FSX for Dummies??

[WarHorse47]

Okay, my copy of FSX Gold arrived yesterday.

After years of flying FS9, I'm ready to take the plunge. I plan to install it over the weekend.

At one time I saw a thread on a recommended installation procedure and setup, but cannot seem to find it. Anyone have any recommendations to guide me through the install?

Thanks in advance.

[PHo17]

Here is one: http://www.simforums.com/forums/topic29041.html

[rvn817j]

This is not exactly what you asked for, but there are some good points in here you should be considering early on for a smooth, hassle free FSX experience. (At the beginning of the tweaks it is strongly recommended that you do these tweaks to a "clean" FSX install.)

http://kostasfsworld.wordpress.com/fsx-software-and-hardware-guide/

[bstolle]

I'm running FSX + Acceleration with just a single tweak; HIGHMEMFIX=1

Nothing else and no problems.

edited due to Andrews reply, thanx :)

[WarHorse47]

This will be with Win8, BTW 8<)

[Roger]

Any issues just post. Most of us here have had some issue or other.

[alehead]

Bernt, I am sure that tweak should be HIGHMEMFIX=1

I use very few tweaks as well nowadays...




Andrew Entwistle

[ncooper]

The link posted by PHo17 is still relevant.
This thread http://forum.avsim.net/topic/398837-fsx-having-fatal-errors-after-upgrade-to-win8/
was started by someone who had all of the problems encountered by some first time users of FSX and
Windows 8 together.
Between the various contributors, he was able to solve them all.

[Lionheart]

They say you should defrag 'before' you install FSX.

Also, with Windows issues, you should install FSX in a different spot rather then the Program Files x86 zone. What is best is to get FSX its own hard drive, like a very fast SSD HD, at least 90 Gigs, maybe a 256 Gig SSD HD, and install it there.

Then, from what I remember, start up FSX when you have the first CD installed, then install CD2 Accelleration.



I would then look for the tutorial by Kosta (I think thats his name), the guy that tells you how to tune the config file and settings for FSX. Amazing read and good results.


Have fun! Whats cool is using the mouse and space bar to look around with inside the cockpit.

Do not expect huge frame rates. If you get 30 to 36, you are fine. There is so much running in FSX that you just cant get (usually) 70 frames. You'll have cars on freeways, real forests, tons of nice clouds, realistic oceans with waves flowing in the wind. So, 36 FPS is really good. (ITs a 32bit program, just cant use quad cores and high memory useage).

[Dev One]

You will have to get used to longer load times too - at least longer that FS9. My installation has no tweaks except for tuning via Nvidia inspector - using Nvidia for the anti alias, not FSX. My load times are even longer after installing Just Flight VFR scenery, but I can now map read as I used to do in reality!
You will find that with some portovers certain commands are different or don't work in FSX, e.g Water Rudder (Ctrl+W instead of Shift+W) & some Magneto switches don't work, are the ones I remember at the moment. Some port overs can also fly slightly different too.
I do like FSX for these things, but I still use FS9 for creation & development.
As mentioned elswhere, unless you are zapping along at zero feet at Mach 1+, then frame rates of better than 12 to 15 are OK & this is with most sliders at 100%. (Traffic can be a bit of a killer).
My recent Video card update to a Geforce GT630 made a big difference. I find DX10 is a no no.
My initial installation was on my C drive, but I copied the main parts over to my X drive, note not a complete copy......So maybe if I deleted the original parts it would no longer work because of the registry entry?
Good luck
Keith

[Bone]

I'm running FSX + Acceleration with just a single tweak; HIGHMEMFIX=1

Nothing else and no problems.

edited due to Andrews reply, thanx :)

I'm assuming this has something to do with RAM, but I just looked at my FSX CFG and I don't really see where to put it. Under what section in the FSX CFG does it go?


EDIT: Never mind. Here's a link in case anyone else is curious. http://forum.simflight.com/topic/64551-highmemfix1-in-graphics/

[PHo17]

Here: http://www.wolfgang-picheta.de/ is a program FlusiFix-2006 that helps many kind of editing of the FSX and tells what is where (for example the config files). The program is quite old (2006) but the last update is from year 2010. There are both versions for FS2004 and FSX (in English too). That has helped me with some manual work.

[WarHorse47]

Wow. Thanks for the responses. Just what I need.

I do have a related question. What specifically does the 'Acceleration' pack add to FSX? Do my addon aircraft have to be for 'Acceleration' or will any FSX addon aircraft do just fine?

I have a few FSX addon aircraft I've accumulated over the last year, and was curious if there were any other considerations when time comes to install them.

Thanks again.

[ncooper]

Wikipedia has your answer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Flight_Simulator_X

If you have native FSX aircraft in your addon collection, they will very likely
work perfectly well.
Aircraft modeled for FS9 often have problems with textures such as glass and
propellers not displaying properly but most of the good models will have a fix
either by their payware publisher or if freeware to be found on Avsim or Flightsim.

[PHo17]

Most of the the FS2004 default airplanes fly without problems in FSX too.

[Dev One]

Acceleration installation is prefereable as it cured the prop/cloud interface problem for me & if you have any of Robcarrich's FSX aircraft you need the F18 installed that comes with acceleration for the instruments to show.
Keith

[WarHorse47]

Well, so far so good. :jump:

The install went smoothly, and my controllers are all setup. I've already taken several successful flights with the stock a/c and helos to check things out. Graphics are fantastic, and I am noticing many differences with FS9. I'll have to get used to the stock airports in the Puget Sound area until I'm ready to update them with addon scenery.

I added the HIGHMEMFIX and runway light scalar entries. My first addon a/c was the Flying Stations Wyvern, and that went smoothly.

One immediate question is where is the command for the wingfold? In FS9 that was the F9 key, which is now the key for the VC. I printed out the keyboard keys to get familiar with the changes, but cannot find any command for folding wings.

Another question I have relates to EditVoicePack. Does it work with FSX? And if so, can I transfer my callsign mods from FS9 to FSX?

[Paul Anderson]

Wing fold in FSX is available but unassigned right out of the box. Probably because there are so many other functions one would or wouldn't use. A popular assignment for the wing fold is the comma.

[WarHorse47]

Okay....

Time for a dumb question.

The Setup has a checkbox for DX10 Preview. Just so happens I'm running DX11 with no problems. Is there any advantage/disadvantage to enabling the DX10 Preview??

[warchild]

I'd say that that is a trick question with a whole slew of answers bith pro and con. FSX by nature doesnt know of DX11 and so will not use it, but instead will fall back on the dx9 that is installed already. Turning on DX10 will have some benefits, but again, there are pro's and cons. the best advice i personally could offer is a suggestion of trying it. if you like it stick with it. If you dont like it then turn it off..

[PHo17]

One of the cons I had trying the DX10 was that some AI aircrafts lost their texture (I saw only the model colour). Here: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?76223-ORBX-Wales-is-released is another example.

Pekka