NZFF

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:10 am**

Taking my morning glance at the forum and 'Lionheart Sale' catches my eye. So here's an $11.75 Bellanca Viking - previously owned in FS9 and not a whole lot different in FSX.

Looking at Mt Rainier which I can see, on a good day, about sixty miles east of my front yard.

Mt St Helens - same distance but south south east. On the distant left is Mt Hood, in Oregon and further distant, Mt Shasta in northern California. Good visibility.

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:28 am**

My two purchases were a bit of a bummer. The Junkers W33 and the Dynamic. Both showing their age - and looked like FS9 aircraft probably hardly even tweaked for FSX. They've come off the hard drive already!! My consolation treat in the end was the iFly 737 (at full price) ... which is tremendous - and will certainly keep me happy till the PMDG monster comes out.

I *do* like that scenery in the last pic though, Dave

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:30 am**

I ended up getting the Epic LT, also a little disappointing, although I do have the Epic Victory which is not too bad for a little VLJ to run round the place in. My comparison between the two is similar to the Iris T-6 (Epic LT) vs the later Iris PC-9 (Epic Victory), where the benefit of later development has gone into planes with similar controls and characteristics. I also have the Pasped Skylark, which is OK, but I have better low-and-slow planes in the hanger to VFR around the globe in, so the Skylark stays under the tarp most of the time...

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:40 am**

Adamski wrote:
QUOTE (Adamski @ Jul 25 2011,6:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My two purchases were a bit of a bummer. The Junkers W33 and the Dynamic. Both showing their age - and looked like FS9 aircraft probably hardly even tweaked for FSX. They've come off the hard drive already!! M

The Dynamic is showing its age?....it was only released a few months ago

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:49 am**

Adamski wrote:
QUOTE (Adamski @ Jul 25 2011,6:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My two purchases were a bit of a bummer. The Junkers W33 and the Dynamic. Both showing their age - and looked like FS9 aircraft probably hardly even tweaked for FSX...

You've GOT to be kidding, right?
We're talking about this aircraft?

The shots are FS9, but yours would be FSX native.
What is it you expect from an FSX plane, then??

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:46 pm**

Charl wrote:
QUOTE (Charl @ Jul 25 2011,11:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The shots are FS9, but yours would be FSX native.
What is it you expect from an FSX plane, then??

Half the textures in the VC don't work in DX10 mode - and the canopy has that familiar blue tint problem. For some reason, DX10 preview is way faster on my machine that when in DX9 mode (and I think it usually looks better anyway) so I had to buy Addon Converter. That sorts most of the problems, but couldn't do it for this one.

I may try reinstalling. The installer is a bit brain dead and doesn't pick up the FSX directory so you have to be careful when creating/browsing to the path when installing. Maybe something else when wrong and some of the textures are just missing.

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:16 pm**

I remember a lone voice bleating on about DX10 in the SOH support thread for this.
I don't think the issue was addressed, and you may have to throw the plane away.
DX10 isn't supported in FSX, as you know.

Anyway, I'm not here to beat a drum for Bill Ortis, I am delighted with my hi-res FS9 model, and it stays on my HDD for the foreseeable future!

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:20 pm**

Charl wrote:
QUOTE (Charl @ Jul 25 2011,2:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I remember a lone voice bleating on about DX10 in the SOH support thread for this.
I don't think the issue was addressed, and you may have to throw the plane away.
DX10 isn't supported in FSX, as you know.

Anyway, I'm not here to beat a drum for Bill Ortis, I am delighted with my hi-res FS9 model, and it stays on my HDD for the foreseeable future!

Yep - agreed - it's only a half-baked "preview" thing. Having said that, though, the water textures are way better in DX10 and the odd aircraft that's been specifically written to use the preview mode does look a bit better, IMHO.

I just re-tried the Dynamic in DX9 ... it's a sweet enough aircraft, so it may live on!

