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[hobby]

I have an original CFS3 and have been involved with MS FS since 1995. I thought that it might be interesting to re-install CFS3. However I am somewhat mystified by all of the recent upgrades/additions and consequent improvements to the original program.

Can someone please advise me where to begin and which addons are needed to deliver the best current version of CFS3?

I also am not up to date on the meanming of various abbreviations: ETO, MVO etc.

I have a particular interest in the BofB, Coastal Command and the FAA.

Can one also use modern acft in CFS3? If so which acft are suitable and from which website can download such acft?

[ndicki]

Welcome aboard!

Well, there are four main WW2 upgrades for CFS3:

Mediterranean Air War (MAW) - totally new theatre, the Med in 1941. The deepest rework of WW2 CFS3 ever. By the Desert Rats - DR.

European Theatre of Operations (ETO) - applies the work from MAW to the existing CFS3 North-West European map, and builds on it. Currently in ongoing development.

Battle of Britain - New addon. Creates a BoB-specific install with correct RAF stations, buildings, etc.

Pacific Theatre of Operations/ Solomons (PTO) - a new map set in the Solomons. USN and RAAF vs Japs.

All of these require a pure vanilla install of CFS3.1a - in other words with the updates from the MS site, and the Mission Builder. They copy the vanilla install to another location, and then the program modifies it to current standards.

Obviously the result in any of the above cases bears comparatively little resemblance to stock CFS3...

There is a Coastal Command gang - look for Beau Brummie who is one of the main fans.

Unfortunately CFS3 aircraft are incompatible with those of other MS sims, so other than a couple of modern jets - Tornado and F-16 - there are no real post-1950 aircraft. CFS3 has trouble handling airfiles above a certain speed...

[Vogelscheuche]

ETO = European Theatre of Operations expansion
PTO = Pacific Theatre of Operations expansion
MAW= Mediterranean Air War expansion
DPCKTCS= Korean Skies
BoB = Battle of Britain, newest

All are a vast improvement over the original CFS3. May I suggest installing MAW first? It's by far the easiest installation and will let you see what the improvements are like. I'm sure after flying it you'll want to get all the other expansions.

All expansion files locations are found here: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=34077

[Autothrottle]

Can you install MAW if you already have the NEK Redux installed for Stock CFS3?

[Led Zeppelin]

CFS3 has trouble handling airfiles above a certain speed...
and above a certain altitude. At 30000 ft, fighters don't fly as they should do.

[ndicki]

Can you install MAW if you already have the NEK Redux installed for Stock CFS3?

Erm... To be on the safe side, no. Rename that install, and load another. Installing MAW takes quite a while, so it's better safe than sorry.

[hobby]

Many thanks for all the pointers and advice. I have now downloaded MAW and followed the clear insructions for putting it on my computer. All is ready but first i have had to go back to school to learn how to fly a fighting acft. So at present I am u/t in standard CFS31.3a.

My computer is getting somewhat crowded with a full FS9 plus FSNav, ASV6.5 and lots of addon on scenery.

This means that I am not sure whether I could carry a 'vanilla' cfs3, three times over. Once for MAW then once again for ETO and again for BofB. I was wondering whether to just go straight to BofB without using ETO but that would mean I would lose out on lots of missions in an improved northern Europe. Please advise because I should also like to undertake some Coastal Command missions at a later date.

[grizzly50]

Many thanks for all the pointers and advice. I have now downloaded MAW and followed the clear insructions for putting it on my computer. All is ready but first i have had to go back to school to learn how to fly a fighting acft. So at present I am u/t in standard CFS31.3a.

My computer is getting somewhat crowded with a full FS9 plus FSNav, ASV6.5 and lots of addon on scenery.

This means that I am not sure whether I could carry a 'vanilla' cfs3, three times over. Once for MAW then once again for ETO and again for BofB. I was wondering whether to just go straight to BofB without using ETO but that would mean I would lose out on lots of missions in an improved northern Europe. Please advise because I should also like to undertake some Coastal Command missions at a later date.

:kilroy:Hobby, you have misunderstood. You only need ONE vanilla (CFS3 + 3.1 Update + 3.1a Update) install for ALL of the standalone theaters. You see, concerning ETO, PTO, and MAW, each only copies what it needs from the one vanilla, and places it into a completely new folder.

They don't change or harm it in any way at all. Only the new BoB from Pat Pattle changes the vanilla. It is new and still in Beta. That may very well change in time.

Please follow the installation instructions with each sim, and you shouldn't have any problems.:d

[Rabbit 3]

One solution I`ve found to the space problem that I`ve recently adopted is to use these memory sticks that are everywhere these days.
Some of them have enough memory for a couple of flight sims and add ons without taking up space on the main hard drives.
On another note, like the OP I`ve been trying to set up a fresh install of CFS3 and have rediscovered the "missing coastline" bug which I just cant remember how to fix.
Any idea after all this time how to get them working and would their lack have an effect on any of the new installs that use this as a base?
Incidently, I have the 3.1 patch but what does 3.1a cover?

[hairyspin]

This gives the shoreline fix:- http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=17749&page=1 (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=17749&page=1)

and the 3.1a patch is needed if you're flying 4-engined heavies.

[hobby]

For Grizzly50: Many thanks for that clarification regarding the requirement for only ONE 'vanilla' CFS3 with all other addons (ETO, PTO) copying only the files needed. Looking forward to the developed version of BofB. I shall use that waiting time to crack on with my OTU time. No point in arriving as acomplete novice.

[Pat Pattle]

Welcome aboard Hobby.:wavey: Glad to see another RAF/FAA/CC type here!

Just a small correction - the BoB install doesn't touch the vanilla one, but it does require you to manually copy the cfs3 directory to another location.