FS2002 Scenery Library Question (& FS98)

[marklaur]

Now my Flight Sim PC has taken a turn for the worst just before Christmas, and due to lack of funds at this time I will have to wait to after the Christmas period to get it fixed.

In the mean time I thought I would dust off my old FS2002 disks and give it a go on an older PC that still works OK. I have a few payware sceneries to install but I have forgotten which order give priority in the addon library. With FS2004 & FSX the higher in the list gives it priority over lower entries as far as I understand.

Now from memory with FS2002 it was opposite, with a lower entry have priority over a higher entry.

Is this correct? Normally I never tinker with priorities in the addon scenery list, but I remember to get my FS2002 sceneries working correctly I had to tinker a bit.

Cheers MarkL

PS
Just for the hell of it I also installed FS98 into XP as well and the thing actually works. But no joystick. Now I know there is no reason for me to use FS98. But I am into retro games a bit from GOG.com so I thought I should try out this oldie as well. Any thoughts on why my USB joystick does not work. I suppose I was using an old game port joystick back in those days. I still have one of the old joysticks but no game port to plug it into. Not sure if the old game port sticks even work in XP.

Anyone else still have FS98 installed?

[Z-claudius24]

Hi,

Not sure if the old game port sticks even work in XP.

Sure it work .. suffice you have a game port (a old PCI sound card is enough )

[smilo]

I have CFS1, FS98, FS2000
and several installs of FS9 on my XP Pro machine.
no issues to report.

I am curious what Joystick you are using.
does it show in control panel/game controllers?
if so, how about in the game/options/customize controls,
is the enable joystick box checked?
clicking on calibrate will, once again,
takes you to the Game Controllers window.
is your stick on the list?
can you calibrate and test it?

personally, I don't mess with the old sound card game port.
it causes a conflict with my USB headset.
fixing the problem is more trouble than it's worth,
so I use USB sticks exclusively.

I am able to use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro
and a Thrustmaster Top Gun Afterburner,
both, at the same time.
all axis and buttons work in FS9.
button and axis assigning in the older sims
can only be accomplished in the aircraft.cfg,
but it is doable thanks to Pete Dowson.
according to Pete, up to 16 sticks
can be used at the same time,
although, I haven't gone that far, yet.

why, you might ask?
I could go on and on and on,
later, if you're interested.

[marklaur]

Looks like I have the joy stick working in FS98 now.
The Joystick was ticked by default, but did not work. I had to go in and manually and add assignments. Possibly this was always the case and I had forgotten. I am so used to just plug and play now. I had forgotten you had to click the repeat box to get the hat switches to pan etc, and I have no idea where the old manuals are now either so I can not rely on them.

I will keep on tinkering with FS98 and FS2002.

Can anyone let me know regarding the position of sceneries in FS2002 as to priority? By that do lower sceneries have priority over higher ones when adding then in? I do not have any extras for FS98 and doubt I will collect any.

On another note about a year ago I purchased a disk with CFS1 and two other combat flight simulators on it. I never installed any of them, just picked up the disk when I saw it for $20.00.
Over Christmas I will give them a go as well.

Cheers MarkL

[smilo]

here's a quote from Doug Attrell's Scenery Installation Tutorial over at SimV;

PRIORITY
In most cases each new area can be left at the top of the Priority list.
It's important to understand how the Priority can affect how some imported scenery displays.
Scenery is arranged in layers depending how its listed in the Scenery Library. Higher priority areas (those listed nearer the top) can read textures from activated areas below but not above them on the list.
To avoid including duplicate files in each separate area, prolific scenery designers sometimes use a master scenery area containing common textures. These master areas must be installed & activated and should be arranged below their later releases to display properly.
For example, GZR_Frenchy's GZR_Base2002 must be installed, activated & arranged in a layer below most of his other excellent CFS2/FS2002 airfields including GZR_Guernsey Water Base & GZR_Norderney WB.
This is fully explained in the Readme instructions with his files.

I hope this helps

also, I am very glad that you got your stick to work.

