ignore turbulence and its chop...and you die, twisted metal on and in the farm field.....  The first program ever to really have it matter, and affect you in the virtual...

 

REX Game Studios:

 

REX 4 Direct:  This is the closest thing to real that I have ever seen to date. These textures;  cloud, sky color, water treatments--called up by Active Sky Next, and driven through DX10, is the best depiction of the real world, I have ever seen since starting this life-long love of flight simulation. The water (which has always been so important to my virtual world) setting of Glimmer is so real, when there is any wind activity within DX10, that I have on many occasions since purchasing it, have flown coastal routes, merely to enjoy the wave animations and see the changing wind directions.  To use this program, and not have Steve's DX10 Scenery Fixer program pumping out DX10 and its effects, in my mind is short of a crime in the happening. What Rex 4 Direct does for water/DX10 depictions ALONE...was worth the entire cost to purchase. Way to go, REX Studios!

 

UTX and roadways:

 

This is a `must have` complimentary program for use of FSXG.  There is also Orbx`s Vector, and a slew of others that do the same thing...render roadways and accurate coastlines. Add a land class and you are all set.  UTX performs flawlessly with FSXG. You also need the FTX Lights for UTX program, by the creator of UTX, to allow FTX lights on all UTX roadways!!!!!  This is a biggie!

 

Shade:

 

 This program gives you 3D depth to FSX.  Mountain sides that cast shadow upon their faces and into the valleys.  With Bloom on, the effect is fascinatingly real, as well as life like for its part to suspend virtual disbelief.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It is the above combinations of programs into the mix that has given me the most life-like, the most incredible flying immersion and enjoyment, that I have ever had to date, since 1983. It was the Dusk flight an hour ago with all of the above in play, and set to direct and personal tastes/needs, that prompted me to post this thread. Along with the following .cfg file for a system with the following:

 

i7-975 Extreme CPU overcloced to 4.2 GHz

EVGA 680 Super-clocked Signature 2 GB graphics card

12 GB of high speed, low latency RAM

and the system set with HyperThreading on and 8 virtual cores in play,

 

I can honestly state that I have nothing whatsoever to complain about with Microsoft's FSX.  I have life-like depiction of the real world. I have life-like atmospherics of the real world. I have with my .cfg in play, zero-stutter and 30 FPS sustaining performance, O.O.M -free,   I finally (with the Light adjusting program just released by ORBX for FSXG) have the real world, as Microsoft sold the very idea to us those many franchise years ago....below my wing, every time FSX fires up its engines.

 

Thank you to all those above that decided to play in Microsoft's sandbox...and bring me the vision of flight to my den, any time I wish to take to the virtual sky!  There are many hundreds of other programs out there for flight simulation and its support. I personally feel, that the above purchases, were the most critical to date, to give me that awe-inspiring Dusk to Night flight from KFNT to CYTZ.  It was (to my eyes and mind), a real flight, as real as anything I would see in 'real life'...and that has always been my most fervent hope and dream of Flight Simulation upon a computer system. That day has now arrived.

 

Cheers, and here is my current FSX cfg file below my name. See what I have...see what you have...and perhaps try out a few of my settings, with my system specs in mind...and see what you come up with....enjoy!

 

Mitch

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JOBSCHEDULER]

AffinityMask=84

[bufferPools]

UsePools=0

[GRAPHICS]

HIGHMEMFIX=1

SHADER_CACHE_VERSION=1

SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED_10=1693458433

SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED=1693458434

D3D10=1

TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=2048

NUM_LIGHTS=8

AIRCRAFT_SHADOWS=1

AIRCRAFT_REFLECTIONS=1

COCKPIT_HIGH_LOD=1

LANDING_LIGHTS=1

AC_SELF_SHADOW=1

EFFECTS_QUALITY=2

GROUND_SHADOWS=0

TEXTURE_QUALITY=3

IMAGE_QUALITY=0

See_Self=1

Text_Scroll=1

MultiSamplesPerPixel=4

MultiSampleQuality=8

[sOUND]