Posted: **Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:17 pm**

Now I'm kicking myself for not having taken advantage of the sale - the Kodiak has been one of my faves since I got it a few months back (except after I bought the Kodiak for full price, it went on sale for close to half-price a few days later

)
Out of interest Dave, does the Viking for FS9 have a 2D panel? I can't see any screenshots of it on the Lionheart site.

Az

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:54 am**

Aztec wrote:
QUOTE (Aztec @ Jul 25 2011,12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Now I'm kicking myself for not having taken advantage of the sale - the Kodiak has been one of my faves since I got it a few months back (except after I bought the Kodiak for full price, it went on sale for close to half-price a few days later )
Out of interest Dave, does the Viking for FS9 have a 2D panel? I can't see any screenshots of it on the Lionheart site.

Az

Believe it does. At the time, it was 'state of the art' and, along with the 'Dreamfleet' A36, was a favorite for a taste of IFR. Seems like 'Lionheart' has been having these sales quarterly so it shouldn't be long before the next.

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:18 pm**

Thanks Dave. I've got the DF Baron for my IFR Multi flying, so thought rather than get the A36 it would be nice to have something a little different - the Super Viking would fit the bill nicely.
For IFR stuff I still really need a good 2D panel, having never stepped up to things like TrackIR etc.

All this talk of Lionheart stuff got me excited about the idea of a couple of ZK- or VH- repaints for the Kodiak, but after a look at the paint kit I got a headache and needed a lie down

I'm not sure whether the bump and specular layers pertain to FS9; I might pose the question to Bill and see if I can get my head around it.

Cheers

Az

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:04 pm**

Aztec wrote:
QUOTE (Aztec @ Jul 26 2011,12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
All this talk of Lionheart stuff got me excited about the idea of a couple of ZK- or VH- repaints for the Kodiak, but after a look at the paint kit I got a headache and needed a lie down I'm not sure whether the bump and specular layers pertain to FS9; I might pose the question to Bill and see if I can get my head around it.

I bought the Kodiak a while back (in some previous sale) and must admit I quite like it! I'd be delighted to have a couple of NZ repaints for it. It'd be great if they were fully FSX compatible as well, though!

Are there any Kodiaks in NZ in RL?

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:22 pm**

No..none in NZ or Australia

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:39 pm**

Naki wrote:
QUOTE (Naki @ Jul 26 2011,4:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No..none in NZ or Australia

Aaah ... thanks ... that saves Az a job then

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:44 pm**

Yeah, they were going to have to be fictional ones. Shame there are none in this part of the world - I had the great fortune of sitting in one at Sun 'n' Fun last year and it is a beast of a machine.

Adamski, did you also get Banana Bobs repaints -

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/BananaBo...paint_Pack.html

The site was having problems when I tried to get them, but one of the guys at SimOuthouse helped me out.

If you haven't got them and would like them, and know of somewhere I can upload them to I'd be happy to pass them on.

Cheers

Az

Posted: **Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:10 pm**

Aztec wrote:
QUOTE (Aztec @ Jul 26 2011,7:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Adamski, did you also get Banana Bobs repaints -

http://www.lionheartcreations.com/BananaBo...paint_Pack.html

The site was having problems when I tried to get them, but one of the guys at SimOuthouse helped me out.

If you haven't got them and would like them, and know of somewhere I can upload them to I'd be happy to pass them on.

I've heard the Kodiak getting really bad reviews - both as an addon, and in RL for its apparent unrelaibility <????>. I've always like the addon (but can't speak for the real one!). Those pics are stunning. I'd love to see one in the flesh.

Funny isn't - all those sleek bizjets and Piper whatsits do nothing for me - but the Kodiak, the C208 Caravan, the BN-2 Islander (plus the Cresco of course!) all seem to have so much more "character".

I haven't re-installed my Kojak yet (but I will). I seem to remember the aircraft choices menu having about 1,000 of them so I may even have Bob's already. If I haven't I'll throw him the couple of dollars he's asking. His site does seem to be working - but I only peeked at the first page.

NZFF

It's Adamski's fault.