Best Traffic Package - Opinions welcomed

[virtualstuff 758]

>Well I personally am having no issues with Traffic X at all ->and I believe I'm not the only one. >>PaulFunny you say that because you have errors too but maybe not noticed them lolTried this one out to but one of the "worst payware mis informing package" I've seen in a long time...See copy below of my message in justflight forum...Guys I don't have not to much time . busy with other things in FSX besides flying ....So I decided after years of custom AI to buy an AI package native for FSX.Since the promises on the website and some found memories of the first version way back :-) and now the new TrafficX quote"New aircraft, more traffic - Traffic X employs completely reworked and updated aircraft for FSX with new and more detailed high-quality airline liveries. Traffic X will include 99 individual, different aircraft models with numerous airline liveries and paint schemes - giving a total of more than 1,700 individual aircraft."Ok my story so far :(Had custom made AI converted to FSX with real world flight plans converted to the FSX format so far so good.But the downside missing FSX features but more important some models missing transparent windows etc...Don't have the time to replace the strange ones up to this point...Now TrafficX install went fine and installed the traffic hotfix compiling the stuff and fired up FSX.To my surprise far less traffic as I had with my custom made package :( only at the major airports enough stuff floating around but less FPS!Ok after a check it seems that TrafficX is only looking to the AFCADS supplied with the package...So after looking what is going on behind the scenes found a lot of errors and things which gives me bad tasted in my mouth...Let me explain:- Found a lot of converted FS9 AF2 AFCAD files to FSX with all problems so no native files- Texture files out of 2002/2003/2004/2005/2006 yep indeed- 1073 x of *.DDS files new texture format for FSX- 973 x of *.bmp files old format- DDS files are far to huge saved in 32 bit without mipmaps hence here is someone who doesn't know what he is doing!- Free tip if you save the DDS files in DXT5 format wit mips you will have a far better performance in FSX and loading times when switching views WinkExample current dds file size 4 mb * 1073 = 4,3 gb disk spaceSave it in the better format 1,3 mb * 1073 = 1,4 gb disk spacePlus far better loading times in the sim and also for the graphics bus of your hardware Smile- Texture errors- Some models have model errors different parts floating in the air or invisible- Actually the 757 model is nice Smile- AI engine starting up sound random when airborne Dead- Amazing to see that FSX default aircraft are used for GA traffic which is really a no go for performance reasons...- lot of development files left behind in the directories...- Airport cache bin file has errors- One big compile error log file will post it here at the bottom of this messageIn general I was prepared to see less better looking models and textures but in this case the texture work is the worst I've seen in a long time + modelling of some models can de done far better with the same vertices count.One misconception in the community is that AI can look good but at the cost of performance in the contrary when done smart it can look real good and have a better performance. EmbarrassedSorry but this isn't a native FSX AI package but just a conversion package with a lot of errors that's why I ask for a refund request the first in my FS history....My custom made AI is far better amazing which is a conversion of FS9 stuff DeadThe log file in the flightplan/compile directory is 9 mb full of errors see a small copy below...H:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(1714) : error: Unable to find available parking at SPLP for JFAI_TX_A300_AALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(1738) : error: Unable to find available parking at KCLT for JFAI_TX_B757_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(1846) : error: Unable to find available parking at TNCC for JFAI_TX_B7373_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(1907) : error: Unable to find available parking at KSFD for JFAI_TX_ATR42_AALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(1971) : error: Unable to find available parking at TGPY for JFAI_TX_ATR42_AALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2043) : error: Unable to find available parking at KJAX for JFAI_TX_ATR42_AALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2059) : error: Unable to find available parking at KJAX for JFAI_TX_F70_AAALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2095) : error: Unable to find available parking at ENGM for JFAI_TX_B777_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2214) : error: Flight from FAJS to KDFW requires at least 16.65 hours for JFAI_TX_MD11_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2250) : error: Unable to find available parking at MZBZ for JFAI_TX_B7373_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2332) : error: Unable to find available parking at KJAX for JFAI_TX_ATR42_AALH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(2518) : error: Unable to find available parking at MZBZ for JFAI_TX_B7373_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(3526) : error: Unable to find available parking at KCLT for JFAI_TX_B7373_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(3700) : error: Flight from RJAA to KDFW requires at least 11.18 hours for JFAI_TX_B777_AAH:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesMicrosoft Flight Simulator XJustFlightTrafficXPresetsDataSchedulescompilerSchedules.dat(4226) :This will go on and on OuchApology for the long post but I find the website is giving a wrong impression of this package.Cheers,Andr

[A36 Apache 0]

I don't know what you mean by 'designed for 2004 and so won't work as well in FSX,' because it works great in FSX! The package you mention has issues with FSX. I did find a few aircraft had bad prop textures, but when I got in touch with the AI creator they very quickly responded to me (before I could refresh the forum there) with an answer that solved the problem! WOAI aircraft look great, sound great, and there are custom upgrades available that add features for other products like 3D Lights Redux (of course I had to do the editing myself). I like the results so much I plan on joining one of the development teams.

