Finally put it on!

[homebrewer]

I finally put FSX on this computer, after having the program in its box for over a year and this machine for over seven months. I can only say I do not much like FSX, especially the views. I can see no reason for the wing views. Maybe I am doing something wrong, but they seem to me to be just about useless.

So many questions:

1) Do the airplanes in FSX not have 2D panels?

2) Do I need to buy further software to make this thing look better? The ground lacks color and detail-- at least I think it does. I have some scenery/terrain stuff from abacus, but have yet to put it on. What is SP2 and Acceleration?

3) Is there a way to get views similar to those in FS9? These FSX views seem to me to be too limiting. I want to be able to swoop around the flying aircraft like a high-speed bird right next to it.

4) Will the many aircraft I have so painstakingly installed into FS9 work in FSX very well? I have dozens and dozens I really like. I would have to think because FSX is so much newer a release, that not so many airplanes are available yet.

5) I have read about the SimObjects folder in past posts by the resident experts here, and have already installed two airplanes. They seem to work, so I guess I did it right. I see other folders in the SimObjects folder, as well. Is this where you would install things other than airplanes, plain and simple?

6) What is your general impression of FSX over FS9? Will I come to love it too, someday?

Thanks for your help!

[Hagar]

So many questions. LOL

I can answer #1.

1) Do the airplanes in FSX not have 2D panels?

The default aircraft have 2D panels. You obviously chose the VC option during install. (This can be changed from FSX Settings if you wish.) You can toggle between the views with F9 & F10. Not all 3rd party aircraft have a VC.

[OldReliable]

#2. SP2 is a patch for FSX and Acceleration is an add on you can buy from like walmart that adds military aircraft and extra stuff

#5. I think its simple to install aircraft and they come with the read-me which helps.

Almost a year ago I bought FSX and I still like it. I wish I would have gotten Dulexe because that has more features. My first impression was "What am I doing!", but after a while I started getting the hang of it. Even though I still crash when I land.  ;D The part that I didn't like about FSX is that I think the lessons are to hard. Still can't get that first solo mission because hes gripeing at me and I wanted to strangle his neck!
Hope you enjoy FSX.  ;)

[dave3cu]

Re: Views

All the views available in FS2004, and more, are available in FSX. It's the view control that has changed.

The S now cycles thru view categories, and the A key cycles thru views available within the catagory.

Example: S until in Cockpit category, then A to cycle thru VC, 2D, and any others available in that aircraft, like ECU, Radios, Switches.

Or...S until in Outside category, then A to cycle Spot, Locked Spot, Fly-by and Overhead.

Just take some time to get used to after FS2004...

[homebrewer]

Thanks. It's been a long time since I was using FS2002, after which I upgraded to FS2004 in October of 2005 and now to FSX, maybe I have forgotten how steep the learning curve was. I notice that installs seem to be easier. I am seeing the airplanes now have subfolders in them without an .air file; rather they have a brown box that seems to have an autoinstaller within it. That's a nice feature for people like me who have trouble with updated panels and effects, et cetera. Maye I will come to like FSX over time. I notice I have to have my frame rate set to 80 to get any fluidity out of it. I only had to set it at 45 in FS9. I have no idea what "target framerate" means, but the higher I set it, the better it looked...

[Hagar]

I notice that installs seem to be easier. I am seeing the airplanes now have subfolders in them without an .air file; rather they have a brown box that seems to have an autoinstaller within it. That's a nice feature for people like me who have trouble with updated panels and effects, et cetera.

The aircraft in FSX are basically no different to those in other versions of FS. They still have AIR files. I imagine the brown box that you can see is the icon for Adobe AIR which is included with the latest update of Adobe Reader. Installing Adobe AIR associates AIR files with the new Adobe runtime & changes the file type. This means that you cannot open AIR files with the usual FS utilities. If you try opening an FS AIR file you will get an error message saying the file is corrupt which of course it isn't. My advice would be to uninstall it until Adobe sort it out. http://www.adobe.com/products/air/

[Brett_Henderson]

2) Do I need to buy further software to make this thing look better? The ground lacks color and detail-- at least I think it does. I have some scenery/terrain stuff from abacus, but have yet to put it on. What is SP2 and Acceleration?

You'll have to play with the settings to find your best compromise between performance and appearance. The default settings are pretty low.. and if you turn everything up to maximun, your computer will cry for mercy (and it'll be a slide-show).

6) What is your general impression of FSX over FS9? Will I come to love it too, someday?

FSX on a computer that can handle it, it so much more simulator than FS9, it's too much to list. I was doing some island hopping yesterday,

[dave3cu]

This means that you cannot open AIR files with the usual FS utilities......

You can still open .air files with AirEd (or other utility). It's only the 'open with...' and file icon that changes with the file association.

You can open .air files from within AirEd, or.....

Right click on an .air file and click 'properties' or 'open with...' and associate with AirEd. You'll get the 'double click to open in AirEd' function, and the AirEd file icon back.

[Hagar]

This means that you cannot open AIR files with the usual FS utilities......

You can still open .air files with AirEd or other utility. It's only the 'open with...' and file icon that changes with the file association.

You can open .air files from within AirEd, or.....

Right click on an .air file and click 'properties' or 'open with...' and associate with AirEd. You'll get the 'double click to open in AirEd' function, and the AirEd file icon back.

That's what I thought when John Baymore originally pointed this out. It doesn't work. Trust me. Adobe has taken over the AIR file extension for its own purposes.

[dave3cu]

... It doesn't work....

Dunno..it works for me..

XP-SP2, Adobe Reader 9.

[Hagar]

... It doesn't work....

Dunno..it works for me..

XP-SP2, Adobe Reader 9.

Perhaps they changed it since I tried it. I shall try it again.

I should have made it clearer that I'm talking about the file association. With Adobe AIR installed I found it impossible to associate AIR files with any other program.  Adobe AIR has no option not to associate it by default like most other programs. It should still be possible to open the files from within AirEd or any application you wish.

PS. I still have Adobe Reader 9 installed. I simply uninstalled Adobe AIR which is separate.

[homebrewer]

Downloaded SP1. Still have it on the Desktop. Now what?

Would I soon download SP2?

Anything else I need, like Acceleration? And what is Acceleration? In my mind, acceleration is what FSX is going to have applied to it through an open window, but that's for another post on another day...

I have FSX looking pretty good. What I have in the way of how it functions is a small amount of herkie-jerkies and slow paints of panels in aircraft with lots of gauges-- like an airliner. The panel in the A380 is funereally slow to "paint in." That whole airplane is so bad, I took it off

[Brett_Henderson]

If you plan on installing Acceleration.. do not install the SPs.. they're included in Acceleration.. and if I'm not mistaken.. you'll have to unistall the SPs (if you install them), if not completely re-install FSX, in order to install Acceleration..

As far as how far you can push FSX with your computer.. only experimentation will tell..  I do know that having SLI'd 8800 cards doesn't do much for FSX.. and I'm not familiar with the Phenom CPU.

I have a Quad-core Intel running @ 3.2Ghz, 4 GB of 1066RAM, an 8800GTS-512.. and mid-level setting is the best I can get.