Beginners Guide To FSX Set-Up

[harleyman]

There Is A Pictorial Of This About 6-7 Posts Down Now....







This is for Nvidia Graphic cards only

This is a very basic guide mostly for first time FSX users..It is a good starting point for in game settings along with your Nvidia Control Panel settings to get you up and running in pretty good shape
This again is only a fair start..You WILL depending on your equipment have to either reduce or bump some settings..

Lets start with the Nvidia Control Panel:
First make sure that your screen resolution and refresh rate are set for your monitor (native resolutions are best)
In 3D Settings:
1) Adjust image settings W/ preview---set to: Use The Advanced 3D Image Settings
2) Manage 3D Settings
a) Anisotropic 4X
b) Antialaising-setting 8X
c) Multi-Display/mixed GPU acceleration set it for single or two(whatever you have)
d) Vertical Sync Force on



Now on to FSX.....On the front opening screen select customize.....

Graphics:
Target Frame Rate----22-30 (lower Vid cards start low/better vid cards go higher)
Set (YOUR) monitors resolution
Filtering------Anisotropic
UnCheck----- Anti-Alaising
Global Texture resolution--- high or Very High (depending on your cards quality again)
Check--- Lens Flair
Check---- Advanced animations
Aircraft: Leave at default for now... The 3D box checked will start you in virtual cockpit while the 2D box checked will start you in 2D panel(like FS9 does)
Scenery: This is where you will do the most changes depending on your CPU and Graphic Cards abilities

Level Of Detail Radius----- Large
Mesh complexity------80
Mesh resolution----19m
Texture Resolution---30
Water Effects--- Low 2X ( this is a killer on some systems/reduce as needed)
Scenery Complexity----Dense (this also is a highly adjusted setting depending on your equipment)
Autogen density------Dense (this also is a highly adjusted setting depending on your equipment
Check----Ground scenery casts Shadows
Special Effects Detail-----High
Traffic: We will start very low here as it can cripple some machines if set too high..Advance these at your discretion

Airline Traffic density-----20%
General Avaition Traffic Density----20%
Airport Vehicle Density----20%
Set (ALL) Land and Sea Traffic at -----20% too


Thats it..You have just set your Video Card and FSX settibgs..You should now be able to fly with some success...Remember these are just starters. You will more than likely need to decrease /increase some settings.
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[klemay]

Harlyman,

Thanks for the post. I've got a low to mid range sys with the 7900GTX; I'll give these a shot!

[langshan]

Thanks Harleyman. I utilized this on my out of date FX10 rig. 15FPS on big scenery areas may not be a lot, but i have steady frame rates and it has helped this puppy out. XP Professional, 4 gig memory(not the fast stuff, but cheapo), XP 3800 processor single core, 9600 768 GSO graphics card. Your settings have helped me out a lot. I will grab a new mobo/processor/memory/gcard next year based on some recommendations I saw earlier. Where at in NC are you?

[harleyman]

Glad to hear that you have gotten some improvements from that basic set up...... Good to hear


I live in Statesville,just where I-77 and I-40 intersect each other.....

I have some good family friends from Elizabeth City,origionally from Va. Beach....Dr. John Crawford...

Let us know if you need more tweaking info,as there is some basic FSX Config rewrites that will definately apply to your system....

[langshan]

I know where that is. I go to Greensboro usually in April timeframe. Yes, if there are some more "tweaks" for my system, please let me know, as I like toying around with the computer. I've got a 550 sli powersupply, but next winter will upgrade to intell motherboard/processor after "all" AMD processors.

Mike

[harleyman]

Hi Mike....Go here and select *Tweaking FSX* free one...Look it all over and see what fits you.....All of the autogen ones will help you out for sure..Most if not all of them probably as they are IMO for slower systems..

http://www.highflightsimulations.com/home.html



So whats in Greensboro? I lived there as a teenager and got my start in the restuarant business there in a Place called *The Pepper Mill*


Just say if you need more help...

[langshan]

Thanks very much for the link. Well you are not going to believe this, but I have another crazy hobby, I show Bantam poultry and there is a show there every spring. Again thanks very much for that link.

Mike

[harleyman]

Ahh A Poulet man....Thats cool.......


Do you get to eat them if they loose??? LOL Kidding....

[lucas81]

One note...

If you are a bush flyer or GA flyer and you don't fly above 15k ft, you can decrease the detail radius to medium. It will reduce the loading time of your sim.
Also the "scenery casts shadows" ticked is a fps killer, as well.

[harleyman]

Here are somescreen shots to help with this set up..these settings are for the slightly above average system....

You will see I have chosen 2 D cockpit...Thats for testing and gives the best overall views while testing..Normally I start and fly 3D Virtual cockpit...

[harleyman]

Here is a nice ATI Set-Up Guide... From Pips(thank you)


http://www.tweakguides.com/ATICAT_1.html