AmbientUIMusicVolume=-6.000000

PrimaryDevice={DEF00000-9C6D-47ED-AAF1-4DDA8F2B5C03}

VoiceDevice={DEF00002-9C6D-47ED-AAF1-4DDA8F2B5C03}

SOUND=1

SOUND_QUALITY=2

SOUND_LOD=0

UISound=1

AmbientUI=0

SOUND_FADER1=0.750000

SOUND_FADER2=1.000000

SOUND_FADER3=1.000000

SOUND_FADER4=1.000000

AmbientUIMusic=FSX01

[Display]

ChangeTime=4.000000

TransitionTime=4.000000

ActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255

ActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=0,28,140,64

NonActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255

NonActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=24,33,87,64

InfoUpperRightTextColor=255,0,0

InfoUpperRightBackGroundColor=0,0,0,0

InfoLowerLeftTextColor=255,255,255

InfoLowerLeftBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128

InfoLowerRightTextColor=255,255,255

InfoLowerRightBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128

InfoBrakesEnable=True

InfoParkingBrakesEnable=True

InfoPauseEnable=True

InfoSlewEnable=True

InfoStallEnable=True

InfoOverspeedEnable=True

BLOOM_EFFECTS=1

SKINNED_ANIMATIONS=1

TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=80

TextureMaxLoad=6

UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=30

WideViewAspect=True

[Main]

DisablePreload=1

User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter

SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes

SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft

SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles

SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats

SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals

SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc

SimObjectPaths.6=ORBX\FTX_AU\FTXAI_AIRCRAFT

SimObjectPaths.7=MyTraffic\Aircraft

ProcSpeed=8568

PerfBucket=7

Maximized=1

Location=444,217,1476,983,\\.\DISPLAY1

HideMenuNormal=0

HideMenuFullscreen=1

FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.12

[PANELS]

IMAGE_QUALITY=1

DEFAULT_VIEW=0

QUICKTIPS=1

PANEL_OPACITY=100

PANEL_MASKING=1

PANEL_STRETCHING=1

UNITS_OF_MEASURE=0

[Weather]

WindshieldPrecipitationEffects=1

MinGustTime=10

MaxGustTime=500

MinGustRampSpeed=1

MaxGustRampSpeed=200

MinVarTime=5

MaxVarTime=50

MinVarRampSpeed=10

MaxVarRampSpeed=75

TurbulenceScale=2.000000

WeatherServerAddress=fs2k.zone.com

WeatherServerPort=80

WeatherGraphDataInDialog=0

AdjustForMagVarInDialog=1

DynamicWeather=0

DownloadWindsAloft=0

DisableTurbulence=0

CLOUD_DRAW_DISTANCE=6

DETAILED_CLOUDS=1

CLOUD_COVERAGE_DENSITY=8

THERMAL_VISUALS=0

[CONTROLS]

Controls_Default=Standard

Controls_Current=Standard

KBDAIL=64

KBDELEV=64

KBDRUD=64

[TextInfo.1]

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

AirSpeed=1,5

WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6

[TextInfo.2]

FrameRate=1,1

LockedFrameRate=1,2

GForce=1,3

FuelPercentage=1,4

[TextInfo.3]

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

AirSpeed=1,5

WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6

FrameRate=2,1

LockedFrameRate=2,2

GForce=2,3

FuelPercentage=2,4

[slewTextInfo.1]

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

AirSpeed=1,5

[slewTextInfo.2]

FrameRate=1,1

LockedFrameRate=1,2

[slewTextInfo.3]

Latitude=1,1

Longitude=1,2

Altitude=1,3

Heading=1,4

AirSpeed=1,5

FrameRate=2,1

LockedFrameRate=2,2

[DynamicHeadMovement]

LonAccelOnHeadLon=-0.020000

LonAccelOnHeadPitch=-0.010000

RollAccelOnHeadLat=0.010000

YawAccelOnHeadLat=-0.100000

RollAccelOnHeadRoll=0.100000

MaxHeadAngle=5.000000

MaxHeadOffset=0.300000

HeadMoveTimeConstant=1.000000

[VirtualCopilot]

