FU3 compatibility with Windows Vista

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Following up on pastorpilot's post, I would really like to know if anyone is currently using FU3 with Windows Vista. I will be adding a review of FU3 to my website in the near future, and I would like to know if there are any compatibility problems with Microsoft's new OS.Christopher Low.

[Christopher Low 5,352]

I would also be interested to know if FSX still has that "one key to cycle through the viewpoints" system, and if VFR cockpit views have been added for the default planes. Or is it all virtual cockpits these days ?

[Guest Stearman]

>I would also be interested to know if FSX still has that "one>key to cycle through the viewpoints" system, and if VFR>cockpit views have been added for the default planes. Or is it>all virtual cockpits these days ?Hi Chris, yes: FSX still has the same single key to cycle through views. And yes, it's all virtual cockpits (they have dropped most if not all 2D panels).You might also find my experience with FSX interesting: it is designed to be run under Windows Vista (read DirectX 10), but somehow they allowed it to be run under Windows XP (DirectX 9.0c). In fact it was released before Vista, so this was a nicely machiavelic move on their part.I had been using FS9 for 2 years on my trusty P4 3GHz with a Geforce4 Ti4800SE, which was not bad at all, when I came across the FSX demo with its unbelievable water effects, which I couldn't see because that video card wasn't really "full DirectX 9 compliant". So I needed a compliant card to be "prepared for FSX".My motherboard being AGP, I got a Geforce7 7800GS (the fastest AGP video card ever made), which in turn forced me to get a new 500W PSU. Not bad, about 500 Euro forked out, but now I thought I was "prepared".Well, I wasn't. Sure I can now see the fancy water effects, but my machine is still far from being enough to run FSX at a reasonably high detail level (let alone full detail).It's not that FSX is designed "to be run under Windows Vista", it is actually designed to be run on high-end, present or future machines which use or will use Windows Vista and DirectX 10 as a basic standard. It may well run on today's machines with Windows XP, but it was not designed to be run this way. It was simply designed to be 'sold' this way.As a conclussion, I've been left with a superb machine to run FS9 better than ever, but not FSX. Consequently, I've uninstalled FSX, reintalled FS9 and got a couple FS9 add-ons I had been previously hesitating about.My FSX is now catching dust on a shelf, in case I decide to buy a new machine sometime before it is outdated in turn.

[Christopher Low 5,352]

I was experiencing various freezing and crashing problems in both GT Legends and GTR2 when using my old 128MB ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, so I replaced this card with a 256MB GeForce 7600GT AGP. This works perfectly.However, I discovered relatively recently that the framerate problems that I experienced in these games had nothing to do with either the graphics card or the CPU. I downloaded SiSoft Sandra to test my system, and I discovered that it was the memory sticks that were causing the problem !In short, they were being "throttled back" by my system, due to some kind of incompatibility. I had 2x512MB sticks of double sided DDR400 RAM, and I noticed in the BIOS menu that the MEMCLOCK speed of these had been automatically set to "100Mhz". This is half what it should have been, which puzzled me. I tried manually setting this to "200Mhz", but my system became totally unstable.SiSoft Sandra indicated that my memory bandwidth was only 1260MB/s (for anyone who isn't familiar with this, that figure is pathetic). So, I removed one stick, tested it again.....and guess what ?The memory bandwidth had increased to 2800MB/s, and my framerates in GTL and GTR2 had shot up by more than 50% !!! :-eekThe reduced amount of RAM caused some stuttering problems, but that didn't matter. I knew exactly what I had to do. I purchased a SINGLE 1GB stick of DDR400 RAM (Crucial), and installed it. My MEMCLOCK setting in the BIOS menu was automatically reset to "200Mhz", and the memory bandwidth remained at 2800MB/s. PROBLEM SOLVED :-)So, if anyone on this forum is having framerate problems in GTL or GTR2 (and you have no idea why), then CHECK YOUR MEMORY BANDWIDTH !

[Guest CaptRolo]

Nice trouble shooting Chris ,I use to use Sandra when it first came out . I should buy new version .I't really helpful. I have ATI radion X1600 512 PCI express works great will get a second one to use dual system .I now have a 800 watt power supply and may need more then .(blew a 500w )CaptRolo

[Christopher Low 5,352]

I have a 400W PSU, and it has worked fine for three years.

[pastorpilot 0]

