|
Post by Admin on Nov 7, 2006 15:59:37 GMT -5
Vin, you have nailed it in one short passage.
|
|
|
Post by MCDesigns on Nov 7, 2006 19:01:47 GMT -5
Well I wish I had found this thread before your uninstall Windrunner, obviously you made up your mind.
I for one am enjoying FSX, very much. The things I found lacking in FS9 I now have with FSX (except performance, LOL) I only open FS9 now for designing purposes since there are many changes to the way scenery is now. Sincer most of my flying is in bush areas or the PTO, I can get high settings with good performance and it is a joy to fly in.
Textures - while the landclass is obviously quite off, the textures are 4 times the resolution of what we had in FS9, which allows for a much greater visual than FS9 had (MS limitation). THIS is a feature I have longed for.
Performance in real weather has been improved and since I only fly in real weather, I love that.
Dynamic world - wow, there are ships everywhere, cars on the roads, and even some wildlife (with the ability to add more thru the SDKs) The animation coding has been totally redone and is more advanced than what was possible for scenery in FS9 (can you say no more looping) Bones are supported (look at the animals and even the pilot of the ultralite up close when he moves)
Yes, the SDKs only support 3DSMax (cool for me) right now, but full support for Gmax is coming, so no need to get your panties in a wad, LOL.
I find the sense of actual flight greatly enhanced, even with lower performance. Love the new camera settings.
You can rag the missions all ya want, but they are enjoyable and many have to do with real world flight and it's unpredictableness. (the one where the engine dies after reaching altitude in the Swiss Alps was a hair raiser)
If there ever was a sim that was made for Golden Wings, this one would be it, just for the texture resolution and the amount of autogen that can be placed (crank it to full and stare in disbelief at the forests, amazing! (unflyable, but amazing, LOL)
MS has stated they are aware of all the issues with activation (no probs here, 2 rigs, 2 installs) and performance users are having and hopefully will try to do something about it (other than DX10) Short of performance issues, it is a great sim with a ton of potential IMO.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Nov 7, 2006 19:36:17 GMT -5
All good points, Michael. I'm glad you joined the discussion. I agree 100% on the improved textures. The weather seems about the same to me, though cloud textures are improved. I disagree entirely with any positive assessment of the missions, (I have stated elsewhere that my dislike for the entire mission concept borders on insanity, but I can live with that.) Nevertheless I understand that many users will love them and I'm sure creating missions will become a cottage industry. So be it. I think it's a shame that they crippled the Flights system that was in place for previous versions in a lame attempt to force people into the mission system. Full support for GMax, (as yet vaporware,) does not help those who have used FSDS. Or any of the many scenery design tools that no longer work without trickery. I wish if they were going to break backward compatibility so badly they would have announced "NO Backward Compatibility" and built a new sim. I think there would have been fewer complaints. Performance is not one of my problems with FSX. I get decent performance. I'm getting 30+ fps out in the Maine Coastal Islands and over 20 when I fly into KBGR. The things I find unacceptable in the release version are the many bugs that were not present in Beta 3. I think they could have put out a killer product had they taken the time to finish it. They have marketed it as a game, pushed the game elements hard, even bought TV ads showing how cool it is, and the money is rolling in so obviously they are happy with it. I'm not, but my opinion and those like mine are unimportant from a marketing standpoint. Activation is not a problem here either. I think that's a non-issue.
Now in practical terms, I have updated (Q&D) Ultimate Terrain and I have FS9 landclass from FS Genesis and in the continental US, that finishes the job that the development team left half done. I can be happy with that because I seldom fly outside Eastern Maine. My little sim world is done, my Carenado aircraft are imported and maybe someday there will be a patch that fixes some of the outstanding bugs.
|
|
|
Post by windrunner on Nov 8, 2006 1:28:38 GMT -5
hi michael, thanks for the feedback! I, like you, do love those new goodies: and I'm in love with water and tropical textures environment, man that's pretty good!. But, as a full of potential of a game, I'll wait untill FSXI, that hopefully will be a finished pc game (or better, a finished pc simulator). (Remember: it's my own personnal point of view in this thread.)
