Bored

[Flying Trucker]

Goodly evening all...

Bored...Uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence...

I seldom get bored, there is lots to do during all four seasons of the year and having lived past eight decades there are still things I want and want to do.

Today the old girl walked by our computer room and saw me sitting in my chair on wheels and doing nothing but staring at an empty black screen monitor.

What is wrong? She asked.

She could not believe her ears when I said I was bored.

Get on FSX and do one of your flights. She suggested.

That is what I am bored with, FSX. I replied.

Should I call the Doctor or the Funeral Home? She chuckled.

Away she went happily humming some tune I had not heard in years.

Yes folks, I am bored with FSX and I do not know why.

Microsoft FSX is the only Game on this computer of mine which was a top line machine three years ago. I removed FS2004 and only use FSX on this computer.

I do not simulate flying any military or commercial jets, not interested in them. Seldom do I go above oxygen required level and I have all that I can find for FSX in the line of Float, Seaplanes and small bugsmashers like the Cessna 172 and Piper Cub. (would love to find a freeware cub/super cub for FSX on floats)

I have several ORBX West Coast Sceneries, some pay ware aircraft like the DE Havilland Beaver and the Cessna 185.

So here I sit bored, winter coming on and I just can not seem to get interested in FSX. Perhaps I need something new, a motion simulator and lots of new pay ware add-ons.

Perhaps I need to start dropping hints to family, with Christmas about two months away it might be a good idea to start dropping those hints...

What do you folks do when you get bored with your Flight Simulator Game?

[OldAirmail]

Funny that you should mention Super Cub for FSX on floats! just last weekend I found just that! Tundra tires, and all on Fly Away Simulations.

FSX And FS2004 Piper PA18 Super Cub

[OldAirmail]

When I first started with FSX I was both VERY happy, and somewhat dissatisfied.

I'm sure that I don't have to tell what I liked most about FSX. Not on this website.



But as to the dissatisfied part, others may have some of the same dislikes that I had.

The ground that I liked so much at first, started grating on me. It left a lot to be desired.

Although you will see cotton ball type clouds in real life, FSX weather seemed to be a collection of a few cotton balls, or a lot of cotton balls. Massive thunderheads just aren't there.

The sounds of taking off, flying, and landing seemed a bit weak. A certain lacking of such aircraft sounds.

Roads often looked like dirt paths. Railroads were hard to recognize. Shorelines were often horrible.


It took a while to even recognize just what I wanted. And I too was getting bored.


But now I'm flying more than ever. I can spend hours flying to or from places that I've lived. Places where I've visited. Places where I would like to visit/live. And places that I'll never see in my lifetime.

What made it all more enjoyable for me were 3 things;

Orbx FTX Global

OpusFSX Live Weather

and
Accu-Feel


Only Accu-Feel is relatively cheap, $20. But you'll hear the sounds of a living plane as it takes off from a runway. The rumble, bumps, and even the squeal of the breaks on landing. You'll hear the sound of the air as it flows around the landing gear as they move up or down.

FTX Global will rejuvenate the worlds surface. It may not look as real as life, but it will look BELEAVABLE. Even within the basic FSX airports you'll see better buildings. The streetlights at night will make a night light so much better that you'll want to take more night flights.

OpusFSX Live Weather makes being in the sky far more realistic than FSX ever can. It's not always perfect, but often the sky has the realism of a picture. Even ordinary weather can be a joy.


Of the three, if you can only get friends and relatives to chip in and buy you one thing that you want, go for FTX Global. And then try for OpusFSX Live Weather.

As for Accu-Feel, if you have to eat baloney for a month to get the $20 to buy it, it will be well worth it.



This is a recent screen capture that shows what you can expect form both FTX Global and OpusFSX Live Weather.

One of those mountains in the background is Mount Marcy, NY. If you have the standard FSX running on your system compare that with this picture.



Three out of my four complaints have now been set aside. Roads, railroads, and shorelines are next on the list.


A few more pictures;

Rumania with FTX Global and REX Essential Plus Overdrive (not Opus).



The Carpathian mountains with FTX Global and REX Essential Plus Overdrive (not Opus).



Opus only here. Have you ever seen such massive clouds in FSX? With Opus you can enjoy looking down on such clouds.



Unlike looking down on Standard FSX clouds, isn't it?

