I just bought FU-3 ...A few questions....please

[Guest Tinfish]

Hi folks,I bought FU3 second-hand via Amazon-UK a few weeks ago and I installed it last night on my PC running Win-XP. I eventually got it to run ok (after deleting the 'config' file. FU3 created a new one on start-up) My main problem now is that the clouds look very blotchy and flat - more like matt-white paint than the awesome fluffy cloud screenshots Ive seen of FU3 in the past. Ive been searching for this sim for years, but all-in-all, I'm not that impressed with it so far. But I realise its early days andthat maybe its WinXP thats at fault, or else it my graphics card, or something.Questions:Any idea how I might get the clouds looking more realistic?Where can I get hold of the VFR UK add-on scenery of FU-3?Thanks,TinUKMy Specs:AthlonXP 1700Asus moboardRadeon 9600-Pro 128mb AGP video card512mb DDR ramWinxp pro (and Tweak-XP Pro)Maxtor 80 gig hd, 7,200Hansol 15" tft screen..and a wee moose! :)---"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience".~Ralph Waldo Emerson----

[Christopher Low 5,324]

Welcome to the FU3 Forum, Tinfish :-waveWith respect to getting FU3 to look its best, you really need to use full scene anti-aliasing (to smooth the jagged edges of distant polygons) and anisotropic filtering (to eliminate the texture shimmering). I use 4xS FSAA and 8x anisotropic filtering with my GeForce 3 Ti 200, and it makes a MASSIVE difference to the quality of the terrain graphics.I am not sure what you mean about the clouds. Maybe you could post a few screenshots to illustrate the problem ? Just press CTRL-ALT-P during any flight, and a screenshot will be taken. This is stored in your main FLIGHT3 folder as a bitmap file, but this can easily be converted to a JPEG file by any decent piece of software (I use IrfanView).After this has been done, you can then think about installing many of the great scenery and aircraft add-ons that are available in the FU3 file library.Best Wishes,Chris Low.

[Guest Motormouse]

Hi Tin,for weather enhancements you need to go herehttp://www.geocities.com/lcdoering/Photos.htmlthen its' a matter of 'copy and paste' lines into your FU3.cfg fileas you so desire.As for your graphics card, if using an Nvidia based card its probably best to d/l and install the FU3 patch (UK version), you can find it in Avsim library. Some do find that FU3 runs ok without the patch though,but once 'patched' there's no going back other than a full re-install. Personally, for my Geforce 2 card (soon to be replaced ---yippeee) FU3 wouldn't run without it.:-wavePete

[Guest Tinfish]

Thanks Guys!Since I posted the above rant yesterday, I'm now a confirmed FU3 fan! ..the reason being that I've settled into the game and discovered its probably the best 'glider' sim ever! I luv the realism and lift of gliding in FU3, much better than Hangsim, I reckon.Re 'blotchy clouds': Heres a link to a picture on a website. The clouds here look the same as on my PC, i.e. blotchy/grainy >>http://www.doupe.cz/Files/Obrazky/art/fu32.jpgHowever, I tweaked the CFG file yesterday and the clouds now look like this in my game (Maybe they dont look so good graphics-wise, but I think they are more real-looking without any shadows) >>http://www.x-plane.org/users/tinfish/Flt1.jpg...and with a nice mellow haze as well ....>>>http://www.x-plane.org/users/tinfish/Flt2.jpgQuestion: How do I change the keyboard setup? (I'd like to make he screenshot keys etc more easier than Ctr Alt P)Finally, does anyone know which plane this is, and where I can get it (if its not a stock plane :) ? >>http://www.doupe.cz/Files/Obrazky/art/fu31.jpgThanksT.PS: I got the patch and installed it as suggested.Any other "must have" files you can suggest for FU3?

[Guest glidernut]

Hi Tinfish, Thats a good name. Welcom abord.(after deleting the 'config' file. FU3 created a new one on start-up) Yes, and when it dus that you get a bog standered FU3 cfg file that is crap.You can "as Pete abuv sergestid", chang the setings in the FU3 cfg file by'copy and pasteing' lines into your FU3.cfg file that you get from that exalantweb sight.Or alternativly you can simply swop your FU3 cfg file with one of thees FU3 cfg files.If you dont like one, then simply try anuther.Cum back and let us know what you think of it.or if you hit any snags.glidernut.

[Guest Tinfish]

Thanks for the files GliderNut! (great name also!) :)Just to mention that when Fu3 rewrote the CFG, I did copy and paste lines from a previously saved CFG that I had. Deleting the file was just a 'last gasp' attempt to get FU3 running on XP - because all I was getting was a grey/dark screen where the menu screen should have been. But the same thing happened today, and deleting the CFG file didnt help this time. What I had to do was delete the FU3.exe file and replace it with one I'd backed up yesterday.So Im up and running now and I'll try out the CFG files you posted.Thanks again.TinPS: My screen-name on the 'Lock-On' flightsim forum is "Lock-Nut". So maybe we are related!? :) :)

[mole_man 0]

since we're talking clouds here...I can never seem to generate a nice LOW blanket cloud cover that you can break through at medium altitude (5,000 - 15,000) to get that 'above the clouds' feel.My clouds tend to be monsters that I can only rise above by spiraslling up to 35,000' in the beechjet.I'm sure it can be done. Perhaps someone has a weather file they can post.GraemeUK