There's only one side of the "game" for wich I'd have keeped it: the space (not the HD space, lol). Now, if someone creates a sort of space environment with ships and space stations...well, I never understood orbiter, but an space FSX could be nice. But then, it is not a flight simulator anymore. Well, I'm never happy I think.
I'm sure some future designers with the right tools at hand, will create splendid sceneries: ranchs crowded of cows and horses running around, or the Monza circuit with fastest Ferraris, or the Waterloo battle with Napoleon himself in his white horse or who knows what sort of scenery with custom autogen (but, remember: at the cost of 4\5 fps?) plus a 1000 pages manual of tweaking will help a little with perfomance (those who think Vista and FX10 will acccelerate the sim are wrong; FSX is designed with XP and DX9 as base); Ok, this is the potential. Now, right now, FSX is not a deal to me. It doesn't looks nor run like a simulator like FS9 does. Today, the once FSX enthusiastic masses, are already leaving the room in silence. Too bad. Let's see what future may bring (updates or patches always welcome)
But, never say never. Like Doris said,
Que sera, sera...let's see if FSX will be another fiasco like CFS3 or will acquire a sim status.
I did not threw the dvds out of my window, but left them on shelf along with all the others FS versions since FS98. They will be there waiting. Just like you do with a book someone gave you as a Birthday present, but you won't read. Or not? may be the right day has to come yet.
|
|
|
Post by MCDesigns on Nov 9, 2006 12:29:13 GMT -5
Sorry about repling late guys. Tom, some good points and some I agree with, like if they were going to lose some backward compatility, then I am all for a complete rewrite. While I enjoy the mission system, I look at it as added functionaily to take what we do already in FS9 to a higher level, to program our own scenarios so to speak. I take this view with all added features whether I'll use them or not. I feel most of what can be done with FS9 has been done which is why I welcome this version, despite the many issues it has.
As for FSDS users, been awhile since I have used it, but can't you export in the .X format with it? I agree as I am frustrated with trying to get designs to work in FSX, but the answers are coming, just slow is all.
All in all, we'll have to see what the future brings. That is what is great, there are versions to suite everyones needs so there is no need for one version to be "it"
|
|
|
Post by beana51 on Nov 9, 2006 14:07:01 GMT -5
Hi,Read an interesting by Mr.Andrew Herd,some ware.His verdict on FSX was to me,enlightening. Here is some of it:
Fantastic, stupendous, awesome, best version yet, most advanced desktop flight simulation ever. Yeah, FSX needs macho hardware to run well, but we are on the verge of a new generation of processors that will pack some serious muscle without absolutely breaking the bank. For now, download the demo and if your system can run that, look forward to some serious fun - and stay with us and read the follow on articles
What with the GF8800GTX,at $599. a copy.I'm afraid to inquire about"Processors with serous muscle"If these cost escalate,it would compare with a reasonable C-150. Car,vacations,? NOT! what I need is a new Sim Machine! VIN
|
|
|
Post by foxwolfen on Nov 10, 2006 1:24:36 GMT -5
Beana, its called "SPIN". They are trying to sell mags, or ads or rags or what ever. There is no "serious muscle" coming that will help FSX as FSX is not MP in any but the most basic sense. Processors are not getting much faster, they are getting denser (more cores). There is, in reality, nothing announced or even speculated on that will be in our desktops that will make FSX run well. I suspect there is not going to be hardware available that will run FSX properly before FSX is obsolete. Moore's Law states a doubling of transistors on a cpu every 2 years (which the industry equates to a doubling every 18 months). This has slowed recently and there was even speculation that the limit was reached about two years ago. This is why there has been no dramatic increase in CPU core speed in two years. However newly announced techniques are moving it forward again. Even with a patch I don't think its going to run well. FS9 saw no FPS improvement with its patch, just a plugged memory leak and fixed a few bridges. I hope I am wrong.
|
|
|
Post by windrunner on Nov 10, 2006 4:35:12 GMT -5
Well, Shad, I have to agree with you. The same architecture of the game won't allow too much the perfomance side. People that went to the AVsim convention, where the new game was previewed by the Aces guys themselves in super pcs, had the same mediocre perfomance than today.
