FS2004 for a Newbie?

[Hammerpgh]

Hi all,

Just joined and am looking forward top a long and fruitful time here at Simviation. It seems to be a wonderful community here.

I am a total newbie to flightsims although have had FS2002 since it first came out. I just have never had the time to get into it yet.

However, I am now looking to really get started with a passion and would like some advice as to whether I should start out using FS2002 or just go straight to FS2004CoF.

Many thanks for your help.

Peter

System: AMD Athlon 64 3400+, 1GB RAM, ATIx600 (256MB), 160GB, 300GB, 300GB and 240GB HD's.

[legoalex2000]

well, we're gonna say FS2004 (aka FS9) becuase of the features that FS2002 lacks. now don't worry either, becuase FS2006 wont be out until next year, so your purchase wont be a loss.

FS9 has a couple bugs, but it also has many great things to offer:
taxiway signs
*New detailed clouds
improved ATC
variety of aircraft through the ages

not to mention that a majority of the designers are making addons for FS9 now.

thats a small insight into why FS9 would be better to get.

Ramos

PS. welcome to the SimV community!

[TacitBlue]

The greatest thing about Fligt Sim in general is the add-ons. If you get bored with the stock aircraft, go download a new one! before you know it, you will have hundreds!

I would definately say go with FS2004. It looks like your system can handle it. If you have no flight sim/flying experience, then I recommend doing the first couple lessons in the sim to get a handle on it. After the first few though, the lessons get kind of un-necessarily complicated, so thats when you pic a plane you like and fly for fun. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us, we like helping people

[legoalex2000]

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us, we like helping people

it gives us something to do, lol

Ramos

[ozzy72]

Well I started out on 2k2, and I still love it. Yes it lacks a few features of FS9, but there are some superb add-ons available that make it visually just as good.
What kind of flying do you like Hammer? If you give us some ideas we can probably offer better advice.

Ozzy

[Saitek]

If you didn't have such a great system then I'd say you might want to stick to FS2002. But seeing you have such a great machine; go and get FS9.
FS9 also has greatly improved lessons and they are very useful. The checkrides have a few bugs in and are very hard, (but not impossible as some people say) but I passed the first one myself, before loosing interest in the rest.
Clouds and weather, ATC, general texturing are all better in FS9. Also nearly all new addons now are for FS9.

Ben  :)

[hatter]

YOu should be able to run FS9 at max settings and forcing 8x AA, 16x AS at least.

[Hammerpgh]

Thanks for all the great replies guys. The rapid response just confirms my thoughts that this is going to be a great place to be as I embark on my Flightsim career...

I'll certainly be here asking a lot of questions I think over the coming weeks and months so be prepared

As for what kind of flying I like Ozzy, I can't really say right now as I have never really flown a sim like this before. I think I am going to like to just take off and explore for a while and then make some flight plans a bit later on to get me going in a bit more depth.

Glad to hear that my system should be good for FS9. I think I'll pop out from work and get it tomorrow.

Cheers all and I promised to try not to annoy the hell out of you all too much in the time ahead.

Peter

[Saitek]

You ask all the questions you need - folks here love answering them and it is a pleaure to help. In the mean time we get up to all kinds of nonsense in the other forums.

[microlight]

Ain't it the truth though.

Welcome, welcome.

I still run both FS2k2 and FS9; I prefer the more recent one but it's a close thing. I've got so many addons for FS2k2 that 99.9% of what you see on the screen didn't come out of the box in the first place! And FS9 is heading that way.

[Jakemaster]

I never had fs2002, but I would say go straight to 2004.  It's not like you need to be experienced.

[beefhole]

As for what kind of flying I like Ozzy, I can't really say right now as I have never really flown a sim like this before. I think I am going to like to just take off and explore for a while and then make some flight plans a bit later on to get me going in a bit more depth.

Hammer, I have over 700 virtual hours logged of commops (commercial operations), thousands more of just messing around, and I know just about everything you can know about jet ops-

and you already sound like you know what you're doing more than me!

That's the perfect way to get into FS and the world of virtual aviation-I still remember the first time I got my grubby little hands on FS 2000-I didn't know places other than Meigs and O'hare existed! (WAIT A MINUTE-they have other planes besides a 172? )

You'll do fine buddy

Welcome to SimV!

[t_alexander21]

A thing to consider is what sort of simming experience you want and where you have to start to achieve it.

I would say just start messing around in the C172, learning the basics of taking off, landing, etc...then from there move on to navigation, IFR and VFR, also start getting to know the ILS approach. FS9 does have tutorials for all of these topics but I never really found them that useful. I went and bought a real aviation book at Barnes and Noble or something and read up on all that stuff. It was much easier...but that's me. Oh, also don't forget multiplayer services that offer real time ATC like VATSIM and IVAO, but that might be a little over the horizon if you are just starting.

[Hammerpgh]

Thanks again all,

You have certainly given me a lot of good asdvice to get started with. Just got into work and will nip out to pick up a copy of FS9 as soon as I can.

Of course I will also have to grab a joystick too so that's another little thing I have to shop for. I'll check the relevant forum for advice on that too as I haven't bought a joystick in years and I don;t think my sterring wheel will cut it for this :S

[Saitek]

Well thats right - you can't use a steering wheel. Though you can use just the pedals if you have those with your new joystick.
As for which one to get - good idea - head to the Hardware forum. Some sticks are better than others.