I've seen a lot of discussion about 3rd party traffic addons, but I've always been a bit confused about what these actually do. Do they just add real flights to FSX? I don't mean to insult peoples' hobbies and I see these are quite popular, but I just don't see why anyone would especially care about this which is why I'm confused - they can't be both pointless and popular, unless I'm really overestimating the flight sim crowd...I've got a few questions about this:1) Is it a case that if you like it you like it, if you don't you don't, and I clearly don't have any interest? Or is it that you need to try one to understand how it affects the immersion factor and my present opinion is born purely out of ignorance?2) Does it affect the number of aircraft, or just exactly what aircraft you see where/when? Do the in-game traffic sliders do anything when a 3rd party pack is installed?3) How does it affect game performance? FSX isn't exactly buttery smooth so I don't want another performance drag.4) MyTraffic X, JS Traffic, Ultimate Traffic, World of AI - what's the difference, what's the best? Why is MTX a 300MB download but Ultimate Traffic Europe is a DVD only purchase?

OK, maybe these aren't as popular as I thought.I fly mainly VFR, low altitude flights. I presume these packs make less of a difference as they concentrate on commercial high altitude flights, correct?

Sorry no one has replied to your questions, I missed until just now. I'll try to help.>I've got a few questions about this:>>1) Is it a case that if you like it you like it, if you don't>you don't, and I clearly don't have any interest? Or is it>that you need to try one to understand how it affects the>immersion factor and my present opinion is born purely out of>ignorance?Most people who use third party traffic, do so because:1. They tire of hearing callsigns like "Obrit" amd "Soar" and prefer "American, Delta, United, etc."2. Some third party AI AC are designed to be more frame rate friendly. They usually have fewer polygons.>2) Does it affect the number of aircraft, or just exactly what>aircraft you see where/when? Do the in-game traffic sliders do>anything when a 3rd party pack is installed?Both and usually the sliders still affect the numbers.>3) How does it affect game performance? FSX isn't exactly>buttery smooth so I don't want another performance drag.Look for models designed for AI use.>4) MyTraffic X, JS Traffic, Ultimate Traffic, World of AI ->what's the difference, what's the best? Why is MTX a 300MB>download but Ultimate Traffic Europe is a DVD only purchase?Some are payware and some are free. I use freeware. I have a mix of WOAI and Project AI (PAI) for commercial traffic and the freware program, GA-Traffic (available here in the library) for GA traffic.I hope that this is helpful to you.R-

To go a little further; as to your question regarding the 'immersion factor'; surely, to feel more immersed in the sim, realism helps...it breaks the immersion if you're taxiing around a reasonable size airport and all you hear ATC referring to is Orbit, etc, instead of Delta, SpeedBird, EasyJet, etc..... yes, I suppose the add-on AI traffic packs are more of a concern to folks who prefer the heavies and IFR than one who prefers mainly VFR. You may not have much interest in them or think that they are a particularily important addon, but then I feel in a similar, but maybe less 'blunt', manner about the highly detailed scenery addons for bush fliers...I prefer the heavies and so don't need the likes of Alaska, or Canada in such mega detail, but i certainly wouldn't express my views in such negative tones as used in your opening post....Everyone to their own....that's one of the wonderful things about the FS series, especially FS9 and FSX, they offer so much variety to so many people.... I must admit though, I do need to download the highly detailed Norway sceneries sometime soon, as I also love flying the old WWII warbirds, and to flow fast and low through detailed and accurate fjords in a Mosquito, Lancaster, Spit, or 109, would be quite something!!As to value, (back to AI traffic!), the 'World of AI' and 'Project AI' packs, which are freeware, can't be beaten!

2) Does it affect the number of aircraft, or just exactly what aircraft you see where/when? Do the in-game traffic sliders do anything when a 3rd party pack is installed?IT affects the number of aircrafts. The aircraft textures are real world airlines. American, Delta, United, Singapore, Luftansa and so on. You would find the right airlines at the right airport. You go to Frankfurt, majority of them would be Luftanasa. At Dallas, it would American Airlines... They sit in their right gates and terminal.3) How does it affect game performance? FSX isn't exactly buttery smooth so I don't want another performance drag.You can adjust the % sliders with these AI traffic. And yes..they do take a hit in performance. 4) MyTraffic X, JS Traffic, Ultimate Traffic, World of AI - what's the difference, what's the best? Why is MTX a 300MB download but Ultimate Traffic Europe is a DVD only purchase?I have Ultimate Traffic. That and a frewware GA-Traffic. I don't much about the others. I like UT and am happy with it.Manny

>Why is MTX a 300MB>download but Ultimate Traffic Europe is a DVD only purchase?I think you have Ultimate Traffic confused with Ultimate TERRAIN - Europe. Ultimate Traffic is also sold from Flight One, and it IS a downloadable package, just as MyTraffic and the freebee stuff...

I meant this: http://secure.simmarket.com/product_info.p...roducts_id=1381I've looked on the Flight 1 site, there is indeed a downloadable Traffic package. I looked in to World of AI, are you supposed to install all 50 odd packages or what?yarvelling - I didn't mean to offend, sorry if I did this. My negativity was designed to highlight my failure to understand this, as I knew I must be missing something for these packs to be popular with flight simmers. Norwegian fjords eh, that takes me back. I cut my flight simulation teeth flying Eurofighters up those in EF2000, air strikes on power stations was a popular LAN activity in my house in those days. I remember 320x240, I thought it looked amazing. My PDA is 4 times that resolution now :)

>yarvelling - I didn't mean to offend, sorry if I did this. My>negativity was designed to highlight my failure to understand>this...You didn't offend me, and I use traffic. I perfectly understood what you were saying and it was fine and non-offensive imo. Anyway, I use MyTrafficX and it's pretty good. It isn't free though, and they are still ironing out some details with FSX. Also, the AI aircraft do not look particularly good up close (performance tradeoff and worth it imo). I'd probably try some of these freely distributed options first and see if you like them. I haven't tried any of the free ones, but kinda wish I had seen a post like this before I bought MyTafficX so I could have tested the waters. Regardless, I'm happy with MyTrafficX...Why traffic? Well, I fly mainly single-props in VFR and IFR conditions. I use real-world charts to plan out my flight, and approach plates for proper landings. I could do this much quicker without the AI in the way, but I use this as a training tool and find it much more enjoyable to use AI. It adds another realistic dimension to the flight, and sometimes it can be a real pain in the butt to have to wait for other aircraft to land/takeoff. But that's the way it really is, so that's the way I like to train. To each their own.Good luck!