Flight Simulator X online

[swiftus27]

I was considering buying FSX and playing it online.... Before I blow money, I needed some questions answered.

1.  Does anyone still play it?
2.  Where/with who can I play it online with (I want to learn ground movement and flight)
3.  Other than FSX and Acceleration, do I need to buy anythingelse

[ukatlantic]

FSX is very hungry resources wise - I have a Dell XPS Gaming Desktop with Qaud Processor, 4Gb RAm and Nvidia 768 mb 8800GTX G/Card and boy that can't run FSX in ULTRA HIGH settings. Depsite this FSX is still very very popular and this is despite Microsoft pulling the plug on the studio that develops it.  You can pay online as within FSX there is an online mode but the biggest gripe is GAMESPY - its unreliable for FSX and can kick you out of an online game on a whim - FSX has its own flying tutorials so you can learn to fly within the game it starts you off with the cub and can qualify you upto the 747-400!!  If you do buy FSX you also want a semi decent joystick as mouse and keyboard are not good to fly a plane!  A good site for flight simulator advice is www.fsforums.co.uk  of which I am an administrator 

[swiftus27]

I too have a quad core cpu with 4gb ram. 

My only difference is that I have a 9800 GT. 

I am surprised it is such a cpu hog. 

[Jps]

Also, like said, the built-in FSX multiplayer isn't very good for multiple reasons, including the Gamespy kicking you out (happenes to me every time I spend more than 30s choosing the server to which connect, but once in the server, hasn't kicked me out once), and the fact that it's mostly used for playing around, and not for teaching (unless you can find some1 to teach you, but that happens outside FSX).

On the other hand, there are applications like VATSIM and IVAO, that allow you to connect to their server in which there may be hundreds of air traffic controllers and pilots online scattered all over the world. Through VATSIM or IVAO, you might find better instructors. And, each country should have their own division within these 2 applications, so you'll be able to train on your own language.

[Sami]

You don't need Acceleration, just install SP2 instead. Unless you want the extra planes & missions (nah).

For online flying check www.ivao.aero (I'm staff of Ivao-Finland division there).

[swiftus27]

Nice, Sami....

I want to learn to play/speak like a pilot so that I can play it online and not sound like a total tool.

[Sami]

Also a word of warning of the online flying in Ivao/Vatsim.. It's really not playing anymore, it's simulation. The radio phraseology, flight procedures and stuff are supposed to be done like in reality so it does need learning a lot. but it's fun... But if you're only looking to fly casually from here and there then use Zone/GameSpy (or whatever it is these days, have never tested it).

Few promo vids here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbDTN-_xy0&feature=channel_page

[swiftus27]

I am going to play the game first then try ivao out... I want the simulation.

I will fly out of KCLE to KCAK (really short.... too short to do in this game) before I try anything harder.


I just hope people don't get mad if real life happens and you have to log out.

[swiftus27]

oh and can you bounce ahead in time on IVAO?

I dont really want to fly an 8 hour transatlantic flight.

[Sami]

Yea you can speed the time but usually only when there is no ATC coverage available (ie. flying in uncontrolled airspace). Check Ivao rules for that.

[bigdogshark62]

FSX is a beautiful thing.  The graphics are great, and your system whould be able to handle it without a problem.  I was running it on a Dual AMD64 with 2 gig RAM, and a nVidia 8500 512mb video card.  Sure, things got slow around some of the denser areas, but I was flying around Chile, and I still got over 20 fps at SCEL, and (get this) over 120 fps in flight.  Iwas running so fast I had to lock the frames at 40 fps to stop the stuttering.  

(Now that I have 4 gigs of RAM and a nVidia 9600 with 1gig video RAM, it's even faster...)

My biggest issue, and the reason I've gone back to doing the bulk of my flying in FS2004, is the lack of add-ons for FSX.  Planes, scenery, etc., there just isn't enough in the places I want to go.  Sure, I have some of the ImagineSim stuff, and the FS Dream Team stuff, but if I want to fly to the Caribbean, there is very little to go with.  Or Japan, for that matter.  And the planes?  Don't even get me started.  They took away our ability to start the plane manually.  All you can do is "ctrl-E" to start the thing.  

I use it a little here and there, but I'm sticking with FS2004 for most of my flying around.  I've got some good panels in FS2004 that maximize my immersion, so I'm sticking with that.

[ekaneti]

Does FS 2004 work with Vista? How about FSX

[NicholasB]

Hi Swiftus,

All of the above advice is great, but id like to add another item. If you realy want to enjoy flying big aircraft and even smaller ones for that fact, as realisticaly as possible, i suggest you get a good add-on aircraft/s aswell.

For FSX the best are: PMDG MD11, PMDG 747-400, Level-D 767-300ER, WILCO Airbus Sries 1 and too, Wilco 737 pilot in command.

There is a fair bit of learning involved with these, but once you master it, i promise you will never fly a FSX default aircraft again, unless you are bored and just wanna fart around the bush or something. To take the realism even further, you may consider a track-ir head tracking software for full imersion in the virtual cockpit. FSX is a hog thats true, but it is very playable. I have FSX and sveral add-ons for planes, weather, vatsim, sqaukbox etc., that all run at the same time and my frames are acceptable, and i am still on a DUO CORE system..lol

So yes get FSX, and to give you an idea of how good some addons are, and track-IR check out this video i made and posted on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et4ntFcolwo

Cheers,

NicholasB

[swiftus27]

okay... well  I played a bit this morning.

I got through alot of the tutorials.

I then took a 738 out for a spin.  To me, it seems as if the big planes are a bit easier to fly than the small ones.

I have a long way to go before I am ready for IVAO but I will say that I am not having too much trouble picking this up (thank god for rudder control on my joystick)

Where do I buy/download additional planes? 

[MRFREAK]

Hey Swiftus.

About flying smaller planes with Joystick is MUCH harder than flying joystick with bigger aircrafts such as the Airliners.

The small planes are reacting more on joystick.

[swiftus27]

I learned how to use the autopilot all on my own.

Keep in mind, I have never sat in the cockpit of an airplane before.

I will seriously need help figuring out how to use the IVAP system though.   

I have NO idea where to even begin let alone issue flightplans etc.

[swiftus27]

Connecting to IVAP with FSX is done how?

It says that there is a dropdown in the menu but I dont see one.

[MRFREAK]

Using the autopilot isn't so hard, once you have learned it. I learned it also on my own, as when i started taking Flight Simulator seriously. 

Though it's pretty nice that you're getting progress in your FSX gaming.

[swiftus27]

I am about to pull my hair out trying to get IVAO set up.  WOW is it hard.

[MRFREAK]

Well. i have never used IVAO, and do not really exactly know, what it is. Can anyone explain to me what it really does?