Flight Simulator 10 (fsx)

[Eichhörnchen]

I'm posting this here since the Subsim Helo & Flight Simulator forum appears to be u/s:


(Can't use the message box)

I've tried everything I can think of (GOG weren't any help) to find out whether Microsoft's FSX can still be activated in some way and used. I invested a lot of cash in software add-ons for this (photoreal scenery & aircraft) and none of it's of any use since they withdrew support for it - the sim cannot be activated now if you install on a new computer. I used to do it by phone as my gaming PC's are both offline

[ET2SN]

Eich, FSX isn't my game- I'm still big into FS2002 and FS2004 (FS9). To be honest, I didn't know FSX had issues on modern systems.

You may want to check out:

https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/content.php


There's still plenty of FSX traffic on the forums and it would be a great place to find the answers..
I hang out in the FS2004/FS2002 forum.

Here's a typical thread from some know-it-all in Iowa:

https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...e-for-zswobbie)

[Red October1984]

Looks like some users are having the same issue with Steam Edition, even.


I'll mess with it this afternoon and see what I can figure out. I more or less skipped FSX on my way from FS2004 to MSFS20, but I remember the sim itself being pretty similar to FS2004

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by ET2SN

There's still plenty of FSX traffic on the forums and it would be a great place to find the answers..
I hang out in the FS2004/FS2002 forum

Yes I've visited the SOH forums in the past - I should've thought of going there first, so thanks. Anyway, it's not a problem running fsx - it runs beautifully on my pc, even with the latest photo-real terrain loaded. I just can't activate it now on a new computer since they no longer offer phone activation; I can't activate it online as the computer is never online


Aerosoft's VFR Germany scenery for fsx

I used to get PC Pilot magazine for the odd very good freeware - the F-86 was the best freebie I've ever come across (the sound is fantastic) although of course that was when there was still a CD on the cover. I still have a link to SOH on my desktop so I'll go and ask there

I did always love my fs9 as well, and got all the best photoreal VFR scenery for that too (did they ever get around to doing Scotland?) as well as a huge number of addon aircraft. I also always liked messing around with sound files, especially where Microsoft's were lacking

[Skybird]

That sucks to learn about. I had so many addons for FSX, and it gave me my most intense time in the FS era. Plus the precious PMDG modules, the climax in my cockpit career.

Cant even tell why exactly, but somehow I never use MSFS2020, though. With every update, VR became more instable for me, too.


I had so many major hubs in Europe as Aerosoft addons, annd the German ones of course. And so many very intense memories taxiing and starting from and landing at all these, in night, in heavy weather, and Aerosoft's aerport services and boarding addon and that in the PMDG 737.

Good times. Very good times. Like Falcon 4 with Realism Patches 3-5. Or Steal Beasts Pro. Or Sub Command and Silent Hunter 3. All that felt so intense, and vivid, and alive.

But I dont have the thunder anymore to learn all those manuals and complex theory behidn those many buttons and switches.



Truth is - I slowly transform into a comfortable lazy squirrel wanting nothing more than a warm, soft drey.

[Buddahaid]

I know that feeling and spend very little sim time any longer, although, I do want to play "Wolves of the Kaiser:1914-1918 Mod".

[ET2SN]

https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Fli...s%2C222&sr=8-3



With FS2004, make sure you install the FS9.1 and "no CD" patch. FS2004 and even FS2002 look really good on high resolution displays and these games came out when running a 3 GHz CPU was a pipe dream. I run both with the frame rate locked at 59 FPS.

IMO, the sky and cloud textures look better in FS2002 than in FS2004, but FS2002 was Micro$oft's red headed step child in the FS family.

[mapuc]

There were a time when I felt like going back to good old fighter jet flying. While searching for joysticks and other equipment I found this page

https://eu.winwingsim.com/view/shopping.html

But I'm going to spend my money on something else-as mentioned in another thread.

Markus

[ET2SN]

Again, just IMO, but those high-end controllers are great until they start to wear out or break.

I run a Logi(tech) 3d Extream Pro. Its cheap, you can find them everywhere, and once you learn some simple tricks they are VERY easy to rebuild. The build quality on the Logi controller isn't in the same league as the high-end stuff, but it's "the devil I know" and I've kept a pair of them running (in 2-3 year shifts) for the last 10+ years. This controller also needs a minimal (8" X 8") footprint on your PC desk. So, no worries about building an entire gaming seat in your living room.

