Review

Post by **Jetboy** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:21 am

Just been working on this thought I'd throw it up here for scrutiny and constructive comments
Is for the Airforce news magazine (deadline Wens oops)
Still have to put the MP part in...as I've had a few issues getting my joystick sorted (think its packing it in) preventing me really doing anything online

1:20am here and minds gone a bit blurry so may still be some gramatical errors here and there

One engine out, not to much of a worry….there goes number 2….ok time to start thinking about landing….there goes number 3…right exactly where is that Airport!!
For most pilots out there this would be their worst nightmare and one that they spend hours in simulators and training flights learning how to cope with…now with Microsoft Flight Simulator X the average home PC user can get a glimpse of what its like to fly one of these huge machines and deal with multiple engine failures to boot.

FSX has evolved greatly since the previous version released in 2004, with one of the major new features being the mission scenarios. Everything from how to taxi, landing 747’s in crosswinds, flying gliders to even racing aircraft against Jet powered trucks is covered and with twists and turns within various missions there’s sure to be something to keep you occupied for hours on end.

Opening the FSX box you are presented with 2 DVD’s and a quickstart manual to flick through with the install takes place. Once the install is complete FSX brings with it Microsoft’s activation scheme (similar to Windows XP) which until completed will limit you to 30 minutes of flight time and removes the multiplayer option. If your connected to the net at this point this takes about 30 seconds and removes the need to have the DVD in the drive to play which I see as quite a bonus.

When you first start up a flight the first thing that you will notice is that the graphics have improved immensely compared to previous titles but you’ll then find that this has come at a cost and that is of the standard of PC required to run FSX. The first few flights that you take will most likely be spent switching back and forth trying to find the right balance between the amount of detail and your PC being able to keep up with smooth flight. As I found selecting everything to maximum will bring on result similar to a slideshow presentation, but with some patience a balance can be found reasonably quickly.

Insert MP comments here ASAP

What people reading this magazine are probably most interested in is do the plans fly like they do in real life? Unfortunately my experience in 747 single engine landings is somewhat limited but after hearing comments from an experienced flight instructor that tried the program out it seems that while the navigation system seem to be pretty accurate the actual flight model has been built more for enjoyment than pure simulation. For the user base that FSX seems to be targeted at this is pretty much right where it should be, enough detail to keep the more serious happy while not scaring away those who are venturing into flight simulation for the first time, Microsoft developers seemed to have struck a fairly nice balance between the two.

So the verdict…if your looking for the most realistic flight simulation you can get then you may wish to look elsewhere, but if your looking for an enjoyable flight experience with content that is going to be continued to be developed by a large community in the years to come then FSX is well worth picking up and getting into
If you’re looking for a flight simulation that you can get your teeth into straight away without spending hours pouring over manuals and tech books then FSX is well worth a look for the mission packages alone, and with previous editions of FS being hugely supported by the FS community expect to see FSX continue to be developed and refined by the huge community that it and previous releases has developed.

Me, I’m off back to racing gliders across the Austrian Alps and trying to forget about that 747 landing.

wide load · Post by **wide load** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:35 am

Reads very well and pretty much spot on from my experience with the game. FSX is the first flight sim I've owned and it is easy to get the hang of basic flight, but with so many more options to keep you entertained for hour after hour.

Dont forget your typo in the 5th paragraph I think. You have PLANS instead of PLANES. It was 1am in the morning.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 9:07 am

Personally, I think you need to emphasise the PC needs somewhere in real simple terms.

Like if you've purchased a new pc in the last 6 months, chances are . . . . but if you've got a pc that's 2 years old, it'll . . . type of thing.

It's one of the biggest questions I get at work all the time - and the real difference about consoles vs PC.

Mattly · Post by **Mattly** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 9:37 am

Nice pics to Jethoe, have you got your new card yet?

Post by **Jetboy** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 5:18 pm

cheers for the comments guys....going to make a few changes and will post back

Almost had my 8800 but turned out one of Matts suppliers had made an error on their site and had 1 listed in stock when they didnt hehe....so just being moderately patient...its not fun

Still running it on my 7800 but have placed the order with VR for an Asus 8800GTX

p.s what brings up the FPS in game?

Post by **Jetboy** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:58 pm

One engine out, not to much of a worry….there goes number 2….ok time to start thinking about landing….there goes number 3…right exactly where is that Airport!!
For most pilots out there this would be their worst nightmare and one that they spend hours in simulators and training flights learning how to cope with…now with Microsoft Flight Simulator X the average home PC user can get a glimpse of what its like to fly one of these huge machines and deal with multiple engine failures to boot.

FSX has evolved greatly since the previous version released in 2004, with one of the major new features being the mission scenarios. Everything from how to taxi, landing 747’s in crosswinds, flying gliders to even racing aircraft against Jet powered trucks is covered and with twists and turns within various missions there’s sure to be something to keep you occupied for hours on end.

Opening the FSX box you are presented with 2 DVD’s and a quickstart manual to flick through while the install takes place. Once the install is complete FSX brings with it Microsoft’s activation scheme (similar to Windows XP) which until completed will limit you to 30 minutes of flight time and removes the multiplayer option. If your connected to the net at this point this takes about 30 seconds and removes the need to have the DVD in the drive to play which I see as quite a bonus.

When you first start up a flight the first thing that you will notice is that the graphics have improved immensely compared to previous titles but you’ll then find that this has come at a cost and that is of the standard of PC required to run FSX. The first few flights that you take will most likely be spent switching back and forth trying to find the right balance between the amount of detail and your PC being able to keep up with smooth flight. As I found selecting everything to maximum will bring on result similar to a slideshow presentation, but with some patience a suitable balance can be found. Will your PC be able to run it? If you’ve bought a PC for gaming in the last 6 months then most likely you’ll be able to run it quite well, if not then you may be in for at least a video card upgrade in the very near future.

What people reading this magazine are probably most interested in is do the planes fly like they do in real life? Unfortunately my experience in 747 single engine landings is somewhat limited but after hearing comments from an experienced flight instructor that tried the program out it seems that while the navigation system seem to be pretty accurate the actual flight model has been built more for enjoyment than pure simulation. For the user base that FSX seems to be targeted at this is pretty much right where it should be, enough detail to keep the more serious happy while not scaring away those who are venturing into flight simulation for the first time, Microsoft developers seemed to have struck a fairly nice balance between the two.

For those that wish to indulge in multiplayer flights FSX has you covered here as well with players able to fly in close formation without issue and if flying’s not your thing then your even able to take on the role of an Air Traffic Controller and take control of the skies around your virtual airfield.

So the verdict…if your looking for the most realistic flight simulation you can get then there are better suited. If on the other hand you’re looking for a flight simulation that you can get your teeth into straight away without spending hours pouring over manuals and tech books then FSX is well worth a look for the mission packages alone. Also expect to see FSX continue to be developed and refined by the large community that it and previous releases has developed.

Me, I’m off back to racing gliders across the Austrian Alps to try forget about that 747 landing.

With a few more pics

Post by **Jetboy** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:45 pm

Final review as its going to appear in the Airforce news (zipped pdf)

Still trying to figure out why the editor boldfaced my systems specs...

BAZZIL · Post by **BAZZIL** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:22 pm

Prometheus wrote:Personally, I think you need to emphasise the PC needs somewhere in real simple terms.

Like if you've purchased a new pc in the last 6 months, chances are . . . . but if you've got a pc that's 2 years old, it'll . . . type of thing.

It's one of the biggest questions I get at work all the time - and the real difference about consoles vs PC.

Yer, it's the big, but what does it all mean for ME question