VirtualCopilotActive=0

[uSERINTERFACE]

PageID=1

OpenATCOnCreate=0

SHOW_MISSION_CAPTIONS=1

PAUSE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=1

PROMPT_ON_EXIT=1

Map_Orientation=2

ShowAllACPaintSchemes=1

SelectAircraftManufacturer=All

SelectAircraftPublisher=All

SelectAircraftType=Commercial Airliner

DisplayFuelAsWeight=0

SITUATION=c:\users\sesquash\documents\flight simulator x files\Hana Airport.FLT

[ATC]

ShowATCText=0

COMM_MSG_NONE_COLOR=FFFFFFFF

COMM_MSG_ATC_USER_COLOR=FFB6FFB6

COMM_MSG_USER_ATC_COLOR=FFFFD21B

COMM_MSG_ATC_AI_COLOR=FF00FF00

COMM_MSG_AI_ATC_COLOR=FFFF7840

AutoOpenAirTrafficWindow=1

UsePilotVoice=1

PilotVoice=458752

[PointOfInterestSystem]

CycleSetting=0

[sCENERY]

LENSFLARE=1

DAWN_DUSK_SMOOTHING=1

IMAGE_COMPLEXITY=5

SmallPartRejectRadius=1

[TrafficManager]

AirlineDensity=20

GADensity=0

FreewayDensity=25

ShipsAndFerriesDensity=100

LeisureBoatsDensity=25

IFROnly=0

AIRPORT_SCENERY_DENSITY=0

[TERRAIN]

LOD_RADIUS=5.500000

MESH_COMPLEXITY=100

MESH_RESOLUTION=23

TEXTURE_RESOLUTION=29

AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5

DETAIL_TEXTURE=1

WATER_EFFECTS=6

SWAP_WAIT_TIMEOUT=10

[AContain]

ShowLabels=0

ShowUserLabel=0

ShowLabelManufacturer=1

ShowLabelModel=1

ShowLabelTailNumber=0

ShowLabelDistance=1

ShowLabelAltitude=1

ShowLabelAirline=0

ShowLabelAirlineAndFlightNumber=0

ShowLabelFlightPlan=0

ShowLabelContainerId=0

ShowLabelAirspeed=0

ShowLabelHeading=0

LabelDelay=1000

LabelColor=FFFF0000

[iNTERNATIONAL]

ASLAT=2

ASLON=1

MEASURE=0

[REALISM]

PFactor=1.000000

Torque=1.000000

GyroEffect=1.000000

CrashTolerance=1.000000

General=1.000000

UnlimitedFuel=False

TrueAirspeed=False

AutoCoord=False

RealMixture=False

StressDamage=True

GEffect=True

ManualLights=True

GyroDrift=False

CrashWithDyn=False

CrashDetection=True

AutoTrim=False

[sIM]

SYSCLOCK=1

[sTARTUP]

DEMO=0

SHOW_OPENING_SCREEN=0

STARTUP_DEMO=

LoadWindow=1

[FACILITIES]

COUNTRY=

STATE=

CITY=

GTL_BUTTON=1239

[Misc]

Com_Rate=7

[FlightPlanMap]

LineWidth=2

SHOW_AIRPORTS=1

SHOW_VORS=1

SHOW_NDBS=1

SHOW_APPROACHES=1

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=1

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=0

SHOW_AIRSPACE=1

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1

SHOW_DATATAGS=1

SHOW_TERRAIN=1

show_waypoints=1

show_airways=1

show_markers=1

show_volume_boundaries=1

show_ac_twr=1

[RWW_WEATHER_MAP]

SHOW_AIRPORTS=0

SHOW_VORS=0

SHOW_NDBS=0

SHOW_APPROACHES=0

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=0

SHOW_AIRSPACE=0

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1

SHOW_DATATAGS=1

SHOW_TERRAIN=1

[FSDREAMTEAM]

AntiPopUp=30

AltitudeCull=1

[MAPVIEW_MAP]

SHOW_AIRPORTS=1

SHOW_VORS=1

SHOW_NDBS=1

SHOW_APPROACHES=1

SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0

SHOW_VICTOR=0

SHOW_JET=0

SHOW_AIRSPACE=1

SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1

SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1

%

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

I can certainly relate...

