Classic British Flight Sim

Jason wrote:Go and do a PPL . It's cheaper than buying everything again for FSX, probably...

Your right.

In fact I probably could have bought a nice little second hand C152 for what I have spent on my lil hobby.

Hold out for a bit Ian !!! I am thinking of chucking it all in and just want a laptop for testing my repaints and the like , just getting real tired of tinkering just like you but my rig holds it's own with FSX so you might get lucky soon

Tony

Well, thank you all very much for your comments. It's nice to know that nobody minds if I still sit in on the forum. After all - what's the point of having an opinion if you can't force it on others

It's interesting that others are hovering around the same predicament. Seeing all the lovely shots from FSX and deciding that's where one wants to be and then looking at the costs of getting there. For many the cost of the equipment will make the decision for them and FSX will simply be unaffordable. I'm fortunate in that I could afford it if I really wanted to but that also makes me prioritise my pastimes. As I'm more of an outdoorsy person I can't bring myself to spend £1500 on a five hours a week indoor hobby - however much I enjoy it. Naturally, all my files and disks are stored away - just in case - but on the other hand the failure of the joystick means that I can't just try and re-load it one day when I've had a few beers (which would lead to hours of frustration and disappointment ). I'd have to make the decision to buy a new joystick first!

So now that FSX has come of age there really is a schism in the hobby. The FS trail has come to a fork with the FS9 path trailing off into the forest and the FSX path becoming a six lane toll road - leaving a whole bunch of us sitting at the junction looking for a signpost

Thanks again for letting me stick around. Feel free to continue with the abuse and insults. You'll always get back worse than you give

Cheers me dears

Ian

speedbird591 wrote: Thanks again for letting me stick around. Feel free to continue with the abuse and insults. You'll always get back worse than you give

Cheers me dears

Ian

Would I be right in guessing that worse is something like when peolpe say "Oh that's bad" but it really means a good thing?

I really don't get this costs thing... my PC is 4 years old and admittedly cost me a fair bit at the time, but a decent FSX machine can be had for £400 or so. Certainly I won't be upgrading mine any time soon as I don't think it will run FS much faster / better. However, everybody needs a break. The most fun I'd had in FS in years was doing some testing recently for something DM was working on (not a model, just some flight sim database stuff) and it was such a laugh. How many ways are there to at load to a Tristar Ask DB. One day something will tickle your fancy and you'll get it out again...

How many ways are there to at load to a Tristar Ask DB.

Aint that true!

I agree with all of that Ben. The 'new' system I have is already a quantum leap behind what DM is considering and what PeterM now has. God.. it doesn't even take DDR3 However.. it runs FS9 at a fair pace and FSX better (truth to tell) and it didn't cost me anywhere near to £1500 (I should be so lucky to have that sort of dosh!) The mobo will take everything none 'I' so I can throw a nice juicy quad in there should the mood take me and it is Win7 ready (which caused a bit of a problem as all the drivers were too new for what I added to it) It will last me for years.. it has to

Nah.. take a well earned rest. Go and shoot something (I do) then come back ready for a fight I'd hate to think I'd never see such beautifully AI enriched airports again and if a joystick is an issue.. I have a factory refurbished Logitech 3D Extreme here you can have for nowt. You're a strong lad so the spring tension shouldn't bother you as it did me (I only used it twice then put it back in the box!)

ATB

DaveB

My FSX machine cost £450 in bits plus my own labour costs of putting it together....an afternoons work. I will admit though that I found an older graphics card whilst rummaging around in a skip outside Dave Garwood's house

The only recent expense was W7, as I didn't have the brainpower or foresight to pre-order whilst it was cheap

FSX runs just fine

As for retiring from FS, I sort of understand that, all that fiddling and tweaking. Then there's the making as well, all those polys to push around, texture mapping, XML...a project that was started 2 years ago still isn't finished...

There are days when I fire up the models and FS, stare at the screen for a while....then go and watch TV....or go to the pub

..but it's still enjoyable and projects will be finished on the day they get finished

Derek

Speedbird, I know where your coming from and I think a fair few of us have hit the wall in FS. I like Techy do most of my stuff on the laptop i.e. paints etc. I built my PC up to a decent spec last year and to be honest I can count on one hand how many hours of "flying" I have done. But and its a big but.. I would never remove FS9 as just now and then I read a mag and think I would like to try a flight in and out of that place, so I fire up FS and even if its just stock scenery it gives me the oportunity to test man machine and the elements, well virtual anyway albeit within the comforts of home with a cup of tea at hand
I have been a moaner..shock.. of FSX and I do think it has a lot to do with taking away the interest a bit. I disagree with Ben in the cost issue, FSX is an expensive upgrade even forgeting the hardware side of things, it seems that decent freeware, Rick and a few others aside is at a premium, unlike FS9.
Having tried it a couple of times I come back to FS9 and like what I have. I almost with FSX gave up all together and thought if this is where FS is going I will get off at this stop and jack it in. I did not as the lure of FS9 and its treats kept me going. I don't use it as much as I did but its a great hobby and an enjoyable way of spending the odd hour

So don't get stuck on the path that splits into two, go down the road your on and you will be happy, I think its a disease that will pass once you realise that FS9 can be all you need

I will wager a months supply of Murray Mints that you will be back

sometimes you have to tell yourself something similar to what one of the best racecar drivers of all time said to his son
when having some handling issues with his car and told his dad they needed to tweak the set up.

DODs responce ....
Son just shut up and drive the car.....

you can't perfect the virtual world any more you can the real one,

now,--- a little song to dispell any notion of you leaving flightsim for good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgv0rct1 ... re=related