Hi Chris...Good to see your post. I still have your latest San Fran pack and one of the Seattle packs on my FU-3 install on an AMD 1.5 ghz chip. I truly enjoy and relish seeing all the models... The only problem is that it significantly slowed down the FPS. Especially near the urban areas. So much so, I sort of abandoned FU-3... may favorite sim. Chris... I have one more post about FSX in response to a point you made in another part of the thread. Be sure to read. But I do want to tell you that I am planning to cut and paste my FU-3 folder to my knew fast computer which I should be picking up tomorrow. I will let you know how it runs on a 4 ghz dual core machine.Boy was I ever surprised to learn that Chris Low had taken FU-3 off his hard drive, with all of the contributons you have made!! Wow! You must really love those race cars!I love the race cars too. I grew up in Indy 6 miles north of the Speedway. I'm there every year. Watched the race for many years. Saw Jimmy Clark win in 1965. I watched Jackie Stewart compete. Watched Graham Hill win it as a rookie. Saw Jack Brabham out there. Donald Davidson is a British gentelman, and he is the track historian. I'm forgetting the name of the British car builder who brought so many sleek creations to the track on the late 60's early 70's. Wow wish I could remember his name. Oh Yes! It was Colin Chapman. Have you heard of him? They were day glow red/orange in color and STP was their sponsor. Andi Granatelli was the owner. So many memories... across the years. I haven't been to one of the F-1 races held at the track yet. But day before yesterday I ran in the annual mini-marathon (13.1 miles) and it you run one lap around the track. There are 35,000 runners. But every year (I ran my first one on May 28th, 1982) I run, as I go around the track, I look up at the various spots and remember all of the events at different locations cross the years... both the ones I witnessed personally or listened to, as they developed, on the radio.Anyhow, thanks again to you and all of the free lance designers that have developed FU-3. A really neat thing!!!Steve

[pastorpilot 0]

Chris and others...I am currently waiting for a fast computer to be completed so I can run FU-3 at an acceptable speed with the add on packages (models, etc.) My current system is really slow. Hopefully, I will have that machine running by week's end.But in ref to the previous post: >Hi Chris, yes: FSX still has the same single key to cycle>through views. And yes, it's all virtual cockpits (they have>dropped most if not all 2D panels).Actually, I thought the same. That all the panels were virtual. You can't cycle to a 2-D panel with the "S" key anymore. But the way it works now, when you push F-10, the 2-D panel appears. In fact you cycle between 2-D and Virtual Cockpit by toggling F-9 (VC) and F-10 (2-D panel). I enjoy flying IFR on and the intruments on the 2D panel are much easier for me to use with my eye issues. But I believe, at least in all of the default ariplanes, that 2-D is still alive and well.Best wishes,Steve

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Steve,Actually, I didn't take FU3 off my hard disk. I just haven't put it back on yet since I reformatted :-)I certainly am having lots of fun with GT Legends at the moment. I have just completed a series of short races against the AI cars at all eighteen installed tracks, using the Austin Mini Cooper S (the easiest GTL car to drive). I have now progressed to the Jaguar MkII, and this is a real BEAST in comparison. I have been testing this car at Anderstorp this afternoon (a Swedish track, and quite appropriate for this forum, considering that part of the track is a runway), but I haven't yet managed to get within FIVE seconds of my fastest time in the Mini !Colin Chapman --> LOTUSPS. I have just taken delivery of my latest order in GTR2. Take a look at the following screenshots, and feel free to drool excessively :-)

[pastorpilot 0]

Yes... the Lotus cars... You are so right! Is that game available on the internet? I don't have a steering wheel. What do you recommend? And Pedals? I don't have rudder pedals which could probably work for the racing cars.Thanks for sharing... Steve

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Steve,I'm not sure what you mean by "available on the internet". GTR2 is available on DVD-ROM from retail stores and online mail order companies. If you mean "can it be played online", then the answer is yes.If you want to race the older cars from the 60s and 70s, then get yourself a copy of GT Legends. This is (IMO) the best racing simulation that has ever been developed for the PC. The car physics are AWESOME, and it's really neat to be able to drive such a wide range of racing cars that feel so different. The Mini is very stable, but suffers from excessive understeer if you try to take corners at high speed. The Jaguar MkII is a great, lumbering beast that FEELS heavy, and the AC Shelby Cobra is a major handful (the back end twitches under braking, and you have to be VERY careful when applying power after taking corners) ;-) There are lots of other cars to drive, and they are all wonderful.I use the Saitek R220 Digital Wheel and pedals (throttle/brake). This is a relatively cheap unit, but it's also very good. It doesn't have force feedback, but it does have a sturdy construction, and installation is very easy indeed. My brother gave it to me as a Christmas gift, and I think that it cost around

[Christopher Low 5,352]

So, does anyone know if FU3 works with Windows Vista ?

[pastorpilot 0]

Thank you, Chris...Yes, what I meant was, can the game software be purchased on the internet and you answered that. I have just spent big dollars on my new system here for flight sims. It will be at LEAST a little while before my wife approves futher investment in game hardware. But thanks for the info. But its something else to look forward to. The trains look interesting, but the race cars are part of my DNA like the airplanes. Thanks for the information and screenshots.And I should know about 1 week from today how the FU-3 runs under Vista at about 4 ghz. I'll sure report back!Steve

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Thanks, Steve. That will be very useful information.PS. I'll post a few screenshots of one of my races in GT Legends in a day or so. These will show a variety of TC-65 and GTC-65 cars in action !

[Christopher Low 5,352]

Steve,Here are a few screenshots from a short race in GT Legends (Anderstorp, Sweden).1. That's me in my Austin Mini Cooper S :-)2. Exiting the final corner, chasing a Ford Mustang.3. An AI Jaguar MkII, with a Fiat Abarth and Lotus Cortina in hot pursuit.4. A Ford Falcon slides along the kerb, closely followed by a Ford Mustang, and a Ferrari 275GTB.5. A Chevrolet Corvette and Jaguar E-Type battle for position just short of the "airport runway" ;-)