Differences to FS9

[DonAlfonsoRoKil]

Hello,
I'm soon going to make some aircraft that's compatible with both FS9 AND FSX.
I've FSDS3 and so FS9 is no problem but I was asking which things I will have to change, add etc. to make it compatible for both FSs.

I was thinking if there are maybe other parts or keyframes in FSDS to use for FSX?
And which are the differences in Aircraft.cfg, Panel.cfg, sound.cfg and model.cfg?
I already saw the different Aircraft folder it's been:
\Aircraft\
and now it's:
\SimObjects\Aircraft\ (wasn't it something like that?!)

And are there other differences in Folder structure, perhaps another gauges or effects folder?

[ATI_7500]

No, but your gauges need to be FSX compatible.

At best, use XML gauges or newly created C++ ones.

[Gypsy_Baron]

No, but your gauges need to be FSX compatible.

At best, use XML gauges or newly created C++ ones.

And be sure to include a VC since FSX has now side\diagonal bitmaps in the 2D cockpit
making the use of that rather use-less....

  Paul

[CAFedm]

As for animations, I haven't had any problems using FSDS keyframed part names - most appear to work fine, with the only exception I've found to be the enginestart switches. FSDS3 doesn't however display the lightbeam from landing/taxi lights in FSX unless you have SP1 installed. Another problem with FSDS3 in FSX, is the lack of gauge backlighting (which SP1 does not cure). I overcame the latter by doubling up on the vc lighting entry in the Lighting section of the aircraft.cfg. Of course, if you're doing an ultralight, or something else without landing lights or gauge backlighting, then there will be no problem.

[Brett_Henderson]

Converting FS9 planes for FSX seems to work "OK", but if you're starting from scratch, I'd advise using GMAX and the FSX SDK. The texturing and modeling options are more powerful, and there's FSXI to consider. It's a safe bet that a FS9 plane will have no place in FSXI. And this is just speculation, but I'd imagine that by the time DX10/Vista64 are smoothed in with drivers and all, a plane designed for FS9, might be like what an FS2000 plane is to FS9.. It will work, but if you're gonna invest the time building from scratch, you'd not want to be years behind.

Edit: .. Re: animation..  Remember planes with wheels and props that wouldn't show up in FS9 ?

[Felix/FFDS]

USing FSDS3 for FS-X is perfectly all right.  You still need to model for the FS9 SDK, and you'll have no worries.

THe "problem" with getting FSDS to compile the model into FS-X can be worked around.  I created a new "Aircraft"  directory off the main FS-X folder  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Aircraft and merely pointed my FSDS FS directory to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X

(note- you have to add the line in the FSX.cfg file, see the thread to that effect)

The next problem arises in getting the "reference"  file against which to compile your model.  FOr that, I've copied the reference model to the aircraft directory to do the first compile.  Once that first comile is done, you can delete the reference model's folder.


With FSDS3 you cannot create separate interior and exterior models, as FS-X SDK aircraft have.  You can with FSDS3.5

YOU can tweak the aircraft.cfg file to add camera views, etc. because that is "model independent".

In short, you can create an FS9 model that will work in FSX, and make FS-X specific modifications (which of course makes it incompatible with FS9).

THe warnings about using "old"  gauges is very valid.  Where at all possible, point to/use gauges that are in either FS-X default aircraft, or that you KNOW work in FS-X that is, until you learn how to model or code them yourself.

Goodluck, and welcome to the madness.

[DonAlfonsoRoKil]

Goodluck, and welcome to the madness.

Thanks, I think all that is enough information for now....  :o