suggestions?

[navin johnson]

a friend gave me fsx gold edition. i put it on my computer and its pretty fun. people talk about tweaks and settings. how do i know what i should do? also i wonder if someone can tell me

the red text at the top that tells you speed and frame rate and stuff. is there a way to make just that text bigger?

the map that is under the drop down menu - is there a keyboard command for that? can the map be made bigger?

thanks for any help you might be able to offer

[heywooood]

you've got questions - hopefully, we have answers.

for the text size you refer to - there is likely a way to make that bigger in the FSX.cfg or 'config file' but as I have not seen the tweak myself someone else can answer that one.

The map in the drop down menu..? you mean the one you see when you select your weather options in free flight?
there is a GPS map available to all of the default aircraft by using key command shift+3 - have you tried that? the map typically appears in its largest format (you can make it smaller by mousing over the bottom edge and or the side edge and holding the left mouse button down while dragging)...
you can also move the GPS around to any position on the screen by similar method

there is a tweaking guide on this forum (and several others) for adjusting the FSX.cfg file to make the simulator run more smoothly at higher settings - just search 'FSX tweaks' and a slew of guides will come up...
First though you should read through as many forum threads as you can find to get a better handle on whats involved - its not hard to do - and its all pretty easy to reverse if you make a mistake in the .cfg file - you can always delete it - FSX makes a new one for you the next time you start it up if the original gets fouled up and you have to delete it -

best .cfg tweaks are:
AffinityMask= xx <--depends on your CPU cores
DisablePreload=1
TextureBandwidthMultiplier=85 (yours may vary)
TextureMaxLoad=12 (yours may vary)
HIGHMEMFIX=1

here is mine :
[JOBSCHEDULER]
AffinityMask=14

[SOUND]
AmbientUIMusicVolume=-6.000000
SOUND=1
SOUND_QUALITY=2
SOUND_LOD=0
UISound=1
AmbientUI=0
PrimaryDevice={6B77A0E0-41CB-4526-87DA-AD896978A3D4}
VoiceDevice={3890088A-38E6-4AE2-B83C-0F26E6A0F53F}
SOUND_FADER1=1.000000
SOUND_FADER2=0.970000
SOUND_FADER3=0.990000
SOUND_FADER4=1.000000
AmbientUIMusic=FSX01

[Display]
TextureMaxLoad=12
ChangeTime=4.000000
TransitionTime=4.000000
ActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255
ActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=0,28,140,64
NonActiveWindowTitleTextColor=255,255,255
NonActiveWindowTitleBackGroundColor=24,33,87,64
InfoUpperRightTextColor=255,0,0
InfoUpperRightBackGroundColor=0,0,0,0
InfoLowerLeftTextColor=255,255,255
InfoLowerLeftBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128
InfoLowerRightTextColor=255,255,255
InfoLowerRightBackGroundColor=255,0,0,128
InfoBrakesEnable=False
InfoParkingBrakesEnable=False
InfoPauseEnable=False
InfoSlewEnable=False
InfoStallEnable=False
InfoOverspeedEnable=False
BLOOM_EFFECTS=1
SKINNED_ANIMATIONS=1
TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT=85
UPPER_FRAMERATE_LIMIT=30
WideViewAspect=True
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_SURFACE_SCALAR=1.5
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_VASI_SCALAR=1.1
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_APPROACH_SCALAR=1.5
RUNWAY_LIGHTS_STROBE_SCALAR=1.1


[Main]
DISABLEPRELOAD=1
FIBER_FRAME_TIME_FRACTION=0.12
User Objects=Airplane, Helicopter
SimObjectPaths.0=SimObjects\Airplanes
SimObjectPaths.1=SimObjects\Rotorcraft
SimObjectPaths.2=SimObjects\GroundVehicles
SimObjectPaths.3=SimObjects\Boats
SimObjectPaths.4=SimObjects\Animals
SimObjectPaths.5=SimObjects\Misc
Maximized=1
Location=1146,547,2178,1323,\\.\DISPLAY1
HideMenuNormal=0
HideMenuFullscreen=1
ProcSpeed=13846
PerfBucket=7