Even if FSX is a boring simulator and a promising game right now, it doesn't means some changes in the ingame architecture will change that, of course, if they decide to do it.
I gave FSX a chance, how I'd like to give it another one...
|
|
|
Post by beana51 on Nov 10, 2006 9:45:32 GMT -5
Hi Guys,I guess your rite. SPIN?,its more like a graveyard spiral. You can recognize a spin,a spiral,is more insidious.You guys are veteran serous simmers,I just am a Simmer,from the beginning however..I can only reflect what I see or don't see.,and how it affects me. So far,with FSX,while it promises much,and it may be there,I can't get it out.My rig to date is not some 97lb weakling! And still,I cant get the degree of acceptability I want. This makes me feel inadequate,or inferior.Some have achieved acceptance,but some are frustrated.Never the less to seek perfection,or acceptability,it will cost money.That sticker shock,will really"SPIN" ya! "Don't Worry Be Happy" VIN
|
|
|
Post by 314clipper on Nov 11, 2006 17:27:03 GMT -5
I went out and bought a new copy of MSFS today, too... Flight Simulator 2004 A Century of Flight ;D It's going for under $20 USD now that FSX is out. Nice to have a backup copy, since that's what I'll be flying for quite some time.
|
|
|
Post by bhk on Nov 11, 2006 18:01:13 GMT -5
Interesting comments......I hadn't wandered in here before this morning and it's very nice to read comments with some objectivity in them rather than the "IT'S CRAP" and "IT'S KOOL, BRO'" rubbish in some other forums.
I had deliberately held off buying FSX because (as I've mentioned before) it didn't appear to offer my personal requirements anything that I can't already achieve with FS9.
Your comments here have confirmed my feelings and have rubber-stamped my decision not to buy it.
Bruce
|
|
|
Post by beana51 on Nov 11, 2006 19:08:28 GMT -5
Hi ,Bruce, I can agree with you.I went thru the introduction of the new thing.Often my Conservative side of me takes over.Often,its good, ,and yet!...And thats the problem.I always took a shot into something I did not know to much about.Rather than be on the sideline,I tended to be foolhardy and jump in. Often "jumping out", often "lets take it up and see what happens" or wonder what if "that bike has guts"Of course ,and with dumb luck ,I survived,sometimes ,disastrously,and sometimes wonderfully.Right now I'm recovering from a high speed Jet-Ski incident, nothing new,Hey,somethings gotta kill ya, and thats why I blab so much here,got some time now.. I always found the open mind ,and curiosity,to be a good thing. Let it be wonderful,or let it be awful,as long it is not common.Oh yes .the chorus,of pro and cons are lighting up the chatter all over,its fun being part of it. I too, am very comfortable with my FS9.We should be ,it was a hard job to make it reflect our standard's. Now ,a new task has to be approached.There exists now, among some of us a weariness with the mediocrity of a product put before us. It was talented,serous ,unselfish simmers created a new world for us.With wonderful things,never envisioned,at the beginning of our Sim experience.The very heart and soul of this forum is that statement.,by great people.They were not to be denied. I can't help my self,I gotta see for my self.I will have a FSX,I will have to spend time and money. I will continue comment as to my opinions,pro and con.I will have my world in FS9, the wonderful times of yesterday,when we all were a lot younger. Yet,that calling of the future,tomorrow, ,and something new,is just to exciting not to pursue. ..Like I say I "BLOVIATE to much! But, Thank you Sir! For letting me. Stay Well CIAO! VIN
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Nov 11, 2006 21:44:47 GMT -5
I'm going to make one final comment and then shut up on the subject. No point beating a dead horse. FSX reminds me of the girly show at the carnival. The scantily clad ladies strut their stuff on the runway and the barker promises much. So you pay to see more and are always disappointed.
Feel free to continue the discussion, but I am outta here.
|
|