combat flight simulator with vista

[crusader59]

can anyone tell me if you can install CFS on a newer computer and make it work ?

                       microstar iternational board w/sata drive ms-7312
                        amd duel processor 3800 + (2 cpu's) 64x2
                        2 gigs of ram
                        ati radeon 9550/ 1050 series agp
it seems to play my SFX just fine and also my fs2004. any help is greatly appreciated.

[H]

I've never had a problem with an install on any Wiindows 95 through XP OS computers and the report is that it installs with Vista. I have had some problems in XP OS with some add-on features where I had to click into properties to run the program for 95 or 98.

8-)

[cardinalbrian]

I've been a FS & CSF fan forever (FS 1.0 in floppies anyone?) from a PC-XA to:
XPS 730 IntelCore2 Extreme processor QX9650 (3.00GHz Overclocked to 3.67GHz) w/QuadCore Technology and 12MB Cache
4GB Corsair Dominator DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz overclocked to 1600MHz

[cardinalbrian]

Folks,

There has to be a way!  As I said, I have gotten one attempt to properly display the screens leading up to and including the first mission.  However, after the first mission I couldn't get it to work right.  The initial splash screen shows up as splatters.  However, the hot spots seem to be in the right place and work -if you can guess where they are!  The second and subsequent screens then work.  But the mission comes up with the background fractalized with wierd colors as if both cards are sending images to the LCD - the cockpit & controls work correctly.  I noticed one thread somewhere mentioned that maybe a multithread (multicore..) activity kicks in and is unsynchronized, 'cause it wasn't meant to be??  Another possibility is the dual cards (in my case).  There are folks who shold know.  Unfortunately, Microsoft sees this product as a game that's been eclipsed by their newer offerings and don't understand.  CSF2 Is neat, but the missions take longer and are longer and require more concentration.  CSF is THE fun game to give your reflexes a quick checK!  And CSF3....

cardinalbrian

[H]

Don't expect usoft to understand -- they may think they'll force more sales of new product by making the old ones defunct. At least XP allows a "Run as" Windows 95; I take it Vista does not?
What screen properties are you set at? Mine is set on 32 bit (1024 x 768} with my XP.

8-)

[cardinalbrian]

H,

I have the screen set to 2590x1600 with 32 bit color, nearly all graphic options maxed.  As I said, the one time I got into the game it preformed as it's supposed to so I don't think it's the old problem of overloading the graphics engine.  And on 30 inches of real estate is was an eye full.  I can't image why the spash sheet with the intial options is fragged, 'cause by ESCping or finding the "Campaigns" hotspot on the screen amonst the tattered refuse I can get to the pilot selection and mission description screens and they are OK.  All the selections work then and I can hit and use the menu bar to change settings, etc.  I've never had problems with the FF2 or CH pedals just like they're used in FSX.  I also wonder if there's any antisymbyism between FSX and CFSes over Vista/graphics card internal settings.  Like maybe Vista opening threads that step on each other?.  It could be something like the multiprocessor support.

I don't infer nasty objectives into MS's actions about products.  They're in it for money and they gravitate towards most of the customers - who aren't concerned with flight dynamics, just the visceral experience..   And the CFSes don't have autopilots/flight management systems (well, CSF3 probably does..).

[H]

The reason I questioned the resolution is because CFS1 was set to run on 256 colors within its programming. After I've modified the dialog.dll (in which the splash screens are located), when I run the program there's often color distortion or wrong colors in the replacement pxs and the buttons are messed up or only partially visible.

8-)

[Hagar]

Not fired it up for a long time but I've always run CFS1 in 16 bit colour resolution. Never had a problem with it in any version of Windows since Win95. I have no knowledge of Vista but I believe it has similar Compatbility Mode options to those in WinXP. http://reviews.cnet.com/vista/9602-13259_7-0.html?messageID=2509361&kw=vista

[H]

At least XP allows a "Run as" Windows 95; I take it Vista does not?*

*the "compatibility mode" (not to be confused with your combat ability mode).

Not fired it up for a long time but I've always run CFS1 in 16 bit colour resolution. I have no knowledge of Vista but I believe it has similar Compatibility Mode* options to those in WinXP. http://reviews.cnet.com/vista/9602-13259_7-0.html?messageID=2509361&kw=vista

That is to say, cardinalbrian, that CFS1 was already being compiled before Windows 98 was; it's definitely older than XP (or ME2k).

8-)

[cardinalbrian]

H,

I decided to buldoze my way through this.  Unfortunately I didn't take screen shots of the movie(which I should have turned off) or the splash screen.  BUT!  Guessing for the hotspots on the Initial screen and clicking whenever the arrow cursor appeared caused a change in screens, I think to the pilot selection screen.  Repeating the guess approach I got a clean screen of the mission briefing - a kinda random selection (got screen shot).  When I clicked the "Fly Now" I got a good "start of mission" screen.  Foolishly I went to the menu bar and clicked full screen.  Then I got the fractured, magenta colored background - but good foreground & cockpit of the FW-190 (got screen shot).  If I can figure out how to get the jpgs in this post you'll see them.  Ungefahrlich I can't get the images in the post, maybe you can explain how to do that.

[cardinalbrian]

H & Hagar,

I've used CSF since it came out.  On 98, ME, XP, and this attempt on Vista.  Since I've moved all my toys (I gave up on the PFI or whatever console, but all the bits did work when I felt like controlling prop, mixture, etc) to the Vista machine and all the powerful graphics .  Like I said, the big tease was that one time I actually did the first Brit mission on the 30 inch 2590x1600 x 32 LCD!  So I KNOW the machine and CSF can communicate.

[H]

I can't get the images in the post, maybe you can explain how to do that.

Even assuming you clicked into the Upload Images in the browser bar above, you have no url betwixt the image directory. Click the quote option to this post to see the formatting of the following:





*Disclaimer: the Spad upload was not one of mine (the other two were).

8-)

[ozzy72]

Have you tried running it using DOSBox? I'm not sure if there is a Vista version yet but it could be worth a look. I used that to enable some of my older games in XP

[cardinalbrian]

H & Ozzy72,

I dunno what the product Ozzy72 refer to is.  But I've never needed add-ons before, and, as I said, I've seen my configuation (HW, Apps, cfg files, etc) run a CSF mission.  So, I'm sure none are needed.  One thing I've gotta check on is whether it ran BEFORE I set the display from the old Radeon 9700 to the HD 3870X2.

H, OK, I see the URL stuck between delimiters.  Can I put a url for my own site there?  If so, I'll put the images out there and make like an HTML reference to 'em.   Apparently a filename on my box won't do, it's clearly gotta be web accessible.  Is there a Simviation cache available to splat stuff into?

 

[cardinalbrian]

H & Ozzy72,

OK, I stumbled into the screenshot instructions.  The two shots I have are 256k & 423k, individually and combined both exceed the rules' limitations.  I don't think I can get any further compression on a shot that started at 2560x1600.  Question is, what's to look at if I extract a "representative swath" from the full screen shots?  Particularly the Mission Briefing at default size (same physical size as it appeared on my 20" P4) looks SO lonely on the big screen!

BTW, both:  nice pics!