GSL-rich sceneries and gun impacts

[Roxane-21]

Hi.

I have just started building my MTO installation, and after having implemented the first sceneries I am facing a strange issue.

When flying over GSL-rich areas (ie Gibraltar), my bullets go through the targets (both aircraft AND ground objects) without hitting anything. If I fly a couple of miles away from those areas, everything is back to normal and I can get impacts... until I get closer again!!!

Same problem with bombs and rockets. Ground objects will take damages from the blast but I cannot get any direct hit.

Is anybody else experiencing the same issue? Is there a way to fix that?

[Roxane-21]

After further testing, it seems this is definitely related to GSL presence, since removing them solves the problem.

I am following Rami's MTO installation guide. Right now I have installed everything through Gibraltar, which means I only have GSLs at Gibraltar, Ceuta and Oran.

[kdriver]

Yes, I've had the same problem from time to time. I first noticed it when I couldn't destroy the numerous B-17s on the ground at Poltawa, Ukraine.

[Roxane-21]

I have just finished MTO scenery installation, and face the same issue over all heavy GSL areas, though JHS airfields work just fine. Since those GSL sceneries make the frame-rate drop dramatically, I got rid of them and all is fine now (except the sceneries look quite empty).

There was another weird issue with Bruno's Malta scenery. After having installed everything (but GSLs) I tried a couple of dogfights. Frame rate was affected by all the objects Bruno put there but it was still playable. Problem was each time I pulled the trigger over Valetta I experienced a CTD. I got rid of the 3D scenery and kept only the landscape and the problem was solved...

Long story short, scenery all around the Mediteranean Sea looks perfect, I have good looking airfields to take off from, but all looks pretty empty. That's a shame because I was anticipating the joy of flying around these areas after having watched all the screenshots posted here. Could all these issues result from the fact I am still using a 15-year old Win98se desktop ?

The strange part of this is I installed all GSL sceneries (London, ports, industrial targets, etc.) in my ETO installation and everything works well there (with little to medium impact on frame rate)...

[Devildog73]

Roxane,

What speed CPU do you have?
What video card with how much video RAM?
How much total system RAM?

All three of the above affect CFS2 with the newer sceneries.

Also, there is a 4Gb patch somebody developed for FS2004 to overcome some of the issues with it using up all of the computer's resources and CTD.
I have used it on FS2004, FSX, and CFS2 and it works very well to increase frame rates in all three.
I have a laptop with just the standard onboard video card and with use of the 4Gb patch over Ishigaki Zima with all of the new sceneries and 8 enemy and allied fighters in a dogfight my FPS were above 50-60 consistently with all of my sliders max'd out.

http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php

Hope this helps you.

I have just finished MTO scenery installation, and face the same issue over all heavy GSL areas, though JHS airfields work just fine. Since those GSL sceneries make the frame-rate drop dramatically, I got rid of them and all is fine now (except the sceneries look quite empty).

There was another weird issue with Bruno's Malta scenery. After having installed everything (but GSLs) I tried a couple of dogfights. Frame rate was affected by all the objects Bruno put there but it was still playable. Problem was each time I pulled the trigger over Valetta I experienced a CTD. I got rid of the 3D scenery and kept only the landscape and the problem was solved...

Long story short, scenery all around the Mediteranean Sea looks perfect, I have good looking airfields to take off from, but all looks pretty empty. That's a shame because I was anticipating the joy of flying around these areas after having watched all the screenshots posted here. Could all these issues result from the fact I am still using a 15-year old Win98se desktop ?

The strange part of this is I installed all GSL sceneries (London, ports, industrial targets, etc.) in my ETO installation and everything works well there (with little to medium impact on frame rate)...

[Rami]

Roxanne,

Having Windows XP or better has a huge impact on frame rates, but the issues with Malta and the Mediterranean (due to the complex levels and layers of scenery involved) are well known.

Even with the rig I have, Malta can still be problematic. I am convinced it is object-related with Malta, but I'll be damned as to what the specific issue actually is.

[Sarg Willy]

I recall Bob air fields from Gary were also problem,s and I think Pen 32 redid a lot of Gsl hangers and buildings to correct the sizings and Dp to show better damage -- Havent seem him here in quite a while , any body heard from him ??

[Rami]

Sarg Willy,

I haven't reached out to Pen32Win in a while, but I know he's still around, and so is Gary20.

[Sarg Willy]

Thanks Rami good hear pen is still around ,
Roxi did you know that wind 98 can use more ram than stock system,s came with ,
My old box ran 786 and but you have to alter the some settings to do it , your excluded from the Gsl internal editor though , The 4 gig patch Installed in Xp then copied back to 98 , and the same thing you can do with Gsl files ,

[Roxane-21]

Roxane,

What speed CPU do you have?
What video card with how much video RAM?
How much total system RAM?

All three of the above affect CFS2 with the newer sceneries.

Also, there is a 4Gb patch somebody developed for FS2004 to overcome some of the issues with it using up all of the computer's resources and CTD.
I have used it on FS2004, FSX, and CFS2 and it works very well to increase frame rates in all three.
I have a laptop with just the standard onboard video card and with use of the 4Gb patch over Ishigaki Zima with all of the new sceneries and 8 enemy and allied fighters in a dogfight my FPS were above 50-60 consistently with all of my sliders max'd out.

http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php

Hope this helps you.

I can't even remember if this old beast has a Pentium IV or Celeron CPU, 512 or 1024 Mb RAM, G-Force or Radeon video card (might be a G-Force 4 though)... I will check when back home.

I will try the 4Gb patch. Will it work under Win98se, or may I patch CFS2.exe on my other Win8.1 laptop and then import it to the older rig?

[Roxane-21]

Roxi did you know that wind 98 can use more ram than stock system,s came with ,
My old box ran 786 and but you have to alter the some settings to do it

IIRC, I may have doubled the amount of RAM at one point.

[Roxane-21]

Roxanne,

Having Windows XP or better has a huge impact on frame rates, but the issues with Malta and the Mediterranean (due to the complex levels and layers of scenery involved) are well known.

Even with the rig I have, Malta can still be problematic. I am convinced it is object-related with Malta, but I'll be damned as to what the specific issue actually is.

I never tried to install CFS2 on my more recent Win8.1 laptop, mostly because it would piss me off like nothing else could do if I couldn't get it working.

One stupid question though: if a mission involve bombers attacking GSL targets, will the mission work (or even load) if I don't install these GSLs?

[Rami]

Roxanne-21,

Yes, and yes, but you likely won't get the desired results if the target is a GSL location.

[Roxane-21]

Roxane,

What speed CPU do you have?
What video card with how much video RAM?
How much total system RAM?

All three of the above affect CFS2 with the newer sceneries.

CPU: Pentium IV 2.4 GHz
RAM: 512 Mb
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4200 with AGP8X (128 Mb video RAM)
OS: Windows 98 SE

These specs used to be very good 15 years ago.

[Devildog73]

CPU: Pentium IV 2.4 GHz
RAM: 512 Mb
Video card: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4200 with AGP8X (128 Mb video RAM)
OS: Windows 98 SE

These specs used to be very good 15 years ago.

Yes, they were. And yes, you will be happy with CFS2 under Windows 8.1 on your laptop.
Just don't install it in default location. Custom install to C:\Combat Flight Simulator 2. You do NOT want it in Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\

Also once installed make sure you configure it for XP compatible and run as administrator giving yourself total access to all files and folders.

What are your specifications on the laptop?
Lee