[Fozzer]

For me, the flight Sims have always been, and still are, a fantastic source of exploration of the World, which I would never be able to experience in real life!
I cant wait to get up every morning, and with the help of Wikipedia and Google Satellite/Street maps, explore parts of the World which have recently appeared in the Radio/Television News and Newspapers.
Since the California Wildfires have died down for a while, I am presently flying over the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, to observe the present Wildfire regions!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... fires.html

The Flight Sims have opened a whole new World for me since I joined the Club with my Flight Unlimited II, Pro Pilot '99, and FS '98, etc, etc....

With my Payware and Freeware add-ons, the scenery I observe below me is as realistic as it can possibly be, with today's technology, and I never cease to be amazed by it as I fly over areas that I am very familiar with, from photographs and relief maps, etc, of the areas!

Every day is an enjoyment for me, as I cant wait to fire-up my computer, and go exploring magic places with my trusty FS 2004 and FSX, ....in between cooking my amazing daily meals!

Life, at the moment is wonderful.....(even as its pouring with rain outside, and I need to go shopping on my Motor-bike!).... ...!

With my house full up to the brim with my vast collection of all sorts of toys to play with, I NEVER, EVER suffer from boredom!

Lots of things to do...even having a snooze now and again is a joy!.... ...!

Paul...A Very Happy Bunny!.....with an imaginary Cessna 150 Aerobat, a fertile imagination, and a nice cup of hot Tea!.... ...!

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Paul for the comment...

Like you I have spent a lot of time exploring locations in FSX and before I bought the two Pacific Coast ORBX Scenery I spent a lot of time with FS2004 and MoCat's Scenery. I really enjoyed exploring many of the Seaplane Camps/Bases.

Having spoke with an old friend for nearly a hour last night we decided to meet at the bugsmasher field to talk about the Microsoft Flight Simulator Games.
He is also an Old Retired Rocking Chair Flying Geezer and use to have FS2004 but has switched to FSX. We both use these games for Instrument Practice however I like to explore the scenery in the game where he does not.

We both have access to multi-million dollar flight simulators and real aircraft. He feels that has spoilt the use of a table top game for me.... Not sure about that.

I have talked with a son who is building a motion simulator and he is almost done. June next year is the launch date and then he will do something for us here in the Condo.

That is still a long ways away for me but I am going to talk to a few lads who sit around the Bullshit Table at the bugsmasher field to see how they cope. I do not know if any of them have a motion simulator or not but I know many have more modern computers and many more add-ons than I do.

Old Airmail has sent me a couple of interesting packages I shall have a look at and have just downloaded that Piper Cub Package he sent.

Have a great day Paul...

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Old Airmail...

Have just downloaded that Piper Cub...will install shortly.

Accu-Feel, now that does look interesting.

I also have REX Essential Plus Overdrive and I use FSWC "Flight Simulator Water Configurator" quite a bit.

FTX Global and REX Essential Plus Overdrive (not Opus). Does REX Essential Plus Overdrive do the same thing as Opus?

Will look into purchasing the ORBX FTX Global Package also.

With reference to my above post to Paul I am now wondering if I should purchase anything before talking to our son who is going to build a motion simulator for me.

Thanks ever so much for taking the time to post that reply, have read it twice and will read it again, you can bet on that...

[Apex]

I'm still with FS09, but the boredom factor should be about the same.

1. Look for new places to fly. Think in terms of categories: Cities, coastlines, landscapes, islands, whatever, and maybe some other stuff in each category.
For ex., gorge-flying the Grand Canyon is cool, but there's also a real nice, smaller gorge in New Zealand, I think in the south of the north island.

2. Load up new scenery. This is not the only website with scenery, maybe some other sites have scenery that we don't. Look up scenery by designer name.

3. New aircraft. That goes without saying. And new kinds of aircraft. Get some variety.

4. Skip the aircraft sounds and put on some music you like.

5. It doesn't have to be just flying. Find some ground vehicles and drive around wherever. Get some watercraft and tour rivers or harbors.

6. Have a beer. Just don't drink while flying the real thing.

7. Take a course in accounting or income tax preparation. Nothing like that stuff to make you really appreciate what boredom is and how nice flight simming is in contrast.

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks Apex...some good ideas...

[Flying Trucker]

Hi Old Airmail...

This Piper Cub Download is Pay Ware as one has to pay to have the Banners Removed...

The package does look good.

[Fozzer]

My biggest recent buck-up to my copy of FSX was the installation of ORBX FTX Global, and Ultimate Terrain USA + Canada, scenery mesh upgrades......and also Instant Scenery 3, for placing various Library Objects in the scenery.