[PANELS]
IMAGE_QUALITY=1
DEFAULT_VIEW=0
QUICKTIPS=0
PANEL_OPACITY=87
PANEL_MASKING=1
PANEL_STRETCHING=1
UNITS_OF_MEASURE=0

[Weather]
WindshieldPrecipitationEffects=1
MinGustTime=10
MaxGustTime=500
MinGustRampSpeed=1
MaxGustRampSpeed=200
MinVarTime=5
MaxVarTime=50
MinVarRampSpeed=10
MaxVarRampSpeed=75
TurbulenceScale=1.000000
WeatherServerAddress=fs2k.zone.com
WeatherServerPort=80
WeatherGraphDataInDialog=0
AdjustForMagVarInDialog=1
DynamicWeather=1
DownloadWindsAloft=1
DisableTurbulence=1
CLOUD_DRAW_DISTANCE=4
DETAILED_CLOUDS=1
CLOUD_COVERAGE_DENSITY=8
THERMAL_VISUALS=0

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670.0]
Mode=1680x1050x32
Anisotropic=1
AntiAlias=1

[CONTROLS]
Controls_Default=Standard
Controls_Current=Standard
KBDAIL=12
KBDELEV=9
KBDRUD=11

[TextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6

[TextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2
GForce=1,3
FuelPercentage=1,4

[TextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
WindDirectionAndSpeed=1,6
FrameRate=2,1
LockedFrameRate=2,2
GForce=2,3
FuelPercentage=2,4

[SlewTextInfo.1]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5

[SlewTextInfo.2]
FrameRate=1,1
LockedFrameRate=1,2

[SlewTextInfo.3]
Latitude=1,1
Longitude=1,2
Altitude=1,3
Heading=1,4
AirSpeed=1,5
FrameRate=2,1
LockedFrameRate=2,2

[DynamicHeadMovement]
LonAccelOnHeadLon=-0.020000
LonAccelOnHeadPitch=-0.010000
RollAccelOnHeadLat=0.010000
YawAccelOnHeadLat=-0.100000
RollAccelOnHeadRoll=0.100000
MaxHeadAngle=5.000000
MaxHeadOffset=0.300000
HeadMoveTimeConstant=1.000000
[VirtualCopilot]
VirtualCopilotActive=0

[GRAPHICS]
HIGHMEMFIX=1
SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED=1693500672
TEXTURE_MAX_LOAD=2048
NUM_LIGHTS=2
AIRCRAFT_SHADOWS=1
AIRCRAFT_REFLECTIONS=1
COCKPIT_HIGH_LOD=1
LANDING_LIGHTS=1
AC_SELF_SHADOW=1
EFFECTS_QUALITY=2
GROUND_SHADOWS=0
TEXTURE_QUALITY=3
IMAGE_QUALITY=0
See_Self=1
Text_Scroll=1
SHADER_CACHE_PRIMED_10=1693500672
D3D10=1
MultiSamplesPerPixel=8
MultiSampleQuality=8

[USERINTERFACE]
PageID=1
OpenATCOnCreate=0
SHOW_MISSION_CAPTIONS=0
PAUSE_ON_LOST_FOCUS=1
PROMPT_ON_EXIT=1
SITUATION=c:\users\kevin\documents\flight simulator x files\default cessna cold and dark.FLT
Map_Orientation=2
ShowAllACPaintSchemes=1
SelectAircraftManufacturer=All
SelectAircraftPublisher=All
SelectAircraftType=All
DisplayFuelAsWeight=0

[ATC]
ShowATCText=1
COMM_MSG_NONE_COLOR=FFFFFFFF
COMM_MSG_ATC_USER_COLOR=FFB6FFB6
COMM_MSG_USER_ATC_COLOR=FFFFD21B
COMM_MSG_ATC_AI_COLOR=FF00FF00
COMM_MSG_AI_ATC_COLOR=FFFF7840
AutoOpenAirTrafficWindow=0
UsePilotVoice=1
PilotVoice=0