[Eichhörnchen]

Originally Posted by ET2SN

I run a Logi(tech) 3d Extream Pro. Its cheap, you can find them everywhere, and once you learn some simple tricks they are VERY easy to rebuild

I use the exact same - had it for years now - bought for pennies in a thrift shop

And I'm always pleased to see folks saying good things about FS2 - the environment is indeed so much better than FS9, and I would often switch over to it to enjoy some guaranteed un-buggy sim flying with everything turned up to the max

[ET2SN]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

I use the exact same - had it for years now - bought for pennies in a thrift shop

And I'm always pleased to see folks saying good things about FS2 - the environment is indeed so much better than FS9, and I would often switch over to it to enjoy some guaranteed un-buggy sim flying with everything turned up to the max

The biggest trick to tearing down the hand controller is to put some cello (3M) tape over the thumb switch so it stays in place.
Once you have the hand controller rebuilt, just pull off the tape.

With FS2002, I still play it now and then but most of my time is in FS2004. FS2002 looks the best, IMO, at dawn, dusk, and night. I basically burned out in FS2002. I did a full "career mode" thing flying the Alphasim B-52's (back converted from FS9 to FS2002) out of Fairchild AFB and Andersen (Guam). The flight timing was a bear. I needed to get the wheels off the ground within 15 seconds of the planned time and I couldn't miss any waypoints by more than 1 minute or miss the "time on target" by more than 15 seconds.

I'm glad I did it, I learned a ton about what it was really like, but now I'm glad its over.

Now-a-days, I like finding oddball stuff for FS9. I was searching for several years to find an F-35C (carrier based variant) and finally found it several weeks ago in some old Abacus payware.
Otherwise, doing carrier landings (day and night) in FS9 is a blast.

[Eichhörnchen]

[QUOTE=ET2SN; IMO, the sky and cloud textures look better in FS2002 than in FS2004, but FS2002 was Micro$oft's red headed step child in the FS family.[/QUOTE]


I must've bought ALL the environment upgrades for these, aside from all the aircraft. However, the enhanced terrain I'd installed soon gave way to the photo real scenery and this, together with the superb cloud upgrades (I think it was called "Flight Environment" - I have the discs upstairs somewhere) gave what seemed to be the ultimate in realism. That was until I got a monster pc which would run FSX. It looks as though I may have to go back to the old school experience now though, unless there's some kind of crack to get it to run. Hell, I paid for the bloody thing



Here's that Sabre in FS9 with Flight Environment clouds

[Eichhörnchen]

And here's some of the photoreal VFR terrain in FS9 with a DH-80 from PC Pilot I believe. I suppose the money I spent on some of the early stuff like terrain meshes was wasted once this came along - but I'd never get rid of the discs: I feel they're kind of nice to hang on to just in case I want to play around with them again some day

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by mapuc

But I'm going to spend my money on something else-as mentioned in another thread.

Markus

I have no clue what you are talking about!

[ET2SN]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

And here's some of the photoreal VFR terrain in FS9 with a DH-80 from PC Pilot I believe. I suppose the money I spent on some of the early stuff like terrain meshes was wasted once this came along - but I'd never get rid of the discs: I feel they're kind of nice to hang on to just in case I want to play around with them again some day

Huub Vink (someone I learned to trust a long time ago even when we don't agree) over at SOH swears by a freeware cloud set for FS9 called HDE clouds by Pablo Diaz. Here's a cool thread you may like:

https://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...nearly-perfect

For me, clouds are a bit of a *meh* kind of thing. I set up this PC to run with a fanless, low power GPU so there are some limits I have to watch if I want to keep things going at 60 FPS. I also run a Real Weather program to keep things interesting. With "photo scenery", I'm just not a big fan. It looks great in screen shots but it really doesn't help me navigate. I'm also trying to keep my FS9 install from turning into a junk yard of files and folders. My FS2002 install is at the point where it feels like I'm one file away from a CTD so I mostly leave it alone. Its more like a souvenir of what's possible.