Any new FSX Users since Christmas?

[JonARNZ]

Was wondering how many may have got FSX for Christmas, if you did is it installed and how are you finding it?

[Captain_Hamish]

hi i now have fsx but don't have it installed i gotta wait till ig et new computer with dvd drive on it so i can install it

[towerguy]

yeah I received it but I have either been here at work since or not been able to boot the kids off MY computer and my wife has a pathological hatred for " that bloody computer again"

so hurry up the end of the school holidays!

[JonARNZ]

I will be interested in your thoughts of the default NZAA once you finally are able to get it going

[Charl]

Yeah Santa dropped one off the sled.
Just a reference work for now
FS9 has about a year left in it
Interesting to see some FS2002 uploads still happening on AVSIM!

[JonARNZ]

Its great 2k2 is still being supported, always a fine line for developers as the tech changes, particularly scenery. I feel for scenery developers, X means that unless it was developed using GMAX 2k2 and 2k4 scenery really struggles in X

[moeraki]

Got a Saitek Cyborg Evo stick to go with FSX (got earlier)

probably doesn't count but very enjoyable
Moe

[Christian]

I had FSX for a long time, but finally spoilt myself with a new system. Wow! I love FSX now, been having a great time flying the missions. Unfortunately, I won't have time for scenery design, that'll have to wait for next year

Christian

[G-HEVN]

I've tried some of the missions, which are quite fun, but mostly I spend time tweaking my PC or FSX in an attempt to make it run more smoothly and get a view out of the windows. Any "actual simming", ie flying A to B or online etc, I still do in FS9. I feel there's a good year in FS9 yet!

I got the RealAir Siai-Marchetti SF260 (FSX version) for Christmas. Not had the chance to try it yet, and there's a hangar barbie up at the airfield this afternoon, but that might get me spending more time in FSX (eventually, once the festivities die down!) Oh, and there's Rick Piper's freeware Chippie for FSX nearing completion too... B)

Christian, Fly some 'missions' around NZMF with the 19m mesh installed, and you'll soon make time....

[JonARNZ]

hi Tim, good to hear your progressing with setting up FSX, its certainly not an install and fly sim, gotta take time to find the sweet spot for your machine. I look forward to hearing how you progress over the coming months.

Totally agree about FS9, can't say I'll be freeing up the space it occupies on my HD for some time.

[towerguy]

well I got it installed today and have had just a small look around just on default settings. I was most interested in the Auckland airport which was supposed to one of the "detailed" airports - well it looks like it is located near Auckland and there is a runway that runs 05/23 - apart from that I would have to say that whoever they sent down to look at Auckland (if they did) must have spent the time watching sky sport in the hotel bar and then done the software from out of focus brochures and scratchings on the back of a bar coaster!

where to start?...

incorrectly placed taxiways

missing taxiways

23R/05L is not painted up as a runway except for when it is in use while the main rwy is worked on - otherwise the paint markings are removed and all thelighting is returned to taxiway lighting.

***
(correction edit) the threshold markings are still there and the white side strips and distance markings
***

the parallel rwy does not have approach lighting on at the same time as 23L/05R

at night NZAA does NOT have blue edge lighting except for a small area around the aprons - the only lighting is the green taxiway centerline lighting (which appears to be missing)

apron areas wrongly shaped or missing especially down off C1 around the airfreight hangars

the control tower - wrong shape! yes the stem is nearly there and the balcony also - but the cab itself should be square not round

the gates at domestic bare very little relationship to what is there for real

the approach lighting pier for 05R is shown as a strip of land not a proper pier as it is

wiroa island on the south side appears to be covered in housing - instead of clear ground and mangroves, also the main primary radar head and the HF aerials are missing

even with all settings set on max (slideshow city) no sign of the VOR/DME on final 23L, rescue fire,the top story on the international building, the helipad over by the International terminal,most of the tank farm and lots of other places that have been around long enough to be included at max settings even allowing for the lead in time cutoff.

and when I first started up I was in the trike on 05R and the ATIS is going continuously FOR WHENPUAPAI and NO I have not misspelt it, microsoft has!

just looking around from ground level the horizon appeared to be a lot better for default but I see what everyone is talking about regarding the landclass - definitely not the green vista I am used to seeing out the tower windows.

well thats it for just the first look around - I will have to play a bit with settings as I couldn't get above 3-5 frames at night - looks like I will be sticking with FS9 for my flying and just playing with this one till I get it whipped into shape!



JonARNZ if you or Christian are going to do NZAA let me know as I have or can get quite a few maps charts and diagrams and also photos etc and would be happy to help as much as I can - Auckland International is New Zealands prime International gateway and its depiction in Flightsimulator has always left a lot to be desired - I know Dean and Shane have done versions and I had those and yes they were a vast improvement but I think the definitive NZAA is still to be done.

end of rant B)

*** edit correction above - but sitting here at work looking out the window as I'm typing this I can see even more inconsistancies

[JonARNZ]

thanks for that..so a bit of work still required it seems you are saying?

Its interesting to note that unlike other 'detailed' airports NZAA in FSX is not based on photo textures, so that wouldnt help with some of the issues you raised.

I really hope Robin deals to Auckland, after Sydney its the second most important airport in the south pacific (in my view), and most important in NZ (in my view and only because we have Wellignton done )

[towerguy]

wellington - thats a provincial airfield somewhere south of the bombays isn't it?

closes down overnight and has about 2/3 of the traffic of NZAA? can't even take a fully loaded heavy! yeah I remember the place now

[JonARNZ]

wellington - thats a provincial airfield somewhere south of the bombays isn't it?

closes down overnight and has about 2/3 of the traffic of NZAA? can't even take a fully loaded heavy! yeah I remember the place now

Isnt everything south of the Bombay's considered 'provincial' if you live in Auckland? lol

[ardypilot]

JonARNZ if you or Christian are going to do NZAA let me know as I have or can get quite a few maps charts and diagrams and also photos etc and would be happy to help as much as I can - Auckland International is New Zealands prime International gateway and its depiction in Flightsimulator has always left a lot to be desired - I know Dean and Shane have done versions and I had those and yes they were a vast improvement but I think the definitive NZAA is still to be done.

Robin Corn was planning to do a version, which I remember him saying may be released at Christmas 2006 to match the REAL NZ Auckland City, but I guess that is on hold at the moment- however I immensly look forward to it when it gets released!

Towerguy- why don't you write to Microsoft and demand a refund lol

[towerguy]

just a fix for some of these things in any upcoming patch would be good

on the positive side though is the big improvement in file handling and not haveing to restart every time I do something - I tried an AA local on default setting then quickly paused and did a "add scenery" and just pointed the path to my already installed "real Auckland" in FS9 and went back into the sim and there it was - you can put the files just about anywhere!

[JonARNZ]

It would be great if he did do an NZAA to compliment the rest of the city, hopefully an FSX versionas well to take it to the next level.