new to MSFS i have a few ?'s :)

[gizz]

hey guys, i was wondering if you could give me a little info and advice....

i have been playing flight sims since i can remember but most have been WWII flight sims..

anyway! i would love to get into this microsoft flight simulator and hang up my combat jacket

basicly FS2004 is about to hit the shelves here in the UK but should i get 2002 first? seems dumb i know but there looks like there is some grate addons for FS2002 will these work with 2004??, what i mean by addons is the expasion packs you buy, for instance there was one i like the look of called "mosquito squadron"...

i gues i should juts wait on 2004 but i duno mutch about this game ...

next question is online play??? what actualy goes on here?? how many can play on 1 server and were do you find these servers??

in online play is there like about 8 of you flying your 747's to turkey and god knows were else with passengers?? and how does air trafic control work (if at all) is it a case were you get some irritating people flying into you or trying to land on the same runway??

sorry for the questions im just all hyped up and want to get going lol

tnx in advance

best regards!

Gizzmo

[Scottler]

Gizzmo-

I've got 2002 Pro, but I'm going to pick up 2004 when it is released here in the US, simply because of the few upgrades that have been made.

From what I've heard so far, most of the add-ons will work, but even if they don't....people will start releasing add-ons for 2K4 soon after it's released.

My advice is to get 2004 if you're going to be buying your first one now.

As for destinations...well, that's really up to you.  You CAN just fly around aimlessly if you choose (I did it for years), or you can join a "Virtual Airline" (VA) which operates just like a real airline.  You fly assigned routes, at assigned times, and accumulate hours.  This will allow you to promote through the ranks of your airline.  (My VA, Hyperion Airways/Hyperion Express, has several routes and several pilots to help you.  In fact, at the beginning of August, we're going to be opening a training academy, which might be a good way for you to get your feet wet.)

As for multiplayer, you can do it in several places, however my personal favorite is the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network, or VATSIM.  On VATSIM, you're able to fly multiplayer with LIVE, voice ATC.  The controllers are guys just like you and me, but instead of playing F$, they're playing an ATC simulator.  It definitely adds to the realism.  (Plus it's free!  Always good!) And they're very newbie friendly.

Hope this answered some of your questions...welcome, and feel free to ask me or the other guys here anything.  You'll almost always get an answer!

[Travis]

First off, welcome to the great world of FS!  Hopefully, like the rest of us, you'll be hooked and keep coming back.

Second, if you do not already have FS2002, don't go out and buy it!  It would just be a waste of cash.  I would recomend waiting a few days and going for FS2004, although it will be 80 usd.  If you can't afford that, FS2002 is probably on sale for about 30 to 40 usd, but don't quote me on that.  If you want to hear more, read the "Way of the Dodo" thread.

Again, welcome, and keep posting!

[Iroquois]

$80US, seems a bit steep for FS2004 Baron. It's only $80 Canadian here. Anyway, wait for FS2004.

[Tchkinjiu]

How do you get to VATSIM. I'd like to give it a go.  ::)

[Scottler]

http://www.vatsim.net

And where do you people keep coming up with $80?  lol  Micro$oft has set the MSRP at $55.

[gizz]

Thx guys for all ya help...

ill wait till 2k4 comes out and grab that...

i love the idea of how complex this game looks, I.E its not a case of "press E" to start engines and take off ...

i love the idea of this airline thing any ideas were i can get captains CAP?  ;D

as soon as i get 2k4 ill have to try that vatsim thing, im gona hop over there now and check things out.

i was hopping that would be the case that we were talking with real people on the ATC....

in a normal server can u speak voice to other pilots? and on the hole how many players to 1 server?


last thing my system specs


1.3gig athalon
256 DDR RAm
40Gig HD
xwave sound card
GeForce4 Ti
17" samsung monitor
all controlers are USB

Will this run FS ok? or am i going to get 3-FPS


tnx again guys seems like a friendly comunity here

cu in the air with 2k4

regards

gizzmo