...and Ultimate Terrain USA + Canada + Europe for my FS 2004...(already having FS Global SE and VOZ 1.8, and LAGO FSE for scenery object placement).

These two Flight Sim installations alone make the scenery below me so much more realistic, and compare very well with my Terrain Maps and Photographs of various areas, (USA Western Seaboard, in particular!).

Both Sims already containing REX for Weather and various Effects....

Paul...I like "Realistic" scenery for my daily explorations!... ...!

[Bass]

Hi Doug.
Well, i sometimes get that feeling, not often, but...

If i get fed up with flying, i go under water with my Silent Hunter III + GWX3 + SH3 Commander and some mods!!!
A hole different world, but a very interesting one, i promise



Maybe your FSX are running so good, that you cant find any improvements anywhere to it. It looks like it, regarding your screenshots

Try somethings different once in a while.

My 2c

[Fozzer]

Talking about "Something Different".... ....

My "Different" is driving 18-wheel trucks around the countryside, using my Steering Wheel and Pedals...
...and twin Air Horns, and twin Exhaust Stacks pointing up to the sky!

I tour all around the whole of the USA and Europe with various; "18 Wheels of Steel", and the whole of California via; "Rig 'n Roll".

So much fun to be had in a proper man-sized Truck!....Trust me!... ...!

Paul....Have Peterbilt 18-wheeler...will travel!.... ...!

http://rignroll.com/

[Flying Trucker]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen...much appreciated...

[Steve M]

I do agree with Doug (Flying Trucker) somewhat. In my case it was all the laborious set up on my Henry Ford era PC. Must make sure I'm defragged, Clean up the history and cookies, kill running services not needed. Set up your weather you want (REX), go to av8r stick profile and make sure my FSX props profile is turned on, fire up FSX and plan out a flight, and away I go. First world problem? Yes it is, but go through the drill hundreds of times and you might be reluctant to keep doing it.

When I turn the cold metal crank on the front of my PC tower I make sure my thumb is clear in case she backfires. Once she starts to chug, I run around to the steering wheel and gingerly adjust the spark advance lever, adding a touch to the throttle lever until she starts to purr.

[OldAirmail]

Thanks Old Airmail...

Have just downloaded that Piper Cub...will install shortly.

Accu-Feel, now that does look interesting.

I also have REX Essential Plus Overdrive and I use FSWC "Flight Simulator Water Configurator" quite a bit.

FTX Global and REX Essential Plus Overdrive (not Opus). Does REX Essential Plus Overdrive do the same thing as Opus?

Will look into purchasing the ORBX FTX Global Package also.

With reference to my above post to Paul I am now wondering if I should purchase anything before talking to our son who is going to build a motion simulator for me.

Thanks ever so much for taking the time to post that reply, have read it twice and will read it again, you can bet on that...

Sorry about the Piper. I had downloaded it, but hadn't installed it. If you find it worth paying for, post a few pictures, please.



FSX Flight Simulator Water Configurator THAT LOOKS GREAT! I'll definitely play with that this weekend.

It's sad when a "Water Configurator" has more attraction than a night out.



A lot of people like REX very much. But because of the long load time I wasn't using it much.


Now, I know that there are good reasons why no flight sim weather program will match what you see when you walk out and look up at the sky. But having it as close to that is what I wanted.

More than that, I wanted realistic cloud cover. Even if it wasn't what was over my house.

The ability to use REX to reproduce the weather of hurricane Sandy is great. So I set up the time & date.

But looking up from the ground I saw lots of blue patches. And that was at the Atlantic city airport when the hurricane was bashing the city! Getting just above the clouds I saw clouds that looked like a box packed flat with cotton balls. Much better than FSX, but not good enough.


I'm very sure that if you want to spend enough time tinkering with REX you can probably reproduce just about any type of weather that you want. However just like repainting aircraft, reshaping the weather is something that doesn't interest me.

Flying in it! Now that is something that I like.

It doesn't have to be the real weather, at the location I'm flying in. It just have to be believable. And that is what I get with Opus.

I would check the weather around the country and then run FSX, REX, and Opus weather.

Here's a sample;

This is a storm radar image of Louisville Kentucky area on 10/6/2013 at 8:40 am.


And this is what that storm looked like to the FSX weather engine.





The following are from FSX Lubbock, Texas. Preston Smith International Airport;

FSX


REX


OPUS


The Opus sky more closely matches the local Lubbock, Texas sky.



All in all, FSX seems like a new flight sim.