Lawyer+Pilot

JV essentially tells him that there's nothing wrong with FTX Global and he'll just have to wait for the openLC products to correct the problem (I thought there was nothing worng with it?).

Well, he's right. The problem isn't with FTX Global. FTX Global is a replacement texture set. Nothing more. The problem in areas like the southwest has to do with the FSX landclass and its placement of the various textures. So, yes, we'll have to wait for OpenLC to "fix" this. But it's not FTX Global that's being fixed, it's FSX. Though JV may need a refresher course in customer service, he is right to defend FTX Global. Your criticism is unfair and uninformed.

I have a setup very similar to yours (edit: the biggest difference appears to be the video card; I have a GTX680). I only fly into and out of payware airports, and all I fly at the moment is the NGX and Majestic Dash 8 Q400. Ultimate Traffic 2 @ 100%, AS2012, FTX EU/Wales (waiting to pull the trigger on Global) and ProATC-X. I don't see frames any lower than the high teens in the ABSOLUTE WORST of circumstances (large busy payware airport with lots of traffic movement and heavy cloud cover). Otherwise, I'm locked at 30 FPS, and I stay there the majority of the time. I'll go down to the low 20's occassionally, but it's not noticable.

 

The secret for me: Word Not Allowed's FSX/P3D Hardware and Software blog. Folks on here have heard me say it a dozen times. I've found his guide to provide the most effective and systematic way of cracking FSX. This is especially true for those of using high-end systems, because we all seem to assume that the large price tag is all we need to endure to get rock solid performance.

Really?? That's your argument?

 

DX10 is where it's at today in FSX not because of Microsoft, but because of several inquisitive and dedicated people who didn't accept the status quo. I'm mostly talking about Steve, but there are a few others. FSX DX10 is much better than DX9, it is better than P3D, and it's better than XPX. It's the near future of flight simulation.

 

As a lawyer, you should know never to make a statement unless you are sure of the reaction, and never ask a question unless you know the answer. I hope you're a better pilot.

 

Edit: Sorry that's a little harsh, but it sounded good, and sometimes that's all it takes to convince a jury of your peers. "If it does not fit, you must acquit."

You're absolutely right. A lawyer never asks a question if he doesn't know the answer to it. I knew exactly how my question would be answered, and how defensive the reaction would be. I meant it rhetorically.

 

The downside to DX10 at this point is that it's become a distraction in the development process. Having to code for DX10 compatibility when the majority of users are still using DX9 is a lot like trying to cater to FS9 users. It wasn't long ago that someone asked whether the PMDG 777 would be backward compatible to FS9. Development is much easier when you're not trying to accomodate the entire spectrum of the FS evolution.

 

Granted, achieving DX10 compatibility is much easier than making software FS9 compatible. But there's still a cost in terms of development resources. I'm just not sure it's justified when there are other cures for the OOM plague (see Word Not Allowed's blog).

People complaining about problems in DX10 - Microsoft couldn't even get DX10 preview working right.. why would you want to keep using it?

 

I myself have used FSX DX9, enjoyed it.. I've also tried the DX10 fix from here on AVsim, quite enjoyable but I could not get over the payware airports looking like crap at night.

 

Now I have P3D.. and you FSX users truly do not know what you're missing out on.

Exactly. Why people are using what's little more than an experimental option is beyond me in the first place. Orbx probably did achieve compatibility up until the last minute day/night lighting fix.

 

DX10 users will just have to wait--hey, the price they pay for using a graphics mode that Microsoft never intended to be used as a base setup.

I posted above before I actually read some of the other replies. I'm glad that some people on here understand what it means to make a business case. A "Dear Diary" letter isn't going to cut it, no matter how many tears you shed.

Hahaha. Good luck. Petitions work when the constituency is trying to force the hand of politicians. They're effective for advancing social change. They are not, however, capable of turning an unprofitable business line into a profitable one.

 

The flight simulator franchise was a mere blip on Microsoft's billion dollar radar. Its business model is not centered around creating a market for third party developers, regardless of how much we love our hobby. Our however many thousand signatures don't change the fact that Microsoft's money is better spent elsewhere.

Yep. Nothing will come out of Microsoft now for serious simmers. They are simply not willing to embrace their older business model because they are "missing out" on the revenue made from add-ons. Nothing more than a case of greed - but have heart, there are other platforms that will take us into the future.

Exactly. Microsoft attempted to reclaim the revenue stream by releasing Flight (aka, Flop). And we all know how that turned out.

And that's what I'm talking about, I'm always welling to learn more, with facts, so, if you are "gonna" make a statement like that and with all due respect, show me (us) where Word Not Allowed's guide is better (and I'm not saying it's not), and if you can't....

I just prefer his approach. I've tried Nick's guide and the "Official" Avsim guide as well. I had better results with Word Not Allowed's guide. I also appreciate Word Not Allowed's quasi-scientific approach to balance tweaking. He takes the time to methodically test various tweaks and goes to great lengths to explain and help people understand how the factors interact to produce your end performance. His blog is also very active, and he's always willing to answer questions.

