Oh well, maybe CFS4 will be better!

[Dan32]

After loading CFS3 several times and doing the updates etc til I got sick of it, I finally just said to hell with it after it froze up again, and removed it.  Back to CFS2.
    The MB is a definite step backwards.  You can't zoom in like CFS2, you can't even test fly your missions without going out of it and into CFS3.  What a pain!  Sure, the graphics are nice, but reeeeaaaaallllly.  I'm running a brand new loaded Cicero with an Athalon 64 processor through a G force 5200.  I just crank everything in CFS2 and the graphics are damned close!  

   Lets face it, we who like to build our own missions should stick to CFS2 until they come up with something better than this.  Try to find a DO 17 if you are a Battle of Britain fan, or a Stuka for that matter.

   Yeah, in all fairness, CFS2 has been out there a while but to me, its the superior way to go.  Anyone want a copy of CFS3?

[bubnme]

yes... i'll take a hand out...

[Iroquois]

I like the CFS3 better than CFS2. Anyway, don't give up just yet. You may have a  conflict if CFS3 is freezing. There are several neat little tricks. I'm running a similar system(actually upgrading to an Athlon64 soon) so I may be able to help.

First I suggest you hop on over to www.Guru3d.com. They offer beta driver sets that aren't available yet from nVidia. Under Detonator/Forceware Drivers section you'll want to take a look at the 6x.xx series. I'm running the 61.11 drivers but they may not work for some people. The most stable beta set for the FX5200 are the 60.72 drivers.

[NoseDive]

Try to find a DO 17 if you are a Battle of Britain fan, or a Stuka for that matter.

Does anybody know if there is likely to be a Stuka available soon? I'm itching to get my hands (well guns actually) on one. I've seen an incomplete version on one of the excellent development sites but this is unpainted and is based on the 109, so it will not behave like a Stuka.

[Ambassador]

The MB is a definite step backwards.

If you don't like the MB you can always write missions in an XML editor.  In fact, creating missions in this manner has been so easy for me that I haven't even tried the MB.

[Dan32]

hi guys.  Thanks for the tip on the drivers.  I still haven't reloaded CFS3 as I've been writing more missions on CFS2.  To put a finer point on it, every time I'd start up CFS3, it would tell me it wasn't shut down properly, even after I reloaded it.  In some missions, I'd get a strobing effect instead of beginning the mission.  In some I'd just get booted out of the game.  Some would boot me out in the middle of a mission. We all know how frustrating that can be!  Lets face it.  I bought CFS3 thinking that if CFS2 was good, this is really going to kick ass, but it seems to be more hassle than anything.  When I did the upgrade, I thought that should solve the problems.  I did put the 'no cd' patch in and it work fine.  As the one for CFS2 did.  I found that sometimes when I wrote a whole mission, it would not load.  I would go back ane eliminate things until it would, then add the same things back in (aircraft etc.) and it would work.  So you cn imagine what a pain that was.  Having to shut down the MB and fire up CFS3 just to see if it would work.  Why can't you fly the missions from MB.  That is such a step backwards!  Why can't you control the AA, or zoom in and see the field?  Again a step backwards.  What we need to see is a sim that takes the best of 2 and 3 and makes one fantastic sim.

[Dan32]

ok, so I broke down and reloaded it.  Went to the Microsoft site and downloaded all the updates.  Installed the no cd patch.  So there I am.  I hit the warp button and she freezes (in a self made mission).  So I have to escape and it apologizes but it has to shut down.  Every time I start CFS3, it says it wasn't shut down properly... Even though I've just exited the normal way.  And when I do hit the button 'are you sure...' it does a real number on my compter.  Which is brand spanking new!  I've tried it with the no cd patch then I took it back out and am running the old cfg with the disc, same thing.  HELP!

[chomp_rock]

Why not try quick combat? I bought CFS3 for the quick combat and I never play any missions.


P.S. 64 bit binaries are slower than 32 bit ones so don't expect a big jump in MSFS or MSCFS preformance just because you have an AMD64 (you should have gotten a Xeon like me

[Bob_Ruff]

Dan32 your posting depresses me. I have heard some horror stories like yours and wonder why CFS3 MB works for me.
Once a mission is named in a mission file, you do not have to shut down CFS3 to alter it.
Say you make mission #1A and save it in "What if" folder. Leave the MB open and on screen. Open the game and fly it. Now you see something is off. close the mission, click close in the bar to reset it to missions, then click the windows icon between the Ctrl and Alt keys on the bottom left of the key board. The game will drop off the screen and you will see it in the lower tool bar. Alter the mission and save it. Now click the CFS3 in the tool bar and it comes back on screen and click open the mission a fly the altered version.
With all the missions I build and the difficulties in placing things, as many have pointed out, this makes it possible to work.
CFS2 was easier to work on, yes. But, an VW bug motor is easier to work on than a Ferrari motor but when its time to go for a spin we all want to be in the red car. (IMO)
Wulfmann

[Delta_]

Is CFS4 coming out yet?

[Mathias]

[quote]hi guys.

[Woodlouse2002]

Not talking about the fact that the CFS3 AI is much better than the sleepy CFS2 AI:)

Still crap dogfighters though.

[nickle]

There are two issues dogfighting CFS2 and CFS3.
One issue is AI programming; the other fighter performance.
My opinion is that CFS2 is far better dogfight 1v1 with the Zero.  1v1 J ace vs whatever allied. Because the Zero is a true dogfighter and the programmed AI shows it to better capability than the N fighters in CFS3.  The CFS2 AI looks to be more representative of tactics the J's used while CFS3 looks to be an imitation using J tactics.  Mostly boring.  AI is expensive to model accurately so not surprising that MS gave pablum fare in CFS3.
Fighter performance of the MS original was dismal at best.  AvHistory saved their ass. None of the fighers, allied or enemy perform to their specs even in AvHistory versions.  AvHistory Zeros best CFS2.  CFS3 FW190 in AI role is poor.  Far worse than the superb fighter it was.  CFS3 AvHistory 51 is very good or at least realatively very good.  And the 47 is abysmal, not close to the fighter that broke the back of the Luftwaffle.

[Mathias]

Still crap dogfighters though.

Depends, Woodlouse, depends.
Have you tried the recent 1% Bf109F-4 v. Spit V?
You're in for a challenge there.

[NoseDive]

I find that the AI dogfighting is getting a bit predictable, certainly at low-level, where I like to hang out, even when up against aces. Opponent either goes into a wide arc or goes into a steep dive, pulls up steeply into a stall turn then rolls out, usually to the right. It's just a matter of predicting where he's going to go into the stall and wait for him there - a bit of a turkey shoot. I  generally wander off and hit a few ground targets because I get bored.

I have even started going up with two or three against six or more (which I suppose is a bit more reminiscent of the BoB) just to give myself a chance of getting shot down occasionally (sorry, sounds as if I'm bragging, but I'm not - the bad guys just don't seem to be the feared aces I was expecting.)