Confessions of a Flightsimer... (Reprise)

[TSR2]

You know the way sometime you have to look backwards to look forwards?

Further to my earlier "Confessions of a Flightsimer... (Tony's gonna love this)" I been happily whizzing about in both sims. I was delighted to be flying DM's VC10 again, and hearing the sounds as they are ment to be. Then I remembered that MarkC and co and Aeromusica had done detailed sound sets for the VC10, Tridents, 1-11 etc so off I trundled to www.classicbritishfiles.com (aka The Pond) And hunted them down and as I remembered, they are fantastic.... now.. (I thought) I wonder if its worth trying these in FSX.... Oh yes indeed!!!!! They work perfectly!!! So, if any of you have DM's models in FSX and hate the way the sound doesn't work, I really really really suggest giving these a try... its a whole new experience!

But that was just an aside... the going backwards to move forwards stuff.... OK, so we've all seen how amazing Rick's Hawk is in FSX, but sometimes you need a kick in the arse to remind you just how good FSX really is. I have reinstalled almost all of our guys aircraft in FS9 and been happily flying about. It was Peters Hunter pic that prompted me to get the old girl out, and as I'd been in FS9 anyway, I thought why not. So off I went from Lee on Solent and had lots of fun, hugging the coastline up to Dover. Now a few moments ago, I was in FSX, trying to sort out scenery after a restore and after getting it all working, I thought about the Hunter again. I'm fortunate enough to have DG's Beta of the FSX Hunters, and with this weekends visit of the Ark to Sunny Shields, I thought I'd give the GA.11 a bash. Its only when you compair apples with apples that you really appreciate just how many miles better the FSX Hunters are to their FS9 counterparts. This is something we haven't been able to do with the DM stuff or Rick's Hawk, but when you jump from one into the other you fully appreciate how good FSX is too.... and how bloody fantastic this FSX Hunter is

I dare say I could have done this with the Rapide too, but she isn't something I fly that often. FSX does definately give developers much more scope, and they are certainly using it to great effect

[DaveB]

I only caught on to what you were trying to say in the last para Ben

Horses for courses mate really. I love the Rapide but dislike flying it in FSX (though to be fair.. this is probably the ONLY aircraft I ever fly VA flights on in FSX). You're pretty much restricted to the VC in FSX which is something I'll never get used to (or like). VC glass is always particularly 'milky' and this.. probably more than anything else, makes VC's a pain in the proverbial (for me). You don't have the same control with 2D panels in FSX and I'm very much a 2D panel sort of bloke. I can SEE where I'm going with everything (or most things) close at hand.

While FSX is ok for dossing around with no particular place to go.. I doubt it'll ever take over as my sim of choice. I have both installed so enjoy the 'benefits' of both. However.. it's not often when I get the monthly 'You have unused icons on your desktop' warning that FSX isn't among the unused icons ;-) I've nowt against eye candy.. but for the most part, I can do without it

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Nigel H-J]

Somehow I get the feeling that Ben is really an undercover MS salesman!!

Nigel.

[TSR2]

Not at all. And I don't really understand your 2D panel comment Dave, as thats what I use too and they work fine in FSX :think:

Apples with Apples.... All taken at the same res, only difference is FS9 doesn't seem to like AA on windowed mode, so excuse the jaggies.

No difference in FS9 and FSX in the 2D and I would defy anyone to tell me the perspex in the FS9 shots is more real than FSX. Also bare in mind the Hunter FSX is still beta so has a few bits to be tweaked. I'm not poo pooing FS9, its still a great sim, all I'm saying is if we compare like with like the progress is clear to see. No "Eye Candy" in these shots... i.e. no shipping or water, just 5 year old technology with 3 year old technology





VC...




Spot View...

On the Ground...





In the air... Note FS9 has the Horizon VFR stuff, FSX has Horizon's GenX Ver 2

[DaveG]

Nice comparisson Ben (the cheque's in the post )

[TSR2]

Nice comparisson Ben (the cheque's in the post )

lol She is lovely Dave, they both are, but its only when you fly them both one ofter the other you can really see the improvements. Great work Dave.

[Techy111]

I second that Dave...lovely work ....and Ben...great comparison shots mate....May try a few with DX10 and bloom and see what we get....still slowing plodding away on some obscure paints for Dave's FSX Hunter... ;-)

Tony

[DaveB]

I dunno quite who's missing the point here. When you're in 2D.. either FS9 or FSX, the view out is CLEAR and I wasn't suggesting otherwise. When you're in VC, the effect is a lot less than clear by varying degrees depending on how 'real' or otherwise the developer has made the glass. Are you still with me?? To move around the VC cockpit in either sim, you use the POV. To adjust your 2D eyepoint in FS9, there are various combinations of keystrokes or addon gauges that will do it for you with a click of a button. I've never seen any such gauge for FSX and if there are keystrokes, I've yet to find them either Are there keystrokes to adjust the 2D view on the fly in FSX??

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[petermcleland]

I think that the "Bump Mapping" of the panel lines around the nose in the FSX version might be a bit severe. Aircraft makers do try to make their aircraft very smooth and I think that a lot of modellers over do the bump mapping, especially with rivets. However, I don't think DaveG does this but I think those two rings stand out too much and I prefer the smoother look of the nose in FS9...One line round real Echo's nose catches a highlight but I still think FSX over does it:-

[DanKH]

...Are there keystrokes to adjust the 2D view on the fly in FSX??...

Yes, there are, actually there are several.