 

Hands down the best guide out there at the moment.

Hello everyone,

 

I know people get tired of hearing the questions and before going back and forth between the two slims.

 

I have been trying for the last year to choose a proper flight sim that has what I want. I went with xplane last fall as it promised vast improvements with the x64 version, and improved autogen. I only have North America and still have to buy the rest of the world. The updates were completed a bit later than expected and performance increase did come with the updates to x64; however it still dives off a cliff if I add any types of shadows, or too much autogen.

 

A year later with xplane I have one plane bought (x64), the same old pay ware scenery the inside passage and the Rockies.  A ton of freeware that ranges from decent to odd building placement; however simheaven and some plugins have added much needed detail to the world.

 

Calgary is a flat waste land of a few buildings, not the city of 1.2 million that I live in today. Its missing tons of features such as nose hill (a giant national park in the heart of the north west of the city), major roads such as the deer foot/2A (Queen Elizabeth) are in shambles. The airports in Calgary and Vancouver are in better detail thanks to the pay ware, however the cities such as Vancouver has tons of autogen buildings in the water (it drives me nuts). Beyond that it’s a mess all the airports are either a building or two, or nothing at all in Canada. The rest of North American can get better depending on how much you dig through the freeware.

 

Now I keep hearing about FSX, no matter what circle I am in I hear about FSX. I see the amazing detail Twin Otter from Aero soft (to me that thing is years ahead most pay ware for xplane outside of CJR). I see all the wonderful pay ware from FTX Orbx. I already have a few pay wares such as the amazing REX, and NA Orbx from early last year.

If we ever see anything close to REX running in xplane is still a remaining question, as it has too many performance issues as it stands.

 

Back to the add-ons, in the year since I went xplane Orbx has not stopped but increased the release of such amazing content. I can barely keep my credit card away from ordering that add-on, and this weekend I saw all those amazing screenshots of Orbx global. I don’t care what people say the osm data from simheaven for xplane will not compared to the detail of that Orbx product.

 

I also enjoy the flight model in FSX a lot more, I like the community, freeware, and everything it has.

 

I was able to get FSX up and running with the limited pay ware that I have, and running with the DirectX ten fixes.  It sure looks decent, got most of the config file setup correctly however here are my concerns:

 

• Stability in FSX is still an issue, I have added the menu fix but it still crashes when accessing menus
• Vsync does not work in full screen
• It may be fixed since I switched to the usepools=1, however before that it was crashing after less than 20 minutes of flight time from Vancouver
• Cost of add-ons, I know you don’t need them all however to get closer to what xplane has and more it does cost
• Windows 8 explorer crashes when not even using FSX, since it’s installing and REX my explorer crashes all the time and having a very difficult time determining the fix.

I understand that pay ware/freeware add-ons are not everything. I have seen the plus of xplane as it still being worked on, however it may never be fixed as there is so much work to be done.

FSX is a dead product if I invest money into this product anymore, is it really worth the money/time? Are developers leaving FSX by the hordes? What happens if I spend all this money and the mythical P3D 2.0 comes out next month and changes the entire playing field?

 

Should I just stick with my broken down xplane and enjoy the areas that I have, and hope one day I can enjoy the features that FSX has now, as FSX will never improve beyond what it is today without add-ons?

For me X-Plane is worthless. As long as the likes of PMDG and Majestic are developing planes for FSX, X-Plane simply can't compete. If you want high fidelity aircraft, you don't really have a choice.

 

As far as configuring FSX is concerned, the way you described your setup, it sounds like you have made the all too common mistake of hodgepodge tweaking. Don't pollute your FSX.cfg with every tweak available on the internet. Many people make suggestions with absolutely no basis in fact. Balance is key. Find a guide--ONE guide--and follow it to the letter, from fresh install until the end. I'd suggest Word Not Allowed's FSX/P3D Hardware and Software Guide. There are others (NickN, the "Official" Avsim guide, etc.).

And, at any rate, Word Not Allowed's guide is better.

Does nobody want to look at Laptops? I say this because they're very underrated and I believe they're moving up fast. I personally got one because I needed the portability - but it hasn't removed much power. Sure I had to sacrifice some detail on the terrain/water - but I've worked it out so the aircraft gets full detail and quality. This is hooked up to a 1920x1080 monitor too. My Asus is a year old now and for what I paid, you can get a laptop for the same price that'll run FSX like a pretty 'average' PC in this community at 3GHz+ and an excellent Nvidia chip. I couldn't recommend Asus and this website more: http://www.xoticpc.com/

 

My next upgrade later in the year will more than likely be another Asus Laptop. Of course, the only bad thing is that the customisable options are reduced once you have what you have. But still, give them a look! I don't regret it.

I'm looking to get a laptop. I just can't seem to find one with a 30 in. screen.

I'm in need of a volunteer to post the AOTD's for Thursday, Friday/Saturday, and Sunday/Monday, of this week and the first of next week.  That's  Jul. 25 - 29.  I will be out of town and probably won't have any computer availability.

 

Let me know if your are interested.