 

Flying in Orbx Northern California scenery around dusk is stunning, and seeing the high intensity lights at the airports after landing and taxiing to the apron is truly spectacular!

 

No problems with FSX here either, and I am still on DX9.. :blush:

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

I can certainly relate...

 

Flying in Orbx Northern California scenery around dusk is stunning, and seeing the high intensity lights at the airports after landing and taxiing to the apron is truly spectacular!

 

No problems with FSX here either, and I am still on DX9.. :blush:

 

Hello Bert,

 

If you decide to explore DX10, with Steve's commercial DX10 Fixer...you will see your oceans and other bodies literally come alive.  If you already have REX 4 Direct, and if you DO decide to see what DX10 does for FSX (it actually gives you all the 'important juice of P3D) , I kindheartedly recommend the water treatment of Glimmer, as that choice brings totally alive the wave swells, and wind driven activity that is not available to you under DX9.  If you have not seen this on your own screen....I'd be stunned, if your jaw didn't drop to the desk.  After that...get ready for a lot of Caribbean flights or San Francisco Bay area jaunts.......let me tell ya! 

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Mitch,  Appreciate the advice, but I'm still on Windows XP, and DX10 is not supported  (as is the OS itself, as of this month..) :blink:

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Mitch,  Appreciate the advice, but I'm still on Windows XP, and DX10 is not supported  (as is the OS itself, as of this month..) :blink:

Ah..understood!  Well Bert, when you decide to go with Windows 7...budget as well for Mr. Steve's ticket to FSX completeness, and enjoy what the new O.S. AND DX10 enhancements, will bring to your flights...

 

Cheers,

 

Mitch

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Someone from P3D will be along shortly to put you right. :lol:

[N1G 88]

Yep, the are all the best of the best.  I have not used Shade with DX10 yet. Does it work well?

 

Bob

[Sesquashtoo 2,846]

Yep, the are all the best of the best.  I have not used Shade with DX10 yet. Does it work well?

 

Bob

I was just about to go out onto another Dusk flight but saw your post.  Yeppers...works really well.  All programs that were mentioned, are certified DX10 friendly with Steve's commercial Fixer Upper, latest and greatest edition.  (smile).

[MikeT707 1,181]

I have not used Shade yet either, but am curious how it compares to SweetFX.  Or does it compliment it?

[dodougla 7]

Someone from P3D will be along shortly to put you right. :lol:

Nah, with exception of the DX10 fixer and the shader stuff (only because it is essentially built in), all the rest makes P3D awesome too!   B)

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

Mitch,  Appreciate the advice, but I'm still on Windows XP, and DX10 is not supported  (as is the OS itself, as of this month..) :blink:

 

If you don't want to mess with Windows 8.1, buy Windows 7 as fast as you can. After the 31st of October, Windows 7 won't be produced anymore and copies will become extremely rare.

[MikeT707 1,181]

If you don't want to mess with Windows 8.1, buy Windows 7 as fast as you can. After the 31st of October, Windows 7 won't be produced anymore and copies will become extremely rare.

I was not aware of that.  Thanks for the information.

[ChaoticBeauty 6,692]

I was not aware of that.  Thanks for the information.

 

Here's the official source for anyone who wants to read it: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle#section_2

 

"Retail software end of sales" is the date on which retail versions stopped being sold. "End of sales for PCs with Windows preinstalled" is when OEM copies will stop selling.

[RWFeldman 159]

Someone from P3D will be along shortly to put you right. :lol:

Not for us who honestly do this and will only ever do this simply for entertainment. :lol:

[BobKK47 2]

I agree with you re: Active Sky Next.  ASN is the best wx program I've ever used for FSX.   I had ASE previously but ASN is a much improved, and more accurate wx program.