[marklaur]

here's a quote from Doug Attrell's Scenery Installation Tutorial over at SimV;

PRIORITY
In most cases each new area can be left at the top of the Priority list.
It's important to understand how the Priority can affect how some imported scenery displays.
Scenery is arranged in layers depending how its listed in the Scenery Library. Higher priority areas (those listed nearer the top) can read textures from activated areas below but not above them on the list.
To avoid including duplicate files in each separate area, prolific scenery designers sometimes use a master scenery area containing common textures. These master areas must be installed & activated and should be arranged below their later releases to display properly.
For example, GZR_Frenchy's GZR_Base2002 must be installed, activated & arranged in a layer below most of his other excellent CFS2/FS2002 airfields including GZR_Guernsey Water Base & GZR_Norderney WB.
This is fully explained in the Readme instructions with his files.

I hope this helps

also, I am very glad that you got your stick to work.

Thanks for the help Smilo, much appreciated.

It is very interesting to see how far Flight Simulator has come. You tend to get used to the new features and detail and forget what the older versions were like. To me FS2004 seems to be the most balanced version so far, ie complexity compared to the PC power needed to run it and I think will remain my favourite.

Anyway I will have a lot of fun with the older versions over Christmas, including CFS1 after I instal that as well.

Regards MarkL

[smilo]

I agree with you Mark,
FS9 maintains the balance rather nicely
for those of us unable to afford
the machine upgrade necessary
to run the more complex sims.

I am also a huge fan of CFS1
for the simple reason that
one can play the large missions
without substantial frame rate loss.
also, there is a small, but avid group
of CFS Multi-Player DieHards that meet regularly.

BTW, today, I scored two more USB joysticks
at Goodwill for under $10US, total.
actually, one was a MS Sidewinder Precision Pro,
with a game port plug, but there was
a MS game port to USB adapter attached to it,
which is worth more than the stick itself.

[marklaur]

Sounds like a good bargain with the joysticks.

I was lucky about a month or so ago when a local store closed down and sold their display stock. I picked up two thrustmaster joysticks one with force feed back for $50.00. A bit of a gamble as they needed a power supply that was missing. Of course the new sticks no longer need an external power supply so no spares were available. Luckily Thrustmaster told me what I needed and I was able to get one from the local electronics store, so the gamble paid off. But I like my X52 and have only tested them so far. Spares at this stage.

I found the CFS1 disk I purchased awhile ago and the second game on it is "Crimson Skies" Never heard of that one but I will give it a go. I downloaded some aircraft and skins today for CFS1 ready for the install. I just can't bare the thought of a stock install even it if does not need the extras. I just have to add something. I seem to remember downloading a few mods last time I was going to install CFS1 but never got around to it, and have lost them since.

Anyway when I get it up and going I will post in the right forum, bit off topic here.

Cheers MarkL

[smilo]

Crimson Skies is a hoot.
give it a go.
it's pure fantasy, but a lot of fun.

I'll look for you over at the CFS1 forum.
it's way down in the basement.
there are not a lot of folks there,
just a few DieHards.
let me know and I'll send you
a set of CFS Stock repaints.
they are, actually, very well done.

[Willy]

BTW, today, I scored two more USB joysticks
at Goodwill for under $10US, total.
actually, one was a MS Sidewinder Precision Pro,
with a game port plug, but there was
a MS game port to USB adapter attached to it,
which is worth more than the stick itself.

You found a birdnest on the ground there! I've been using my Sidewinder Precision Pro for the last 9 years. I originally got it as a backup for a Sidewinder force feedback that bit the dust on me in 01. I can't say enough good about the MS Sidewinder sticks. I kind of think that the reason they quit making them was that they were too good a stick and with them lasting for so long MS wasn't getting repeat sales (other than me buying that backup stick).

My wife Vickie found me another Sidewinder at a yard sale for $3 a few months ago. A little different design than my old stick with no shift button, but seems to be a solid stick that will serve as my new backup stick.

I concur on Crimson Skies. I fly it now and again when I get the urge to blow stuff up.

[Motormouse]

Crimson Skies is a hoot.
give it a go.
it's pure fantasy, but a lot of fun.

Agreed.

IIRC didn't Bazzar and co. from Aeroplane Heaven release their Grumman Skyrocket all dressed up as 'Blackhawk'?? (must go and rummage around my downloads cd's collection)

ttfn

Pete