 

Thanks.

What in the devil is an AOTD, and does it involve copious amounts of whiskey and beautiful women?

HI,

 

I'm interested in buying a new computer for my fsx.This computer will be under 1500$,it will work perfectly with fsx and with any simulator games.Another thing is that it will not be built!.i know that building a computer is much cheaper and better but i do not feel like doing that so please let me know what computers you recommend!

Thanks

Daniel

Don't worry, building your own is no longer "much cheaper." That was the case years ago before discount gaming pc manufacturers sprouted up all over the place. My suggestion would be to visit Jetline Systems' webpage and configure a system there following their advice (perhaps supplemented by the advice available on Word Not Allowed's FSX/P3D Hardware and Software blog). Then take that list of parts over to Cyberpower and build the same system.

 

A few keys to live by:

 

1. Don't go cheap on the CPU. You don't need the best Intel has to offer, but this will be the greatest source of performance boost.

 

2. Whatever CPU you get, overclock it. If you don't feel like doing the overclock yourself, pay Cyberpower to do it for you. My 3770-K came from Cyberpower with a hassle free absolutely stable 30% overclock to 4.6.

 

3. Invest in a dedicated SSD for FSX. Get another dedicated SSD for your operating system, too, if you can swing it. Otherwise, just put FSX and Windows 7 on the same SSD. Everything else, throw on a good data drive.

 

4. Don't get swindled into Windows 8. Stick with W7 64 bit.

 

Beyond that, follow the other advice from Jetline and Word Not Allowed, and you'll be a happy camper.

 

Edit: And when the beast finally arrives, resist every temptation you might have to just thumb through the countless tweak archives and hodgepodge suggestions you find in the forums. Instead, grab Word Not Allowed's guide, and follow it TO THE LETTER to install and configure FSX.

The PFPX home page says it will be available mid to Late August. At last, an end date.

 

For those that don't know what PFPX is, find out, it's going to be one of the best add-ons for any airliner, but especially the NGX!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank Cooper

.......Bahahahahahahaha!!!!

 

Seriously, they should have a warning label on their announcement telling people not to hold their breath. Christmas...August the following year...what's the difference?

Yes, but that culture is ingrained in the US legal system...noone should be surprised.

 

Canada is a little better in that regard, but not by much I grant you.

Two of the lowest lifeforms on Earth: plaintiff's attorneys and criminal defense attorneys. No principles, just cunning.

 

And, you're right, Canada's not much better. Stay away from Quebec and its French civil law system, and one can manage.

Disagree with that notion 1000%. These malcontents should all be locked up somewhere for life.

Agreed. You'll have to admit these are pretty pathetic people. That's all I was getting at. Feel sorry for them, then destroy them.

And above all we should feel sorry for the authors of these malicious codes. By and large, they're male, despondent, live at home loners, who have no friends and were laughed at the last time they tried to talk to a female. They're picked on to no end because of their social ineptness and generally unlikability. At any given moment, they are just as likely to propel themselves off a bridge as they are to crawl out of bed in the morning. What we call "spyware", "viruses" and "malware" are, to them, a last ditch effort at being relevant again. They truly are the bastions of the unwanted.

If only they would FS9 it. Oh well, looks great!

All the more reason to make the switch.

Neither EZDok nor Opus do anything approaching what TrackIR makes possible. It doesn't take long to realize the benefits of head tracking. Seemingly trivial things like turning onto a taxiway become much easier and natural. There's a reason a lot of flight instructors tell students to "keep your head on a swivel." TrackIR allows you to do that.

Which means the only way buyers will know what they are buying is by reading the comments (positive and negative) from those who have already bought the product. Look before you leap.

Exactly.

Two words: Caveat Emptor.

What, were they on vacation today? They finally get there, and they fight the fire like it's their first day on the job.

 

What were they using? Marshmellows? Whipped cream? Whatever it was, they ran out of it about 7-8 minutes into it.

Approximately how many GIGS will this new program from ORBX require? Anybody have an educated guess on this?

 

Stan

"Installer is download only, no DVD. Size = ~4.7GB. Size on your HD is about 9GB"

Is it still DOS based?

 

Thanks, Bruce.

Edit to remove double post

Nope. Windows this time.

...

 

I have hundreds to (shudder...) into the thousand figure for add-ons of all kinds to FSX since it came out. The money is spent, and the programs are installed in the FSX folder. When I run FSX, it looks GREAT...right up to the time it drops me to the desk top at any time of the flight without warning, (and it will for anybody that runs it to the max as I do...and my system can handle to render 30 FPS right before being kicked out of the flight due to exhausted RAM available of my more than ample 12 GB's sitting in their slots ). Oh joy.......

 

...

 

 

 

 

Meh. I don't have crashes, freezing, or anything of the sort, with FSX.

 

The code may be a dog, but the CTD's and such are invariably the result of 1) someone trying to squeeze blood out of their outdated hardware, 2) a bad FSX.cfg clogged with every tweak the simmer has ever seen on the internet, 3) a poorly maintained system, or 4) some combination of all three.