[Guest pwheeler]

> I don't know what you mean by 'designed for 2004 and so>won't work as well in FSX,' because it works great in FSX!It is a fact that FSX, while it will work with aircraft that have been ported from FS2004, is not optimised for it. If you have 2 identical versions of the same aircraft, one designed using the FS2004 SDK and one designed using the FSX SDK, the FSX one will be more efficient in the FSX engine and thus will have higher fps.This is why only now are we starting to get addons that work well in FSX - because developers are finally designing things for FSX only - so they are optimised for FSX not FS2004.FSX may be built on the FS2004 engine, but it is a very different beast.

[Guest pwheeler]

Thanks for that post. I have had a good look at the package now and I'll get to each point in turn.>- Found a lot of converted FS9 AF2 AFCAD files to FSX with>all problems so no native filesTo be honest I can kind of understand this as there are a huge amount of airports. They didn't promise brand new afcads, just aircraft. >- Texture files out of 2002/2003/2004/2005/2006 yep indeedI believe this is deliberate. They have put in the option of showing historical traffic - you can pick which years to show traffic from. They even have Concorde!>- 1073 x of *.DDS files new texture format for FSX>- 973 x of *.bmp files old format>- DDS files are far to huge saved in 32 bit without mipmaps>hence here is someone who doesn't know what he is doing!This is correct and I grant you is very strange. Perhaps they fell behind in development and cut some corners... Perhaps we can manually convert them?>- Some models have model errors different parts floating in>the air or invisibleI haven't seen this personally - but then as I said AI is not that important to me. I just like having busy airports.>- AI engine starting up sound random when airborne DeadI actually havn't heard this even though many people have mentioned it.>- Amazing to see that FSX default aircraft are used for GA>traffic which is really a no go for performance reasons...Not the case. Traffic X does not remove the default AI traffic.BGL so they appear unless you manually delete it. You can choose the default aircraft to appear in the Traffic Control Centre but I believe they are not checked in default. In fact many Traffic X aircraft are not checked by default such as the helicopters.>- lot of development files left behind in the directories...I haven't seen these, but then I haven't had a really good look...>- One big compile error log file will post it here at the>bottom of this messageI guess with so many flights going on some are bound to conflict. Maybe this is an area which they can improve in service packs>In general I was prepared to see less better looking models>and textures but in this case the texture work is the worst>I've seen in a long time + modelling of some models can de>done far better with the same vertices count.Well since I don't really look that closely they seem OK to me - better than the Traffic 2005 ones anyway.>Sorry but this isn't a native FSX AI package but just a>conversion package with a lot of errorsWell I do believe the models are new even if the textures are not. They certainly don't look like the Traffic 2005 ones and I am getting much, much better performance.Seriously - I can nearly double the amount of traffic over Traffic 2005 levels for the same fps.I'm not saying this package is perfect - and you have pointed out some glaring issues which I hope they sort out. I am not a Just Flight fan and I have had issues with them in the past. But it only cost me

[virtualstuff 758]

>>- Found a lot of converted FS9 AF2 AFCAD files to FSX with>>all problems so no native files>>To be honest I can kind of understand this as there are a huge>amount of airports. They didn't promise brand new afcads, just>aircraft. Paul they better do because converted FS9 AFCAD files give all sort of problems in FSX!>>- Texture files out of 2002/2003/2004/2005/2006 yep indeed>>I believe this is deliberate. They have put in the option of>showing historical traffic - you can pick which years to show>traffic from. They even have Concorde!Nope for a brand new package then make new paints to with the latest techniques ;-)>>- Some models have model errors different parts floating in>>the air or invisible>>I haven't seen this personally - but then as I said AI is not>that important to me. I just like having busy airports.Will have a impact on FPS... >>- Amazing to see that FSX default aircraft are used for GA>>traffic which is really a no go for performance reasons...>>Not the case. Traffic X does not remove the default AI>traffic.BGL so they appear unless you manually delete it. You>can choose the default aircraft to appear in the Traffic>Control Centre but I believe they are not checked in default.>In fact many Traffic X aircraft are not checked by default>such as the helicopters.It has nothing to to do with replacing the traffic BGL file but with the selection in the gui and the program will compile a new traffic file based on the model selection and flightplans and there are default FSX models...Have a better look there...>I'm not saying this package is perfect - and you have pointed>out some glaring issues which I hope they sort out. I am not a>Just Flight fan and I have had issues with them in the past.>But it only cost me