Inspired by the progress with P3D, I'm now back experimenting with FSX. I seem to have ended up with FSX/SE left on my system, although I do have the plain FSX dvds to hand as well, but I have the vague memory that the Steam version was a bit easier to live with, so that's what I'm working on. 

Just spent a couple of days playing with this. I have of course got all the original Orbx stuff available to me, and I've put all the global and regional stuff back on. Airports I may not bother with so much, although some of the smaller country strips might be worth checking out. Initial impressions were disappointing, and I was having problems with what I figured out in the end were the streetlights in Orbx's Vector (displaying as little black squares everywhere). A bit of digging around turned up a post from JV on the Orbx site that noted this error and the need to install "Steve's DX Fixer" to resolve it. Sure enough, turns out I had downloaded a copy of that as well, back in the day, so dug it out and ran it and I'm actually pretty impressed with FSX now. Steve's fix resolved the lights issue and also perked up the overall appearance quite a bit. I just need to do some work on the sky/clouds environment and then I can concentrate on just loading up, flying, and snapping all the delightful old FSX planes I haven't seen for years.

Just a couple of shots here, But I no doubt won't be able to resist posting shots of the various aircraft I discover and renovate in the coming weeks <grin>

The built-in Baron - 

And grabbed at random, my old JF Comet - 

A work in progress, but actually better than I was expecting, and very encouraging.

I keep FSX installed for only one aircraft. The a2a Stratocruiser.

30 minutes ago, Patco Lch said:

I keep FSX installed for only one aircraft. The a2a Stratocruiser.

Vic, that is one I'll be playing with for sure. Already checked out that it still loads for me, and looking forward to grabbing some shots. A wonderful old aircraft.

Nice set, but never could go back to FSX, the Graphik is to bad these days now..

cheers 😉

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by pmplayer

1 minute ago, pmplayer said:

but never could go back to FSX, the Graphik is to bad now.

Totally agree. And once I've got this set up the way I want it I doubt I'll use it much, but it is nice to see some of the old aircraft again, and it opens up the possibility of finding all sorts of other old freeware planes out there to try out.

So, with the 737 Stubby, I have succeeded in getting you back in the groove for P3D and FSX…🙂…

It looks like you’re having good success in this journey of re-discovery.

I never had P3D, but I know FSX/SE rather well...15 years on it, since release, till I got on MSFS2020, but no intention to get back on FSX, though…🙂…

Loved the shot of the Comet, here…!

Have fun…!

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by P_7878

1 hour ago, P_7878 said:

So, with the 737 Stubby, I have succeeded in getting you back in the groove for P3D and FSX…

Yep, I hold you personally responsible for this whole business <grin>

I've been surprised at how much better than I was expecting both FSX and P3D feel. MSFS (and XP12 to a slightly lesser degree) is a different concept altogether for me, in that it doesn't feel like a flightsim, more a world exploration tool. It is so much better than the older sims that I literally don't feel any comparison. What I mean is that when I'm using these newly restored FSX and P3D systems, I'm very much aware that I'm definitely playing with a computer sim, with all the issues I remember of visual quality, weird behaviour and so on. But when I go into MSFS, it doesn't feel like a flightsim, more a sort of "virtual reality" drone tour of wherever I'm flying. This has a lot to do with  the way I "fly" of course, as I'm primarily focussed on the outside world anyway and spend pretty much no time paying attention to what's going on in the cockpit. I always have failures turned off and "easy" mode on, so I can mostly ignore everything in there and just experience the flight from a position outside and parallel to the plane, so getting a more holistic view of the plane moving over its surroundings. And MSFS is so visually realistic now that it is more like watching a movie than flying a sim. This is why I'm so put out by the LOD issues and those PG tree blobs, they really do kill that vibe when they occur and just take me right back to the feeling of "yeah, I'm playing with a sim".

So MSFS (and XP12) are still where I will spend most of my time, but these oldies will let me see some interesting old friends again, plus of course my hardware is a bit more powerful than it was ten years ago so there is no concept of struggling with these sims now. Apart from the OOMs, CTDs and freezes, of course <grin>.

Fun will be had, for sure.

Those were the times, FSX combined with A2A aircraft, Orbx, and REX.

Did this video like 10yrs ago on an AMD 965 Black CPU.

And the Howard 500 by Miltion Shupe, of course.

Edited November 10, 2025Nov 10 by TuFun

9 hours ago, TuFun said:

Those were the times, FSX combined with A2A aircraft, Orbx, and REX.

Did this video like 10yrs ago on an AMD 965 Black CPU.

A big "wow" to that video. Very impressive, and good to see (again, I think. I sort of remember seeing it back in the day, maybe)

20 hours ago, Patco Lch said:

I keep FSX installed for only one aircraft. The a2a Stratocruiser.

and Constellation?  Really miss that bird.

39 minutes ago, vp49p3 said:

and Constellation?  Really miss that bird.

You may know already but the a2a Connie is available for all the P3D versions. For me that’s one problem with the newer sims is not many good study level old piston pounders.

nice video!