[PointOfInterestSystem]
CycleSetting=0

[SCENERY]
LENSFLARE=0
DAWN_DUSK_SMOOTHING=1
IMAGE_COMPLEXITY=5

[TrafficManager]
AirlineDensity=0
GADensity=25
FreewayDensity=5
ShipsAndFerriesDensity=4
LeisureBoatsDensity=5
IFROnly=0
AIRPORT_SCENERY_DENSITY=0

[TERRAIN]
LOD_RADIUS=4.500000
MESH_COMPLEXITY=87
MESH_RESOLUTION=24
TEXTURE_RESOLUTION=26
AUTOGEN_DENSITY=5
DETAIL_TEXTURE=1
WATER_EFFECTS=6
TERRRAIN_MAX_AUTOGEN_TREES_PER_CELL=1700
TERRAIN_MAX_AUTOGEN_BUILDINGS_PER_CELL=1600

[AContain]
ShowLabels=0
ShowUserLabel=0
ShowLabelManufacturer=0
ShowLabelModel=0
ShowLabelTailNumber=0
ShowLabelDistance=0
ShowLabelAltitude=0
ShowLabelAirline=0
ShowLabelAirlineAndFlightNumber=0
ShowLabelFlightPlan=0
ShowLabelContainerId=0
ShowLabelAirspeed=0
ShowLabelHeading=0
LabelDelay=1000
LabelColor=FFFF0000

[INTERNATIONAL]
ASLAT=2
ASLON=1
MEASURE=0

[REALISM]
PFactor=1.000000
Torque=1.000000
GyroEffect=1.000000
CrashTolerance=0.800000
General=1.000000
UnlimitedFuel=False
TrueAirspeed=False
AutoCoord=False
RealMixture=True
StressDamage=False
GEffect=True
ManualLights=True
GyroDrift=True
CrashWithDyn=False
CrashDetection=True
AutoTrim=False
AllowEngineDamage=True

[SIM]
SYSCLOCK=1

[STARTUP]
DEMO=0
SHOW_OPENING_SCREEN=1
STARTUP_DEMO=
LoadWindow=1

[FACILITIES]
COUNTRY=
STATE=
CITY=
GTL_BUTTON=1244


[AccelerationPack]
ControlsFirstRun=0
HomePageFirstRun=0

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670.0.0]
Mode=1680x1050x32
Anisotropic=1
AntiAlias=1

[WeatherMap]
SHOW_AIRPORTS=0
SHOW_VORS=0
SHOW_NDBS=0
SHOW_APPROACHES=0
SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0
SHOW_VICTOR=0
SHOW_JET=0
SHOW_AIRSPACE=0
SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1
SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1
SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1
SHOW_DATATAGS=1
SHOW_TERRAIN=1

[MAPVIEW_MAP]
SHOW_AIRPORTS=1
SHOW_VORS=1
SHOW_NDBS=1
SHOW_APPROACHES=1
SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=0
SHOW_VICTOR=0
SHOW_JET=0
SHOW_AIRSPACE=1
SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1
SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1
SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1
SHOW_DATATAGS=1
SHOW_TERRAIN=1
show_flight_history=1

[FlightPlanMap]
LineWidth=2
SHOW_AIRPORTS=1
SHOW_VORS=1
SHOW_NDBS=1
SHOW_APPROACHES=1
SHOW_INTERSECTIONS=1
SHOW_VICTOR=0
SHOW_JET=0
SHOW_AIRSPACE=1
SHOW_FLIGHTPLAN=1
SHOW_WEATHERSTATIONS=1
SHOW_WEATHERSYSTEMS=1
SHOW_DATATAGS=1
SHOW_TERRAIN=1
show_waypoints=1
show_airways=1
show_markers=1
show_volume_boundaries=1
show_ac_twr=1

[MULTIPLAYER]
condAccoutPassword=0
VoiceVolume=2.000000

[heywooood]

I fly at night mostly - these might be too dark but you can probably make out the GPS in screens one and two - and the info text in the upper left corner in the third shot - maybe

the first shot shows the size and location I prefer for the GPS when I open it - the second shows the default size - you can zoom in and out using the appropriate keys on the GPS itself

this aircraft is the Carenado Piper Seneca which has a panel mounted GPS already visible - I just used it because I wanted to fly it tonight